X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Central Division Fantasy Basketball Preview

FanDuel DraftKings daily fantasy basketball

Justin Carter previews the teams in the NBA's Central Division for fantasy basketball impact, breakouts, stars, and sleepers.

It might seem like the NBA season just ended, but we're just a month away from the start of the 2018-2019 NBA season! Time flies in basketball world.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be bringing you division-by-division analysis of the upcoming NBA season and providing you with some fantasy nuggets for each NBA team that can help you make the best decisions as you head into your fantasy basketball drafts.

Today, I'll be looking at the NBA's Central Division.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Central Division Fantasy Preview

Chicago Bulls

Can Jabari Parker and Zach LaVine stay healthy?

It's, umm, possible! Parker has played 82 games over the past two seasons. LaVine has played in 71. The Bulls are betting on both players being able to stay on the court this year, but should you bet on that with your fantasy team?

The advanced stats on both players looked bad last year, with both players finishing with a negative offensive and defensive box plus/minus (BPM) and a negative player impact plus/minus (PIPM). LaVine shot 38.3 percent from the field in 24 games last season. Parker shot much better than LaVine, but I have concerns about what else he brings to the table. I'm not sure I want to draft LaVine at his current top-70 ADP, but taking a chance on Parker around the 120 range could pay off.

Is Lauri Markkanen a baby Dirk?

I live in the Dallas area. Driving home from work the other day, Dirk Nowitzki was being interviewed on the radio about Luka Doncic. Dirk was asked about where he sees Doncic's development at age-19 versus where Dirk was at age-19 and Dirk was just completely in awe of how much better Doncic is at this point than he was.

This got me thinking about the NBA player with the most Dirk comparisons, Chicago's Lauri Markkanen. The Finnish power forward is the same height as Dirk and the two's per 36 minute stats early in their career share some similarities. Here's a chart:

Player Points Per 36 Rebounds Per 36 Free Throw % Three Point % True Shooting %
Lauri Markkanen - Rookie Season 18.4 9.1 84.3 36.2 55.2
Dirk Nowitzki - Second Season 17.6 6.5 83.0 37.9 56.4

There are a lot of similarities there. Markkanen seems to already be ahead of Dirk as a rebounder, with his shooting numbers just a little bit off. I'm not trying to suggest that Lauri Markkanen is on his way to being a top-20 player in league history because Markkanen still has a lot of work to do to become even the average defender that Dirk was, but his offensive numbers could present a close approximation of Dirk's early numbers. He'll need more playing time and to sustain his shooting percentages on a higher workload, but the upside is there and he can be a great fantasy pick.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Will Kevin Love be a solo star again?

The last time Kevin Love was the top option on an NBA team, the 2013-2014 Minnesota Timberwolves finished 40-42. The second best BPM on that team belonged to Corey Brewer, so there's a good idea of the kind of help Love had. In his final season with the Wolves, Love averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game along with a career-high 4.4 assists. The list of players to average 26/12/4 or better in a season includes Love and just six other names: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, Bob McAdoo, and Oscar Robertson. Sure, it's been a few years and few injuries since then and the 2018-2019 Cavaliers have a better supporting cast than Love had in Minneapolis, but Love's upside as the top option in Cleveland is hard to deny. I don't expect the assists to return thanks to the presence of George Hill and Collin Sexton, but Love's scoring ceiling is still what it was there, especially with the increase in his three point shooting percentages over the past few seasons.

Is it Cedi time?

With Rodney Hood still not signed, Cleveland seems prepared to open the season with Cedi Osman taking LeBron James's spot in the starting lineup. Osman, who is currently having himself a good time on Turkey's national team, showed a lot of potential as a rookie, but I've seen him ranked ahead of guys like Bobby Portis, Rajon Rondo, and Justise Winslow in some fantasy rankings already. The 36.8 percent shooting from deep as a rookie looked good, but can he hold up in a larger role?

Detroit Pistons

Will Luke Kennard ever make Pistons fans forget Donovan Mitchell?

The Detroit Pistons chose Luke Kennard one spot before Donovan Mitchell in the 2017 NBA Draft and thus far have definitely regretted that decision. But Kennard isn't mincemeat; the former Duke Blue Devil has a decent shot to end up starting at the two this season for the Pistons. He started the final four games of last season for Detroit and -- #SMALLSAMPLESIZEALERT -- averaged 15.8 points per game and shot 55.6 percent from three. Obviously unsustainable, but it is a good chance to see what Kennard can do at his very best. (Speaking of Kennard, the luck-adjusted on/off data from last year has Detroit's offense and defense being better with Kennard on the court than off the court. It's not outside the realm of possibilities to project Kennard's impact leading to him having a bigger role than Reggie Bullock, right? *waits for Pistons fans to exist and answer*)

Did we forget about Blake Griffin?

Short answer: yes.

Slightly less short answer: It definitely feels like the world has forgotten about Blake Griffin. He's, like, a borderline top-50 fantasy guy at this point and I'm really not sure what I can say to change anyone's mind about that because...I don't know where my mind is on that? The move from the Clippers to the Pistons in the middle of last season led to a change in Griffin's role. The ball was in his hands more often and he was used in more of a playmaking role, with his assist rate rising from 25.6 percent in 33 games with Los Angeles to 31.5 percent in his 25 Detroit games. Griffin increasing his assists maintaining a similar usage rate could be great news, but injuries have zapped some of his athleticism, leading to a career-low rebounding rate last season. Griffin is tough to judge because we're not sure how to project his career from this point. He started shooting threes last season as an astronomically higher rate than before -- if that keeps up AND a fully healthy Griffin is able to regain some of that bounce that made him a dangerous interior threat, fantasy owners could be thrilled with getting him at his current cost, but he also seems just as likely to get worse.

Indiana Pacers

Will Myles Turner make his next move?

Heading into last season, Myles Turner was a popular pick to be THE guy to break out, but Turner ultimately was limited to just 65 games with an elbow issue. His per game stats featured a decrease in points, rebounds, and blocks, but that was also accompanied by a drop in minutes. His per 36 stats looked nearly identical last year to the numbers he posted during the 2016-2017 season.

There's obviously some reasons to worry when a third-year player doesn't show improvement over the previous season. Turner should improve. He's got the ability to step out and hit from the perimeter and the size/speed to defend against modern NBA centers. He's got to improve on his actual recognition on the defensive end and needs to hit his jumpers more consistently, but this could be the year that Turner does what we thought he was going to do last year, right?

Which Tyreke Evans did Indiana get?

It really feels like Tyreke Evans is the kind of guy who is constantly oscillating between "man, he's just a journeyman already" and "still capable of being a big impact player." His single season with Memphis last year definitely leaned towards the latter, with Evans averaging more points per game than in any year since his rookie season while improving his shooting, his three point shooting, his rebounding, and his assist totals from the 2016-2017 season. Evans won't be starting for the Pacers, but he's an intriguing player who should see big minutes off the bench and could challenge for Sixth Man of the Year if plays at the same level he did last season. Can I confidently say that Evans isn't going to revert back to some of the more inconsistent moments he had in New Orleans? Nah, but at his current ADP (around the 100 range) you should consider betting on Evans to continue what he didn't finish with the Grizzlies.

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis!

I'm not even sure what to say about Giannis Antetokounmpo. You're drafting him early because he's one of the league's best players, but could he be even better than expected this season? The Greek Freak shot over 30 percent from deep for the first time last season while taking 1.9 threes per game. You don't necessarily want someone hovering around the 30 percent mark to be shooting that often, but the development of a reliable perimeter game for Antetokounmpo would signal a new dimension for the Bucks offensively. New head coach Mike Budenholzer could help that -- last year, the Hawks ranked sixth in three point attempt rate and 16th in three point percentage while the Bucks were 25th in three point attempt rate and 21st in percentage. Atlanta was also ninth in pace, while Milwaukee was 21st. A faster Bucks team can give Antetokounmpo could possessions; a Bucks team shooting more threes can lead to more scoring from Antetokounmpo if his marginal per year improvement in his three point shooting percentage continues to go along with a slight increase in attempts.

What do we expect from Brook Lopez?

Serious question. I spent all of last season shifting my opinion on Lopez back and forth -- the Lakers would barely play him and I'd assume they were embracing their young players and then two nights later he'd play 27 minutes and score 19 points. Lopez was inconsistent last season, but on a contending team like the Bucks he should have a solidified role. As the third offensive option, Lopez is unlikely to put up the same scoring numbers he did late in his Nets career, but there's not a world where I can imagine a healthy Lopez being any worse than last season. Also wouldn't be surprised to see him rebound the ball a lot better than he did over the past two seasons.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Baltimore Ravens

Emery Jones to Start Training Camp on NFI List
Von Miller

Signs With Commanders
Alfred Collins

Agrees to Four-Year Rookie Deal
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Rashawn Slater

Likely Practicing During Extension Talks
Stefon Diggs

Trending Towards Being Available Week 1
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Cleveland Browns

Elerson Smith Retires From Football
Justyn Ross

Chiefs Waive Justyn Ross
Tre Harris

Chargers Hope to Get Tre Harris on the Field Soon
Najee Harris

Likely to Begin Training Camp on NFI List
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Darren Waller

Signs $2 Million Deal With Dolphins
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
C.J. Stroud

Working on Speed, Pocket Mobility Entering Year 3
Daiyan Henley

Daiyan Henley Full-Go for Training Camp
Bradley Beal

Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Kurtis Rourke

Starting Training Camp on NFI List
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
Micah Parsons

Not Worried About Extension Talks
Jahdae Barron

Broncos Agree to Terms With Jahdae Barron on Rookie Deal
Tyrone Broden

Seahawks Place Tyrone Broden, Montorie Foster on NFI List
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Landon Jackson

Lands on PUP List
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Ja'Kobe Walter

Produces Big Numbers at Both Ends Against Nuggets
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Ajay Mitchell

Outstanding Against Magic Tuesday
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
VJ Edgecombe

Busy in Las Vegas Summer League Debut
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Dominick Barlow

to Sit Out Rest of Summer League
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
NBA

Oshae Brissett Links Up with Maccabi Tel Aviv
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Charlotte Hornets

Josh Okogie Waived by Hornets
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Junior Colson

Competing for Starting Job
Isaiah Likely

Ravens Looking to Extend Isaiah Likely
Kyle Pitts

Not in Falcons' Long-Term Plans?
Quinshon Judkins

Browns in "No Rush" to Sign Quinshon Judkins to Rookie Deal
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF