The start of the NBA season is just a little bit over a week away, so our work here continues! Sleepers, Post-hype sleepers, and what about the bounce-back players!? Today we take a look at a few players who are primed to get back on track for the 2020-21 NBA season and help you win that fantasy title.
Feeling let down with the abrupt end to the last fantasy basketball season? Have no fear! The NBA is ready to get right back at it and you should be too. Whether you want to join an existing league or start one of your own, Fantrax Fantasy Basketball Commissioner has all the features that will make the upcoming season a resounding success.
Fantasy Basketball Bounce-Back Players
Draymond Green, PF/C – Golden State Warriors
Last year was a lost season for the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green included. No doubt it was an extremely disappointing year for the veteran but the bad 2020 is almost over. 2021 is just around the corner and the Warriors and Green are about to turn a new leaf. Yes, it was discouraging Green couldn’t take on a more prominent role without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson but that’s not what Draymond Green is. He is the energizer bunny of the team, the do whatever it takes, all-out hustle kind of player, not the scorer.
In 4 games to start the season with Curry in the lineup, Green averaged 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.5 steals. His stat-stuffing potential is too hard to ignore and I really like his chances of bouncing back this year. Green will feed off the Warriors being a good basketball team again. Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Kelly Oubre can all knock down shots which will lead to an increase in assists for Green. They will all continue to chuck it up with will lead to rebounds for Green. This will also lead to better shot selection as he has no need to force up shots like he did last year. The ultimate touch them all category Green is back folks! Don’t snooze too long…
Blake Griffin, PF/C – Detroit Pistons
Blake Griffin is among my favorite bounce-back players after not only under-performing last season but returning from a knee injury that saw him play just 18 games last year. Things are pointing up for the 2020-21 season as Griffin is looking spry and healthy during training camp and has been “full-go” since the start of December. There are quite a few positives for Griffin this season, one being his low cost on draft day as he’s struggling to crack the top-100 on multiple lists. Second, and more importantly the Detroit Pistons roster is crazily thin. Derrick Rose and Jerami Grant are the projected top scorers behind Griffin so the plan is to feed the PF/C early and often. Slide Griffin up your ranks as his potential on this weak Pistons roster is too hard to ignore.
Aaron Gordon, SF/PF – Orlando Magic
Let’s play a quick game and all get to know one another a bit better here. Name something knew you learned today in the basketball world… For me, it was Aaron Gordon is just 25-years-old. It feels like he’s been doing slam dunk competitions for 10 years! One thing we like about the Orlando Magic is there’s opportunity for points with not a lot of proven scorers behind Nikola Vucevic on the squad. Gordon has shown massive upside in the past and played great in the regular season bubble averaging 17.3 points, and 7.7 rebounds before getting hurt with a hamstring injury. Gordon was also excellent in the month of February averaging 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals adding 5 double-doubles and 1 triple-double in the process. This is excellent value for someone hanging out in the eighties on draft boards. With Jonathan Isaac out for the season and Al-Farouq Aminu out with injury, Gordon will be receiving heavy minutes and may just have his best season yet.
Honorable mention*Gordon Hayward, SG/SF – Charlotte Hornets
Gordon Hayward’s time in Boston did not go as planned but he had a pretty impressive 2019 season averaging 17.5 points and 6.7 rebounds. Hence the honorable mention as most would say he already bounced back but this is a double bounce back baby! 2019-20 was still a bit disappointing with the 52-games played due to an ankle injury but the 30-year-old is fresh off a 4-year/$120 million dollar-contract and eager to prove he can get back to his All-Star ways. Hayward’s numbers were all-star indeed per-36 minutes with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker off the floor averaging 28.1 points and 9.6 rebounds. Charlotte has made it Haywards team in buzz city and he really does have top-35 potential, something we thought was well over with! Haywards 56.1 effective FG% was the highest of his career and his 20.4 EFF (individual player efficiency) rating was his 2nd highest. You hear the buzz? Hayward is back.
If you enjoyed Mike’s look at bounce-back players, then you’ll definitely want to check out his 2020-21 Fantasy Basketball Rankings and Draft Strategy!
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