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5 low-risk high reward players to consider in NBA fantasy drafts

Indiana Pacers v Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers v Houston Rockets

With the NBA season right around the corner, fantasy basketball drafts are in full swing. The top of the draft is fairly standard, with the three picks typically being Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. Even beyond that point, the rest of the first round and into the second includes a list of names with little variance aside from outliers.

If your top player happens to get injured, the season could be screwed from the jump but that is part of the luck that comes with fantasy sports. Where players can really separate themselves are the late picks in their NBA drafts where value can be found.

There is minimal risk when you reach the seventh round or so and onwards since there are likely to be undrafted players who emerge and become similarly or even more valuable.

Here are five NBA players I view as low-risk, high reward fantasy basketball picks in a standard points league.


#5 Buddy Hield

Sacramento Kings v Charlotte Hornets
Sacramento Kings v Charlotte Hornets

Buddy Hield is projected around the eighties in most NBA fantasy drafts from what I have seen. At that point in the draft, there are not many 20 points per game scorers on the board.

Not to mention that many leagues grant additional points for each three that are converted, and Buddy Hield is regularly one of the top three marksmen from beyond the arc in the association. He usually trails Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard, who are both easy first round selections.

While Hield does project to come off the bench behind Tyrese Haliburton in the 2021-22 NBA season, his entire focus this season will be on scoring when he steps in. Despite his vocal unhappiness with the role, Hield has previously thrived when coming off the bench and could even find himself in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year conversation.

Buddy Hield's scoring output isn't going to slow down significantly to the point where he's not worth a pick in the eighties.


#4 Klay Thompson

Golden State Warriors Media Day
Golden State Warriors Media Day

For the splash brother, it's all about how far he falls in your individual NBA fantasy league. He is returning to the Golden State Warriors from a torn ACL after nearly two full seasons of being sidelined.

The seventh round, or earlier, would be a stretch for a player returning from injury who is not scheduled to be available for the NBA season opener. But if the tenth round or further comes around and one of the best shooters of all time is still on the board, I would give it some serious consideration.

While returning from injury, I would expect his defense to take the most significant toll. Three-point shooting and scoring holds significant value in fantasy NBA basketball, and Klay Thompson is known to do that at an elite level.

Taking a flier in the late rounds on Klay Thompson could pay off handsomely if you are willing to be patient.

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