LeBron James has been playing at an unworldly level in the playoffs and it begs the question. Should he go number one in NBA fantasy drafts next season? It is a fair question. Here are three reasons why you should consider taking him first overall.
1. He’s Playing the Best Basketball of His Career: At age 33, you can make the case James is playing the best basketball of his career. He played in all 82 games this past season and averaged 27.5 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and 9.1 assists per game. James averaged almost a triple double a night. He blocks shots and plays quality defense as well. Don’t let his age fool you. He is playing the best basketball of his career right now.
2. He’s Staying in Cleveland: I don’t see James leaving Cleveland. The Rockets, Lakers, Spurs and Sixers will all recruit him but in the end, I think he honors his commitment to Cleveland and stays home. If he does, he will average pretty much the same line he did this past season. If James were to leave, his production would take a hit and make this post moot.
3. Cross Category Production: James averages almost a triple double a night. I know other guys around the league, namely Russell Westbrook put up similar numbers in fantasy but James does just as much if not more. He runs the offense and as long as he does, the Cavaliers offense will run through him.
The only drawback to taking James number one overall next season is age and the fact that he will not play a full season again. He will more than likely sit out five to six games. Drafting a strong bench will be key. Despite that, if I had the first pick in my league’s draft, I would take James.