RADIO
We are in the final stages of preseason, which means we are inching closer and closer to the commencement of the 2023–2024 NBA season. I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely stoked about it.
In the coming days, roster cuts will be made, and rosters will start to get set for the foreseeable future. Who knows, we could even get a resolution to this whole James Harden vs. Philly drama saga.
The closer it is to the real season, the closer it is to the fantasy draft season, so you need all the tips and tricks to give you any kind of edge in your leagues. Today I will be giving you five very deep sleeper guards for this fantasy basketball season. Without further ado, let's hop straight into the list.
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Ben Simmons - Brooklyn Nets
Yes, I really am buying the Ben Simmons preseason hype. I've always been a big Simmons fan, so it wasn't going to take much for me to be back on the hype train. Now you might ask why Simmons is on a sleeper list if he has a bunch of hype around his name. Well, the answer to that is that he still is not a highly regarded fantasy option in the eyes of many people. After a very lackluster season last year, many people have written him off, but I'm not ready to do that.
In 42 games of action, Simmons averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 26 minutes per game. After suffering another season of injury, his future was indeed in doubt, but he looks to have slimmed down and regained much-needed confidence. No matter what, Simmons's mix of size, finishing, and playmaking is rare and will only get better with more confidence. That's not to mention his elite defense, which was one of the things that at least stayed somewhat the same after his departure from Philadelphia. Some encouraging signs have been his impressive preseason tenure; hopefully, he can continue it during the regular season.
Bones Hyland - LA Clippers
Bones Hyland has always had a reputation as a deadly scoring spark, and he showcased that during his time in Denver. But after some behind-the-scenes stuff happened, he quickly found himself out of the rotation, and now he seems to have found the perfect role with LA. He has been able to play off of superstars while also getting some very valuable on-ball reps as a point guard, which will help him in the future. From my understanding, he will see a bigger role off the bench this year for the Clippers, so he should improve even more.
Last year in 14 games for the Clippers, Bones averaged 10.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 40.1% shooting from the field and 35.1% from deep. Off the bench, Hyland has inherited a Lou Williams-esque type of role, and he has absolutely thrived in it. With his free playstyle, I think he should see more improvements next season, as he is an obvious piece of the LA Clippers' future.
Payton Pritchard - Boston Celtics
Fresh off of a new contract extension, Payton Pritchard has been on an absolute tear, finally showing the scoring flashes that awed fans in Oregon. In past years, Celtics teams had a multitude of depth throughout their roster that allowed them to not have to play Payton, but now they are in a situation after some trades where he is needed. Pritchard in previous years announced his frustration with his playing time, and now it seems as if his request is finally going to be put into action.
Last year, in 48 games, Pritchard averaged 5.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in only 13 minutes of action. As you can see, last year he was obviously not a staple in the rotation, but this year he will have his number called often. He is a great scoring punch off the bench and can even facilitate when asked, so he should have a breakout year. In the preseason, Pritchard averaged 15.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 23 minutes per game. With those stats, I would be encouraged to say that Pritchard can easily be a great late-round target.
Josh Richardson - Miami Heat
What seems to have been lost during the Damian Lillard trade saga was the signing of Josh Richardson. He has been one of the league's best 3 and D guards and has always been a hot commodity for any contending team. Richardson is very familiar with the Heat, as he got his start in the league with them and found a good amount of success with them as well. Richardson, in my eyes, had a chance to start, and even if he doesn't, he will be an immediate contributor off the bench and will be very pivotal.
While being on a tanking San Antonio team, Richardson put up some respectable numbers, which garnered interest from the Pelicans, where he was eventually dealt to. In 65 games, he averaged 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 43.1% shooting from the field. The ability to force turnovers and shoot the ball at a high level will make Richardson a favorite of Spoelstra's in my mind. I think that he will be an excellent late-round pick.
Peyton Watson - Denver Nuggets
After the departure of forward Bruce Brown, the Nuggets need to find a replacement. From the comments of GM Calvin Booth, they wholeheartedly believe that the replacement is young guard Peyton Watson, and I do as well. Standing at 6'8, Watson has a 7'0 wingspan and has the defensive instincts and reaction time of a veteran. Now the one part of his game that is a true concern is his offense, but he is an improving shooter and an excellent cutter, which bodes well for this team that loves to hit cutters often.
Watson didn't play that much last year, but he is being thrown into a prominent bench position after having some impressive flashes in the summer league and at the end of last season. Last year, in 23 games, Watson averaged 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks in eight minutes per game. Watson had a very encouraging preseason that showcased he could fit seamlessly into the Nuggets system, so now I'm confident that he could potentially be in line for a breakout season.
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