X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Kristaps Porzingis or Myles Turner? Fantasy Basketball Breakout Stars

Kristaps Porzingis and Myles Turner are 2017-18 fantasy basketball draft values and sleepers. Jake Finnen predicts they will have breakout seasons as NBA stars.

The season is creeping up on us and that means fantasy basketball is peering its ugly, attention-seeking head around whatever sports app you prefer to use. Albeit the monster that is fantasy basketball is one of the most engaging of all fantasy sports.

While you might have some serious decisions already brewing around whether to go with a proven veteran point guard, high-flying rebounder, or rookie phenom, let me give you some advice and to pass on the phenom. Rookies are terrible for fantasy.

They always leave stats on the table and are not trustworthy enough for nightly production. But you know who aren’t rookies? That’s right -- Myles Turner and Kristaps Porzingis. One of them is bound to explode and I’m here to tell you why it’s both.

Black Friday Special! Save 50% on any Big-4 Sports Premium Pass using discount code SMASH. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice for NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL from from proven winners! Dan Palyo leads the team with exclusive picks for DFS picks, Props, betting. Enhance your game with industry-leading tools like our Lineup Optimizers, Team Sync Platform, DFS Cheat Sheets and more. GAIN ACCESS

 

Kristaps Porzingis or Myles Turner?

If you look at their general stats, nothing is surprising. Porzingis is the more talented on-ball player and Turner tends to stay in the low post area. Both can hit the three, but only Porzingis has an effective pull-up jumper. As far as scoring is concerned, Zingy has the clear advantage.

Offensively, Porzingis has the edge. He can handle the ball and generate offense from just about anywhere on the court. Especially now that Carmelo Anthony is gone, he will be the undeniable leader in New York (sorry Michael Beasley). Knick fans have been waiting for the moment where Zingy can be the one not passing the ball. His shot attempts will go up, his usage will go up, but his durability is still a problem. Until Porzingis can play a full season, we will always be skeptical when it comes to fantasy.

This is where Turner can be a better option. He played 81 games last season and literally improved in every category. He will continue to improve, simply due to his play style. Like Porzingis, he also benefits from the departure of his team's usage leader for Oklahoma City (in Turner's case, it's Paul George).  Turner is a bruiser in the paint that has shown to have plenty of touch. He has no problem making the easy and open pass which will play to his benefit when he is conducting the Indiana offense. With a team that is in rebuild mode within a weakened conference should play to his favor.

Both Porzingis and Turner are ready for new roles in their respective offenses and have the potential to explode. This puts them as highly touted big men, with only a few players that can be considered more valuable. With their offensive skillsets in mind, let's look at the other stats. Both tend to have lower rebounding numbers than other elite early round bigs. This will require you to go after a more dominant rebounder to counter-act any negative effect they Porzingis and Turner might have. Both with get blocks, while Turner should get marginally more steals.

Porzingis will take more shots and have a higher usage, so Porzingis always gets the nod over Turner in just about every format. The only problem Porzingis runs into is that he needs to stay healthy. If he cannot play a full season then he does not provide as much value compared to someone who can.

If you are looking to make your next pick and managed to read this entire article, you need to go with Porzingis. If he does succumb to an injury late in the season, it still gives you more than enough time to monitor other options and backup plans. Turner is also primed for a breakout season so this does not mean to completely fade the 21-year old center in Indiana. He's still an awesome consolation prize if Porzingis goes off the board before you can take him. Both players will have the opportunity to be the leaders on their young teams and that means the stats will soon reflect that.

 

More 2017-18 Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

C.J. Stroud

Not Expected to Play on Thursday Night
Aaron Rodgers

Won't Need Surgery on Fractured Wrist, Could Play in Week 12?
Davis Mills

Prepping for Third Straight Start in Week 12?
CFB

Sam Leavitt Set to Enter Transfer Portal?
Mason Rudolph

Could Make His First Start of 2025 in Week 12
Brock Wright

Sets Career-High in Targets; Lined Up for More Work?
Stephon Castle

Out Against Grizzlies
Kimani Vidal

Struggles Again and Faces Role Uncertainty After Bye
Dak Prescott

in Full Command Monday Night With Four Touchdown Passes
Quentin Johnston

Posts Zero Catches During Offensive Collapse
George Pickens

Erupts for 144 Yards, Touchdown in Monday Night Win
Jrue Holiday

Unlikely to Play Tuesday
CeeDee Lamb

George Pickens Benched for First Drive
LeBron James

Officially Listed as Questionable for Tuesday
Jose Altuve

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Exits Monday's Game With Groin Injury
Julian Strawther

Out on Monday
Cameron Johnson

Cleared for Action Monday
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Available Against Bulls
Zaccharie Risacher

Considered Questionable for Tuesday's Game
Onyeka Okongwu

Iffy for Tuesday
Kristaps Porzingis

May Miss Another Game Tuesday
Jalen Suggs

Listed as Questionable for Tuesday
Paolo Banchero

to Remain Out Tuesday
Ayo Dosunmu

Playing on Minutes Restriction Monday
Tre Jones

Still Out Monday
Saddiq Bey

Won't Play Against OKC
Zion Williamson

Still Out on Monday Night
Jamison Battle

Available Monday
Ochai Agbaji

Remains Out Monday
Alex Singleton

Broncos Optimistic Patrick Surtain, Alex Singleton Will Return After the Bye
Trey Hendrickson

Doubtful Again in Week 12
Ausar Thompson

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Jalen Duren

Returns Against Pacers
Shedeur Sanders

Expected to Make First Career Start in Week 12
Cade Cunningham

Remains Out Monday
Josh Jacobs

Dealing With Knee Contusion
Mikael Granlund

Unavailable Monday
Alex Bregman

Red Sox Going for Either Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso?
Conor Garland

Misses Monday's Game
Eetu Luostarinen

Out on Monday
Drake London

Considered "Week-to-Week"
Drew Doughty

Listed as Week-to-Week
Ja'Marr Chase

Being Suspended for One Game for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
John Carlson

a Game-Time Call Monday
Viktor Arvidsson

Out Week-to-Week
Charlie McAvoy

Out Against Hurricanes
CFB

James Franklin to be Virginia Tech's Next Head Coach
Brandon Aiyuk

49ers Won't Open Brandon Aiyuk's Practice Window This Week
Joe Burrow

Could Do 11-on-11 Work This Week in Practice
Michael Penix Jr.

Heads to Injured Reserve, Could Need Full Knee Reconstruction
Tyrod Taylor

Taking Over as Jets' Starting QB
Josh Jacobs

' Knee Injury is Not Serious, but he Could Miss Week 12
CFB

Fernando Mendoza the Clear Heisman Trophy Favorite?
CFB

Beau Pribula Has Chance to Face Oklahoma on Saturday
Mitchell Marner

Establishes Vegas Record Sunday
Mats Zuccarello

Logs Two Assists in Overtime Victory
Lucas Raymond

Leads Red Wings to Victory at MSG
Quinn Hughes

Delivers Four Assists in Sunday's Win
Conor Garland

Limited to Handful of Minutes Sunday
Ryan Hartman

Suffers Lower-Body Injury
Adrian Kempe

Agrees to $85 Million Extension With Kings
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated
Islam Makhachev

Claims UFC Welterweight Belt
Zhang Weili

Gets Outclassed
Valentina Shevchenko

Wins Unanimous Decision At UFC 322
Sean Brady

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Michael Morales

Remains Unbeaten
Leon Edwards

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Leon Edwards

Carlos Prates Becomes The First Man To Knock Out Leon Edwards
Beneil Dariush

Suffers Brutal First-Round Knockout Loss
Beneil Dariush

Benoit Saint Denis Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 16 Seconds
Josh Naylor

Mariners Finalizing Five-Year Contract
Scott Mayfield

Available Sunday
NYI

Max Shabanov Returns From 12-Game Absence Sunday
Samuel Honzek

Out Week-to-Week
Kirby Dach

Sidelined for 4-6 Weeks
Thatcher Demko

Considered Week-to-Week
Filip Hronek

Good to Go Sunday
Quinn Hughes

Back in Action Sunday
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate Not Dealing With Long-Term Injuries
CFB

Virginia Tech Close To Naming James Franklin As Head Coach
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful vs. Arkansas On Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Blue Jays Interested in Signing Edwin Diaz?
Jacob deGrom

Named AL Comeback Player of the Year
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Wins NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Aroldis Chapman

Named AL Reliever of the Year
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Named NL Reliever of the Year
Justin Thomas

Will Miss Start Of 2026 After Undergoing Back Surgery
Islam Makhachev

Set For UFC 322 Main Event
Jack Della Maddalena

Set For His First Title Defense
Zhang Weili

Can Become The New Women's Flyweight Champion
Valentina Shevchenko

Set For UFC 322 Co-Main Event
Michael Morales

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Mario Craver a Game-Time Decision for Week 12
Sean Brady

Set For Title Eliminator Bout
Carlos Prates

A Favorite At UFC 322
Leon Edwards

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set To Open Up UFC 322 Main Card
Beneil Dariush

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
CFB

Virginia's Chandler Morris Trending Toward Facing Duke on Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Says There's a "50-50" Chance he Returns to Mets
Shohei Ohtani

Wins his Fourth MVP Award
Aaron Judge

Wins AL MVP Award Again
Raisel Iglesias

Dodgers Interested in Signing Raisel Iglesias
Pete Alonso

Orioles Could be in the Mix to Sign Pete Alonso
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Could Return in Second Half in 2026
Kodai Senga

Attracting Trade Interest, Will the Mets Move him?
Yordan Alvarez

Expected to be Ready for Spring Training
Byron Buxton

Could Waive his No-Trade Clause
Paul Skenes

the Unanimous NL Cy Young Winner
Tarik Skubal

Wins AL Cy Young for Second Straight Year

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP