2019-20 fantasy hoops roto ranks: Is Steph No. 1 without KD and Klay?
Without having to share the rock with Kevin Durant this season -- and likely Klay Thompson for most of it -- is Stephen Curry tops in roto leagues? Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Joe Kaiser, ESPN Staff WriterJul 15, 2019, 05:07 PM
Read below for 2019-20 roto-league rankings and reaction
It's 2019, and these days, fantasy basketball managers are used to players -- even big-name, franchise players -- changing teams. We are accustomed to evaluating the player's role on his new team and determining how much his minutes and his production might change based on his new coach and the new roster around him.
You find yourself weighing all the factors and asking questions like, "Does Westbrook cut into James Harden's fantasy value more than Davis cuts into LeBron James'?"
Or "Does Paul George's value increase or decrease, coming off a career campaign, now that he's with the Clippers and Leonard instead of being on OKC with Westbrook?"
These are just two of the countless questions to ask, and any way you look at it, the upcoming season is going to be as compelling in the fantasy realm as it is on the court itself. So much has changed in such a short amount of time, and I haven't even mentioned the long-term injuries to Durant and Klay Thompson, the return of Kristaps Porzingis, or the arrival of prized rookies Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett.
Here are some big initial impressions now that the smoke has cleared from the NBA draft and barrage of free-agent movement:
Stephen Curry is back to being a top-two fantasy player with Durant now in Brooklyn and Thompson expected to miss most of the season due to a torn ACL.
Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other player alongside Curry in the top two. Like Curry, he doesn't have to share the ball with another superstar like so many of the other big-name players now have to do in this new era of NBA super teams.
Harden and Westbrook both slide. When two of the highest usage players in the NBA align on the same team, it can only mean decreased opportunities (and likely worse efficiency) for both players. I have moved Harden down to No. 4 after Davis and Westbrook to No. 14 after Rudy Gobert.
Chris Paul's stock is falling, regardless of where he ends up playing next season. I list him at No. 45 as a member of the Thunder, but he could easily end up in Miami or somewhere else, and his value wouldn't change. At age 34 and entering his 15th NBA season, this is a place where virtually every point guard in NBA history not named Steve Nash fell off a cliff.
As hyped as Zion is, he is still only ranked No. 41 for now. Zion enters the league as the most anticipated rookie since LeBron, but he's undersized at 6-foot-7 and has to prove that he can stay healthy as one of the heaviest players in the league. As of now, I have him ranked among a group that includes Tobias Harris, Julius Randle, Trae Young and Khris Middleton -- all very solid fantasy contributors.
There is optimism that Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram will take their games up a notch in New Orleans, playing out of the shadows of LeBron in a smaller market, but both young players have already had several years to prove themselves, and I'm hesitant to fully buy in until they show it on a consistent basis. As of now, Ball is at No. 82 and Ingram at 92.
Many of the trades and free-agent moves don't shake up fantasy value too much, such as Mike Conley going to the Jazz, Ricky Rubio moving to the Suns and Russell heading to the Warriors, but Al Horford and Josh Richardson could both be less important in fantasy this season after joining the talented 76ers. Expect less rebounding and scoring from both of them on a roster with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Harris.
Here is a look at the rest of the updated top-150 roto rankings:
