In preparation for the 2016-17 Fantasy Basketball season, it's time to get to know some of the new guys in the player pool. The 2015 draft brought in a massive influx of fantasy relevant NBA talent, from a burgeoning super-star at the top of the draft (Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns) to a hidden jewel in the middle of the 2nd round (Miami's Josh Richardson). While this draft doesn't have as much guaranteed talent in the lottery, it does feature its own star at the top and a depth of intriguing players who could make an impact from out of the 2nd round.
It looked like the Kings made a good deal when they received two first round picks and the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic for the eighth overall pick in the draft. Right when Kings fans were ready for a good night, they reached on Papagiannis, who wasn't seen as more than a borderline first round pick. Only time will tell if this was a good pick, but for now, this was certainly a reach.
NBA Rookie Fantasy Profile: Georgios Papagiannis
Position: C
Team: Sacramento Kings
Draft Spot: 1.13
Analysis: The Kings traded the eighth overall pick to the Suns and were able to pick up a few first round picks to go along with the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic. The 13th overall pick was the first time the Kings were on the clock, and they spent it on a bit of a head scratcher. They selected Georgios Papagiannis, who was seen as a borderline first round pick. They also had bigger needs than another big man, which is why this pick was so confusing.
Papagiannis has elite size, as he stands 7-2 and weighs 275 lbs. He’s also only 19 years old, so there is still time for Papagiannis to add weight and potentially grow a couple more inches. Aside from his size, he is far from an NBA ready prospect, as he averaged only 5.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes during the Summer League. He likely won’t see enough minutes while playing behind DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Kosta Koufos his rookie season.
Papagiannis has great upside in dynasty leagues based solely on his size alone, but with that said, he also comes with terrible risk. He has a solid jump shot for a big man, but he doesn’t play nearly as big as his size suggests. He has also struggled to block shots throughout his career overseas, which is a bit concerning, but he has the size to become an elite rim protector. He’ll need the Kings to make a few moves before he’ll see minutes in SacTown, but he isn’t a terrible hold in deeper dynasty leagues.
Bottom Line: If given playing time, he could immediately produce some points and rebounds. Will struggle with minutes, though. Not worth a pick in standard leagues due to his lack of minutes.
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