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What a fast turnaround for the NBA! With the season just around the corner, it's important to be prepared for your upcoming draft. NBA preseason officially tips off on Dec. 11th and it's always helpful to scout out some position battles during these games, as teams are trying to figure out some of their rotations. There has been A LOT of player movement during this quick free agency period, so be sure to stay on top of it all in some of our guides! In this article, we take a look at some of the centers who are being overlooked a bit this season, in which they may be ranked too low in ADP (average draft position) which could mean getting good value at their current draft position. Please be advised that big men are available in the middle rounds if you missed out on key big man early, but tend to dry up towards the later part of the draft!
As a reminder this season, it’s recommended you choose to join leagues that will end a bit early, though you should probably always do that. For this shortened season, we recommend that your playoffs will begin around Week 15 or 16. The reason being that key players will be at risk of sitting out games during that period in anticipating for playoffs. You hate to lose in a championship round because of DNP – Load Management, right?
It’s never too early to do your homework, and we’re here to bless you all with everything you guys need to stay ahead of your opponents in all your fantasy leagues. Below are some of the undervalued picks of the fantasy basketball season, and you’re going to want to target some of these players! Especially if you’re looking to get the most value. Target who you want to select based on your needs and strengths. Build your team based on your top tier selections, and don't be afraid to punt! May the odds be in your favor for your upcoming drafts!
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
2020-2021 Fantasy Basketball Undervalued Centers
Please note I go by Yahoo! standard league 12 teams 9-category format for ADP
Ivica Zubac, C - Los Angeles Clippers (ADP 127.2)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
18.4 minutes 8.3 points 7.6 rebounds 1.1 assists 0.9 block 61% FG 74% FT
The signing of Serge Ibaka did take a hit on Zubac's fantasy outlook for the season, but Zubac should see an uptick in minutes under new coach Ty Lue. Zubac is arguably the Clippers best interior defender, and he's got an underrated touch around the basket for a big man. Look for Zubac to see an increase in minutes, where he can potentially flirt with a nightly double-double with a boost to your percentages. He's a cheap center to target in the later parts of the drafts, especially if you want someone who gives you an uptick in blocks.
Wendell Carter Jr. C - Chicago Bulls (ADP 85.1)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
29.2 minutes 11.3 points 9.4 rebounds 1.2 assists 0.8 steal 0.8 block 53% FG 74% FT
Carter had some trouble staying healthy last season, and under new coach Billy Donovan, he should be viewed as a breakout player this season. There is very little competition behind him at the center position, and he's someone you should look to for upside in the middle to later rounds of the draft. The key will be if he's able to stay healthy. At his current price tag, Wendell Carter is well worth the gamble especially if you're looking for upside.
Al Horford, C - Oklahoma City Thunder (ADP 97.2)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
30.2 minutes 11.9 points 1.5 3PM 6.8 rebounds 4.0 assists 0.8 steal 0.9 block 53% FG 83% FT
It was a lost season for Horford in Philadelphia, where he was often misused in the system. Still, he quietly put together solid numbers, where he finished 68th in 9-category leagues last season. Horford's defensive numbers, percentages, out-of-position assists, and 3-pointers from a big man are valuable and I fully expect a bounce back year with the Thunder. If I was a betting man, I would bank on Horford improving on his field goal percentage from last season (45%), which would definitely boost his overall ranking this year.
Chris Boucher, PF/C - Toronto Raptors (ADP 130.0)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
13.2 minutes 6.6 points 0.6 3PM 4.5 rebounds 0.4 assist 0.4 steal 1.0 blocks 47% FG 78% FT
Boucher was playing behind Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, and Marc Gasol for much of last season, where he showed glimpses of his upside whenever the Raptors big men had injuries. He's a high energy rim protector who can rack up blocks in a hurry, so he's definitely worth a look in the last few rounds of most drafts. The Raptors has made it clear they value him as a contributor (signed a two-year, $13.5 million deal in Nov.) on this team, so he will definitely see an uptick in minutes this season. Boucher will have some competition for minutes since both Aron Baynes and Alex Len has signed with Toronto, but Boucher's ability to fit in and play alongside with Pascal Siakam gives him a slight edge. After all, you always want to hunt upside in the middle to later rounds of drafts.
Nerlens Noel, PF/C - New York Knicks (ADP 149.1)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
18.5 minutes 7.4 points 4.9 rebounds 0.9 assist 1.0 steals 1.5 blocks 68% FG 75% FT
There is no telling what coach Tom Thibodeau will do in New York. His coaching style has always been catered to who plays the hardest. He could very well start Mitchell Robinson, but it also wouldn't shock Knicks fan if he went ahead and started Nerlens Noel. Either way, it's likely a timeshare, which usually is a big headache for NBA fantasy. However, Noel is one of those players who doesn't need 30+ minutes per night to carve out value. In just 18.5 minutes per game last season, Noel was able to flirt with top-100 numbers all year, and finished with a rank of 83 in 9-category leagues. Noel might end up being the best interior defender on the roster, which is why he may become one of Thibodeau's favorite. Noel is certainly worth a look in the later parts of drafts with his ability to rack up steals and blocks.
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C - San Antonio Spurs (ADP 52.4)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
33.1 minutes 18.9 points 1.2 3PM 7.4 rebounds 2.4 assists 0.7 steal 1.6 blocks 49% FG 83% FT
Sure, it's boring to draft a player like LaMarcus Aldridge. But we can't argue the fact that he's been as consistent as they come, as he's finished in the top-30 in four of the last five seasons. Age might become a factor this year, but there's little reason to believe he'll fall off the map based on how he plays his game. At his current price tag, you're going to get value if you're drafting Aldridge towards the end of round three or four in most drafts, and anything beyond that would be a huge bonus.
Christian Wood, PF/C - Houston Rockets (ADP 62.8)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
21.4 minutes 13.1 points 0.9 3PM 6.3 rebounds 1.0 assist 0.5 steal 0.9 block 57% FG 74% FT
Wood went on an absolute tear to end the year last season, and he was handsomely rewarded with a nice contract with Houston this off season. During the month of February, Wood averaged 19.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal in 31.2 minutes of action. In the span of those 11 games, he also connected on 1.5 3-pointers made on 52% shooting from the field and 39% from deep. He increased his production in March, with 26.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in 37 minutes of action. It may be a small sample size, but the departure of Russell Westbrook and the attention drawn to James Harden and John Wall could lead to a lot of kick outs for wide open 3-pointers for Wood. I'm not suggesting you take a flier on him in the early rounds, but there is certainly value for Wood if you are able to draft him in the middle rounds of drafts. He may very well become a top-30 player if everything goes right.
Thomas Bryant, C - Washington Wizards (ADP 91.4)
2019-2020 season numbers (per game):
24.9 minutes 13.2 points 7.2 rebounds 1.8 assists 0.5 steal 1.1 blocks 58% FG 74% FT
Bryant was viewed as a sleeper last season, and he should be viewed as as sleeper again this year. There's not a lot of big man in the NBA that can block shots, and stretch out to the 3-point line. His game is very fantasy friendly, where he also doesn't have much competition behind him at center. In Orlando, Bryant averaged 18.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 2.0 blocks and 1.9 3-pointers in eight games. Of course, the team was without Bradley Beal and John Wall, but it shouldn't be ignored that Bryant has that capability to fill up the box score. He's definitely someone worth picking up anywhere in the 60-90 range, given his upside.
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