Hannes Steinbach has 27 points, 15 boards in loss

It wasn’t a flawless debut for Steinbach, but he showcased why he is such a good prospect for fantasy basketball. He’s a double-double machine, and even if he isn’t the best defender, he has a knack for racking up defensive stats. He’ll compete for minutes down low during his rookie season, and there is a path for him to get the starting job and become a fantasy monster in year one.

The 6-foot-10 Steinbach needed just one season to show that he was worthy of being a first-round pick, thanks largely to his hands and rebounding ability. As a freshman at Washington, the German forward/center averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks, shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 75.9 percent from the foul line. Steinbach did show some signs of potentially being able to expand his offensive game, but the rebounding and touch around the basket are where he’ll stand out early on in his career. While Moussa Diabaté emerged as a reliable contributor and Ryan Kalkbrenner provided depth as a rookie, the Hornets still needed to improve their options in the post. Adding Steinbach accomplishes that goal, and his ability as a rebounder and defender opens the door for him to earn rotation minutes as a rookie.