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Fantasy Basketball 2019: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Best Team Names

Maurice Moton

Amid exciting preseason action, fantasy basketball goes into full swing as managers prepare for drafts and adjust rosters for the 2019-20 season.

This year, we won't see Kevin Durant's name near the top of drafts as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles, but the pool of potential top-12 picks provides plenty of talent to fill the forward spots.

After LeBron James' down year because of injury, what can we expect from him in his second season with the Los Angeles Lakers? Is he a top-five pick? If not, how far does the 34-year-old fall in a mock draft?

Don't shy away from rising stars on teams that will likely miss the playoffs. Still in their prime years, ascending players who are building their resumes should fall into the must-draft category in the opening round regardless of their teams' outlooks.

Let's take a look at a 12-team mock for the first round with a deeper dive on three stars to consider as the headliners for your roster. We will also provide some creative fantasy team names to help you score cool points among peers.

              

1st-Round NBA Mock Draft 

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks

2. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

3. Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Golden State Warriors

4. Anthony Davis, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers 

5. James Harden, PG/SG, Houston Rockets

6. LeBron James, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers

7. Kawhi Leonard SF, SG Los Angeles Clippers 

8. Joel Embiid, PF/C, Philadelphia 76ers 

9. Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards 

10. Nikola Jokic, PF/C, Denver Nuggets

11. Russell Westbrook, PG, Houston Rockets

12. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers

             

3. Stephen Curry 

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Over the past three seasons, managers may have tempered statistical expectations for Stephen Curry because he shared the ball with Durant and Klay Thompson. That's not an issue this year. 

Durant is now with the Brooklyn Nets and will miss the entire 2019-20 campaign. Thompson doesn't have a set timetable to return from a torn ACL. With the longevity of his career in mind, he's not in a hurry to step back on the court, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole

"I've done my due diligence on rehabs and ACL injuries, and the last thing you want to do is rush back, especially for a player like me who wants to play until he's in his late 30s," Thompson said. "I want to play at a high level until that point, too."

Thompson will likely have a chance to return after the All-Star break, but that's not a given in light of his words of patience. In the meantime, Curry, D'Angelo Russell and Draymond Green probably carry the load for this squad.

Before Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, Curry earned the 2015-16 scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game. With his usage set to increase because of Durant's departure and Thompson's extended absence, we could see the two-time league MVP post big numbers in his 11th season. Of course, he must stay healthy to reach that fantasy ceiling.

            

6. LeBron James

Yanshan Zhang/Getty Images

Managers who selected James in the first round last year had a rough season. The Lakers superstar missed 27 contests with a groin injury. Without a shot at a playoff berth, the team shut him down late March.

The Lakers will probably give James several load management days off, but he's still a first-round asset in terms of fantasy value. Last year, he continued to fire up three-pointers, putting up 327 shots beyond the arc and converting on 34 percent of those attempts.

James will also have a more experienced team around him following the moves to acquire big man Anthony Davis via trade and sharpshooter Danny Green during free agency. As a result, he should see a boost in his assist numbers for the upcoming term.

On the flip side, owners who would prefer to keep their free-throw percentages up, may want to go with an alternative option. James converted a career-low (.665) in that category during the 2018-19 campaign.

                    

9. Bradley Beal

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Without guard John Wall, the Washington Wizards won't win many games, but his backcourt partner Bradley Beal should continue to rise as a fantasy asset.

Wall has undergone two surgeries on his left Achilles. Initially, he fell in his home and then developed an infection at the site of the incision. The five-time All-Star isn't expected to play during the 2019-20 campaign:

In Wall's absence, Beal's usage went into overdrive through the second half of the 2018-19 season. He averaged career-high totals in points (25.6), rebounds (five) and assists (5.5) en route to his second All-Star appearance.

As the go-to playmaker on a young roster, Beal will likely have another All-Star-worthy term with the ball in his hands most of the time. His name doesn't carry the same cachet as those of Curry, James or Kawhi Leonard, but the Wizards guard belongs on your radar among first-round options.

               

Top Team Names

Home Dipo

Ibaka Flacka Flame

Board Men Get Paid

Tacko Bell 

Dedmon Don't Talk

Bang Bang Pau Pau

Shake and Blake

Batum Goes the Dynamite

Hield or High Water

Beals on Wheels

   

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