TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

RotoBaller NBA Season Preview with Jake and Trevor

It's finally here! The NBA season tips off today. Before diving into regular season fantasy hoops coverage, it's time for one last set of predictions for the year.

RotoBaller experts Trevor Crippen and Jake Finnen are here today with their final picks for fantasy MVP, biggest bust, NBA Champion and more.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium NBA Subscription, only $29.99 for the full season. We have all the preseason tools to help win your drafts, and in-season tools to win your seasonal and daily leagues: Draft Kit, Premium Rankings, Sleepers List, Late-Round Fliers, Early-Round Avoids, DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids.

Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and 6 free months of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW

 

RotoBaller's 2016-17 NBA Season Preview

Most Disappointing NBA Team for Fantasy

Jake's Pick: Dallas Mavericks

Jake: There are a lot of weird things on this roster. They have 4 guards which right off the bat seems a little low. Anyway, Dirk is getting older so fantasy wise he's a risk. Bogut could be a good option depending on the matchup but otherwise, the rest of the roster is inconsistent. Harrison Barnes can't keep it together in the playoffs so I'm not sold on him whatsoever. I'll wait for them to prove me wrong.

Trevor: I see a lot of signs for deep sleepers on this team -- I'm all aboard the Seth Curry bandwagon, for example (we'll get to him soon). Also, four guards is the number of point guards they have -- not just the number of "guards" right? They basically only have ball-handlers like Curry, Deron Williams, Devin Harris, and J.J. Berea or big wings like Wesley Matthews and Justin Anderson, right? I have to give it to Jake, though... this is one team that's very low on top-end fantasy talent, with Dirk Nowitzki still the first player coming off the board in fantasy drafts.

Trevor's Pick: Chicago Bulls

Trevor: This may already be baked into player values, since Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, and Dwyane Wade are all ranked well below where they would normally be based on last year's stats.  However, I'm still pessimistic about this situation, the spacing, and the chance for a meltdown.  I'm still disappointed we didn't get to see what could've been an interesting younger Bulls team, too, if they'd chosen to hand the team over to Butler and feature more of their young talent like Denzel Valentine, Doug McDermott, and (assuming they'd kept him in this scenario) E'Twaun Moore.

Jake: This is hard to disagree with but I'm going to say that Rondo at the helms of the Bulls offense can only mean good things. In Sacramento he was the leader of an offense that finished third in team PPG and tied for third in assists per game. Rondo knows how to find open shooters and with Wade, Butler, Mirotic, and even Robin Lopez can score and have high quality jumpshots. I'm not saying the Bulls will make a playoff run but their offense is going to be on a different level, and their fantasy production will be fine.

 

Best NBA Team for Fantasy

Jake's Pick: Boston Celtics

Jake: Exploding with talent. They needed a good big man and they got one. I really think this team could make a Finals push is all falls together but the Celtics are full of athleticism, defenders, and shooters. Al Horford gives them an extremely versatile big men while sneaking in Gerald Green off the bench. I bought a Jae Crowder jersey and I'm a Knicks fan. That should say something about how excited I am to see how the Celtics fare this season.

Trevor: I love the Celtics this year, too.  My one disappointment is the injury just suffered by Marcus Smart that will keep him out for the first few games.  I was really thinking this could finally be his year to breakout, and I'd hate to see a bunch of minor injuries hold that back again.

Trevor's Pick: Houston Rockets

Trevor: This team is going to score, and score, and score.  Harden is going to be a one-man wrecking crew.  Trevor Ariza will bring great value in efficiency, treys, and defensive stats. Ryan Anderson will be a must-own C for FG% punting teams. Clint Capela could break out in a big way. I don't know how all the scoring is going to shake out with this team, but I'm trying to get a piece of it wherever I can in fantasy leagues.

Jake: All I think is how Harden is going to be everything in Houston. At the point he has full control and he is going to use it. Of course his stats are going to increase, last year was a seemingly dilapidated Rockets team in the playoffs. They took a downturn from the year before and Harden at point could be the answer. Ryan Anderson is a prolific scorer and Eric Gordon is streaky so the outcome is a little hazy. Clint Capela lacks a jump shot and Trevor Ariza seems to be aging daily. I see three Rockets being fantasy relevant. Just three.

 

Fantasy Breakout of the Year

Jake's Pick: Julius Randle, PF, Los Angeles Lakers

Jake: Near the end of last year he started becoming a ball hog and taking the ball up the court which clearly impressed some people. They started letting him do it and he struggled but improved throughout the game and actually managed to rack up some assists. I'm not sure if he will be used the same but versatility is versatility and Randle has the skills needed to be very good this year. I think he steals the show from D’Angelo Russell.

Trevor: We both like the fit of Luke Walton in Los Angeles, and without Kobe there to vacuum up all the shots, someone is going to break out.  Julius Randle is the more unconventional pick, but he still looks quite solid.  That said...

Trevor's Pick: D'Angelo Russell, PG, Los Angeles Lakers

Trevor: There's going to be inefficiency from Russell in the form of a poor FG% and lots of turnovers.  That might give you pause in roto setups, but those numbers are something it's easy to work around in H2H fantasy leagues.  Russell is the type of guy who could finish in the top 15 in each of scoring, assists, and threes.  He's going to be a monster fantasy producer.

Jake: D’Angelo is on everyone's radar this year but I think it's a year early. He is going to be a franchise player but I don't see him really hitting his stride till after the All-Star break. It's hard to go against him because he has splashes of greatness but I don't think he'll be a consistent player until later in the year...and I picked Julius Randle. Maybe he'll prove me wrong but until he is producing every night, I'm not sold on the sophomore guard.

Fantasy Bust of the Year

Jake's Pick: Matthew Dellavedova, PG/SG, Milwaukee Bucks

Jake: I'm sorry but he is not good. If anything positive comes from Dellavedova it's that he got to play with Lebron and win a championship. I think now that he is in Milwaukee and starting, he is going to be a cringe worthy addition to a team that does not deserve the pain.

Trevor: Boy, Jake just hates Delly.  I find it hard to call anyone I'd select with a late pick a bust, though.  It just doesn't matter that much if those picks don't work out.

Trevor's Pick: Derrick Favors, PF/C, Utah Jazz

Trevor: It's not that I'm scared about the production out of Favors.  I just don't like big men with balky knees.  Most busts end up being due to injuries in one way or another.  I'm not in the mood to spend a third round pick on a guy who's already limping around and at risk of sitting out games at a moment's notice -- especially when so many high upside guys are on the board.

Jake: I'm not scared of the knee.  With Gordon Hayward out for a some time, Favors is going to shine. He is a versatile PF with shooters around him that can create some space. He shot 51% from the field and was close to averaging a double double last season. (16 PPG / 8 RPG) He can handle the workload while Hayward is out and see him being a very quality PF for the time being.

 

Favorite Deep Sleeper

Jake's Picks: Maurice Harkless, SF, Portland Trailblazers and E'Twaun Moore, PG/SG, New Orleans Pelicans

Jake: Both these dudes ball out and have been overshadowed by other players. I think Harkless in the starting role is going to be perfect for him and he is going to be producing quality numbers early this season. He will probably fizzle out but I think he cements a starting spot.

As for Moore, he went crazy a few times in Chicago and New Orleans is going to be desperate for guard production. I think Galloway shoulders the defensive burden and Moore shines in the limelight in NOLA.

Trevor: Can't argue too much with these guys -- both starters barely being drafted.  Moore's ability as a ball-handler may allow him to outshine his much more hyped rookie teammate Buddy Hield, while Harkless is a solid across the stat-sheet contributor if he keeps his minutes.

Trevor's Pick: Seth Curry, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Jake: Where is he even playing? Dallas? He's behind Deron and JJ Barea but he's also one of 4 guards on the roster. Hard to argue with minutes.

Trevor: I'll keep hammering on this pick.  I love guys who make a high percentage of threes, because they allow you to get production there without hurting your FG%.  Curry also adds some assists to the equation, which sets him apart from typical three point specialists.  I love the situation for him to get playing time now and have upside for more.  This is a Dallas team under Rick Carlisle that used three guard lineups a ton last year, with Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, and Wesley Matthews able to simultaneously get close to starter's minutes.  Curry can slide into that Felton secondary ball-handler role.  Meanwhile, the guards ahead of him on the roster are all old and/or injury prone, making it basically a lock injuries increase his value.

 

Fantasy MVP

Jake's Pick: Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

Jake: So. Many. Triple. Doubles. I'm predicting at least 20 this season. Hoping his assists totals don't hit rock bottom...which is completely plausible with the team around him. It'll be between Russ and Harden all year.

Trevor: I kind of think Westbrook's not going to try to carry the team with his shooting as much as people expect him too.  He'll make an effort to get his teammates involved.  That could be a good thing, as it'll help his assists and not hurt his FG% quite as much.  I think he's always been a bit higher rated than he really is in fantasy, though, so even if he does take a leap in production, I think he's essentially just playing catch-up to the other top dogs in Harden, Durant, and Curry.

Trevor's Pick: James Harden, PG/SG/SF, Houston Rockets

Trevor: You read what I said about the Rockets.  Harden's going to have a monster year -- he's not out of shape and won't get off to a slow start like he did last year coming off his Kardashian offseason.  Plus, even if you have him and Westbrook neck-and-neck for production, Harden's positional flexibility -- where you can slot him into the SG or SF spots in a league stacked with point guards -- is worth the tiebreaker every time.  It makes it so much easier to punt FG% and TO going forward if you can still target as many point guards as you want.

Jake: I've predicted Harden is going to lead the league in scoring and that is basically MVP type production. I had Westbrook because you know, triple-double +3. Harden is going to drop 60 more than once this season. Calling it.

 

NBA Champions

Trevor's Pick: Golden State Warriors

Trevor: Easy.

Jake: Easy.

Jake's Pick: Golden State, if I had to make it more interesting... Boston Celtics

Jake: The Dubs are too good. BUT I really want to the Celtics to go to the Finals cause I think they are the only team capable of beating them. I think defensively they can match up, or try to match up with them just as well as anyone. I think Brad Stevens knows what he doing on the sideline.

Trevor: Oh, Coach Stevens knows what he's doing, but I still don't think anyone's beating a healthy Warriors team.  And if there's one team (and person) capable of beating them, it's not the Celtics and Brad Stevens... It's still the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James.  I think it's another rematch in the Finals.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jonas Brodin

Placed on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Domantas Sabonis

Might Return on Friday Night
Miro Heiskanen

Misses Second Straight Game
STL

Robert Thomas to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Jerami Grant

Likely to Play Against the Hawks on Thursday
Tom Wilson

Remains Out Thursday
Deni Avdija

Ruled Out Thursday
Jakob Chychrun

Available Thursday
Clayton Kershaw

to Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
P.J. Washington

Questionable Against the Jazz
Max Christie

Unlikely to Return to Action on Thursday
Mitchell Robinson

Will Sit Out Thursday
Landry Shamet

Could Return Thursday
Jalen Brunson

Out on Thursday Against Golden State
Daniel Gafford

Questionable Thursday Against the Jazz
Patrick Mahomes

Says Rehab Going "Great," Goal is 2026 Week 1 Return
Cooper Flagg

Is Unlikely To Play Thursday Against Utah
Lauri Markkanen

Will Not Be Available Thursday Against Dallas
Davion Mitchell

Ruled Out Thursday
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Will Not Play Against the Celtics
Devin Booker

Will Not Play Thursday
Kyle Kuzma

Added to the Injury Report as Questionable
Jonathan Kuminga

Demanding Trade from Warriors
Nico Collins

a "Long Shot" to Play in Divisional Round
CFB

Auburn, Ohio State the Lead Suitors for Kyle Parker
CFB

Oregon QB Transfer Bryson Beaver Linked to Georgia, Kentucky
CFB

Jake Merklinger Commits to UConn
Tobias Harris

Set for First Appearance in 2026
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Finalizing Deal With Giants
Isaiah Stewart

Expected to Return Thursday
Jalen Duren

on Track to Return Thursday
Bilal Coulibaly

Departs Early Due to Back Problem
Mackenzie Blackwood

Activated From Injured Reserve
Ben Griffin

Looks To Stay Hot In 2026
Tom Wilson

Cleared for Contact, Could Return Thursday
Neal Pionk

Lands on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Jamie Drysdale

Activated From Injured Reserve
Corey Perry

Unavailable Wednesday
Teuvo Teravainen

to Miss at Least One Game
Connor Bedard

Returns to Practice
Alexandre Texier

Canadiens Sign Alexandre Texier to Two-Year Extension
New York Giants

Giants Making "Massive Push" to Hire John Harbaugh on Wednesday
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Agrees to Five-Year Deal With Red Sox
CFB

Dante Moore Not Entering 2026 NFL Draft, Will Return to Oregon
NFL

Mike Tomlin Doesn't Plan to Coach in 2026
Travis Hunter

Expected to Play More Defense in 2026
CFB

FBS Coaches Unanimously Vote to Expand Redshirt Eligibility to Nine Games
CFB

Ohio State Transfer Mylan Graham Signs with Notre Dame
CFB

Caden Durham Withdraws from Transfer Portal, Will Stay at LSU
Leon Draisaitl

Has Three Points in Tuesday's Loss
Joel Hofer

Controls Hurricanes Tuesday
Jordan Spieth

Perhaps the Most Intriguing Player at Sony Open
Jeremy Swayman

Posts First Shutout of the Season
Zach Werenski

Totals Three Points in Tuesday's Win
Chandler Stephenson

Available Wednesday
Aaron Rai

Looking For Putting Confidence at Waialae Country Club
Jonathan Marchessault

Moved to Injured Reserve
Brayden Point

Labeled Week-to-Week
Collin Morikawa

Isn't The Safe Play He Used to Be Ahead of Sony Open
Kurt Kitayama

Needs His Putting to Turn Around For Success at Year's First Event
Ryan Weathers

Yankees Add Rotation Depth, Acquire Ryan Weathers in Four-Player Deal
Robert Thomas

Out Tuesday
Jake Walman

Available Against Predators
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Fire Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman
Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin Stepping Down as Steelers Head Coach
CFB

Georgia Tech the Favorite to Land Justice Haynes?
Nolan Arenado

Cardinals Trade Nolan Arenado to Diamondbacks
Tom Kim

Desperately Needs a Solid Week at Sony Open
Billy Horschel

Hoping For a Fast Start to New Season at Sony Open
Corey Conners

Looks to Have a Return to Form in 2026
PGA

Chris Gotterup a Decent Play at Sony Open
Gary Woodland

Could Prosper at the Sony Open
Keith Mitchell

Unlikely to Contend at Sony Open
Robert MacIntyre

Looking for a Good Performance at the Sony Open
Michael Kim

Hopes to Start Sony Open Better This Week
Tom Hoge

Tries to Erase Poor 2025 Second Half in Hawaii
Brian Harman

Seeks Fresh Start in Hawaii
Eric Cole

Looks to Last Year for Success at Sony Open
Daniel Berger

Starts Off 2026 at Sony Open
Nico Collins

Suffers Concussion Against Steelers
Nico Collins

Carted to Locker Room for Concussion Evaluation
Kyle Tucker

Mets Meet With Kyle Tucker
Dalton Kincaid

"Should be Fine" for Divisional Round
Brooks Koepka

Officially Returning To PGA Tour
Tucker Kraft

Hopes to be Ready for Week 1 of Next Season
CFB

Georgia Lands Kentucky Transfer Dante Dowdell
Matthew Stafford

has "Little Sprain," Should be "Good to Go"
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Sign with LSU
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Work Out New Deal With Matt LaFleur in the "Coming Days"
CFB

Dylan Raiola Commits to Oregon
CFB

Isaiah Horton Landing with Texas A&M
George Kittle

Suffers Torn Achilles on Sunday
Omarion Hampton

Active for Wild-Card Round Against Patriots
George Kittle

Ruled Out After Non-Contact Achilles Injury
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Request Interview With Ejiro Evero
Los Angeles Rams

Mike LaFleur to Interview With Raiders and Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Open to Re-Signing Aaron Rodgers?
Matthew Stafford

X-Rays Come Back Negative
MacKenzie Gore

Yankees Pursuing Trade for MacKenzie Gore
Alex Bregman

Cubs Sign Alex Bregman to Five-Year, $175 Millon Contract
Freddie Freeman

Withdraws from World Baseball Classic

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP