The NBA season is upon us and I am beyond excited about this upcoming season. My name is Cody aka @DProdiogy and typically I am here breaking down Yahoo NBA slates. However, this article, the 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball: Boring But Valuable Vets, is super interesting to me.
Veterans in the NBA league are a huge part of the season coming up, especially with the amount of younger talent in the league.
Veterans can serve many roles in developing the younger talent on the court and even off the court.
I am going to be looking into six targets in fantasy NBA drafts that I am thinking to serve a crucial role on the court and that can justify an uptick in their NBA ranking.
2022-23 Fantasy Basketball: Boring But Valuable Vets
Eastern Conference
Al Horford, Power Forward/Center, Boston Celtics
The veteran big man was crucial last season in the NBA playoffs. Horford stepped up in a massive way with Robert Williams III injured throughout the playoffs. He might be boring on the court since he doesn't show off flashy dunks, but the purpose Horford can bring to this team is extremely useful. The rebounding numbers were great for Horford coming in at the age of 36 years old and I really think he can be a great addition to any fantasy team off the bench.
Goran Dragic, Point Guard, Chicago Bulls
The Dragon is a Bull 🐉 @Goran_Dragic pic.twitter.com/UqPIw0KS66
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 3, 2022
Many of you might call me crazy for liking Dragic here but the longtime veteran has found a new home in Chicago. I was hoping for my hometown team Dallas Mavericks, but his signing in Chicago will be great for him. Lonzo Ball will be the clear-cut starter on this team but we know how injury prone he has been in the past.
Dragic can serve this team in a big way if Lonzo Ball somehow goes down. We have seen Dragic step up in a starter role in the past like he did on the Brooklyn Nets last season. Barring injuries, I still like Dragic as a role player on the bench and rejuvenating the offense.
The veteran has all the tools to do well and a sneaky option to look at in drafts.
Kyle Lowry, Point Guard, Miami Heat
Lowry is not a sexy name and describing him as boring can certainly be a word for Lowry based on how he played last season.
Lowry can still produce at a high clip in the assist column when he is healthy and maintain a starting role as the Miami Heat's Point Guard for the upcoming season.
The addition of young players on multiple other teams will make him slide down NBA rankings, but he can still be a superstar like he was in the past. The Heat will want to make a major push into the playoffs by retaining the same starting 5 as last season and Lowry will be someone I am targeting who is falling in fantasy drafts.
Brook Lopez, Center, Milwaukee Bucks
Brook Lopez may not get a ton of rebounds or dunks on a nightly basis. However, Lopez is the type of guy that can get open on the three-point line and hit his shoot when he needs to. Other Centers will go off the board early while I am happy with grabbing Lopez late in drafts that will be a valuable asset to your fantasy team.
Western Conference
Nicolas Batum, Power Forward, LA Clippers
If you go to your everyday dictionary and look up the word boring I can promise you that Nicholas Batum will be the headline of the definition. Batum is not flashy and stats might not pop off the stat sheet every game. Yet Batum is still producing good numbers at his age. In a draft, I don't mind targeting him as a lower-end bench role player that if I need points against my opponent, I am trusting Batum with the three-point shot to fall at a great rate. If Batum is left in the corner on the LA Clippers, he will knock down a three-point shot multiple times.
Marcus Morris Senior, Shooting Forward, LA Clippers
Marcus Morris has hit THREE clutch shots on the Lakers this season.
Can he do it again on Thursday? 👀 pic.twitter.com/OBtpmMHsiU
— Clippers Lead (@ClippersLead) February 26, 2022
Talk about an enforcer on the LA Clippers! I am liking the veteran based on his defensive stats and ability to produce in multiple categories. The announcers may not call his name a ton. Or perhaps only when he is in a fight, but the ability to pile up stats is there. I don't expect Morris to fly off the draft board, but I like his ability to still produce even at his age. Morris can be a deep-bench role player that can be effective this upcoming season.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Shooting Guard, Denver Nuggets
Pope is now officially on the Denver Nuggets and going to take on a nice role starting for this team at the Shooting Guard spot. Last season he showed he can still play as a veteran in this league and not hold back despite being overshadowed by the stars of the LA Lakers. Pope will have various weapons in Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray to help pad his stat line. He'll fall in drafts because of his new home. But I am liking him to fill in as a utility spot that will surprise a ton of people this season!
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