Tag: NBA

The NBA preseason is just over two weeks away, meaning it’s time to start preparing for fantasy basketball! If you’re looking for an edge this season, RotoWire has you covered with their early top 150 points league rankings. Read on to see the rankings, plus analysis for each player for points formats, which value box score stats over efficiency.

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Round 1

1. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets — The most bankable box score in the sport. Points, rebounds and assists all at elite volume, in the neighborhood of 70 games, with triple-doubles arriving in bunches. Turnovers are the only real deduction and they’re nowhere near enough to matter.
2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs — The blocks that make him a category-league cheat code are worth less here, but the rest of the line still plays: 25-plus points, double-digit boards, real assist and steal volume. The gap to Jokić is games played and passing volume, and it’s a small one.
3. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers — With LeBron James in Philadelphia, Dončić owns the ball outright. Points leagues don’t care that the efficiency dips when his usage climbs. Dončić is one of the few players who can hit 30/8/8 nightly.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder — The one first-rounder whose profile is genuinely worse here than in categories. His value leans on scoring efficiency and free-throw accuracy, which points formats mostly ignore. Rebounds and assists are good rather than great. Still a top-five producer, just not the cheat code he is in 9-cat.
5. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons — Big-usage, ball-dominant guard with a heavy assist load and better rebounding than most point guards. He turns it over a lot, which is the one thing points leagues actually punish him for, but he outruns the penalty by volume. Cunningham will be 25 for the entire 2026-27 season and could still be improving.
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat — A worthy top 5 pick in points leagues. The free-throw percentage and the missing threes are category-league problems. In points leagues you just bank 30 points, 11 boards and 6 assists on huge minutes.
7. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks — Finished his rookie year on a tear and now gets a full season of it. He fills every row of the box score. Kyrie Irving’s return should help the offense without meaningfully denting his touches.
8. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics — A year removed from the Achilles tear and reinstalled as Boston’s clear first option with Jaylen Brown gone. Volume scoring plus eight rebounds and five assists is a strong points-league base; the only question is whether Boston manages his minutes early.
9. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers — The draft price assumes a real touch reduction with Brown and James arriving. That’s a fair concern, but Maxey was a 27-and-7 guard last year, and even a meaningful haircut leaves a top-15 points-league line. Watch the minutes reports in camp.
10. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves — Trading Naz Reid and Julius Randle for LaMelo Ball is a net positive for his supporting cast and a mild negative for his assist rate. Scoring volume is Edwards’ points league engine, though, and that could still increase.
11. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks — Johnson is a counting-stat machine — 20/10/6 with steals and blocks — as Atlanta’s franchise piece. Games played is the only bet you’re making.
12. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors — Swapping Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard trims his usage, but Barnes answers usage dips with rebounds, assists and defensive counting stats, so the total line holds up.

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Round 2

13. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks — Strip out the shooting percentages that make him a category darling, and you still have a 24-and-12 center. That’s a clean second-round points-league asset, especially when considering center is a position of scarcity.
14. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets — One of the very best values in this format. Sengun is a triple-double threat from the center spot, coming off career highs in assists. Points leagues reward that shape more than any other.
15. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers — Reliable high-volume scoring with James Harden absorbing the playmaking. Fewer assists than you’d like at this price, but the points total and the games played are steady year after year.
16. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets — Still capable of 26 points a night with good rebound and assist numbers for a wing. He’ll be 38 at the end of September so the risk is rest days and load management, plus the potential for decline. But his role is stable.
17. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks — Nothing changed in New York after the title, which means Brunson again leads the league’s most stable offense in usage.
18. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets — His shooting splits are the only flaw, and this format barely charges for them. What’s left is a wing putting up points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in bulk.
19. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers — An assist monster returning from an Achilles tear into an offense built entirely around him. There could be some load management, and he’s better in category formats.
20. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets — Career-best season, partly propped up by Denver’s injuries. Even with Jokić healthy all year, Murray is the clear second engine on a high-possession offense, which makes his floor unusually high for a mid-second-round guard.
21. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns — A down shooting year buried his surface numbers, but he’s still Phoenix’s primary creator and their highest-usage player. Points leagues don’t make you eat the percentages — you just collect the points and assists.
22. Jaylen Brown, Philadelphia 76ers — Brown is unlikely to reach the volume he did when he was the clear No. 1 option on the Celtics last year. But he’s still going to be a top 2 option for Philadelphia, especially considering presumed absences from Joel Embiid and potential for load management from LeBron James.
23. Trae Young, Washington Wizards — Ten-assist upside is the most valuable single skill in points leagues outside of raw scoring. Washington has no one else to run the offense. The turnovers sting a little; the assist volume more than covers it.
24. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers — Another player whose efficiency risk simply doesn’t apply here. With James gone, Reaves is a high-volume secondary creator with a green light.

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Round 3

25. LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves — Per-game production is worth a mid-second pick. Games played is the debate, and now there’s a second question: how much the offense funnels through Edwards.
26. Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors — Last season’s clean bill of health cuts against a decade of evidence. When he plays, he’s a 24-point scorer with strong defensive counting stats, but a Toronto roster full of options gives him easy excuses to sit when needed.
27. Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards — Twenty games last year. The per-game profile is still first-round — scoring, double-digit boards, blocks — and in a points league the games he does play pay out enormously.
28. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic — One of the largest format-driven moves on the board. He’s a 25-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist forward, and this format asks you to ignore the percentages and the thin steal and block totals entirely.
29. Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls — Career year across the board and a nightly triple-double threat, which is the highest-leverage archetype in this format. Chicago added depth around him, but he remains the offense’s hub.
30. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings — With Russell Westbrook retired and DeMar DeRozan in Denver, Sabonis should reclaim a usage share he hasn’t had in two years. Last year’s injuries and team situation has knocked the price down on one of the few triple-double threats at the center position.
31. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder — A category-league treasure (threes plus blocks from a center) whose raw counting totals are merely good. That doesn’t quite pay off in the same way for points formats.
32. Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers — An All-Star breakout built on exactly the stats this format pays for — scoring, rebounding and playmaking from a forward. The Ja Morant and Damian Lillard additions are a threat to his touches, which is why he’s a range pick rather than a lock.
33. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat — Points, rebounds, assists and steals from the center slot. Sharing the frontcourt with Antetokounmpo may cost him boards, but he’s one of the safest 30-plus-minute bets at the position.
34. Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons — Duren is a nightly double-double with rising free-throw, and Detroit did nothing to dilute his role. Low-variance production, though he has a relatively limited ceiling.
35. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers — One of the least controversial players on the board. Cleveland’s third option puts up a quiet 18/10/4 with blocks; the shooting slump that hurt him in categories barely registers here.
36. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors — Curry’s fantasy value is unusually three-point-dependent, not to mention free-throw percentage – and that doesn’t translate well to points leagues. Add age 38 and the discount is justified.

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Round 4

37. Walker Kessler, Los Angeles Lakers — Blocks and field-goal percentage are his calling cards, and this format doesn’t reward both meaningfully. What’s left is rebounds, dunks off Dončić passes and thin assist and free-throw numbers. Let him come to you in the fourth rather than chasing him in the third.
38. James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers — Still a 20-and-10 threat, which is exactly the shape you want. Points leagues do charge for his turnovers, unlike the High Score formats where he’s a second-round pick.
39. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets — A second-year leap candidate handed Charlotte’s vacated usage after the Ball trade. The upside case is a 20-point scorer with a real assist load; the downside is a player whose value is mostly efficient shooting, which this format won’t reward.
40. Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers — A points league riser. Haliburton’s return means fewer possessions but he’s still Indiana’s No. 2 option. A 20/7/4 forward at this price is solid, dependable points-league inventory.
41. LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers — Even in a reduced role, his per-minute box-score output is absurd, and points leagues reward the assists heavily. The bet is that Philadelphia doesn’t cut him to 28 minutes, or that he takes games off.
42. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets — Charlotte’s most likely usage winner post-LaMelo, with a case for a scoring jump toward 24 a night. The rebounds and assists are adequate, not a selling point.
43. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder — Wrist surgery and a hamstring problem wrecked last season. Healthy, he’s a 20-point wing with balanced secondary stats on a team that will win a lot of games — which in OKC’s case can mean fourth quarters off.
44. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers — Averaged a double-double in 27.2 minutes a game as a sophomore. More minutes is the upside play, as Portland’s frontcourt is his to claim. Blocks are a bonus rather than the point here.
45. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers — When he plays, he’s an elite points league producer. But Philadelphia’s upgrades cut both ways: less pressure means fewer minutes, but also less reason to push him. Draft him as a high-variance swing, not a foundation.
46. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs — One of the format’s best buys. His two flaws — shooting efficiency and turnovers — are the two things points leagues discount most heavily relative to categories. The counting stats are strong.
47. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans — Down compared to category formats. He’s an efficient scorer and high-volume three-point shooter, which is a category-league profile. Twenty points with modest rebounds and assists is a fine but unspectacular points-league line, and Dejounte Murray’s return trims the usage.
48. Derrick White, Boston Celtics — The steals-and-blocks combination that makes him a 9-cat gem is worth much less here. Fewer shots with Tatum back and George added. Solid, not exciting.

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Round 5

49. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz — Down 16 spots. Utah’s win-now additions should help his availability but will eat into his shot volume, and Markkanen contributes relatively little outside of scoring and rebounding. That concentration is a liability at this price.
50. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks — The low turnover rate and clean efficiency that make him a category-league standout are largely irrelevant here. He’s a 24-and-5 guard coming off an ACL tear at 34. Fine value, capped upside.
51. Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies — The best-positioned rookie on the board, and the market is climbing toward him fast. Memphis will hand him minutes and playmaking responsibility immediately, and points leagues absorb rookie inefficiency without complaint.
52. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic — Orlando’s second option at 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists when healthy. Two injury-shortened seasons is the discount; the role is secure behind Banchero.
53. Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls — Led every Bull not named Giddey in counting stats while playing under 30 minutes. If the minutes come, so does a second breakout.
54. Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz — Blocks and threes from a big are worth a premium in categories and ordinary money here. Utah’s crowded depth chart caps the ceiling.
55. Julius Randle, Brooklyn Nets — Likely to lead Brooklyn in points and assists combined. Worth taking a round ahead of where category drafters will let him slide.
56. Darius Garland, Los Angeles Clippers — Clear second option in Los Angeles alongside Ingram after a messy injury-and-trade season. Assist volume is the draw; rebounds and defensive stats are nearly nonexistent.
57. Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks — Atlanta’s entrenched starting center with a double-double baseline. His new three-point range matters less here than the fact that he’s playing 32 minutes a night.
58. Ivica Zubac, Indiana Pacers — Down year, injuries, midseason trade — but Zubac is expected to bounce back. Rebounding volume and easy interior scoring with Haliburton feeding him is a strong center floor.
59. Tyler Herro, Milwaukee Bucks — A true lead playmaker for the first time in his career. That means the highest usage he’s ever had and a real assist total to pair with 23-plus points. Injuries have capped his potential in the past.
60. Keyonte George, Utah Jazz — He produced at an All-Star level in a limited sample, but Peterson, Jackson and Markkanen all need touches. Better efficiency could be on the way this year from George, but that doesn’t help here if the volume is reduced.

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Round 6

61. Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks — The elite steals season that made him a category league-winner didn’t repeat, and steals are worth far less here anyway. What remains is a low-usage wing with well-rounded box score output.
62. Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans — Back from an Achilles tear into 30-plus minutes and a big offensive role. Points, assists and steals in bulk when right; the recovery timeline has drafters cautious.
63. Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic — A high-efficiency, high-volume shooter whose counting stats outside of scoring are thin, but he’s fairly safe as Orlando’s No. 3 option.
64. Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls — The rookie is expected to start and play 30 minutes for a Chicago team with minutes to hand out. Efficiency is often an issue for first-year players, but that doesn’t matter here, and Wilson has the potential to stuff the stat sheet on both sides of the ball.
65. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks — The Most Improved Player award came from a 3-and-D profile, and 3-and-D isn’t as valuable in points formats.
66. AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards — The No. 1 overall pick’s self-creation translates directly to this format, and his shaky three-point shot — the main knock on him — barely costs anything. Usage competition with Young and Davis is the catch.
67. Naz Reid, Charlotte Hornets — Moving from sixth man to starting power forward should push him past 30 minutes for the first time. Scoring and rebounding volume with a bit of playmaking.
68. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers — Strong rookie year, but Philadelphia’s offseason makes a sophomore leap in touches unlikely. Still, minutes should not be an issue, and development is on the table.
69. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans — A points league riser as a volume scorer, with rebounds and assists chipped in. Sixty-two games last year is encouraging by his standards.
70. Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards — Still a starter, but Davis and Dybantsa reshaped the roster around him. His value skews toward blocks and stretch shooting, both discounted here.
71. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Clippers — A 20/5/5 player in the clear top two of his offense after the Kawhi swap. He slips in drafts due to injury history.
72. Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets — Randle’s arrival costs him shots, but he may still lead Brooklyn in scoring. The three-point volume that inflates his category value does less for him here.

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Round 7

73. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs — A playoff breakout at 22.6 regular-season minutes as a rookie, and San Antonio’s backcourt logjam is the obstacle. But a second-year jump seems likely, even if it’s more of a gamble than many drafters would like.
74. Kel’el Ware, Milwaukee Bucks — Ware’s category league profile loses most of its force here. Points leagues just need the minutes to come, and on a rebuilding Milwaukee team, they probably will.
75. OG Anunoby, New York Knicks — The premier mid-round 3-and-D pick in category formats is more of an ordinary wing here.
76. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers — The hope is that even a diminished Lillard produces points and assists at volume. The crowded Portland guard rotation is a real problem, and a year off an Achilles tear is another.
77. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves — Rebounds, dunks and 70-plus games. His blocks and field-goal percentage are worth much more in categories, but the rebounding volume alone keeps him relevant here.
78. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans — Eighty-one games as a rookie with flashes of a complete offensive game. New Orleans’ frontcourt minutes are the only thing standing between him and a breakout.
79. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics — Career highs across the board, then Tatum returned and George arrived. Expect a step back in volume from a player whose value is substantially three-point-driven — a bad combination for this format.
80. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies — Excellent per-minute rebounding and scoring, coming off a lost season with a foot injury. Everything depends on whether he reaches 30 minutes and stays healthy.
81. Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks — Last year’s breakout came with Antetokounmpo out; now Herro is in town and Porter and Burries are competing for the same backcourt minutes. His role is just a little more murky than fantasy managers would like it to be.
82. Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons — The perimeter defense doesn’t pay here, but the rebounding, steals and transition scoring do, and his poor shooting — the thing that sinks him in category leagues — costs him almost nothing in this format. Thirty minutes would make him a value.
83. De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs — Castle and Harper have eaten into his expected usage, but a healthy Fox is still a 22-and-6 guard. Bounce-back candidate at a discounted price.
84. Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks — The most durable player in basketball, which is worth real money over 82 games of accumulation. The per-game line took a step back, and nothing about New York’s situation suggests it returns.

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Round 8

85. Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves — Improving self-creator whose looks may get easier with LaMelo running the offense. Scoring and rebounding with useful steal and block totals, though none of it at high volume.
86. Coby White, Charlotte Hornets — Now the unambiguous starting point guard in Charlotte. That role change is worth more than his injury-hit final season in Chicago suggests.
87. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers — A nightly double-double threat whose minutes keep slowly eroding. Reliable floor, no ceiling, and Cleveland’s frontcourt depth caps the minutes.
88. Ja Morant, Portland Trail Blazers — The per-game scoring and assist numbers are excellent; the games played and the Portland guard logjam are not.
89. Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz — The No. 2 pick starting at shooting guard means volume even if the efficiency is rough — exactly the trade points leagues are happy to make. Tough competition keeps the ceiling in check.
90. Paul George, Boston Celtics — Fifty-six or fewer games in six of seven seasons at age 36. His skillset is 3-and-D plus self-creation; only the last part carries much weight here.
91. Miles Bridges, Phoenix Suns — A starting forward who scores and rebounds in volume, third in line behind Booker and Green. The role is modest but the minutes are secure.
92. Nic Claxton, Chicago Bulls — Rebounds, blocks and lobs from Giddey. The field-goal percentage recovery that excites category managers is beside the point — what matters is that Chicago acquired him to play him.
93. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets — A career-high 31.5 minutes produced solid across-the-board numbers. Finding more shots behind Durant, Sengun, Thompson and VanVleet is the problem. High floor, low ceiling.
94. Norman Powell, Chicago Bulls — Two straight 20-point seasons on two different teams. Pure scoring volume is more valuable in this format than in categories, but he contributes very little else.
95. Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets — Apparently the starting center on a team with nothing to lose. Elite rebounding rate plus efficient interior scoring. The per-minute production has always been there.
96. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies — Sophomore breakout candidate with more minutes coming on a young Memphis roster.

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Round 9

97. Josh Hart, New York Knicks — Rebounds and assists from a wing is a good points-league shape, but the minutes dipped last year, and New York’s rotation is set. His new three-point accuracy is a category-league consideration.
98. Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies — Career-high per-game production in 15 healthy games. The talent is obvious, and the minutes projection is a total guess — a classic late-middle-round lottery ticket.
99. Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns — Another explicit points-league riser. He scores in bursts without much else, which is a profile this format treats far more kindly than 9-cat does.
100. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Milwaukee Bucks — He took a big step forward in Miami and has the inside track on forward minutes in a wide-open Milwaukee rotation.
101. Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings — A rookie point guard expected to start on a rebuilding team is a usage play. Assists and turnovers will both be high; the trade favors points formats.
102. Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors — His mid-round category value leans on threes and free-throw shooting. The raw points and assists totals are merely fine, and Toronto’s roster is crowded.
103. RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors — He’s a nightly 20-point scorer who does very little for category league managers.
104. Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics — Breakout season as a double-double threat, now sharing the position with Mitchell Robinson, which creates a minutes risk.
105. CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks — Steady backcourt scoring in a defined role. Nothing here is exciting, and nothing is likely to collapse either.
106. Kristaps Porziņģis, Golden State Warriors — On a per-game basis he demolishes this price, but he’s cleared 65 games twice in his career and his minutes keep shrinking.
107. Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks — Drafters are wildly split on Turner. His fantasy identity is blocks and threes from a center, which is a category-league identity. A rough first year in Milwaukee and an unsettled roster make him hard to trust here.
108. Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat — Third scoring option behind Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, doing what he’s done for most of his career.

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Round 10

109. Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder — Well-rounded center production — rebounds, assists, efficient interior scoring — limited by calf issues and Oklahoma City’s depth.
110. Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves — Earned a five-year deal after starring in an expanded role. Expect real minutes on a high-paced Minnesota team, with scoring and assists as the main contributions.
111. Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors — A rookie with a chance to start in Golden State’s system. Speculative, but the minutes case is interesting.
112. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors — Career highs again last year and a defined role in the Warriors’ offense. Rebounds and assists from a guard make him more useful here than his scoring average suggests.
113. Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder — In line for more usage after Oklahoma City’s wing exodus. Sixth Man candidate with starter upside.
114. DeMar DeRozan, Denver Nuggets — A potential 30-minute scorer taking open shots created by Jokić, who has never come off the bench since his rookie year. Points-league value is almost entirely scoring volume, and he’ll have plenty.
115. Khaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns — With Mark Williams out a chunk of the season, Maluach may step into a starting role after an impressive Summer League. There’s a lot of speculation by drafting him here, but upside as a potential double-double with two blocks threat.
116. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans — Microwave scorer with a decent all-around line. Dejounte Murray’s return and the addition of Bennedict Mathurin make a leap harder, but the usage when he’s on the floor is high.
117. Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic — His value is concentrated in steals, threes and defense, which doesn’t translate well in points leagues. Suggs’ health is also a factor.
118. Peyton Watson, Cleveland Cavaliers — First clear path to a full-time starting job after a Year 4 breakout in Denver. Improves every offseason, but usage will be tough to come by.
119. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz — Finished his rookie year strong and should have scoring volume off the bench even if he doesn’t start. Shot-taking, not shot-making, is what matters here.
120. Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors — Carved out a role as a rookie while Jakob Poeltl was hurt. Versatile forward stats across the board, but how many minutes are available?

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Round 11

121. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets — Despite injuries, Gordon has a safe role and good chemistry with Jokić and Murray.
122. Jusuf Nurkić, Utah Jazz — Likely starting again with Kessler in Los Angeles. Rebounds and assists from the center spot is a solid late-round shape even with modest scoring.
123. Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers — A starter-level 3-and-D forward is close to the least valuable archetype in points leagues. Minutes are the only draw.
124. Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks — Career-best numbers in 38 games, then Milwaukee added Herro and Burries and Rollins kept improving.
125. Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings — Twenty-three games last year. A healthy season during Sacramento’s rebuild should mean minutes and shots. The production has historically been scoring and rebounding without much else.
126. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Los Angeles Lakers — Career year in Toronto, now the primary frontcourt backup behind a thin Lakers group. Strong per-minute scorer with sixth-man upside.
127. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets — Missed all of last season with a torn ACL and shot poorly the year before. The assist volume is the reason to care; the rest of the line is thin for a 32-year-old guard.
128. John Collins, Detroit Pistons — Replacing Tobias Harris in Detroit should mean more minutes and touches than he had with the Clippers. Scoring and rebounding at moderate volume.
129. Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets — His counting stats collapsed in Denver even as the shooting held up, which is the kind of season that grades far better in categories than here. The bounce-back case rests on volume returning.
130. Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets — Took a step forward but still isn’t fully trusted, and Houston added Smart while getting VanVleet back. The path to minutes narrowed.
131. Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards — Real Year 2 improvement, but Washington’s roster got much busier, making it tough to evaluate minutes and usage.
132. Davion Mitchell, Miami Heat — The case for him is built on assists plus a tiny turnover rate, plus a safe role in Miami’s gameplan.

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Round 12

133. Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings — He made himself relevant as a rookie but is stuck behind a healthy Sabonis, which caps everything.
134. Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings — Heavy usage on a rebuilding team is a good points-league setup. The problem is that he’s missed 108 games in three years and could be traded into a smaller role.
135. Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder — A steals specialist with a thin offensive profile is a category-league asset. He needs the extra usage to actually convert into shots.
136. P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks — Dependable starting power forward production — mid-teens scoring, seven rebounds — with rookie Morez Johnson as a downside risk.
137. Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers — Age 36 with Morant and Lillard added ahead of him. The all-around line is still respectable; the offensive workload is shrinking.
138. Anthony Black, Orlando Magic — A third-year breakout fueled by teammate injuries. With Orlando healthy, the minutes and touches aren’t obviously there for another step.
139. Egor Dëmin, Brooklyn Nets — Flashed as a rookie shooter but struggled finishing inside, and now Mikel Brown Jr., Randle and Porter Jr. are all ahead of him in the pecking order.
140. Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets — Should play 30-plus minutes again, but last year’s across-the-board regression makes the production hard to project.
141. Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs — A source of late-round threes for category managers — and less interesting in points leagues. Declining usage on a rising team.
142. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers — Posted 16.9 points and 7.7 assists with Haliburton out. Haliburton is back, so treat last year’s line as a ceiling, not a baseline.
143. Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans — Career year after missing all of 2024-25. New Orleans has a long line of players competing for the same possessions.
144. Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets — Expected to start at point guard as a rookie on a bad team, and starting point guards accumulate points and assists.

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Round 13

145. Bennedict Mathurin, New Orleans Pelicans — Career highs last season across two teams, but he now projects as a sixth or seventh man. Scoring punch off the bench.
146. Quentin Grimes, Los Angeles Lakers — Release valve for Dončić and Reaves, but will be competing to be the third option. That gives him some upside.
147. Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns — Broke out for a banged-up Suns team and signed an extension. With Phoenix healthy, he probably comes off the bench, and his value is largely three-point shooting.
148. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets — One of the better per-minute producers in the league — steals, rebounds and scoring — trapped in a deep Houston rotation. Interesting value with upside if anyone above him goes down.
149. Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors — A back issue limited him to 46 games and 25 minutes, and his standout stat last year was field-goal percentage — worth a great deal in categories and almost nothing here.
150. Grayson Allen, Charlotte Hornets — Mid-20s minutes firing threes for Charlotte. In a category league, that’s a useful specialist; in a points league it’s a streaming option.