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Fantasy: 5 youngsters to target in keeper league drafts

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

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In keeper leagues, fantasy managers have to balance their competitiveness in both the present and future. That often means identifying the stars of the future a year or two in advance.

With that in mind, here are five first or second-year players with the potential to blossom into fantasy studs in the future, but who also won't hurt your team in the short-term:

PG/SG Malik Monk, Hornets

As an 18-year-old at Kentucky, Monk led the Wildcats with 19.8 points per game, with an additional 2.3 assists and 39.7 percent 3-point shooting. The biggest question facing the reigning SEC Player of the Year was whether he'd produce enough off the Hornets' bench with Kemba Walker hoarding the lion's share of playing time at point guard. That won't be an issue to start the season anymore.

Nicolas Batum - Charlotte's usual secondary ball-handler - will miss 8-to-12 weeks after tearing his UCL, and backup point guard Michael Carter-Williams has been slow to return from his own ailment. For a team which was projected to have serious depth concerns, Monk may have to play 30 minutes a night by default.

Not only does Monk have the offensive firepower to blossom into a 15-point-per-game scorer as soon as next season, the Hornets' injury situation means he'll have a chance to start producing significant fantasy value this season. You'd be justified taking the dynamic scorer with a pick in the 100-125 range.

C Ivica Zubac, Lakers

The Lakers' primary center rotation consists of two men with a history of foot injuries in Brook Lopez and Andrew Bogut. Both will see their contracts expire at the end of the season. This is great news for 7-foot-1, 20-year-old Ivica Zubac.

Zubac only made 38 appearances as a rookie, but there was a lot to like in that limited sample size. In games in which he played over 20 minutes, he averaged 13.2 points and 6.9 rebounds; in two appearances where he played over 30 minutes, he averaged a 21-9-2 line.

With tumult atop the center rotation, Zubac should see his role increase in his second year. If he impresses coach Luke Walton, it's not unfathomable to see Zubac pencilled in as the Lakers' starting center in 2018, if not sooner.

SG/SF Josh Jackson, Suns

Jackson's flat-footed, clunky shooting mechanics aren't conventional, but were effective in his lone collegiate season. Only time will tell how quickly his long-range shooting will translate against NBA-caliber defenses, but he's unlikely to be an impact scorer out of the gate.

For now, Jackson floats around for a rebuilding Suns team, with Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker handling the bulk of the scoring duties and big men like Tyson Chandler, Marquese Chriss, and Dragan Bender monopolizing rebounds and interior scoring opportunities.

Lacking a clear role in year one isn't great for Jackson's short-term fantasy outlook, but with length and freakish athleticism, there's potential for him to be an immediate contributor in the defensive categories - steals and blocks. Look for his scoring profile to evolve in future seasons.

C Thon Maker, Bucks

Maker is primed to join the Bucks' starting lineup on a full-time basis this season. Greg Monroe and John Henson often find themselves in coach Jason Kidd's dog house, so Maker doesn't exactly have a ton of competition for the job, but the 7-foot-1 stretch-five's tantalizing combination of length and shooting gives him the highest upside of pretty much anyone on the roster not named Giannis.

To lock down starting duties - and north of 30 minutes per night - Maker will have to bulk up and prove that his thin frame is able to hold its own on the boards and as a help defender. In 9.9 minutes per game last season, Maker averaged just two rebounds, a per-36 rate of 7.3. That's not going to cut it.

If he can put it all together, a line of 12-6-2 with solid 3-pointer and block totals is a safe estimate for Maker. Whether he can bloom into a top-100 fantasy player is dependent on how fast his body can adjust.

PF Skal Labissiere, Kings

Labissiere only played 612 minutes last season, but is still a high-upside bet in keeper leagues. The Kings' current roster features plenty of guards and several traditional centers, but few stretch bigs, which are practically a pre-requisite for today's NBA.

You can't draw too much from Labissiere shooting 3-for-8 on 3-pointers as a rookie, but he should get an opportunity to expand his long-range scoring profile this season. Through the Kings' first two preseason games, Labissiere connected on 2-of-4 3-point attempts. If he continues to take advantage of his opportunities, his shots will certainly trend upward.

It's easy to envision five-man units featuring Labissiere paired with Willie Cauley-Stein, Zach Randolph, or Kosta Koufos, all interior-oriented big men. In the near future, Labissiere and Cauley-Stein will have a chance to seize the reins as the Kings' long-term solution in the frontcourt. Labissiere is worth a late-round flier in keeper formats.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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