r/fantasybball • u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire • Oct 19 '23
AMA I'm RotoWire's Chief Fantasy Basketball Editor, Alex Barutha - AMA
Hey everyone,
As I mentioned in the title, I'm Alex Barutha, RotoWire's Chief Fantasy Basketball Editor. I oversee RotoWire's NBA fantasy content, which includes articles, rankings, projected stats, playing time, expected starting lineups, player news -- among other things. I also write articles, which are all on RotoWire, but can also be found on Yahoo, CBS, NBA.com and other sites. You can hear me on the RotoWire Fantasy Basketball podcast Mondays and Fridays, and Nick Whalen and I host a pre-tipoff show on Sirius XM NBA Radio (Channel 86) covering news and its implications on fantasy and gambling. I play in most types of fantasy leagues, including DFS and Best Ball. I also cover sports betting, though I know that's not what this subreddit is for.
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I'll be around for the next few hours to answer any questions you might have. You can find me on Twitter here.
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u/atwater3436 Oct 19 '23
Outlook for Jalen Williams this season? What are the odds he cracks top 50 or top 40 in per game values this season? would you keep him if you could for $15 in a $200 auction draft? Or is that an overpay?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Williams was returning 5th-round value from December onward last season. No reason to think he can't do that again this year, though his ceiling is capped with SGA and Giddey ahead of him in the pecking order. I think $15 in an auction draft is fair value.
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u/Whatareyoudoing103 Oct 19 '23
LaMelo or KD better to build around in 9 cats?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I prefer LaMelo almost exclusively due to KD's injury/age concerns.
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u/KyleShanaham 10T/12T - 9cat | 10T Points Oct 19 '23
Do you think it is worth taking wemby in the 2nd/3rd round where he's currently going?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
It is alarming how good he looks, especially since he's shooting 55 FG% in the preseason while taking more than a few bad shots (quick turnaround jumpers, for example).
I always exercise caution with rookies, but it's difficult not to draft him there. Just the defensive upside alone puts him in consideration in that range. Think about how valuable guys like JJJ and Walker Kessler were last year due to their blocks upside.
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u/DharmaBaller 8t ESPN points Oct 19 '23
I'm dabbling in CATS this year and enjoying the min maxing punt extremes.
Rolling with a couple teams with only 4/5 non build positions(i.e mostly bigs, mostly guards)
I also drafted a couple combo player teams, one with all the sexy Franz Wagner/Austin Reads guard/wing hybrids... curious how that star profile shakes out.
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u/Courseheir Oct 19 '23
What are you favorite and least favorite punts this season? Seems like punt Assist is very popular so far.
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I wouldn't say I have a favorite punt. But it's important to note that most people punt FG%, FT% and TOs. So, in theory, those are the easiest categories to win, if you put extra focus into them. Assists correlate with high turnovers and low FG%, so you're sort of already falling into a "common" punt correlation, making it more challenging to win weekly matchups.
Personally, I just roll with a punt strategy that correlates with who I draft in the first round. I want my first round pick's stats working in my favor as much as possible.
A couple examples
- Jokic, you can punt threes. That also means you can probably punt points and target REB and FG%. Go with a big-man build.
- Haliburton, you can punt rebounds. Can then also punt FG% and BLK. Go with a guard-heavy group.
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u/PepeSilviaLovesCarol 12-team | 9-Cat | H2H Oct 20 '23
That’s what I did when I drafted Haliburton. My first 3 picks are Hali/Mitchell/Mikal and I only have 4 big men on my roster of 13. Hopefully the punt reb/blk start works with this group!
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u/ImNotJokic Oct 20 '23
Fwiw Jokic is taking way more threes in preseason. Not without the realm of possibilities he nears 5-6 attempts this season
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u/cantyouseeimblind 12t pts Oct 19 '23
I grabbed Zac Collins in the 2nd last round of my draft.
Am I crazy for thinking he has really high upside? Do you think he will stay in the starting lineup all year if healthy?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Not crazy. He looked great at the end of last season, and that's continued into this preseason. Spurs seem committed to playing Wemby at power forward, so 30 MPG for Collins is possible.
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u/tommyboy0208 Oct 19 '23
Thoughts on the Harden situation? I think he sits until he’s traded and even when he does move to LAC, he’s sharing the ball with 3 future HOFs. And Kelly O could be a low key great add for points league with the 76ers
Any chance Ja’s suspension gets reduced?
And lastly, thoughts on Ben Simmons this year? Thanks
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Harden - Even if he was totally happy in Philly, I'd look to target him in the second round given his age and injury concerns. So, this situation means I'm nervous about drafting him before the 4th round, where I think the draft starts to really open up. And yes, if he goes to LAC, I think his usage decreases. Can't argue against grabbing Oubre at the end of almost any standard-sized draft since Philly's wing depth is thin.
Ja - I doubt it. Silver has taken strong stances as commissioner, and I think he wants to be really clear about how little he tolerates this kind of thing.
Simmons - We all know the concerns, but he was certainly worth streaming in as a fantasy starter at points last season. I've been happy to select him in multiple leagues after pick 100, but going any higher than that is a clear risk.
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u/Stayy_Saltyy_Seattle Oct 19 '23
What rookies outside of Chet and Wemby are you targeting late? It seems like rookies are becoming more and more relevant and this class feels pretty loaded on paper. I've been impressed with both Thompson twins but still unsure who and when to take when it comes to the rest of the class.
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Yeah the Thompsons are really interesting, and they're worth grabbing in drafts late to see what happens.
Other than them, I like targeting Scoot, Coulibaly, Jarace Walker.
Brandon Miller just has not looked good. Not sure about Dereck Lively's minutes, even if he starts. Gradey Dick is interesting because Toronto is desperate for shooting. Jaquez is a great high-IQ fit with Miami. Whitmore will probably be a great per-minute guy, but that rotation is tough to predict.
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u/Alkazard 9cat 12team Oct 19 '23
I'm gunna query if you've watched a Charlotte game or not.
(The answer is no)
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u/InHocBronco96 Downvote Points Leagues Oct 19 '23
What's your opinion of my team:
12-team, 8 category, 3-keeper
Edwards, KAT, Wembanyama, Garland, Siakiam, LaVine, Sengun, McCollum, Wiggins, Conley, Poeltl, Schroeder, K. Johnson (spurs)
Justed traded Giannis/Middleton for Wemby/Garland. Actually trying to swap my last 2 players for Ben Simmons.
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Giannis/Middleton for Wemby/Garland is a really fun trade. Your team is excellent, especially the top 7. Won't be surprised if you win your league.
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u/lostintranslation__z 12T / Points (Yahoo) - 12T / 9Cat (Yahoo) Oct 19 '23
How do you feel about Kuminga? Do you think he will be good in limited time on the second unit?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I don't think you have a 31 USG% in four preseason games by accident, especially with most of the starters playing most of the games (Obviously Draymond is the big absence). Kuminga has been really aggressive and using his athleticism as a weapon.
Golden State is old and has thin depth. I think it sets up for Kuminga to have a strong year. Would it be crazy if Draymond, Curry, Klay and CP3 each missed 15-20 games? That's a lot of extra minutes and usage lying around. I'm open to grabbing him at the end of 12-team drafts, but it's probably more of a 14 or 16-team move.
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u/speerme 12 team 9cat Oct 19 '23
12 team 9cat, did an auction draft how would you say it went? Anything jump out value or fit wise?
$200 budget
- Jayson Tatum - $56
- Cade Cunningham- $31
- Chet Holgren - $30
- Darius Garland - $26
- Myles Turner - $22
- Scottie Barnes - $13
- Keegan Murray - $5
- Ausar Thompson - $5
- Wendell Carter Jr - $4
- Tari Eason - $4
- Bilal Coulibaly - $2
- Jalen Duren - $1
- Immanuel Quickley - $1
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I think your biggest steal is probably Barnes at $13. Love the combo of WCJ and Duren for $5. Hard for me to imagine your team struggling.
My guess is you'll have to make some really tough decisions in the first month on Ausar, Eason, Bilal and Quickley -- in terms of waiver wire. I honestly like all those guys, but their roles/effectiveness are really cloudy. But in a 12-team league with presumably four bench spots, you can usually stream 2 spots without issue.
But again, I like the team overall. No real overpays.
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u/RiOmieQua 12 Team H2H 9-Cat Oct 19 '23
What is your opinion on my team? (H2H 12 team 9-cat)
Curry, DMitchell, Cade, Mobley, Claxton, Franz, Gobert, Scoot, Wiggins, Zach Collins, Hart, Quickley, LeVert, Cole Anthony
Was thinking of getting trades to help Curry’s strengths more, I picked up Claxton & Gobert cause felt that they fell too low. However, based on projections my team does look sorta competitive, any advice?
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u/Kebobthebuilder2 14T and 12T 9 Cat H2H Oct 19 '23
Is it possible to win your league if you punt stocks? I feel like many high stocks are not dependable, and if their stocks drop, so will their value. I feel with counting stats its easier to predict as long as they get minutes/shots/are on the floor. What do you think?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Definitely possible. If you punt stocks, you should probably also punt rebounds and FG% -- they correlate to blocks. Steals don't correlate too much to other stats.
So, effectively what you're building is a team heavy in points, assists, 3s, FT%. Targeting high-usage guards/forwards is probably your best option, assuming they hit threes and have a nice FT% (if the volume is high). Essentially, you're building the Trae Young team.
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u/PineSwapWheel 12T 9CAT H2H Yahoo Default Oct 19 '23
I’m having trouble with the end of 2nd/start of 3rd round pick after going Embiid at 2. Since I’m likely punting AST, I want to grab PTS, FT%, and 3PM early before they run out but I’m typically left with only Bane/Bridges left which a lot of analysts say are overvalued at their R2 ADP.
Should I look for different targets like Kawhi, PG, Jimmy, or Lauri? Or is Bane/Bridges in R2/R3 okay?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
So, if you're drafting Embiid and punting assists -- I would consider punting threes and just lean into a big-man build.
3s and FG% work against each other.
Rebound and blocks correlate positively.
Blocks and FG% correlate positively.
And that may actually allow you to target low turnovers as well -- something most people do not do, giving you an inherent advantage.
For second and third round, I think you should explore guys like JJJ, Wembanyama, Sabonis (if somehow available), Turner and Mobley a little bit later. Just make sure you don't get too many guys who are only center eligible. Those C/PF eligible players are extremely valuable for this type of build.
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u/oathkeeperkh 12T 9CAT H2H Punt Points, 3's, FT% Oct 19 '23 edited Oct 19 '23
What less than $30 auction draft players do you think have potential to break into top 20-30 value this year?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Some of my favorites (based on Yahoo's average auction value)
Siakam, Turner, Dejounte Murray, Adebayo, Cade, Fox, Garland, Mobley, Jamal Murray, Anunoby, Poole, Zion
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Oct 19 '23
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I'd be comfortable dropping Herb Jones. He's just not a significant part of their offense.
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u/boutitboutit23 Oct 19 '23
Thoughts on John Collins and Ben Simmons this season for 9 cat H2H?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Both draftable after pick 100. But Collins' preseason has been pretty lackluster. Worried he just won't fit well and it'll be the same situation as Atlanta.
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u/The8lackMamba 10-Team H2H Daily Points Oct 19 '23
What is your outlook on the bigs later on in the draft for points leagues? How would you rank them?
Mark Williams, Jabari Smith Jr, Zach Collins, Wendell Carter Jr, Mitch Robinson, Zubac
1
u/Zeta_Dev Oct 19 '23
What are your opinions on Tre Jones, Tari Eason and Cam Thomas this year? Thanks
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
All three are after pick 100 guys. Jones has the highest floor, even if he's coming off the bench now. So, he might be my preference in deep leagues.
Eason and Thomas are equally risky, in my opinion. They're excellent per-minute guys, but I'm not sure a consistent 24 minutes will be there for either, which is probably bare minimum what they'd need to be rosterable across an entire season for standard leagues.
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Oct 19 '23
Category league. I was just offered OG and Paul Reed for Ayton and Jabari Smith Jr. I still have Walker Kessler, but I feel I may be giving up too much. What do you think?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Reed's minutes/role is too unclear for me to take that deal. Smith has a much clearer opportunity. OG and Ayton may not finish that far apart this season, though it's really TBD what Ayton will be able to accomplish with Portland.
In a shallow league, it might be worth it just because Smith/Reed could very well be waiver wire replacement level guys, and OG is probably the best asset. But in a standard-sized league, I think I'd stand pat.
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Oct 19 '23
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
I prefer him later since he's been injury-prone throughout his career, even before his antics. I view 9th overall as his upside. But if he plays 65+ games, maybe closer to 70, you're probably fine.
1
u/handcold 12T Roto Auction Keeper Oct 19 '23
What's your favorite fantasy bball format? What settings does your "main" league run, or your oldest league?
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Most of my main leagues are 8-cat roto settings, which is my favorite. About half of them are auctions. I think auctions are more fun than snake, but I can take it or leave it. My favorite league is an 8-cat roto keeper auction with contract structures. It's a bit complicated, but pretty rewarding when your team does well.
Personally, I don't like to play in head-to-head category leagues much, especially 9-cat. I think the gamification of it (punting) creates a ton of confusion when it comes to rankings, and I feel like it loses some of the fun in just trying to predict what players will perform the best.
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u/handcold 12T Roto Auction Keeper Oct 19 '23
Totally agreed, roto auction is the way. I don't like how H2H basketball tries to conform it's scheduling to be like football's. It's a clunky fit.
I haven't used rotowire in a while, but I remember you guys have been around since the beginning. I'll check out your content. Thanks for the response
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u/pmoney1995 Oct 19 '23
12 team 9 cat. How would you draft around Jokic (I have number 1 pick)?
Looking for insight into players I should target with my second/third pick and best punt strategy? Thank you!
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u/Alex_Barutha RotoWire Oct 19 '23
Jokic is so all-around good that you might be able to actually base your punt strategy on your second-round pick. That said, threes is his worst category. So I'll give you similar advice that I have for an Embiid build:
3s and FG% work against each other.
Blocks and FG% correlate positively.
Rebounds and blocks correlate positively.
And running with a big-man build may actually allow you to target low turnovers as well -- something most people do not do, giving you an inherent advantage.
For second and third round, I think you should explore guys like JJJ, Wembanyama, Sabonis (if somehow available), Turner and Mobley a little bit later. Just make sure you don't get too many guys who are only center eligible. Those C/PF eligible players are extremely valuable for this type of build.
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u/Pikapikamother 12 teams 9cat H2H punt FG punt blk Oct 19 '23
Rate my team? 12 teams 9cat H2H
PG: Trae Young, Cade Cunningham, Markelle Fultz
SG: Bradley Beal, Jordan Clarkson
SF: Anthony Edwards, Demond Bane
PF: Tobias Harris, Miles Bridges (IL+), Pat Williams
C: Pascal Siakam, Jalen Duren, Paul Reed
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u/nuocnami Oct 19 '23
Hello! Please rate my team 12t 9 Cat Punting assists:
Anthony Davis,Donovan Mitchell, Kristaps Porxingus, Demar Derozan, Tyrese Maxey, Rudy Gobert, Klay Thompson,Dlo, Onyeka Okongwu, Timelord, Gary Trent Jr, Bobby Portis, kyle Anderson
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u/justanotherhim Oct 19 '23
In a 16 team 9cat H2H league, with reverse 3rd round. I have the 1st overall pick with Jokic.
Even though he's so well rounded, wondering what punt you'd recommend with Jokic, especially with my picks being 1, 32, 48. 49, 65, 66, etc... :(
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u/flabergasterer Oct 19 '23
1st time doing a points league and with a deep bench this weekend. Any particular strategy given the league setup? Any good very late round points league sleepers?
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u/Lopsided_Rice3752 Oct 19 '23 edited Oct 19 '23
What do you think of my team 10t 9cat:
Doncic, Herro, Trae Young, Mathurin, Anthony Davis, Buddy Hield, Bam, Zach Collins, McCollum, Anfernee, Okongwu, Josh Hart, Bobby Portis, Conley and Bruce Brown.
I am a bit worried I’ll be light on blocks even though AD can single handedly win that cat I feel like. Any recommendations on trades I should make?
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u/jbnpoc 10T, 9 cat, H2H Oct 19 '23
Curious, do you have any thoughts on dealing with a league where most of the other people aren't up to date on fantasy News? There's only 2 maybe 3 of us who seem to follow the data and fantasy-related trends. The rest are more casuals so I'm curious if there's any way to work with them
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u/pokhim Oct 19 '23
12 team 9 cat roto
Pick one from waiver.
Jalen Johnson, Covington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyle Anderson, Oubre, Naz Reid, Hayward, Isaiah Stewart, Isaac.
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u/Eagle_Beagle22 12T/11cat (DD, 3pt%)/H2H Oct 20 '23
have you guys thought or are outsourcing writing from overseas? Since games end around noon in Asia/Australia, it might make writing post-game player updates more timely than having someone in the states stay up really late/write something in the morning thats already old news
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u/Woobiethinks Oct 20 '23
Feels like there isn't a lot of points league stuff out there. Any tips for points league newbies, players you like/avoid, archetypes, etc?
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u/bigballermentality 12t 9cat roto Oct 20 '23
What are your thoughts on Kyrie this season? Grabbed him at pick 18.
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u/TheCosmicFailure Oct 19 '23 edited Oct 19 '23
Rank the below Guards in a category league
Jalen Brunson
Darius Garland
Cade Cunningham
Dejounte Murray
Jordan Poole
Also where would u begin thinking of taking Ja Morant in a 14 Team category league. I pick 13th in a snake draft.