Best fantasy basketball fits for top-10 NBA free agents
Fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus has been monitoring the situation unfolding throughout NBA Free Agency. Below, he chooses a best fantasy landing spot for the big names remaining on the market.
LeBron James - LAL | Forward | Age 41 | UFA
The biggest wildcard on this list — retirement, a return to L.A., Cleveland?!?! or one last contender run are all realistic options. Bron's fantasy value is entirely destination-dependent; however, we still know he can contribute at a high level, putting up 21/6/7 at 41, finishing as a top-20 asset in High Score and top-55 in 9-cat this past season.
Best fantasy fit: If the rumors of LeBron James and Klutch orchestrating a way to the Bay to play with Stephen Curry are true, this would be the best fit for his fantasy value. The other potential destinations (Lakers, Heat and Cavs) have too much usage to spread around, whereas the Warriors need that secondary creator and scorer. That's LeBron — even at this stage in his career.
James Harden — CLE | Guard | Age 36 | Player Option ($42.3M)
The Cavs made their first Eastern Conference Finals run since 2018, so it's with near certainty that Harden will re-sign with Cleveland. He'll be 37 in August and yet, he's still producing at a high level. A floor expectation of 20 points with 8 assists is fair, and despite a poor FG percentage, he'll make up for it in categories like 3s, FT percentage and steals. I'd still feel comfortable drafting him inside the first three rounds.
Best fantasy fit: Staying in Cleveland. Harden ranked 34th in 9-cat leagues after joining the Cavs, averaging 21-5-8 with 3 3s and 1.5 stocks per game. He's honestly running out of teams to play for at this point, so signing a new deal with a contender in the East is a W in fantasy and real life.
Jalen Duren — DET | Center | Age 22 | RFA ($4.9M)
OK, the playoffs were a disaster, but in the regular season, Duren proved he's a great complement to Cade Cunningham. Duren made a massive leap as a scorer and should be their franchise big man. Negotiations are underway, but fantasy managers should expect Duren to sign an extension this summer. Being tethered to Cade is best for Duren's value going forward.
Best fantasy fit: The Cunningham-Duren combination was one of the most impactful duos in the NBA. The Pistons better not mess this up because Duren's breakout season was no fluke. Duren is a 20 and 10 guy now and being tethered to Cunningham is integral to continuing his upward trajectory.
Walker Kessler — UTA | Center | Age 24 | RFA ($3.3M)
At 24 and entering restricted free agency on a $3.3M deal, Kessler is likely to attract aggressive offer sheets that could challenge Utah's ability to match. The Jazz might also consider trading him, despite having turned down previous offers. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on Kessler, as his mid-round value could swing significantly depending on his landing spot.
Best fantasy fit: It's not on the Jazz. A trade to a team like the Lakers would be ideal since they have such a glaring need for a big man of Kessler's talents. Luka Dončić needs a high IQ post-presence and Kessler solves that need. The Jazz have a crowded frontcourt that I think would lower his ceiling offensively.
Norman Powell — MIA | Guard | Age 32 | UFA ($18M)
One of the best pure scorers on the free-agent market, Powell will get a raise. The question is: which team will hire him? He's a bucket who tends to land between the mid-80s and 90s in drafts. His value should be consistent regardless of where he lands.
Best fantasy fit: He should go back to the Clippers. The Heat likely won't be able to afford him after re-signing Andrew Wiggins (and acquiring Giannis), so heading back West is a more intriguing landing spot. The Clippers are clearing the deck for their young guys, so he could still see considerable usage and opportunity if Kawhi leaves and moves off Bennedict Mathurin.
Peyton Watson — DEN | Forward | Age 23 | RFA ($2.8M)
Denver will do its best to match any offer, but at $2.8M, a bidding war is imminent. The Nuggets obviously want to bring back Watson, but how will they create enough cap space to make it happen? Watson broke out in his fourth season and, when healthy, looked like a starting-caliber player gifted on both ends. He may not be a household name, but his value is rising in fantasy circles.
Best fantasy fit: Staying with the Nuggets. All of the reports have been geared towards Denver prioritizing Watson; they're just trying to maneuver pieces on their roster to make it happen. It sounds like one of Cam Johnson, Christian Braun or Aaron Gordon could be traded — all a plus for Watson, who is coming off a career year.
Neemias Queta — BOS | Center | Age 26 | Club Option ($2.7M)
Talk about value. Queta emerged as the starting center for the Celtics at a modest $2.35M last season. He posted 12 points with 8 rebounds and over 2 stocks per contest while playing in 76 games. The Celtics will definitely exercise their option and though their financial situation isn't great, they'll find a way to get Queta a raise, too. Queta was a top-75 player in 9-cat leagues and expect he'll be one of the cheap, solid late-bigs to draft next season.
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Best fantasy fit: Celtics. Boston drafted Chris Cenac Jr. in the first round, but its frontcourt depth is still pretty weak. Bringing Queta back would be critical for its rim protection and rebounding; however, with Jaylen Brown looking for a new home, Boston is likely trying to exhaust all options before it has to exercise its option by June 30. If it doesn't, it'll risk losing its best big man to free agency.
John Collins — LAC | Forward | Age 28 | UFA ($25M)
Best fantasy fit: Philadelphia 76ers. They have a void in their frontcourt and have desperately needed a true stretch 4 who can also rebound at a competent level. That's Collins, even though he's been inconsistent over the past few seasons. The Sixers have yet to address that vacancy and they can offer him the full mid-level exception to get him there.
Tari Eason — HOU | Forward | Age 25 | RFA ($4.1M)
Best fantasy fit: Anywhere except Houston. There haven't been any rumors of team interest, so it's hard to pick a specific spot. Eason's confidence and shooting stroke were out of whack for most of the season and he's been asking for a bigger role that hasn't transpired. When healthy, he's an effective fantasy player across formats. It's time for change.
Kristaps Porziņģis — GSW | Center | Age 30 | UFA ($30M)
Best fantasy fit: Warriors. I thought the Lakers might be interesting, but that Luka-KP thing didn't work out in Dallas. KP is such an injury risk that it's hard to see any new destination as a positive for his fantasy value. He rarely plays more than 50 games, so the best situation is to return to the Warriors, a team that knowingly traded for him (and his lengthy injury history) at the deadline.
