NBA Fantasy: Salary Cap Edition<\/a>. But those are the decisions that can make or break your team.<\/p>\nHere are some names to consider:<\/p>\n
Premium Picks
\nNikola Joki\u0107, Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n
Nobody in the game is quite like Nikola Joki\u0107. He has been, and very likely will remain, the hands-down best player in NBA Fantasy: Salary Cap Edition.<\/p>\n
The three-time MVP finished last season with a league-high 4,464 total fantasy points (TFP), beating out Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s 4,113, and he did it despite missing 17 games. Joki\u0107 averaged a staggering 68.6 fantasy points per game (FPPG) along the way.<\/p>\n
He produces in every major category \u2014 points, rebounds and assists. He has the highest salary of any player at a whopping $23.0M, but will be worth every penny.<\/p>\n
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n
The fantasy numbers are as alien-like as the on-court skills for Victor Wembanyama. More often than not, he makes a massive difference for your team when in the lineup.<\/p>\n
Fresh off his first trip to the NBA Finals, the back-to-back All-Star is poised for another big fantasy season with his role on the Spurs unchanged. He averaged 55 FPPG in 2025-26 and excelled in blocks \u2014 a particularly valuable statistic \u2014 with a league-best 3.1 per game.<\/p>\n
Wembanyama is still only 22 years old and has stayed relatively injury-free in his young career aside from deep vein thrombosis in 2025. He brings tremendous upside as a regular starter.<\/p>\n
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics<\/p>\n
This season will have a very different feel for Jayson Tatum. For the first time in his career, he won\u2019t be sharing the court with Jaylen Brown.<\/p>\n
It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the four-time First Team All-NBA honoree. He\u2019ll be the \u201cmain man\u201d in Boston, and with the team relying on him, his already considerable fantasy production should become even more considerable. Last season, he averaged 47 FPPG over 16 games after returning from an Achilles injury. His salary is set at $16.0M, and for that, he\u2019ll provide serious value.<\/p>\n
Budget Picks
\nJake LaRavia, Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n
Jake LaRavia was one of the best bang-for-your-buck options in fantasy last season. The young forward averaged 20.9 FPPG with a salary which never increased to double figures.<\/p>\n
He played in all 82 games for Los Angeles \u2014 modeling reliability. Coming off the bench, he never put up huge numbers, but that might change very soon.<\/p>\n
LeBron James is gone. With the new-look Lakers, LaRavia could end up with a spot in the starting rotation \u2014 and at a price of just $7.0M for fantasy general managers.<\/p>\n
Asa Newell, Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n
Sometimes, it pays off to take a chance on an unproven player. Asa Newell still has much to prove in Atlanta as he enters year two with the franchise.<\/p>\n
The Georgia product appeared in 44 games as a rookie \u2014 starting only two \u2014 while averaging 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He produced 10.6 FPPG as a result, which was far from the most among the members of his draft class.<\/p>\n
Newell, though, should see a bump in minutes while coming off the bench to support Jalen Johnson. He was an efficient shooter last season, and for $6.5M, he\u2019s an easy add for 2026-27.<\/p>\n
Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n
Last season was rough for the Pacers after reaching the 2025 NBA Finals, but Jarace Walker was a bright spot. He provided great value with 25.3 FPPG on a single-figure salary.<\/p>\n
Tyrese Haliburton is back, and as the team\u2019s starting point guard, will have a star-sized impact on the players around him. He can create more opportunities for Walker offensively.<\/p>\n
Even after his terrific 2025-26, Walker is priced at just $7.0M. If his production is similar to \u2014 or greater than \u2014 what he\u2019s done in the past, general managers will want him on their roster.<\/p>\n
Sleeper Picks
\nKhaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n
Rarely did Khaman Maluach see the court as a rookie. Out of the top 10 picks in last year\u2019s NBA Draft, he recorded the fewest minutes last season.<\/p>\n
General managers in NBA Fantasy: Salary Cap Edition might overlook him for that reason, but Maluach\u2019s exceptional Summer League can\u2019t be ignored. He displayed what he can do on both ends with 19.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game across four games.<\/p>\n
Maluach did what he could over the summer to earn an elevated role for 2026-27. He could very well provide real value for $8.5M and bounce back after a quiet first season.<\/p>\n
Kel\u2019el Ware, Milwaukee Bucks<\/p>\n
The Miami Heat sacrificed a lot to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kel\u2019el Ware was one of those sacrifices, and though he\u2019s not the biggest name, he could have a big impact for the Bucks.<\/p>\n
Across his 34 starts last season, he was excellent, averaging a 12.8-point, 10.7-rebound double-double. He also put up 1.2 blocks per game. His upside is undeniable and it can translate to some serious fantasy points.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll have to fight Myles Turner for minutes in 2026-27, but when he is on the court, general managers will enjoy what he produces.<\/p>\n
Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n
There will be a lot of chatter surrounding Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 overall pick in this year\u2019s NBA Draft, and what he does for the Grizzlies as a rookie. Don\u2019t forget about Cedric Coward.<\/p>\n
He put up a respectable 28.2 FPPG in his own rookie season, and is in position to start at shooting guard for Memphis as a sophomore. He averaged 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 2025-26.<\/p>\n
His salary is set at $11.0M. Judging by all the Grizzlies\u2019 young, talented pieces coming together, Coward could very well lead them in fantasy production.<\/p>\n
Breakout Picks
\nVJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n
Philadelphia\u2019s starting lineup reads like an All-Star team \u2014 LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. VJ Edgecombe stands out as the youngest, and he\u2019s a rising star.<\/p>\n
The Baylor product averaged an impressive 35.8 FPPG as a newcomer to the league last season. He started 75 games and got playoff experience, to boot. On this year\u2019s team, he\u2019s the one who coach Nick Nurse will look to if injuries befall older players.<\/p>\n
Edgecombe\u2019s $12.0M salary is high for a second-year player, but he has high potential to match. He should remain productive despite all the talent around him.<\/p>\n
Day\u2019Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n
Since stepping into the NBA for the 2021-22 season, Day\u2019Ron Sharpe has been looking for his opportunity in a starting five. The Nets have stuck with him and he\u2019s stuck with them.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s started only 21 games over his career but should surpass that number this season alone as the projected starting center for Brooklyn. He averaged 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season off the bench.<\/p>\n
Sharpe would usually be overpriced at $9.5M, though now, that salary seems fitting. He\u2019s absolutely worth considering for fantasy general managers.<\/p>\n
Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n
In a way, Austin Reaves did break out for the Lakers a season ago. He averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game and played some heroic basketball in the absence of Don\u010di\u0107 and James.<\/p>\n
But something bigger seems imminent for him. He\u2019s in position to be a full-time starter after starting 45 games as a fifth-year player in the league. There\u2019s more points, rebounds and assists to be had in Los Angeles with a revamped roster.<\/p>\n
Reaves will be worth investing in \u2014 even at a salary of $14.0M. He proved that much in 2025-26, and the future favors him.<\/p>\n
Click here to build your team and take the first step!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jayson Tatum should see a career-high in shot attempts with Jaylen Brown in Philadelphia. Great fantasy players are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":920924,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,488908,85],"class_list":["post-920923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nba","tag-nba-fantasy-salary-cap-edition-choosing-the-team","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=920923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/920924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=920923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=920923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=920923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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