2024-25 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Capturing guard draft tiers

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September 17, 2024

These two are among the many finest fantasy basketball capturing guards you’ll be able to choose in drafts. (Picture by David Berding/Getty Photos)

The 2024-25 NBA season is quick approaching, so along side my latest points and category rankings dropping, let’s dig into my position-by-position tiers. I’ve lined the point guards, so right this moment is concerning the capturing guards.

NOTE: Just some gamers can have evaluation when listed within the tiers beneath. Gamers with multi-position eligibility will solely seem within the positional tier the place they performed probably the most minutes final season or are projected to play this season.

[Create or join a Yahoo Fantasy hoops league for the 2024-25 NBA season]

The capturing guard place is various, with elite gamers like Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Edwards main the pack. Tiers 3-8 characteristic a mixture of risk-reward gamers, sleepers, veterans and fringe starters, every with distinctive strengths and potential fantasy worth. Whereas it is not a place it’s important to decide to within the early rounds (particularly In factors leagues), be aware that the deeper you go into the drafts, there are sizable dropoffs in effectivity and utilization.

Tier 1: The elite SGs

1. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

3. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

4. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

Donovan Mitchell supplied first-round worth in factors and class codecs final 12 months. The most important driver in his stand up the ranks was attributable to averaging 1.8 steals per sport. Hopefully, the accidents that prompted him to overlook 27 video games are behind him.
Few gamers are outfitted to change into the face of the league like Anthony Edwards. I made the case for him being a first-round pick and whereas it might not come to fruition this season, he is certainly value an early-to-mid second-round choose when he hasn’t reached his ceiling but.
I threw Devin Booker (and Bradley Beal a bit later) into the SG tiers as a result of they will fluidly play a mixture of PG, SG and SF this season. Both method, the Suns bringing in Tyus Jones to run level will suppress Devin Booker’s potential assists. Nevertheless, he’ll nonetheless produce sturdy effectivity numbers and is among the many prime scorers within the league. We might additionally see an uptick in his three-point capturing, enjoying extra off-ball in Mike Budenholzer’s offensive scheme.
Kyrie Irving’s ADP is falling into the mid-to-late second spherical due to issues over his hand harm, which required surgical procedure within the offseason. He’ll reportedly be 100% by training camp, so I’ve no reservations about drafting him anyplace all through the second spherical.

Tier 2: Early-round worth SGs

1. Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies

2. Derrick White, Boston Celtics

The Grizzlies handled a ton of accidents final 12 months, however Desmond Bane put up a career-high in factors, assists and 3s per sport throughout 42 video games. Memphis can have a helluva bounce-back marketing campaign, and Bane goes nearly 20 picks past his final 12 months’s ADP.
Okay, Derrick White is hardly a purchase low, however he is going a few picks after Bane in most Yahoo drafts, so he suits inside this tier. He would not supply the scoring output just like the others on this group, however his protection belongs in a tier of its personal. If his 3-point capturing and effectivity maintain with the shares, he’ll be a top-30 participant.

Tier 3: Threat-and-reward SGs

1. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns

2. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

3. Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

4. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

Bradley Beal’s harm profile is baked into his ADP, so I am good with choosing him across the seventh spherical primarily based on what I noticed when he was wholesome final 12 months. Eighteen-five-five with 51/43/81 capturing splits is a greater than stable mid-round choose.
The Bulls have Zach LaVine in a tricky spot. Whereas he is the top-scoring choice with DeMar DeRozan gone, his contract and harm historical past bitter his commerce worth. Nonetheless, I am assured we’ll see a rejuvenated and extra-motivated model of him within the upcoming season. Assuming he is again to 100%, his sixth-round ADP is not dangerous in any respect.
Shock to nobody, Devin Vassell performs better with Victor Wembanyama on the ground. The 24-year-old has the best ceiling of this tier and, after capturing 39.5% on catch-and-shoot 3s, Chris Paul is about to make Vassell’s life even higher.

Tier 4: Punt FG share SGs

1. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

2. Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

3. CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans

4. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks

5. Jalen Green, Houston Rockets

6. Jordan Poole, Washington Wizards

Cam Thomas is one among my breakout stars this season. He’ll be the focus of the Nets’ offense — an underrated playmaker and strolling bucket.
Bogdanović’s ADP is the bottom of this tier and I do not get it. He completed thirty fourth in totals and 63rd in per-game ranks final season and he’ll exchange Dejounte Murray within the beginning lineup. Bogdanović is a steal being drafted within the 100s.
Jalen Inexperienced was a league-winner within the closing two months with out Alperen Şengün on the court docket. The query is, can he play that method for everything of the season? Or is Inexperienced at all times going to be a post-All-Star break warmth verify? He is value it for factors leagues, however I might tread flippantly in class codecs.
Poole was terrible final season, however going ninetieth in Yahoo drafts is an reasonably priced value to pay to purchase again some shares.

Tier 5: Sleeper SGs at ADP

1. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

2. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

3. Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz

4. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder

5. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

6. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers

7. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons

8. Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings

The brand new-look Warriors are giving their younger boys an opportunity to shine. Podziemski performed on the USA Choose staff this summer time and, by all accounts, is about up properly for the beginning SG spot sans Klay Thompson. He is one of many higher rebounding guards within the league, so with some enchancment from the road and three-point vary, he might simply beat his ADP within the 120s.
The Thunder’s protection will probably be loopy, and including inventory specialist Alex Caruso to the combo will solely make it higher. I might count on him to proceed his menacing methods, plus Caruso can also be supply of 3s for fantasy managers.
The Houston Rockets have the great drawback of getting an excessive amount of depth. Thompson’s athleticism is off the charts and he proved that, even in a bench function, he might make an impression in fantasy. Thompson averaged 29 fantasy factors per sport in simply 22 minutes per night time. He’s an impressive rebounder and steal specialist; if he figures out his shot, he’ll be an issue.
It can save you Andrew Nembhard for the final couple of rounds of drafts as he emerged as one of the best Tyrese Haliburton insurance coverage coverage within the 2024 NBA playoffs. The environment friendly guard secured a three-year extension and he’ll be on the cusp of top-100 standing if he can generate extra counting stats.
Keon Ellis posted an Alex Caruso-light line of 8.9 factors, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 threes and a couple of.6 shares with 48/45/85 capturing splits throughout the ultimate 23 video games final season. He is rising as a candidate to start out at SG, which boosts his fantasy attraction if you happen to’re on the lookout for a shares and 3s man deep within the draft.

Tier 6: Vets who can nonetheless produce

1. Norman Powell

2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

3. Caris LeVert

4. Kelly Oubre Jr.

5. Malik Monk

6. Terance Mann

7. Jordan Clarkson

8. Donte DiVincenzo

9. Gary Trent Jr.

Norman Powell would be the main scoring choice off the bench for the Clippers, however any harm to the starters might thrust him right into a 30-minute-per-night function. He is a dependable 3-point risk and shoots a excessive share from the sector. I might desire him to different sixth-man varieties on this group.
Caris LeVert reunites with former head coach Kenny Atkinson and, given the accidents to the Cavs’ backcourt over time, LeVert is greater than doubtless going to be fantasy-relevant once more this season.
After a stable first marketing campaign, Kelly Oubre Jr. returned to the Sixers on a brand new deal. He averaged 15 factors with 5 boards, 1.5 3s and nearly two shares per contest in half-hour per night time. He is a last-round flier if you happen to want factors and shares and are punting FG%.
The probabilities of Donte DiVincenzo returning sixth-round worth once more are fairly slim, contemplating all of the strikes the Knicks made to enhance their depth, however ought to there be an harm, we all know what the Massive Ragú is able to from a fantasy perspective.

Tier 7: Fringe starters and bench depth

1. Gradey Dick

2. Josh Green

3. Luguentz Dort

4. Buddy Hield

5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

6. Dalano Banton

7. Christian Braun

8. Josh Richardson

9. Cason Wallace

10. Luke Kennard

11. Kevin Huerter

12. Duncan Robinson

13. Dalton Knecht

14. Malik Beasley

15. Spencer Dinwiddie

Gradey Dick averaged 13 factors with two 3s per contest in half-hour per night time in the course of the closing 22 video games of the ’23-24 season. They weren’t eye-popping numbers by any means, however the rookie performed significant minutes and improved so much by the tip of the season. His protection wants work, however he is proven he is usually a respectable 3-point risk on the wing. He’s doubtless an eventual waiver pickup, however nonetheless somebody to watch (assuming he begins).
Josh Inexperienced seems to be the beginning two guard on a a lot improved Hornets roster. He did not get an opportunity to showcase a lot with the Mavs, and I do not suppose that modifications because the fourth choice on offense.
Dalano Banton may very well be the Blazers’ sixth man after making waves off the waiver wire to shut out final season. I might give it a while, but when Scoot Henderson or Anfernee Simons goes down, maintain Banton in your watchlist.
Christian Braun’s fantasy outlook obtained murkier when the Nuggets signed Russell Westbrook III this offseason. Braun will probably be within the rotation, nevertheless it turns into more and more troublesome to see him as a fantasy choice.