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.
The Nuggets continue to pile up players through the draft. Last season they added Emmanuel Mudiay and Gary Harris, and they both played well their rookie seasons. They added another guard in the draft this season in Jamal Murray, and he will add an elite shooter to their offense. The Nuggets now have their guards of the future set, as long as everyone continues to progress.
NBA Rookie Fantasy Profile: Jamal Murray
Position: PG/SG
Team: Denver Nuggets
Draft Spot: 1.07
Analysis: Murray was a bit of a wildcard in the NBA Draft. He lacks the size and athleticism for a shooting guard, but he lacks the ball handling and vision of a point guard. What Murray does have is one of the best shots of anyone in the draft class and he flashed great potential during his only season at Kentucky. Ultimately, the Nuggets selected him with the seventh pick in the NBA Draft.
Murray is going to be a work in progress early in his career. The Nuggets recently said that Murray would have minutes off the bench for Denver this season, but he may not make much of an impact this season. He displayed an elite ability to score during the Summer League, but he struggled at point guard when given the opportunity to prove himself. He has a strong chance to break out for a few 20+ point games this season, but they will be unpredictable, and he isn’t more than a late round flier in re-draft leagues.
Murray has tremendous long-term upside, especially in points leagues. He averaged 19.6 points per game in the Summer League while shooting only 27.6% from beyond the three-point line. During his only season at Kentucky, he shot 40.8% from the three-point line, which shows that he could certainly average over 20 points per game if he is given the minutes in his career. He also has the ability to add rebounds and assists, as he should be playing a bit of point guard throughout his career. Murray will essentially be a scorer with the ability to add some stats in other categories, but nothing at an elite level. He’s a high risk, high reward dynasty league pick -- if he can improve his skills as a ball handler, he could be a star, but if he's nothing more than an above-average three point specialist, his value will be middling.
Bottom Line: Could immediately produce some points, 3PTM, and FT%. Might struggle with turnovers and FG%. Won't start right away. Possibly worth a late round flier in deeper leagues based on some upside potential, likely undrafted in standard leagues.
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