🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
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.

Holiday Special! Save 50% on any Premium Pass using discount code THANKS. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! 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

Al Horford

to Miss More Time With Back Injury
Seth Curry

Ruled Out vs Suns
Peyton Watson

Questionable Saturday Against Rockets
Tristan da Silva

Uncertain for Saturday Against Jazz
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out Against Sacramento
Tari Eason

Still Sidelined Saturday vs Nuggets
Zach Bogosian

Unavailable Saturday
Marcus Johansson

Questionable for Saturday
Bo Horvat

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Saturday
Seth Jarvis

to Be "Out for a While"
Phillip Danault

Rejoins Canadiens for Draft Pick
Mason Marchment

Blue Jackets Acquire Mason Marchment
Ja Morant

to Miss Second Straight Game Saturday
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
RJ Barrett

to Remain Out Saturday
Jakob Poeltl

Facing Another Potential Absence Saturday
Jerami Grant

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Deandre Ayton

to Miss Matchup Against Clippers Saturday
Lauri Markkanen

Unlikely to Play Saturday
Klay Thompson

Iffy for Saturday
Anthony Davis

Expected to Play Saturday
James Harden

Available Saturday
Domantas Sabonis

to Miss 4-5 More Weeks
Anthony Edwards

Returns Without Minutes Restriction Friday
Zach Collins

Upgraded to Available Friday
Tre Jones

Available With Minutes Restriction
Ayo Dosunmu

Returns From Three-Game Absence
Kasparas Jakucionis

Makes First Career Start Friday
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
Jonathan Marchessault

Out Day-to-Day
Tristan Jarry

Oilers Place Tristan Jarry on Injured Reserve
Patrick Kane

to Remain Out Saturday
Shea Theodore

Considered Week-to-Week
Jack Eichel

to Miss at Least Two More Games
Davante Adams

Likely Won't Play in Week 17
Jordan Martinook

Misses Friday's Contest
Evan Rodrigues

Available Against Hurricanes
Tyler Seguin

Undergoes Surgery, to Be Re-Evaluated After Olympics
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Listed as Questionable for Week 16
Drake London

Expected to Play Sunday
Tee Higgins

Questionable to Play in Week 16
Michael Carter

Will Start at RB in Week 16
Dalton Kincaid

Will Practice on Friday, Expected to Play on Sunday
Garrett Wilson

Shelved for Remainder of 2025
CFB

Darian Mensah Returning to Duke Next Season
CFB

Josh Hoover Linked to Indiana in Transfer Portal
CFB

Arch Manning Agrees to Reduced Compensation for 2026 Season
Zach Werenski

Enjoys Second Consecutive Multi-Goal Game
Logan Thompson

Collects Second Shutout of the Season
Linus Ullmark

Blanks Penguins Thursday
Tyson Kozak

Hurt Against Flyers
Conor Timmins

to Miss 6-8 Weeks With Broken Leg
Tristan Jarry

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Versus Bruins
Anthony Cirelli

Injured in Thursday's Loss
Kenneth Walker III

Breaks Off Long Touchdown in Comeback Win vs. Rams
Matthew Stafford

Racks Up Highest Yardage Total in Over a Decade
Puka Nacua

Delivers Career-Best Performance on Thursday Night Football
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
Jakobi Meyers

Jaguars Agree to Three-Year Extension With Jakobi Meyers
Davante Adams

Officially Out on Thursday Night
Devin Neal

Placed on Injured Reserve, Will Not Return in 2025
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
Christian Watson

Questionable for Week 16
Josh Jacobs

Listed as Questionable for Saturday Night
T.J. Watt

Unlikely to Play in Week 16
D'Andre Swift

Questionable to Face the Packers
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 16
Jawhar Jordan

Could be in for Significant Workload Against Raiders
Rome Odunze

Expected to Miss Third Straight Game
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal
Josh Jacobs

Expected to Play in Week 16
Bo Bichette

Willing to Make the Move to Second Base
CFB

Jeremiyah Love Officially Heading to NFL Draft
CFB

Jake Merklinger Leaving Tennessee for Transfer Portal
Mike Trout

Angels Open to Mike Trout Playing Center Field in 2026
CFB

Kansas State's Jayce Brown Intends to Transfer
CFB

Nation's Leading Passer Drew Mestemaker to Enter Transfer Portal
Justin Crawford

Phillies Planning to Start Justin Crawford in Center Field
CFB

Jayden Maiava Signs New Deal to Return to USC
CFB

Aidan Mizell Won't Return to Florida, Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

East Carolina Targeting Jordan Davis as Next Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Michigan QB Jadyn Davis Set to Enter Transfer Portal
CFB

Travis Williams Joining Texas A&M Defensive Staff
CFB

Dylan Raiola Entering His Name into Transfer Portal
CFB

Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby Plans to Transfer When Portal Opens
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia, Phillies Finalizing One-Year Deal on Monday
Brandon Royval

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
CFB

Baylor, LSU, Miami Among Potential Suitors for DJ Lagway
CFB

Aidan Chiles Will Enter Transfer Portal
Manel Kape

Shines At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos

Gets Second-Round Knockout Win
Giga Chikadze

Suffers His First Career Knockout Loss
CFB

Quarterback DJ Lagway Entering Transfer Portal
Cesar Almeida

Gets Dominated
Cezary Oleksiejczuk

Wins Sixth Fight In A Row
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Melquizael Costa

Gets First-Round Knockout Win
Marcus Buchecha

Still Winless In The UFC
Kennedy Nzechukwu

And Marcus Buchecha Fight To Draw
Lance Gibson jr

Lance Gibson Jr. Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
King Green

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kenley Jansen

Agrees to One-Year Deal With Tigers
Merrill Kelly

Returns to Diamondbacks on Two-Year Deal

RANKINGS

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