RADIO
It's that time of the year again! Football season is in full swing, but basketball season is right around the corner! We all felt the basketball buzz during the Olympics, and are patiently waiting until the stars start hooping again.
But as always, some under-the-radar players can easily break out and become fantasy studs. Finding and taking a chance on these sleepers can make or break your fantasy roster. Luckily for you, I'm here to show you some of my sleeper picks for the 2024-25 season, starting with guards!
Without further ado, let's look at four of my favorite sleeper guards heading into the 2024-25 fantasy basketball season.
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Jaden Ivey - Detroit Pistons
The definition of a sleeper is something that eventually achieves unexpected success after initially attracting very little attention. Most fantasy analysts and media outlets have written Jaden Ivey off, and his teammates are getting more attention.
Many think Ivey won't get touches after a disappointing sophomore season and will give up some of his usage to Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II. But Ivey's disappointing 2023-24 wasn't his fault.
Hot take: Jaden Ivey will be this year’s Jalen Suggs/Coby White
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) September 21, 2024
The Pistons decided to start Killian Hayes at the start of the season and were inconsistent with Ivey's minutes. But once Hayes was dropped, Ivey began to produce.
The Purdue product averaged 20.3 points per game on 45.0% shooting in games where he played 30+ minutes. Ivey's arch nemesis Monty Williams is now gone, and J.B. Bickerstaff is already gushing about him.
"[Ivey] has a natural speed and athleticism that’s hard to deal with in this league," said Bickerstaff. "He’s going to be extremely difficult to guard."
With a new head coach in town, Ivey is motivated to work harder than ever. He wants to earn a big extension and prove himself as a big part of the Pistons' future.
There are a bunch of mid-tier guards being drafted ahead of him, and he'll be a bargain if he can show his true scoring ability.
Keyonte George - Utah Jazz
Keyonte George burst onto the scene last year as a rookie, becoming a starter after just eight games. He averaged 14.5 points and 5.7 assists a night in his last 13 games before a foot injury caused him to move to the bench.
George made a bunch of rookie mistakes, with many poor shooting nights with a bunch of turnovers sprinkled in. But that injury, and having to come off the bench for a middling team exacerbated these problems.
Remember when Keyonte George had 19 PTS and 10 REB as the Jazz got the season sweep over the Bucks? pic.twitter.com/CqkGPU5Pnh
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) September 24, 2024
He eventually got back in the starting lineup and averaged 16.1 PPG in his last 22 games to finish the season. He also shot 90% from the free-throw line and masked some of his poor shooting performances by showcasing his foul-drawing skills.
There have been tons of great guards who struggled with shooting and turnovers in year one, only to turn things around to become all-time greats.
Players such as Russell Westbrook, Jason Kidd, and Chauncey Billups struggled with shooting as rookies but improved as time went on.
Even if he doesn't improve in those areas, you can always count on him if you punt FG% and TOs, as he'll play a bunch of minutes and put up stats regardless.
Dyson Daniels - Atlanta Hawks
The Trae Young/Dejounte Murray duo in Atlanta didn't work out, and the Hawks decided to ship Murray off to New Orleans in the offseason. They received some players and two first-round picks, but Dyson Daniels might be the most important part of this trade.
Daniels is a 6'8 guard and an exceptional perimeter defender. He formed a scary and youthful defensive trio with Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III, but will now get to be the main defender in this Hawks team after Murray's departure.
Trae Young with new teammates Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels at @fromthepointTY weekend 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cpAMDO2IoH
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) September 14, 2024
His offensive production has always been a big issue, but he can now improve in his third year with a great head coach like Quin Snyder. Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Jalen Johnson could form a great defensive trio in Atlanta and change the culture surrounding the team.
The Hawks have been known as a poor defensive team ever since they drafted Trae Young, but that can change with Daniels and Risacher. Young will now be on the ball at all times and can create more scoring opportunities for Daniels.
Daniels will play more than ever before due to the team's need for a strong defensive presence and can score more points. He won't be a 15+ PPG scorer, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him put up 10 points with around 3 stocks (steals + blocks) a night.
Gradey Dick - Toronto Raptors
Gradey Dick had a terrible start to his NBA career, barely getting any minutes and spending some time in the G-League. The vocal Raptors fanbase was quick to call Dick a bust and a wasted draft pick, but Dick had too much mental toughness to quit.
Things didn't get much better, he shot 1/12 in his G-League debut and 4/21 in his next game. But he didn't quit. "At every level, there is outside noise, there are so many distractions now with social media." Said Dick. "If you let that dictate your life, it’s only going to be negative for you."
SMOOTH WIT IT pic.twitter.com/viS4gyEsH5
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 11, 2024
He proved his worth in the G-League, and once he returned, he was ready to prove his doubters wrong. Dick averaged 12.5 points a night after the All-Star break and got better as the season went on. He was used in multiple roles but excelled as a pure shooter.
He put up 15.0 PPG on 38.4% shooting from deep in the last 12 games of his rookie year and proved he can be the final piece in a talented and young Raptors core.
As a starter, he can easily put up similar numbers, which makes him a bargain compared to the many washed-up players being drafted ahead of him. His mental toughness is also an asset, as he won't be deterred by bad games.
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