Hopefully, you’re ready with cheat sheets, rankings and tips for your annual fantasy basketball draft party. If it hasn’t happened already, just know it’s coming. In the coming week, we’ll be breaking down and debating key matchups so when the time comes to choose, you’ll know where to go.
Up first was the debate over the best fantasy player in the game. Is it LeBron or KD? Then we asked about Dwight Howard and Kevin Love. Then we debated James Harden against Chris Paul. Today, we discuss young point God’s Kyrie Irving or Derrick Rose. We argue. You decide.
*based on head-to-head format*
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KYRIE IRVING/strong>
For starters, I want to begin by saying Kyrie Irving is the future of NBA point guards. Irving has some of the smoothest handles the league has ever seen, and his offensive efficiency is through the roof. With the basketball IQ that Irving has been blessed with, he’s capable of getting all his teammates involved like any top tier point guard, while possessing the ability to shoot the lights out from the field. Irving is easily one of the NBA’s most consistent scorers and 3-point shooters on the court today. Among point guards last season, Irving ranked eighth in three-pointers with 1.8 per game and third in total scoring, recording 22.5 PPG, behind Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook. This is going to immediately provide fantasy owners with an substantial boost in the scoring categories.
Irving’s assist totals are not going to blow you out of your chair, but he still averaged just under six a game, making him a sure lock to have a solid source out of that category. It’s crucial to draft around the strengths and weaknesses of your team, so if you’re lucky enough to grab an exceptional scoring guard early, like Irving, be sure to find a point guard that is built around distributing the ball later in the draft.
Unlike many guards in the NBA, Irving shoots a very respectable percentage from the field. He made 45 percent of his shots last year, so don’t expect too many off nights for the upcoming superstar. One of the biggest knocks on players is having empty stats, particularly on the defensive end, but not Irving. His 1.5 SPG is good for 15th in the NBA among point guards. Irving also chipped in 0.4 blocks per game during the 2012-2013 campaign, a number that’s constantly overlooked. Mangers don’t expect to get any blocks out of the guards they draft, but having one who logs almost half a block per game is more helpful then one can realize.
Now trust me, I’m aware of the concerns fantasy managers are going to have coming into the 2013-2014 season: can Irving finally stay healthy? It’s impossible to predict, but I can’t overlook the value Uncle Drew possesses. Irving played 51 games his rookie season, and 59 games last season, so it’s still a mystery whether or not he can ride out a full year. But let’s face the facts. Saying Irving’s upside is through the roof is still an understatement. I would not hesitate for one second making Irving a part of my fantasy team on draft day and I advise all managers to snag this stud early.
-CHRIS DIGIOIA
Hit page 2 to see why you should take D Rose over Uncle Drew
DERRICK ROSE
One fantasy sports trend I’ve noticed over the years is that the majority of owners have way too short of a memory. Different sport, but remember when Peyton Manning missed an entire season a couple years back? Most wrote him off for good. Supposedly, he would never have the same arm strength again, and his career was as good as done. Just two seasons later, Manning is playing some of the best football of his career and is poised for an MVP season. If a 16-year NFL veteran can do it in a way more physical environment, why can’t a 24-year-old Derrick Rose do the same?
ESPN currently ranks Rose at 21, while Yahoo has him at 15, but to me, he’s a bonafide first rounder. I’m not sure if the same can be said about Kyrie Irving, who has missed 25 percent of the Cavs games throughout his first two seasons. If you’re going to take an injury risk on any player, give me the guy who just took a full season off to make sure he’s 100 percent ready over the guy who has never pieced together a full season — even in college.
I liken the fantasy situation of Irving to that of Stephen Curry‘s. Yahoo and ESPN loved Curry a little bit too much over his first few seasons, and always pegged him as a first or second rounder. His bum ankle would never allow him to stay on the court, but when they finally dropped his rank heading in to last season, it made the risk way more worth it. I need to see a full season of productivity before investing a first round draft pick, and while Kyrie’s averages look mighty enticing, it’s easy to be turned off when you look at the amount, or lack-there-of, of games played.
Rose last left us with a 21.8 points and 7.9 dimes per game campaign in 2011-12. While it will be hard for him improve on his assist totals, he has shown an increase in that category over each progressive season, so it’s something to keep an eye on. Although nothing will compare to the leap he made from 0.2 treys per game in 2009-10 to 1.6 the following season, it’s possible that Rose’s jumper is improved too. Iman Shumpert, who tore his ACL on the same day as Rose, improved his three point percentage by almost 10 points last season, and did it by putting up jumpers from a chair throughout his recovery. Who knows if Rose was doing the same, but it’s hard to doubt someone with a work ethic like the NBA’s youngest MVP. Considering how heavy the Bulls offense leans on Rose, any uptick in his field goal percentage will equate to tons of more points.
To me, this edition of Who’s Better isn’t even up for debate. I can’t stress enough how important it is to select safer players early and shoot for upside later on in your drafts, and considering Irving’s injury history, he’s nothing more than a potential first round bust to me. His flashy play and hysterical Uncle Drew commercials get you nowhere in the fantasy game, so give me Derrick Rose, a much more proven commodity.
-KEVIN SMITH
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