By Ameer Tyree
The 2024-25 NBA season is just over a month away, making this prime time for fantasy managers to prepare for their drafts. Rotoworld will have articles dropping during this time, starting with fantasy-related thoughts on each team. Next up is the Central Division, with Cleveland and Milwaukee boasting the most effective fantasy options. While those two teams and Indiana hope to play deep into the postseason, Chicago and Detroit are rebuilding.
Chicago Bulls
2023-24 Record: 39-43
Speed: 96.94
Offensive Rating: 114.0
Defensive Rating: 115.7
One Possible Sleeper: Coby White
White is projected outside the top 100 after notching 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season. DeMar DeRozan left for Sacramento, and Zach LaVine’s future in Chicago is up in the air. While Josh Giddey will likely take over a decent chunk of the ball-handling as primary facilitator, White could end up as Chicago’s leading scorer. Only 19 players made more triples than White last season, and he shot over 37% from deep in three consecutive campaigns.
One Mighty Bust: Patrick Williams
The Bulls had high hopes for Williams when they drafted him with the No. 4 pick in 2020. However, the defensive wing fell short of expectations. He has flashed defensive potential in spurts but hasn’t shown any progression in attack. An efficient scorer barely scratching 10 points per game without elite rebounding or playmaking is hardly a borderline top-100 player. Whether his breakout season is on the way remains to be seen. Two of his four seasons were significantly shortened by season-ending injuries.
A Remarkable Number: 12.2
The Bulls turned the ball over 12.2 times per contest last season. That was the third-best mark in the league, as only the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics topped it. Giddey might be more of a true guard than any option the Bulls had on offense last season, so fantasy managers in 9-cat leagues might want to look for value on the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers
2023-24 Record: 48-34
Speed: 97.6
Offensive Rating: 114.7
Defensive Rating: 112.1
One Possible Sleeper: Max Struss
Some people rolled their eyes when Strus signed a four-year, $63 million deal with the Cavs. However, he performed well in a full-time starting role. The former Miami Heat shooting guard posted career highs in points (12.2), rebounds (4.8) and assists (4.0). His three-point shooting leaves something to be desired, but he could continue to grow during his second year with Cleveland. There is uncertainty surrounding Isaac Okoro’s future with the team. Strus would benefit most from additional exposure if Okoro ends up with another team.
One Mighty Bust: Dario Garlando
Garland is far from a fantasy disaster, but he didn’t perform in his second season with Donovan Mitchell. He recorded the lowest shots-per-game average (14.8) since his rookie year. His scoring and assist numbers dropped following the additions of Strus and Caris LeVert. The one-time All-Star has a solid floor, but he may not dominate the top-50 draft that he did in previous years. Other point guards who aren’t necessarily stars have a chance to match Garland’s production.
A Remarkable Number: 110.3
That was the Cavs’ defensive rating from the start of the 2023-24 season until the all-star break. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves have surpassed that number. Injuries contributed to Cleveland’s downfall, while other teams improved defensively. When the Cavs are healthy and firing on all cylinders, they excel at disrupting opposing teams’ offenses.
Detroit Pistons
2023-24 Record: 14-68
Speed: 100.45
Offensive Rating: 109.0
Defensive Rating: 118.0
One Possible Sleeper: Ausar Thompson
Thompson flashed elite defensive and rebounding potential early in his rookie year before falling off the map. The Pistons wing, however, could be in for a big second season. He cracked the top five among rookies in rebounds (402), steals (68), and blocks (59) despite logging just 38 starts. Thompson is also a strong passer, but his three-point percentage is downright terrible. No fantasy manager jumps at the chance to draft a wing who shot 18.6% from deep in his first NBA season. However, some work on his form and emphasizing his strengths could help him stay on the court more consistently in year two. He could be a category specialist on the defensive end and be useful with decent production when it comes to scoring.
One Mighty Bust: Tobias Harris
Harris posted solid numbers for a good team in Philly last season and will return to the team he initially rose to prominence with. Harris is now Detroit’s highest-paid player, but fantasy managers shouldn’t expect the Pistons to prioritize him on offense. He was never really an elite first pick, and Cade Cunningham is the future. Harris will provide consistency as Detroit looks to jump from being the NBA’s worst team in 2023-24, but could drop and sit to develop younger players if things blow up. Harris shouldn’t fall off the map, but managers drafting him should account for the risk that he might not be much help in the back half of the year as the playoffs approach.
A Remarkable Number: -9.0
Detroit’s net rating was -9.0 last season, and it’s hard to get much worse. Only the Charlotte Hornets were worst in 2023-24. The Pistons had bottom five offensive and defensive ratings, so they struggled for close games. Regular blowouts could limit the ceilings of his team’s most attractive fantasy options, as reserves will get more opportunities to step in during garbage time. Detroit could turn it around in 2024-25, but it won’t be easy after posting a bottom-five net rating in the previous three seasons.
Indiana Pacers
2023-24 Record: 47-35
Speed: 102.16
Offensive Rating: 120.5
Defensive Rating: 117.6
One Possible Sleeper: Andres Nembard
Nembhard’s stats didn’t come up during the 68 games he started last season. He posted 9.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. All of those figures were lower than his rookie averages. However, he has broken out as a reliable playoff option. Nembhard posted 14.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game in the postseason. Benedict Mathurin’s season-ending injury and Buddy Hield’s move to the 76ers helped Nembhard play a more prominent role in Indiana’s most important games last season. His confidence grew after a solid showing at the 2024 Olympics as well. He may not be a top 100 player, but he could take a significant step forward as a starter who plays with and without Tyrese Haliburton on the court.
One Mighty Bust: Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton has established himself as one of the league’s top relievers since joining the Pacers. Only Nikola Jokic has dropped more dimes since the 2022-23 season. His scoring early last season has people high on his potential as a late first or early second round pick in fantasy drafts before 2023-24, however. Haliburton averaged 23.6 points and 12.5 assists in 33 games without Pascal Siakam last season. He dropped to 16.9 points and 9.5 assists in 36 games with Siakam. Haliburton was struggling with a knee injury when Siakam first entered the fray, but there is still cause for concern about Haliburton reaching his former peak with another star to feed on. He may not be a true bust by any means, but it may be difficult for him to live up to his sky-high ADP.
A Remarkable Number: 50.7
The Pacers shot 50.7% from the field from Siakam’s debut on January 19 through the end of the regular season. No team in the NBA topped this mark during that span. Siakam has helped an already prolific offense get better looks, and improved chemistry over time could help several players on the team improve their shooting numbers.
Milwaukee Bucks
2023-24 Record: 49-33
Speed: 100.51
Offensive Rating: 117.6
Defensive Rating: 115.0
One Possible Sleeper: Gary Trent Jr.
Our preseason rankings place Trent just inside the top 200. The former Toronto Raptor averaged 13.7 points and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 39.3% from deep last season. He is one of four NBA players to make at least 500 three-pointers and 300 steals over the previous four seasons. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have yet to draw a lot of attention around the basket, so he’ll get good looks from beyond the arc. Trent could significantly exceed his ADP if the stars align.
One Mighty Bust: Chris Middleton
Middleton’s days as a borderline star may be over. The Bucks’ swingman has averaged 15.1 points in two straight seasons after averaging more than 20 points per contest in three consecutive campaigns. The 33-year-old underwent surgery on both ankles in July, and it is unclear how heavy of a load he will be able to carry. Fantasy managers shouldn’t be optimistic about a revival year from him, as his productivity has declined over the 88 games he’s appeared in over the past two seasons.
A Remarkable Number: 1,163
The Bucks made 1,163 three-pointers last season. Only four teams made more shots from long range. Milwaukee needs to knock down shots from deep as opposing teams look to double down on Antetokounmpo, and Malik Beasley has helped tremendously by ranking 11th with 224 threes made. He did, however, join the Detroit Pistons. Whether Milwaukee’s new group can convert at a similar clip will be important going forward.
