With preseason only weeks away, rosters are beginning to take shape across the league, thus beginning the rotational dance. Player roles and NBA playing time can be crucial when deciding on who to draft. Today we’re moving onto the Central Division. I worked through the projected starting lineups for every team, but also considered the probable roles for bench players as well. I outline my projected playing time for each player, as well their likely ADP’s. Starters are typically going to have more value than the role players. However, a number of bench guys should still have value across most standard formats.
Keep in mind, this is where I have seen players going in mock drafts. The numbers do not necessarily reflect where I might have certain players ranked overall. For that, you can check out my 2019-20 Fantasy Basketball Rankings!
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NBA Central Division Playing Time Projections
*The first five players listed for each team are the projected starters.
Chicago Bulls
| Player | Projected Minutes | Draft Target Zone | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomas Satoransky | 30-32 | 100-120 | Up |
| Zach LaVine | 33-35 | 40-50 | |
| Otto Porter | 33-35 | 40-50 | |
| Lauri Markkanen | 31-33 | 40-50 | |
| Wendell Carter Jr | 30-32 | 70-80 | Up |
| Coby White | 18-20 | 160+ | |
| Kris Dunn | <15 | 160+ | |
| Ryan Arcidiacono | <15 | 160+ | |
| Denzel Valentine | 14-16 | 160+ | |
| Antonio Blakeney | <15 | 160+ | |
| Adam Mokoka | <15 | 160+ | |
| Chandler Hutchison | 14-16 | 160+ | |
| Thad Young | 26-28 | 100-120 | |
| Luke Kornet | <15 | 160+ | |
| Daniel Gafford | <15 | 160+ | |
| Cristiano Felicio | <15 | 160+ |
Cleveland Cavaliers
| Player | Projected Minutes | Draft Target Zone | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collin Sexton | 33-35 | 120-140 | |
| Darius Garland | 30-32 | 140-160 | |
| Cedi Osman | 33-35 | 100-120 | |
| Kevin Love | 31-33 | 40-50 | Up |
| Tristan Thompson | 22-24 | 160+ | |
| Matthew Dellavedova | <15 | 160+ | |
| Brandon Knight | <15 | 160+ | |
| Jordan Clarkson | 25-27 | 140-160 | |
| Kevin Porter Jr | <15 | 160+ | |
| Dylan Windler | <15 | 160+ | |
| Larry Nance | 26-28 | 80-90 | |
| Dean Wade | <15 | 160+ | |
| Ante Zizic | 16-18 | 160+ | |
| John Henson | <15 | 160+ |
Detroit Pistons
| Player | Projected Minutes | Draft Target Zone | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reggie Jackson | 27-29 | 140-160 | |
| Luke Kennard | 27-29 | 140-160 | |
| Bruce Brown | 27-29 | 160+ | |
| Blake Griffin | 32-34 | 40-50 | |
| Andre Drummond | 32-34 | 10-20 | |
| Derrick Rose | 26-28 | 160+ | |
| Tim Frazier | <15 | 160+ | |
| Jordan Bone | <15 | 160+ | |
| Langston Galloway | 14-16 | 160+ | |
| Khyri Thomas | <15 | 160+ | |
| Tony Snell | 24-26 | 160+ | |
| Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | <15 | 160+ | |
| Sekou Doumbouya | <15 | 160+ | |
| Markieff Morris | 22-24 | 160+ | |
| Thon Maker | <15 | 160+ | |
| Christian Wood | 14-16 | 160+ |
Indiana Pacers
| Player | Projected Minutes | Draft Target Zone | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malcolm Brogdon | 32-34 | 60-70 | Up |
| Victor Oladipo | 30-32 | 100-120 | |
| T.J. Warren | 30-32 | 100-120 | Up |
| Domantas Sabonis | 30-32 | 80-90 | Up |
| Myles Turner | 31-33 | 20-30 | |
| Aaron Holiday | 17-19 | 160+ | |
| T.J. McConnell | <15 | 160+ | |
| Jeremy Lamb | 28-30 | 70-80 | |
| Edmond Sumner | <15 | 160+ | |
| Doug McDermott | 14-16 | 160+ | |
| Justin Holiday | 17-19 | 160+ | |
| T.J. Leaf | <15 | 160+ | |
| Alize Johnson | <15 | 160+ | |
| Goga Bitadze | 15-17 | 160+ |
Milwaukee Bucks
| Player | Projected Minutes | Draft Target Zone | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Bledsoe | 30-32 | 50-60 | |
| Wesley Matthews | 26-28 | 160+ | |
| Khris Middleton | 30-32 | 50-60 | |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 31-33 | 1-10 | |
| Brook Lopez | 29-31 | 40-50 | |
| George Hill | 22-24 | 140-160 | |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 14-16 | 160+ | |
| Sterling Brown | <15 | 160+ | |
| Kyle Korver | <15 | 160+ | |
| Pat Connaughton | 18-20 | 160+ | |
| Thanasis Antetokounmpo | <15 | 160+ | |
| Cameron Reynolds | <15 | 160+ | |
| Ersan Ilyasova | <15 | 160+ | |
| Robin Lopez | 16-18 | 160+ | |
| D.J. Wilson | <15 | 160+ |
Is Adam on track with his NBA playing time projections? Let him know in the comments below!
Adam is your go-to man for anything fantasy basketball related. Follow him on twitter @adamking91 or hit us up @fantrax or @fantraxnba
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Adam King joined FantraxHQ in 2018. He also currently writes for Rotowire and has previously written for Locked on Fantasy Basketball and Locked on Timberwolves. He has played sports his entire life with fantasy basketball becoming a passion over the past six years. By day, Adam is the service coordinator at the Autism Centre in Canberra, Australia. Adam was born and raised in Queanbeyan, Australia and currently resides in Bungendore, Australia with his wife and two children.
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