NBA week one is in the books. How did your team do? Good? Bad? Me too. We’re rolling over the Five Lists of Five into the NBA landscape to provide your weekly dose of fantasy tips.
Here are some stashes we can already start considering. Since it’s only been one week and nobody’s in a dire spot yet, we all have the luxury to stash some promising pieces on our bench.
Stash ’em
Toumani Camara, PF, Portland Trail Blazers
In three games, Camara has been averaging almost 30 minutes per game thus far for the Trail Blazers. In these three games, he’s averaged 9.3 PPG, 5 RPG, and 3.3 APG with 1.7 SPG. His performances haven’t been particularly eye-popping, but his starting role is enticing. He’s only 24 and has plenty of room to grow. The Blazers aren’t doing anything ambitious this season, and thus have an incentive to develop their youth and see what kind of pieces they’re working with. If I were the Blazers, I’d be very curious about Camara.
Yves Missi, C, New Orleans Pelicans
Missi is a 20-year-old center out of Baylor who landed in New Orleans by way of the 21st overall pick. To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the Herb Jones center experiment has not gone as planned. It’s not all doom and gloom in New Orleans, though, despite them losing their star point guard for over a month. Missi has impressed in his three games for the Pelicans averaging 8.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. And surely he will outplay Daniel Theis in the near future. Doubters emerged from beneath the bleachers after game one: “Zion will return! He will play center!” And yet Missi’s minutes stayed the same. I wouldn’t be shocked if Missi has a path to a 25-minute role (or more) in the near future.
Bilal Coulibaly, SG, Washington Wizards
Coulibaly is off to a promising start in his second season. He’s locked in as Washington’s starter at the small forward position and has delivered thus far in two games, averaging 15.5 PPG and 6 RPG. Those precious defensive stats are still yet to be seen but have faith, they’re coming. When they do, Coulibaly’s value stretches to the ceiling, and you’ll be sorry you didn’t take a flier on this young French wing who may get all the opportunity in the world on this dumpster fire of a team.
Nick Richards, C, Charlotte Hornets
Another year, another Mark Williams back injury. Or maybe it’s still the same injury? Another year, the same Mark Williams back injury? I’m not sure. Either way, we haven’t seen Mark Williams in action since December 8, 2023. His one-year hardwood anniversary is coming up soon. Nick Richards has done a good job filling in for him this season, putting up 10 PPG and 11 RPG with 2 BPG. If he hasn’t been scooped yet, I’d grab and hold on to Richards because Williams’ return is, put nicely, not imminent.
Donovan Clingan, C, Portland Trail Blazers
Cling Kong. Please, Chauncey Billups, we need to see more Clingan minutes. Unfortunately for fantasy basketball managers, Ayton is ahead in the pecking order and it’s unlikely we’ll see Clingan surpass the 20-minute-per-game mark until at least the trade deadline. But is he still worth holding onto? His per-36 numbers say yes. Clingan, per 36 minutes, is averaging 13.5 PPG, 15.3 RPG, and 6.3 BPG in three games. It’s a small sample, yes, but it’s glorious. The drawback is that he suffers from the typical NBA rookie issue of fouling too much; he averages 6.3 personal fouls per 36 minutes, roughly one for each block he gets.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st].
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
