The Dingo 69: NBA Countdown, #60 – #52

And so it continues. Carrying on from yesterday's first installment, here's the second batch of studs for this year's fantasy basketball season. 

60. DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF, Toronto Raptors

As was recently reported in Fox News, DEmar DErozan has spent the offseason hard at work improving his skillz: “Eager to improve his left-handed dribbling and ability to finish plays, DeRozan ate with his weaker left hand, used it to pick up items around the house, and even sat down regularly to write out the alphabet with his infant daughter.” LOVE THE DEDICATION, DEmar! Gah, that whole GD team bloomed the minute they ran Rudy out of town.

59. Rudy Gay, SF, Sacramento Kings

Woah shit, sorry Rudy, didn’t see you there! Fresh from a stint on Team U-S-A in which he dropped some weight (no paella for Rudy! He hates the stuff), Gay is ready to assume his shoot-first, think-later regime now IT2 has left the building. I see a feud brewing between Rudy and Boogie. I see it and I don’t like it. Approach this gentleman with extreme caution.

58. Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Philadelphia 76ers

Slightly injured, slightly inept, slightly unproven, but probably the second-best scorer in the Philly Tanker Ships this season, with Thad Young gone and everyone else hurt/still a future draft pick (check this out for a starting 5: Carter-Williams/Keith BOGANS/Luc Mbah a Moute/Nerlens Noel/Henry Sims. WOW.) DO pick Carter-Williams up on 2k, though – he’s an above average video game option!  

57. Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat

Wade only makes the top 69 because of the absence of Lebron, with the big question being, does the absence of the King make for a better season? He’ll be needed on the court more this year to create more scoring options, so do more minutes equal more production? Or does it make him more injury prone? Unable to keep him in cotton wool until the playoffs, owners could see a bump from his mediocre numbers last season, but his injury risk is high. He also may have just straight-up lost it if the Finals series is anything to go by. He’ll be on my do-not-draft list, but does hold some value if you get him at the right (low) price.

56. Tim Duncan, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs

 While the Dingo maintains huge respect for this old banger, concerns exist over his minutes and his body’s ability to make it through the season. He’s 38 years old—that’s old for anyone, let alone a man whose built his reputation on banging, and banging hard. That said, if he can stay fit, the guy can be a double-double machine in an elite unit. Pick him up out of GD respect for the man and the GAME.

55. Anthony Bennett, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves

The Dingo plucked Fatty B from the waiver wire late last season as he started to show signs of life on the Cavs. Sadly, he picked up another nagging injury so he failed to bloom. But after a season at Fat Camp, the #1 pick is looking STRONG. Anyone who scouted him this weekend gone in a preseason hit-out against the Pacers would’ve been impressed with his physique and his physicality. Fatty B is gone—BAD-ASS BANGIN B has arrived. This is the year Canada gets behind the T-Wolves and they go deep (more there in a future column). For now, just be sure this guy is ready to take it to another level.

54. Lance Stephenson, SG/SF, Charlotte Horncats

The Dingo’s Lance Love only got deeper during the offseason after he left the Pacers in the lurch and headed to Mike’s World to ball out with Big Al’s Wrecking Crew. The Horcats definitely make my 5-team Poor Man’s League Pass List, along with the T-Wolves, Trail Blazers, Bucks, and Exum’s Army (more justification to come, because I know, it’s needed). Lance is a big reason behind that, and when he gets going, he is the perfect fantasy player—the man just cannot stop himself from getting involved. Of course, that can also mean he blows points on off nights, so take the good with the bad and get on board because this Express Train to Hell is taking ALL PASSENGERS.

53. Andrew Wiggins, SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves

I cannot stop watching the Rubio-to-Wiggins alley-oop from the weekend win over the Philly Tankers. The sheer CHEMISTRY between these two is off the charts. And it’s still only the preseason! Ricky looks like he’s been vacationing in Majorca for the last 69 months he looks so chill now K-Love is out of town. And Wiggs? Best thing that could’ve happened to him from a fantasy perspective was getting the hell outta Dodge as soon as the Lebron circus came to town. In Minnesota, he is an instant-leader, gets great responsibility without over-burdening him with expectation, and is primed to put up numbers on both ends of the court. He sits just outside the top 50 right now, but don’t be surprised if he sneaks into the upper end of this list by season’s end.

52. Andre Drummond, PF/C, Detroit Pistons

This pick concerns me. I had faith in the Pistons last year (a lot of people did, God knows why), and I got burned. Got burned bad. This year, I’m slightly more optomistic that Stan Van Man can bring a semblance of value to their game. But any team with J-Smoove on it just straight up worries me from a fantasy perspective. How many potential points will Drummond lose to J-Smooves bricked-up jumpers? Handle with caution, but if The Gunge can get things going in Motor City, good things could happen here.