In what seems like the blink of an eye, the summer has come and gone which alludes to one major point- the NBA is back. No hyperbole whatsoever, preseason games kick off in less than one week. Calendar reminders can be set for the Opening Night Eve of October 24, when the world-champion Nuggets will take on the Lakers in the inaugural kickoff.
With the annual bliss of many sports underway (NFL, MLB Postseason, NHL Preseason), it is almost easy for the start of the NBA season to get whisked aside as it makes its silent approach. The return of basketball of course means the return of Fantasy Basketball as well, which is what I am here to touch on. There has already been big time movement this NBA offseason, per the norm, culminating in one massive Damian Lillard deal just a few days ago. With so much turnover and change to unfold, we are going to take a look at players in fantasy that may be able to set owners apart across the 2023-24 campaign.
While many casual fans have their sights set elsewhere at the present, there is no better time and opportunity to dive into these must-have guys that could turn out to be league winners. Let’s dive into the ranks and see what magic we can pull out as fantasy draft season begins to kick off.
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2023/24 Fantasy Basketball Five Must-Have Players
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG,SG – OKC)
Starting from the early rounds and working our way down, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the mid-first round target that should be on everyone’s radar. I actually covered the Thunder for FantasyPros last season, and the artist known as SGA impressed me throughout the season more than I could have ever imagined. At the same time, it felt like his immense talent often went unnoticed and underappreciated. Maybe that is because he played for a small-market franchise in the Thunder, or maybe it was simply because his name was not as renowned as other superstars across the NBA. That should no longer be the case however, as SGA has proven he is as much of a superstar as you can have in the sport.
Gilgeous-Alexander ranked 4th in the NBA in 2022 in PPG with 31.4, and did so on a career-best 51.0% shooting from the field. Despite playing in just 68 games last season, he also marked a personal high in minutes played at 35.5, which was up towards the top of the NBA leaderboard. His statistical output was not and has never been limited to just scoring either. SGA remained serviceable in the rebounding and assist departments, while noting an uptick in the steal and block departments as well.
An incredible feat he improved on last season was his free throw shooting, and the 25-year-old saw himself attempting double-digit free throws per game while hitting at a 91% clip. The numbers don’t lie here, and SGA is bound to keep improving as he enters year six. He will also be surrounded by more talent on the Thunder roster than he has experienced to this point. That should lighten the amount of extra defense he sees, yet he will assuredly remain the focal point of the entire offense. Gilgeous-Alexander is worth a top-5 pick in fantasy leagues everywhere as one of the most consistent superstars the NBA currently possesses.
Jordan Poole (PG,SG – WAS)
With an ADP currently settled in the mid-fifties, Jordan Poole has the type of upside to take fantasy teams to the promised land if all of the dominos fall correctly. The main piece the Wizards received back from Golden State in the early-July Chris Paul deal, Poole is set to restart his career as the clear-cut guy in Washington.
As it stands, the Wizards’ starting rotation is at best one of the worst five across the NBA. That includes Poole and Kyle Kuzma, the only two who have been regular starters throughout the course of their careers. Behind that the team currently projects Tyus Jones as a starting guard, Corey Kispert at a forward spot, and Daniel Gafford as the nominal center. Clear as day, it will be another tank and rebuild year for Wizards nation in 2023.
This should allow Poole to get extensive run as a 24-year-old heading into his fifth professional campaign. Believe it or not, the youngster posted a career-high 20.4 PPG last season, while starting in just 43 games for the Warriors. His 30.0 MPG is almost certain to increase as a starter in 2023, and a young, nothing-to-lose Wizards’ franchise could increase their pace mightily this year. No longer competing for looks with the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole is going to average much more than the 15.6 shots per game he took last season. If he can knock down at even a decently-improved clip, you’re looking at a scorer that could easily provide round two or three value across the course of 2023.
Jabari Smith Jr. (PF,C – HOU)
The third overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Jabari Smith Jr. is a prime candidate for a year two breakout in Houston. With an ADP sitting in the low triple-digits, he profiles as the type of player that could rapidly ascend a fantasy team to the top given his expected return. As a reminder, Smith Jr. is just 20 years of age, and will be playing on a Rockets team that will be in the top third of the NBA in pace.
Another important note is the pending status of Houston’s starting PG, Kevin Porter Jr. It is looking increasingly unlikely that KPJ will play for or even be with the Rockets in 2023, essentially making this Jalen Green and Jabari Smith’s team from here on out.
JSJ was on a tear to close out his rookie season, and he left off on an 11-game double-digit scoring streak which included five double-doubles. His first season as a professional concluded with averages of 12.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and he averaged nearly one block per game across 31.0 minutes played. He is more likely than not to bump up that scoring average in 2023, and he’s going to see massive run amongst the young core that the Houston Rockets seem to possess every season. The 10th round is far too low for a player as rounded and talented as Smith Jr. is.
Bennedict Mathurin (SG,SF – IND)
Currently settling in at the round 15/16 turn by most fantasy basketball ADP accounts, the second-year Pacer Bennedict Mathurin is going far too low in drafts. Projected as the starting two-guard for Indiana in 2023, Mathurin was fantastic as a rookie, posting averages of 16.7 point and 4.1 rebounds per game across 78 games played. He only started in 17 of those showings and averaged 28.5 minutes per game played across his inaugural campaign.
Mathurin is a bona fide scorer, and recent reports that G/F Buddy Hield may want out of town should only bolster his prospects going forward. Mathurin should be no worse than the second scoring option for the Pacers whenever he is on the court, given PG Tyrese Haliburton‘s knack for distributing, and Center Myle Turner being a defense-first style of player. Mathurin should get endless opportunities to post massive stat lines in his sophomore season. The fact that his initial ADP approaches undrafted territory is asinine.
Jusuf Nurkic (C – PHO)
A fallout piece from the massive Damian Lillard deal, Jusuf Nurkic has elevated his status back to extremely fantasy relevant after landing in a prime location with the Phoenix Suns. As it stands, with Deandre Ayton now in Portland, Nurkic sits atop the center depth chart in what should be one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA.
With little to no depth behind him, Nurkic should easily be able to top the 26.8 minutes per game he played in Portland in the 2022-23 campaign. While he had a “down season” by most accounts last year, he still averaged nearly a double-double when active, in line with his career numbers. As a matter of fact, Nurkic has proved his value as a big man and fantasy asset as he has averaged a double-double in four of his professional seasons, and fallen just short in a few others.
Currently right around the 30th (!!) center off the board in NBA fantasy drafts, this ranking is just flat out too low. The market will likely correct this in short order as the fallout from the Lillard deal passes, but if you are drafting and can retrieve Nurkic in the middle rounds, he is still a phenomenal value. He’s one of my favorite big man picks on the board.
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