Wow! I cannot believe the NBA season is finally back. Tip-off is all set with the Milwaukee Bucks raising the banner. Meanwhile, get your popcorn ready as Stephen Curry and LeBron James go toe-to-toe in LaLa land! What more could we ask for!? Well, how about some bold predictions! And in the spirit of last season’s article and one of my favorite writers Peter King, here’s my ode to King with my own version of 10 things I think I think for the 2021-22 fantasy basketball season. Hope you enjoy!
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Top 10 Things I Think for 2021-22
1. I think Donovan Mitchell will finish as a top-5 fantasy player in basketball and win the NBA scoring title.
I mentioned something pretty similar in a previous article but year five for Donovan Mitchell equals top-five baby! His 34 PPG over his last two playoffs carry over into this superstar season for the Jazz star.
2. I think Jayson Tatum reaches his superstar potential and also finishes in the top-5 this year.
It’s the Jayson Tatum show in Boston this year. All the talk in Celtics camp has been how elite Tatum has been. With Jaylen Brown unhealthy to start the season, Tatum might get out to an early MVP start and will battle it out with Durant and Curry for the league honors.
3. I think Anthony Davis finishes outside the top-40.
Even when healthy last season Anthony Davis was averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the first month. A far cry from his 12 rebound and 2.6 block days. Add in the triple-double king in Russell Westbrook plus the injury history for Davis and we get a start we just can’t count on in fantasy.
4. I think Jusuf Nurkic will lead the NBA in rebounds and finish inside the top-20 in fantasy.
It’s a contract year for the Bosnian Beast and health is the only thing in Jusuf Nurkic’s way 2021-22. New Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups has been raving about Nurkic’s play and everything points to the Damian Lillard & Nurkic show for Rip City. Watch out for Nurkic to have his best season yet!
5. I think Isaiah Stewart finishes in the top-50 this season and finishes top-10 in rebounds
In fantasy, the bad teams always produce fantasy gold. That will be Isaiah Stewart ladies and gentlemen. The Pistons are playing small-ball this year and the 6’9 forward finds himself as the starting Center for Detroit. He’s been holding his own throughout the preseason and is in for one helluva season. Who’s the backup? Kelly Olynyk…It’s board central for Stewart folks.
6. I think Deandre Ayton finishes outside the top-70 in fantasy rankings this year.
With an ADP of 28, we have a major bust potential with the 4th-year pro. His 14 points and 10.5 rebounds last season did not cut it for fantasy so why the faith now? His 14 points and 12 rebounds in the NBA Finals was sure a major improvement… riiiiight. The Suns run through Chris Paul and Devin Booker and that will not change. Hard pass
7. I think Darius Bazley is one of the next big breakout stars and cracks the top-40 in fantasy.
It’s time to Thunder Up with Darius Bazley. Bazley has been the talk of Thunder camp this offseason and just put the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in a spin cycle during the preseason. Bazley played amazing basketball to finish the season last year averaging 18.8 points and 7 rebounds over his final 13-games. That is not a small sample size. Not to mention, there is nothing going on in OKC. The Bazley breakout is ready for takeoff baby!
8. I think Reggie Jackson continues to age like fine-wine and finishes in the top-75 in fantasy.
Reggie Jackson must have been touring around Napa Valley with Paul Giamatti drinking Merlot before arriving to the Clippers in 2020. He was one smooth man averaging 23.2 points,4 rebounds and 4 assists in six of his final seven games in the NBA playoffs last year including a monster 27 and 10 performance to knock out the Utah Jazz. No Kawhi Leonard, no problem for Jackson and the Clippers. The Clippers lack a lot of depth at the guard position, so Jackson is in a prime spot to produce like he did in the playoffs and is an absolute steal at his current ADP. Scoop up immediately if he’s available.
9. I think Dennis Schroder earns himself all that money he missed out on with a top-70 season.
A lot has been made of Dennis Schroder turning down $84 million in Los Angeles just to end up with a 1-yr/$5million contract with Boston but fear not in fantasy land. Kemba Walker has shipped off to New York and Marcus Smart always seems to find himself on the injured list. More often than not it will be Dennis Schroder running the point in Bean-town and tossing alley-oops to Tatum. Double-Doubles are coming…
10. I think Pascal Siakam gets traded and Chris Boucher cracks the top-40 in fantasy and is named Warden of the North.
I think at some point Pascal Siakam gets traded this season and then it’s officially Chris Boucher’s frontcourt in Toronto. Boucher was electric at times last season averaging 23.2 points and 7 rebounds to start off March and dropping multiple 30-point and 10-rebound games. The North is Boucher’s.
For more great analysis, check out the 2021-22 Fantrax Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit!
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