What Is Willie Cauley-Stein's 2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Willie Cauley-Stein**
In an effort to improve upon their 27th ranked defense, the Sacramento Kings made Kentucky Junior center their selection with the 6th pick in 2015 NBA draft. The 2015 1st team All-American averaged 25.9 minutes, 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 57.2 percent from the field last season. Cauley-Stein’s best asset is his ability to defend in the paint as well as on the perimeter, drawing comparisons to athletic NBA centers like Tyson Chandler. His biggest weakness is lack of development on the offensive end. Cauley-Stein has limited range as a shooter and needs to refine his repertoire with his back to the basket. He has shown promise as a free-throw shooter, having …show more content…
improved his free throw shooting from 37.2 percent as a freshman to 61.7 percent during his junior year. His role in the Kings rotation is still to be determined this season. There is a natural void in the frontcourt with Jason Thompson being jettisoned to Philadelphia, but head coach George Karl has mentioned that he would like to see more of Rudy Gay as a stretch four. Regardless there should be ample opportunity for playing time, as Sacramento lacks appropriate depth behind Demarcus Cousins and will need Cauley-Stein on the court in order to improve their defense.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Omri Casspi**
Casspi was able to carve out a consistent role as one of the first players of the bench for the Kings in 2014. He averaged 21.1 minutes, 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists while shooting 48.9 percent from the field,73.3 percent from the line, and 40.2 from distance. Casspi showed significant improvement in offensive efficiency, setting career highs in all three percentage categories last season. His main strength is his aggressiveness in driving the ball to the basket, as well as playing with a consistently high motor. His primary weakness has been his inability to shoot off the bounce or with a close defender along with a below average free throw percentage among small forwards. Casspi is one of the more athletic players off the bench that the Kings have and is likely to have a similar role playing behind Rudy Gay this upcoming season. Casspi will likely require a significant injury in the starting lineup to become a fantasy factor, but has demonstrated the work ethic that has gradually improved his box score numbers in each of his six seasons.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Marco Belinelli**
Coming off of a career year which saw him win his first three-point contest title and an NBA title in 2014, Belinelli saw a small downtick in production in his final season as a Spur.
He averaged 22.4 minutes and 9.2 points while shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 84.8 percent from the line, and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc. His primary strength is as an elite catch-and-shoot specialist who can threes in bunches and shot a high free throw percentage. His main weakness is lack of defensive ability, particularly against some of the more athletic wing players in the league. Belinelli is penciled in as one of the first rotation players of the bench along with Omri Casspi, with upside to unseat Ben McLemore at shooting guard should struggle as a starter next season. Belinelli remains a solid source for three pointers for fantasy owners, but should continue to offer little else in terms of overall fantasy value as a sixth …show more content…
man.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Kosta Koufos**
The age 26 Koufos is entering his eighth season in the NBA. He averaged 16.6 minutes, 5.2 points 5.3 rebounds, and .8 blocks while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 64.7 percent from line. His main strength is ability to rebound and provide solid effort as a post defender. His primary weakness remains his limited mobility and lack of offensive output as a post scorer. Koufos signed a four-year, $33 million deal with Sacramento in the offseason and has familiarity with head coach George Karl from his days as a Denver Nugget, so may be able to hold off rookie Willie Cauley-Stein as the starting center to start the season. His lack of overall upside should eventually give way to the more talented rookie and place him as the primary backup center, similar to his role in Memphis and Denver throughout his career.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Seth Curry**
Curry spent the first two seasons being shuttled back and forth between Cleveland, Memphis, and Phoenix and their D-League affiliates, never earning more than a 6.5 minute-per-game average in any of his three stints. He was able to turn in an All-Summer League team performance this offseason, averaging 24.3 points per game and demonstrating an inside-outside scoring ability and confidence that he had yet to show in his first two season. Now armed with a two-year contract with Kings, he has the opportunity to step into the 6th man backcourt role created by Nik Stauskas.and Ray McCallum being traded away in the offseaon. If he can carry his scoring touching touch and ball handling skills over into November, Curry has a solid chance to be a rotational asset for Sacramento this season.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **James Anderson**
As a four-year veteran in the NBA, Anderson saw his biggest opportunity as a professional come as a starter for the Sixers last season. He averaged 28.9 minutes, 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Anderson shot 43.1 percent from the field, 72.6 percent from the line and 32.8 percent from distance in 80 games as a Sixer. His primary asset is versatility as a wing, playing both shooting guard and small forward for Philly in 2014. His glaring weakness is his inefficiency from distance, showing an inability to improve his three-point stroke despite his increase in playing time. Anderson will likely be behind Casspi and Belinelli in the Kings rotation and will have to fight Caron Butler for any remaining minutes in 2015.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Quincy Acy**
Acy is a three year veteran in the NBA, in 68 games for the Knicks, he averaged, 18.9 minutes, 5.9 points, 4.4 rebounds while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the line.
Acy’s main assets are his ability to play with a high motor and be effective as a hustle player in and around the paint. His main weaknesses are that at 6’6, he is undersized as a power forward and lacks shot blocking ability. Acy will have an opportunity to carve out minutes for himself behind Demarcus Cousins in 2015, but is not starter material and is off the radar overall for fantasy purposes.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Caron Butler**
Butler is entering his 14th NBA season after signing a two-year, $3 million deal with the Kings this offseason.
He averaged 20.8 minutes, 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 90.2 percent from the line last season. His primary strength has been his ability to play both shooting guard and small forward with the ability to hit three-pointers. His primary weakness has been his steadily declining field goal percentage over the past few years along with his aging athleticism. Butler was signed primarily as a veteran presence to help mentor the younger players on the roster and remains a fantasy non-factor in
2015.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **David Stockton**
As the son of NBA Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, David made is debut in February of last season for Sacramento. In 22 games, he averaged 11.0 minutes, 2.7 points, 3.0 assists and shot 33.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from the line. Stockton possesses many of the similar ball distribution traits of the elder Stockton, but at 5’11 is undersized, even for a point guard and is a consistent liability defensively to opposing guards. Stockton seemed to have a glimmer of hope to win the backup point guard job with Ray McCallum being traded, but will likely again sit on the roster as the No.3 guard following the signings of Rajon Rondo and Seth Curry. Stockton is well of the fantasy radar for the foreseeable future.
In an effort to improve upon their 27th ranked defense, the Sacramento Kings made Kentucky Junior center their selection with the 6th pick in 2015 NBA draft. The 2015 1st team All-American averaged 25.9 minutes, 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 57.2 percent from the field last season. Cauley-Stein’s best asset is his ability to defend in the paint as well as on the perimeter, drawing comparisons to athletic NBA centers like Tyson Chandler. His biggest weakness is lack of development on the offensive end. Cauley-Stein has limited range as a shooter and needs to refine his repertoire with his back to the basket. He has shown promise as a free-throw shooter, having …show more content…
improved his free throw shooting from 37.2 percent as a freshman to 61.7 percent during his junior year. His role in the Kings rotation is still to be determined this season. There is a natural void in the frontcourt with Jason Thompson being jettisoned to Philadelphia, but head coach George Karl has mentioned that he would like to see more of Rudy Gay as a stretch four. Regardless there should be ample opportunity for playing time, as Sacramento lacks appropriate depth behind Demarcus Cousins and will need Cauley-Stein on the court in order to improve their defense.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Omri Casspi**
Casspi was able to carve out a consistent role as one of the first players of the bench for the Kings in 2014. He averaged 21.1 minutes, 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists while shooting 48.9 percent from the field,73.3 percent from the line, and 40.2 from distance. Casspi showed significant improvement in offensive efficiency, setting career highs in all three percentage categories last season. His main strength is his aggressiveness in driving the ball to the basket, as well as playing with a consistently high motor. His primary weakness has been his inability to shoot off the bounce or with a close defender along with a below average free throw percentage among small forwards. Casspi is one of the more athletic players off the bench that the Kings have and is likely to have a similar role playing behind Rudy Gay this upcoming season. Casspi will likely require a significant injury in the starting lineup to become a fantasy factor, but has demonstrated the work ethic that has gradually improved his box score numbers in each of his six seasons.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Marco Belinelli**
Coming off of a career year which saw him win his first three-point contest title and an NBA title in 2014, Belinelli saw a small downtick in production in his final season as a Spur.
He averaged 22.4 minutes and 9.2 points while shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 84.8 percent from the line, and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc. His primary strength is as an elite catch-and-shoot specialist who can threes in bunches and shot a high free throw percentage. His main weakness is lack of defensive ability, particularly against some of the more athletic wing players in the league. Belinelli is penciled in as one of the first rotation players of the bench along with Omri Casspi, with upside to unseat Ben McLemore at shooting guard should struggle as a starter next season. Belinelli remains a solid source for three pointers for fantasy owners, but should continue to offer little else in terms of overall fantasy value as a sixth …show more content…
man.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Kosta Koufos**
The age 26 Koufos is entering his eighth season in the NBA. He averaged 16.6 minutes, 5.2 points 5.3 rebounds, and .8 blocks while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 64.7 percent from line. His main strength is ability to rebound and provide solid effort as a post defender. His primary weakness remains his limited mobility and lack of offensive output as a post scorer. Koufos signed a four-year, $33 million deal with Sacramento in the offseason and has familiarity with head coach George Karl from his days as a Denver Nugget, so may be able to hold off rookie Willie Cauley-Stein as the starting center to start the season. His lack of overall upside should eventually give way to the more talented rookie and place him as the primary backup center, similar to his role in Memphis and Denver throughout his career.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Seth Curry**
Curry spent the first two seasons being shuttled back and forth between Cleveland, Memphis, and Phoenix and their D-League affiliates, never earning more than a 6.5 minute-per-game average in any of his three stints. He was able to turn in an All-Summer League team performance this offseason, averaging 24.3 points per game and demonstrating an inside-outside scoring ability and confidence that he had yet to show in his first two season. Now armed with a two-year contract with Kings, he has the opportunity to step into the 6th man backcourt role created by Nik Stauskas.and Ray McCallum being traded away in the offseaon. If he can carry his scoring touching touch and ball handling skills over into November, Curry has a solid chance to be a rotational asset for Sacramento this season.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **James Anderson**
As a four-year veteran in the NBA, Anderson saw his biggest opportunity as a professional come as a starter for the Sixers last season. He averaged 28.9 minutes, 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Anderson shot 43.1 percent from the field, 72.6 percent from the line and 32.8 percent from distance in 80 games as a Sixer. His primary asset is versatility as a wing, playing both shooting guard and small forward for Philly in 2014. His glaring weakness is his inefficiency from distance, showing an inability to improve his three-point stroke despite his increase in playing time. Anderson will likely be behind Casspi and Belinelli in the Kings rotation and will have to fight Caron Butler for any remaining minutes in 2015.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Quincy Acy**
Acy is a three year veteran in the NBA, in 68 games for the Knicks, he averaged, 18.9 minutes, 5.9 points, 4.4 rebounds while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the line.
Acy’s main assets are his ability to play with a high motor and be effective as a hustle player in and around the paint. His main weaknesses are that at 6’6, he is undersized as a power forward and lacks shot blocking ability. Acy will have an opportunity to carve out minutes for himself behind Demarcus Cousins in 2015, but is not starter material and is off the radar overall for fantasy purposes.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **Caron Butler**
Butler is entering his 14th NBA season after signing a two-year, $3 million deal with the Kings this offseason.
He averaged 20.8 minutes, 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 90.2 percent from the line last season. His primary strength has been his ability to play both shooting guard and small forward with the ability to hit three-pointers. His primary weakness has been his steadily declining field goal percentage over the past few years along with his aging athleticism. Butler was signed primarily as a veteran presence to help mentor the younger players on the roster and remains a fantasy non-factor in
2015.
2015-16 Fantasy Basketball Outlook **David Stockton**
As the son of NBA Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, David made is debut in February of last season for Sacramento. In 22 games, he averaged 11.0 minutes, 2.7 points, 3.0 assists and shot 33.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from the line. Stockton possesses many of the similar ball distribution traits of the elder Stockton, but at 5’11 is undersized, even for a point guard and is a consistent liability defensively to opposing guards. Stockton seemed to have a glimmer of hope to win the backup point guard job with Ray McCallum being traded, but will likely again sit on the roster as the No.3 guard following the signings of Rajon Rondo and Seth Curry. Stockton is well of the fantasy radar for the foreseeable future.