Sacramento Kings: Fantasy Basketball Season Preview
By Tyler Watts
Deep League Options: Part Two
Ben McLemore
I wrote an in-depth piece on Ben McLemore a few weeks back here. I know he is a bit of a hot bottom issue for Kings fans, but he still has the potential to be a valuable NBA player. In fantasy, I am not thrilled to pick Ben McLemore this season. He is lacking in many statistical categories and will probably be capped at 25 minutes a night barring injury or trade. Minutes are often the most important stat in fantasy and 25 is just not enough for a standard league.
If you need threes in a deep league with your last pick McLemore should provide value in that category. He shoots well from the free throw line but takes limited attempts devaluing the impact. Other than that, he will not produce a ton for fantasy, but I am hopeful he can take a step forward this season and be a positive contributor to the Kings and for fantasy as well. I do not think I am taking the gamble until I see it, though. If I see it, I may snatch him off the waiver wire midseason, but until then it is hands off for me.
Garrett Temple
I wanted to mention Garrett Temple here because this is the rare case where even if he gets minutes the fantasy value is nonexistent. He will produce a steal and a three a game, but literally nothing else. There is nothing to see here for fantasy despite being a positive real basketball contributor.
Anthony Tolliver
If there was nothing to see with Temple, Tolliver only provides positive contributions in one category. He can stroke the three, but he will give you literally nothing else. In a thirty team league, I may select him with my last pick if I need threes, but even I am not crazy enough to play in leagues that deep.