NBA: Which SG’s Should You Take In Fantasy Basketball This Season?

NBA

The key to winning your NBA fantasy league is accepting that you can’t have 10 superstars on one team. The goal is to go big with the first 2-3 selections then build with solid contributors across the board. The one position that owners often look to stockpile first is SG. The reason for that is, there aren’t many players at this position who can put up 25+ points nightly.

For every James Harden, it’s ok to grab a Gary Harris or Josh Richardson. The strategy is not about who scores the most points or grabs the most rebounds, it’s about drafting players who can do all of those things nightly. Harden and Devin Booker are slid, scorers. But what about those SGs who can get you seven rebounds and assists per night as well? In 2018, out of the top 10 fantasy guards only three were SGs.

Here are the top 5 shoot guards in the 2019-20 NBA season

Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)

The main thing keeping LaVine from the top two– injuries. If LaVine can stay healthy, there’s no reason to doubt the stats he can put up nightly for any fantasy team. Last season, LaVine averaged 23.7 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. However, LaVine played in 63 games. In order for him to be considered one of the best SGs in terms of fantasy production, one must believe that they can count on LaVine for at least 70+ games.

In 2018, LaVine averaged 35.3 fantasy point per outing which placed him 5th in SGs behind Harden, Beal, Booker, and DeRozan. If LaVine and Lauri Markkanen can form chemistry this season, LaVine could be in store for a huge season and could easily surpass Beal in terms of fantasy production.

Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Booker, last season was a serious offensive threat for the young Suns. In 2018, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Now that the Suns have Ricky Rubio, Booker’s assists may be down some but open looks will increase. As far as fantasy production, Booker averaged 41.2 points per, second only to Harden. The question surrounding Booker is; is there more to come?

If Rubio and Booker can find chemistry in the backcourt and post players for the Suns can improve on the offensive end while passing out of the double team, Booker could challenge Harden as the top-scoring SG in 2019. This could be an interesting season for Booker and the Suns. If Harden is off the board, Booker is a solid choice at No. 2.

Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)

Despite not having John Wall, Bradley Beal still put up great numbers. His team’s winning percentage took a nosedive but in fantasy terms, Beal is golden. In 2018, Beal averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. How can that be ignored? According to CBS Fantasy Rankings, Beal ranked 3rd among SGs in fantasy points with 41.0 points per outing What’s keeping him this year from doing the same or even better?

With Wall still nursing his injuries, Beal is expected to put the offense on his shoulders again. In 2018, he attempted 23.4 shots per game. That number will stay the same as the Wizards have done nothing to add another scorer besides Beal and Wall. A big fantasy year is coming for Beal.

Jrue Holiday (New Orleans Pelicans)

Why do fantasy owners continue to bypass Jrue Holiday? In 2018, Holiday was not listed as a viable SG option. According to most sites, he was still considered a PG when he played the majority of the year at the SG position. However, in 2019, with Lonzo Ball taking over as the facilitator, Holiday can officially stake a claim as a SG. Last season, all he did was average 21.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game while shooting. 472 percent. Holiday deserves to be mentioned with the top SGs in Fantasy Basketball heading into the new season.

Entering this season, Holiday will take on more of a leadership role which should increase his stat line. in 2018, Holiday averaged 40.9 fantasy points per outing. If transferred over to SG numbers, Holiday would sit fourth in the NBA behind Harden, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. So why not have him in the top 5 heading into the 2019 season?

James Harden (Houston Rockets)

By far, Harden is the best SG in the NBA. Last season, he averaged 36.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. On the fantasy side, Harden averaged 55.6 points per contest and gave his owners, the best chance at victory daily. Should we expect more of the same in 2019? Yes. Even with Rusell Westbrook by his side, Harden will still lead the league in scoring and rank at the top in assists.

Despite Westbrook’s presence, there is not another SG in the league on Harden’s level. To be honest, how many players outside of this position will be taken above him? In terms of fantasy production, Harden does it all. While players like LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, can stake claim, Harden is the best scorer in the NBA. He’s the clear No. 1 option here.