Fantasy Basketball 2016: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Top Team Names to Consider
As training camps open up all over the NBA this week, it's time to start thinking about your fantasy basketball draft.
This season will be packed with storylines, and many of them will have a direct correlation to fantasy leagues and players' performance within them.
How much will Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant influence each other's production? Will Anthony Davis bounce back from a tough (by his standards) 2015-16? What does James Harden's shift to point guard under new head coach Mike D'Antoni mean?
Those are the kinds of questions that will be asked at the top of fantasy drafts around the country over the coming weeks.
If you need some help answering them, see our first-round mock draft below:
| 1 | James Harden | Most will go with Russell Westbrook here, which is fine. But when you recall what Mike D'Antoni's offense did for point guards like Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin, it feels impossible to pass on James Harden. |
| 2 | Russell Westbrook | Kobe Bryant's Usage Percentage of 38.7 in 2005-06 is the highest of the three-point era. Expect Westbrook, who was at 38.4 in 2014-15, to break that this season. |
| 3 | Stephen Curry | It's reasonable to expect Stephen Curry's numbers to take a hit playing alongside Kevin Durant, but things could actually be even easier for him this year. With all the attention Durant will command, Curry will get looks he couldn't dream of last season. |
| 4 | Karl-Anthony Towns | New Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for relying heavily on his stars. Expect Karl-Anthony Towns, who already does a little bit of everything, to average north of 35 minutes. |
| 5 | Kevin Durant | Similar to the situation for Curry, Durant could see a bump in efficiency this season (as hard as that is to believe). For the first time in his career, he's in a movement-heavy offense. |
| 6 | LeBron James | One thing you can book every NBA season: LeBron James averaging around 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. |
| 7 | Anthony Davis | The risk with Davis is obviously his health. If he can stay on the floor, though, Davis will be called on to produce more than ever. Just take a look at that New Orleans Pelicans roster sans Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans (who will both be out to start the season). |
| 8 | Chris Paul | At some point, Chris Paul has to slow down. Even that probably looks like averages in the neighborhood of 17 points and 10 assists, though. |
| 9 | DeMarcus Cousins | Two constants in Sacramento over the last six seasons: dysfunction in the Kings organization and massive numbers from its mercurial star. |
| 10 | Kawhi Leonard | Kawhi Leonard, who was among the league's best pick-and-roll ball-handlers, could see more time on the ball this season as Tony Parker's career winds down. |
Top Team Names to Consider
Once your roster and lineups are set, you'll need to settle on a team name.
Twitter, as it is wont to do, answered the call:
"@AndrewDBailey Kobe won enobi
— Darren Weiss (@DW33zyy) September 28, 2016"
If none of those tickle your fancy, there's always Google. Or NBA TV's The Starters' weekly Drop podcast could get your creative wheels turning with the "Pun Gun" segment.
Imgur user macetastic could be another source of inspiration. Some of the best names there include:
- Por Some Zingis On Me
- Hey Dewayne, Ya Dedmon?
- Super Dario
- Jeff Who Lives at Home (with Jeff Teague as your team picture)
- Rubio! Rubio! Rubioooo!
- Dirty Wroten Scoundrels
- Rodney Hood: Prince of Threes
In the end, just make sure you choose something that works for you, and more importantly, something that's easy to rub in your opponent's face.
