RADIO
With the 2014-2015 NBA season coming up, we take a look at a few late-round guards who could help your team go straight to the top of the standings.
Do Not Forget The Following Guards During Draft Day
Jimmy Butler
Last season, Butler got on the fantasy radar due to his all-around game. That should only continue this year, as he is the only shooting guard on Chicago's roster that is likely to see big minutes. Most assume that his production will diminish Derrick Rose's return and the presence of newly-acquired Pau Gasol, and although these guys may negatively impact Butler's scoring, they should boost all of his other stats. Last year, the 6’7” guard posted a stat line of 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. That said, the most important stat may be 38.7, which is the minutes Butler played per game last season.
Coach Tom Thibodeau is widely known for having a short rotation that benefits players like Butler. With more weapons on the floor, Butler should see more open shots, and consequently a spike is his shooting percentages (39.7% overall and 28.3% from deep). If he can bump those to 45% and 37% his scoring numbers could stay the same while managing elite numbers in both steals and blocks from the guard position.
Patrick Beverley
All signs in Houston are pointing in the right direction for Beverley. The team traded away his main competition for playing time in Jeremy Lin; they finished second in the league in scoring last year at 107.7 points per game, and they lost playmaker Chandler Parsons. All of those add up to a huge boost in minutes and usage this year for the scrappy point guard. Last year, in 31 minutes a game, Beverley put up 10 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 threes per game. Though not the best shooter at just 41% from the floor and 36% from deep, he does boast a solid 81% rate from the free-throw line.
With no competition on the roster for playing time, Beverly should certainly see an increase in minutes per game over last year, which should mean a boost in all stat categories. A season of 15 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2 three pointers a game is not out of the question.
Darren Collison
Collison capitalized on his productive season as the Clippers backup point guard by landing a big deal to run the show in Sacramento. He will take over for Isaiah Thomas in running a Kings team that averaged an impressive 100.5 points per game in 2013-14. Collison is not as explosive as Thomas, but he is a better overall shooter, which should serve to boost his value. A year ago, in limited time, Collison averaged 11.4 points, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting a ridiculous 85.7% from the free throw line. He was also capable of the big game, as he put up 19-game streak of double-figure scoring last season.
In five seasons, Collison has never failed to top 10.0 points, 3.7 assists and 0.8 steals while also playing in at least 76 games. That combination results in one of the highest floors for a late-round flyer.
Jose Calderon
Another new face in a new place, Calderon joins the Knicks this season after a trade from Dallas. The veteran will look to stabilize a position that was a mess between Ray Felton and Pablo Prigioni last year. Calderon is always a contender to lead the league in assists, as the Spanish wizard has averaged over 6.6 dimes per game six different times. He is also an elite shooter from deep, averaging 1.1 three-pointers per game on 41.1% shooting from downtown during his 10-year career.
Expect rookie head coach Derek Fisher, himself a point guard, to lean on the veteran to get the team into their new triangle offense. Surrounded by Carmelo Anthony, as well as shooters like Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith, Calderon should be a solid playmaker who remains available fairly late in your drafts.
Tony Wroten
With the potential to be a top-20 guard if he is given the opportunity, Wroten is the biggest boom-or-bust candidate on this list . The Sixers do have Michael Carter-Williams to run their team, but the rest of the cupboard is bare, which means Wroten could see a bump in minutes. His 2013-14 averages do not look overly impressive at 13.0 points, 3.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per night, but his game log shows some huge nights. In 11 February games last year, he finished with over 12 points on nine separate times while averaging 3.5 rebounds a game in those outings. He also had one triple-double and was close on a few other occasions, which shows his immense fantasy potential.
One downside to Wroten is that he turns the ball over at an alarming rate while also shooting under 22% from deep. There will certainly be games in which he does not see the floor much, but in a daily roster league, Wroten is certainly worth a late-round flyer.
