To say the offseason has been a wild ride in Portland and Washington is an understatement. The Trailblazers shipped out arguably the greatest player in their organization’s history, Damian Lillard. While the Wizards sent both franchise cornerstones Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis packing.
What’s left are two teams that are picked to finish around 25 wins a piece and a mishmash of potential talent akin to a bargain bin of misfit socks at a thrift shop. But let’s be honest, when you’re wearing pants no one is going to see those mid-rise cotton blends anyway. Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and find value where others are unwilling to pair a white Champion tube and a gray Adidas no-show.
Trailblazers and Wizards: Value in patience
Both Portland and Washington are likely to see a minimum of two new starters with the possibility of four. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones (alongside Kyle Kuzma) will be immediate changes for the Wizards, while Scoot Henderson and DeAndre Ayton (Alongside Anfernee Simons) should slide into the starting lineup from the get-go for the Trailblazers.
Everything else? Who knows, I’ll get into what my favorite plays are in a bit, but what’s important for fantasy managers to do is monitor minutes and usage of the other players on their rosters, as many may still be free agents after your draft. As for draftable assets, again patience is key. Is Scoot Henderson REALLY the 20th-best PG prospect in fantasy basketball? Probably not, but don’t waste a fifth-round pick on a guy you can probably comfortably obtain in the seventh.
Best Value Options
Portland
Scoot Henderson, PG
Best Stats: AST, PTS, 3PM
Pre-ranked somewhere in the 80s and sitting near the 20th-best PG option by most services, behind guys like Chris Paul, Derrick White, and Terry Rozier is laughable. Scoot, a rookie out of the G League should play ample minutes and get every opportunity to be a focal point and creator for every offensive set he’s a part of.
The other young guards in Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons have proven to be shoot-first guys, while Ayton can score down low better than any option Portland has had since Lamarcus Aldridge. With all of these offensive outlets and Henderson’s athletic ability to get to the rack, and cause havoc defensively seeing him average 17 and 8 with two threes and a steal wouldn’t be a shock to anyone who’s studied his game.
Shaedon Sharpe, (SG/SF)
Best Stats: PTS, 3PM, STL
Sharpe is unequivocally the easiest scorer on the entire Blazers roster he moves with ease from the perimeter to the paint with his wirey 6’6 frame and 7-foot wingspan. The question is, where and where does he play? In the preseason he’s played the sixth man role twice, and started at small forward once, though he’s likely more comfortable as a two.
Sharpe’s upside this year may be more immense as a basketball player than a fantasy asset, but with that being said he’s generally going undrafted and can be picked up in a majority of leagues. He would be my number 1 watch target for both teams headed into the season to see where he fits in the Blazers rotation.
Washington
Bilal Koulibaly, SF
Best Stats: STL, BLK, 3PM
Coming into the season the starting forward role alongside Kyle Kuzma was thought to be a battle between Corey Kispert and Deni Avdija. Not so fast, to open their preseason campaign Bilal Koulibaly has gotten the nod in both contests and mightily impressed.
With a starting five that includes Kuzma and Jordan Poole a rangy defensive wing is exactly what the wizards need. For all the upside of Kispert and Avdija present, Koulibaly, the 19-year-old Frenchman offers Washington the most upside at SF. Koulibaly is likely to go undrafted in most formats but could be an absolute steal off the waiver wire if he cements his position in the Wizards rotation early.
Tyus Jones, PG
Best Stats: AST, FT%, STL
A starter, FINALLY. Over his last five seasons in a backup role, all Tyus Jones has done is average 4.5 assists, shoot over 80% from the line, and 36% from three while nearly swiping a steal a game. Pre-ranked in a similar breadth of Scoot from PG18-20 his efficiency on the floor in every aspect could make him a top 12-15 PG by the season’s end. Want another impressive Jones tidbit? He has never averaged a full turnover a game in any of his eight seasons.
Trailblazers and Wizards: Other Intriguing Targets
Washington
Kyle Kuzma, PF
Best Stats: PTS, REB, 3PM
slotted as a sixth to seventh-round asset and a low-teens PF rank, Kuzma as the main man in Washington has more potential for boom than bust. Last year with an increased role saw a career-high in points (21.2) and three-pointers made (2.5) while snagging 7 boards a contest. With Kristaps gone, and the frontcourt lacking a consistent rebounding force, seeing his boards increase to 8+ wouldn’t’ be a stretch.
Deni Avdija, SF/PF
Best Stats: REB, 3PM, STL
Arguably the most natural rebounding frontcourt option, Deni came on strong at the end of last year and may still be battling for the final starting spot. Even if he begins the season off the bench, Avdija is a must-monitor free-agent option for any manager looking to pick up rebounds and threes at the end of their roster.
Portland
Malcolm Brogdon, PG/ SG
Best Stats: PTS, AST, 3PM
This man literally won the Sixth Man of the Year award last year! How soon we forget, on a guard-heavy team filled with young talent Brogdon could play a veteran role similar to what Andre Miller did with the Blazers in yesteryear where he at times was a very useful fantasy asset.
Robert Williams III
Best Stats: BLK, REB
Williams will likely come off the bench behind DeAndre Ayton, but should also serve as a backup at the four as well. His best attribute may be that he is PF-eligible allowing managers to utilize him more freely as a spot starter. Even in a reduced role, if Williams can play 25 minutes a night there is no reason he can’t average near 10 and 10 with a block and a half a game.
All of that being said his health remains a massive concern, but there is a reason he’s either being drafted in the final round or not drafted at all. In terms of a high-risk, high-reward pick-up, Williams is near the top of the list for big men.
Can’t wait for the NBA season? Get warmed up and check out all the great analysis in our 2023 Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit!