From Deep: Did anyone see these three fantasy basketball trends coming early in the season?

The three-ball has become the most important scoring shot in the NBA – so we thought we’d take a few shots of the city center too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down the three things fantasy managers need to know. Or he breaks down several three-point pieces of advice, analysis, and more – it just depends on how open he is From Deep.

In today's debut edition of the season, I'll talk about three teams doing three unlikely things in the first week (and more) of the NBA season.

The Chicago Bulls lead the race in pace

The Bulls had the fastest offense in the NBA through four games, a significant development under HC Billy Donovan.

Totally unlikely.

Last year, the Bulls ranked 28th in the league in pace (96.7) and were mostly in the middle of the pack during Donovan's tenure.

So what has changed?

The first thing that comes to mind is that DeMar DeRozan doesn't need to initiate the offense in midfield. The Bulls have more possession through quicker decision-making and ball movement, as their passes per game have increased from 286.7 per game last season to 314.6 per game so far this season, according to NBA Advanced Stats. While DeRozan's departure would typically result in more shot volume for Zach LaVine, Coby White and Nikola Vučević, their shot volume is consistent with last season. The difference is that LaVine, White and Co. are attempting more threes – a consistent theme we've seen across the NBA this season. The Bulls average 44 3-point attempts per game, ranking in the top three in the league.

From a fantasy perspective, Vučević and LaVine's numbers improve from last year, while White has established himself as a 19-4-4 player. Josh Giddey's playmaking and facilitation work well and he's on track to have his best fantasy season. He currently ranks 122nd in scoring per game across category formats.

The question is: Will this quick, three-point strategy be sustainable? We'll see!

The Charlotte Hornets are a top 10 offense?!

It's easy to attribute Charlotte's early-season success to the LaMelo Ball effect; The Hornets are a completely different team when Ball is in the lineup. The last time LaMelo Ball played in more than 50 games was in the 2021-2022 season, and the Hornets ranked eighth in offensive rating that year. However, when evaluating this season, a few areas stand out beyond Ball's phenomenal play – the Hornets' newfound commitment to offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities.

Looking back on last season, the Knicks had an uncanny ability to clean the glass despite ranking bottom ten in the NBA in scoring percentage. These additional options on offense helped the Knicks finish the year ranked seventh in offensive rating.

With a retooled offensive unit getting a significant boost from the play of fantasy waiver wire gems Tre Mann and Nick Richards, we have yet to see what this offense can look like when fully healthy. Brandon Miller is still dealing with a hip injury, Miles Bridges isn't playing well, and there's still no word on Mark Williams' return from a foot injury.

And yet somehow this team is in the top 10 in offensive rating.

Nick Richards is essentially turning into last season's Isaiah Hartenstein, grabbing 4.8 offensive rebounds per game. Interestingly, Richards and Mann average the most second-chance points per game in the league at 6.0 and 5.8, respectively.

If the Hornets continue to work on the offense and get their key players healthy, Charlotte could be one of the most unlikely fantasy teams this season.

The Orlando Magic's alter ego as a 3-point threat

If you can't beat them, join them. Just over a week into the season, it appears that Orlando has transformed its offensive identity from a team that barely attempted three-pointers to one of the best in the league. Last season, the Magic ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point attempts and were dead last in makes per game. It's no surprise that her 3-point percentage was also in the bottom 10 in the league. The lack of 3-point shooting was a glaring weakness in their offense.

Looking ahead this season, the Magic are attempting to make the sixth-most 3s (42.6) and are tied for seventh in 3s made per game (14.8). Orlando brought in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to help with spacing and 3-point shooting, but he hasn't really gotten going yet, hitting just 11% of his four 3-point attempts per game. The most obvious improvements came from Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Overall, the trio attempts six more three-pointers per game and hits them more often than last season. Orlando's defense remains its flagship, but this increase in 3-point shooting will also increase the fantasy value of Suggs, Banchero and Wagner (assuming they continue to beat them down, of course).

That being said, seven players in the NBA are attempting more than ten 3-pointers per game this season. According to Stathead, three is the most we've seen in an entire season in the modern era.