Utah Jazz drafted Ace Bailey at No. 5 and immediately built a move-friendly role for him. In two preseason outings, Bailey piled up 45 points on 19-of-29, thriving off quick, space-oriented looks rather than heavy isolation. Utah’s plan is to let him catch and shoot or attack off early momentum, protecting him from heavy pressure while he develops as a creator.

Opening-night lineups signal a franchise’s stylistic aims, but rosters are fluid. Five NBA teams—New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Portland, and Dallas—are weighing how to start the season: who anchors, who spaces the floor, and who grows into a longer-term role. The Knicks face a Hart slot crisis; the Rockets eye Reed Sheppard as a shooting-and-playmaking answer; the Lakers debate defense vs. offense around Dončić, LeBron, and Reaves; Portland prioritizes youth; Dallas tests a double-big path with Davis and Flagg.

Pair two players with chemistry in mind, then let the rest of your draft fall into place. This fantasy basketball guide uses Yahoo ADP to map the first 12 picks and identifies the best two-man fits to anchor your build in category leagues. Each pick comes with a dedicated pairing that amplifies scoring, rebounds, assists, and efficiency while planning for punted categories to maximize weekly upside.

From Booker with Durant to Jokic with Banchero, the article sketches a path where early duos shape the rest of the draft. It emphasizes balancing risk (FT% or three-pointers) against value across multiple categories, offering concrete pairings and viable alternates to keep your strategy flexible across different drafts.