RADIO
It's the final day of the NBA preseason, which means the end of draft season (boo!) and the start of the NBA season (hooray!). RotoBaller's got one last slate of sleepers for you before starting our regular season NBA fantasy coverage. If you are looking to think outside the box for your league's last second draft before the NBA's regular season beginning on Tuesday, these three big man sleepers could propel your team to a lightning fast start to the top of your league's standings.
Sleeper NBA Forwards
Jae Crowder (F, BOS)
Owned in 8% of Fleaflicker leagues
The number one factor driving the value of Marquette product Jae Crowder's is the fact that the Boston Celtics simply need him more than the Dallas Mavericks ever did. In 181 career games played with the Mavericks since 2012, Crowder averaged just 15.9 minutes per game. Since Crowder was traded to the Celtics, Crowder's playing time leaped up to 24.2 minutes per game in 57 contests. In his increasing time on the floor, Crowder's statistics were able to much a jump up in quantity by averaging 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 9.5 points per game. Crowder's defense is certainly where he can make the biggest impact for fantasy basketball managers, as he has career averages of 0.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per 36 minutes, along with 5.7 rebounds. For being a small forward, Jae Crowder brings big man skills and big time defense in the late rounds of most fantasy basketball drafts.
Otto Porter (SF, WAS)
Owned in 16% of Fleaflicker leagues
Every aspect of Otto Porter's offensive game improved last year over his disappointing rookie season. Last season Porter's FT% went from 66.7% to 73.4%, his 2PT% went from 41.4% to 49.1%, his 3PT% went from a horrendous 19% to 33.7%, his eFG% went from 38.5% to 49.5%, his minutes played per game went from 8.6 to 19.4, and his PPG went from 2.1 to 6.0. While his offensive game may have still been an issue, his defensive game was not. In 19.4 minute per game, Porter averaged 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks per game, which translates to 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per 100 possessions. Porter's performance and opportunity is trending up in a big way, and now without Paul Pierce blocking playing time with the Wizards, Otto is a much safer deep option for fantasy basketball managers to earn contributions in most categories.
Jared Sullinger (PF/C, BOS)
Owned in 47% of Fleaflicker leagues
At 0.9 3PM per game on 3.2 attempts, Jared Sullinger once again improved his 3PT% to 28.3%. Sullinger is one of the few hard hitting Centers in the game who can contribute scoring from long distance. There isn't really a category in which Jared Sullinger can't help out a fantasy basketball manager's team. He averaged a solid 10.1 TRB, 3.1 assists, 1.0 block, 1.0 steal, and 17.7 points per 36 minutes to go along with above big man average figures of 74.4 FT%, and a 47.6 eFG%. Sullinger has certainly struggled with injuries, but when he plays, he averages about 27 minutes per game, and you can bet that those minutes would go up if Brad Stevens is certain Sullinger is healthy enough to see his time go up. Either way, Jared Sullinger should be owned in all leagues going into the season for his ability to produce good figures where all big men will, and produce great figures where other big men can't.
