The Point Guard position is the most important position in basketball. Every team needs to have a good point guard to contend for the championship. A great point guard can elevate a mediocre team into a top team. Point guards traditionally run the offense and are the main facilitators on their teams. They are generally the on-court leaders as well as the off-court leaders of their teams.
The point guard is the deepest position in the NBA. Out of the 5 positions, this is the hardest one to rank, because of the depth at the point guard position. The point guard position is also filled with a lot of youth. Lots of the top point guards have only been in the league for a couple of seasons.
When ranking the top point guards in the league there are a few things to consider. The first is stats, as well as overall impact and team success as well as their play on both sides of the ball. This list ranks the point guards off their play of the 2019-2020 season. Past seasons do not affect their rankings on this list. Players like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and John Wall will not be on this list due to injuries. The way positions are determined are based off Basketball Reference.
10. Ja Morant
In his rookie season, Ja Morant already makes the top 10 point guards list. The Memphis Grizzlies were expected to win under 30 games this season but Morant has led them to a playoff spot as a rookie. The point guard position is the hardest position to succeed in as a rookie, and Morant has shown no signs of hitting the rookie wall that most rookies hit. He has been very consistent and hasn’t had a major slump this season. Morant is shooting above league average from the field as a point guard, and he is also shooting above league average from 3-point range this season. Morant is the favorite for the rookie of the year award and is only going to get better in future seasons.
9. Kemba Walker
Although Kemba Walker was named an All-Star starter this season, he still only places as the 9th best point guard. His role has adapted a lot since last season. Last season when he was with the Charlotte Hornets, he was their go-to scorer and took a high volume of their shots. This season, he’s has taken a step back to let the young stars on the Boston Celtics shine, such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Kemba is still being very productive and efficient. He’s averaging 21.2 points and 4.9 assists per game with 42% from the field and 38% from 3. Walker has been a key contributor on a winning team. He has been a great leader and team player for the Celtics and he’s doing what he needs to do for the Celtics to win. Walker has also been putting in more effort on the defensive side of the ball this season and fitting perfectly into the Celtics system. Walker hasn’t been playing the same after his knee injury he suffered in February, but he is still a great all-around point guard who is playing a huge role for the Celtics success this season.
8. Kyle Lowry
The Toronto Raptors have a record of 46-18 and are the second seed in the Eastern Conference, even after losing Kawhi Leonard in the offseason. Lots of the Raptors success this season can be credited to Kyle Lowry. The Raptors have faced lots of injuries this season, but Lowry has been the glue that’s held this team together. He’s been a great leader for the Raptors and is averaging 19.7 points and 7.7 assists this season. What gives Lowry the edge over Kemba Walker is his defensive play. Lowry is a great defender and his gritty play helps the Raptors have the best ranked defense in the NBA. Lowry ranks among the top of the league in charges drawn and is still playing at an all-star level at the age of 34.
7. Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks have a record of 20-47 and are among the bottom of the league. Their young point guard struggles on defense. Although this list heavily values defense and winning, you can’t deny Trae Young’s talent. Young is having an amazing individual season. He’s averaging 29.6 points at the age of 21, improving his points average by 10 this season. Young doesn’t have a lot of help around him, but he still averages 9.3 assists per game. Once the players around him develop more, those assists number are only going to go up.
He is the face of the Hawks and is helping them have an identity. This team is very young and is only going to improve in future seasons. Young has put up impressive numbers while dealing with opposing teams sending double teams at him. Although the Hawks don’t have a great record, they are still one of the most fun teams to watch because of Young. He has so much swagger and confidence and he’s only going to be ranked higher on this list in the future.
6. Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is very limited on offense due to his unwillingness to attempt a jump shot. Despite this, Simmons is still an all-star player. He took a huge step on the defensive end this season. Simmons has proven himself as an elite defender this season; he will without a doubt be named to an all-NBA defensive team. Simmons is also an elite passer and floor general. He’s been clutch for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. When Joel Embiid suffered an injury in early January and missed 9 games, Simmons averaged 21.5 points, 7.8 assists, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals. The 76ers also went 6-3 in this span. Simmons proved he can be a player you can build around successfully. He’s still young and has lots of time to improve and further develop his game.
5. Chris Paul
Going into this season, The OKC Thunder had very low expectations. They weren’t expected to be a playoff team; now they’re the 5th seed in a stacked western conference. Lots of this can be due to the leadership and phenomenal play of Chris Paul. When he was dealt to the Thunder, lots of people were writing off him as washed and overpaid, while many were even saying the Thunder should trade him. Paul has proven the doubters wrong and has been a great mentor and leader for this Thunder team. He’s helped the development of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and has helped establish a winning culture in Oklahoma. Paul has been one of the most clutch players in the NBA this season and has helped the Thunder in crunch time scenarios. Paul has been a very impactful player and has been one of the biggest surprises this season.
4. Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is having an MVP caliber season. He’s having a career high in points, assists, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. He is averaging the 5th most points this season with 28.9 points per game and the 6th most assists this season with 7.8 assists per game. The Trailblazers are the 9th seed in the western conference this season. They have been struggling with injuries this season but Lillard has kept his team in the playoff hunt. If the Trailblazers had a better record, Dame would be in the MVP discussion. Lillard had a crazy 10 game span in January where he averaged 41.6 points per game. He can effortlessly create his own shot, as well as creating shots for his teammates. Lillard is easily an elite point guard and is having an MVP type season.
3. Russell Westbrook
Before the season started, there were questions of if the duo of Russel Westbrook and James Harden would translate to wins and if they could play well together on the court. Westbrook started out slow for the first 2 months of the season, so he reinvented his game midseason. He started attempting less 3’s and attempted more midranges and drives. Westbrook cut his 3-point attempts from 5 a game to 3. Westbrook increased his drives per game and leads the league in drives and leads the league in field goals made on drives. The Houston Rockets even traded starting center Clint Capela and converted to a 5-out offense to better support Westbrook.
There has been times this season where Westbrook has looked like the Rockets best player. When Harden’s having a bad game, it’s nice to have Westbrook who you can rely on to get you the win. Once Harden and Westbrook click at the same time, they’ll be a major threat to look out for.
2. Luka Doncic
At 21 years old, Luka Doncic is leading the Dallas Mavericks offense to the highest offensive rating in NBA history. He has shown massive improvement this season, taking a 7 point jump in points per game and improving his assists by 2.7. Doncic and the Mavs have the 7th seed in the western conference, and are only 2 wins behind the 4th seed. Doncic is a player who makes everyone around him better. Players like Maxi Kleber and Seth Curry are having career years, while others such as Tim Hardaway Jr and Dwight Powell are having career years in efficiency.
Doncic has been very consistent this season. He’s only had 3 games this whole season where he scored under 20 points. One of them he scored 19 points and another game he only played 1 minute before he left the game with an injury. He doesn’t rely heavily on athleticism and knows how to get to any spot he wants on the court. At the age of 21, Doncic is already an elite player and has the potential to be the best player in the league.
1. Lebron James
Lebron James has always been the primary ball handler for his team throughout his career, but this season is his first year playing the point guard position. This is his first season averaging above 10 assists per game as well as his first time leading the league in assists. The Lakers have an 8.1 differential rating with James on the court and a net rating of 10.3. He’s the consensus second choice in the MVP race behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. James has led his team to the best record in the western conference even at the age of 35. James has been the best player in the league for about a decade and is currently the best point guard in the NBA.
Every NBA franchise has their own best player in the team’s history. Some teams have one player in their history that stands out above the rest and other franchises have multiple players that could be deserving of the title as the best player in their teams history. A combination of personal success and team success, as well as overall impact and legacy on their team’s franchise, played a huge factor for each player being selected. Another factor that was considered was longevity. Lastly, this list is chosen off of the success that player had with that particular franchise. Player’s accolades on different team’s do not help them be named the best for one certain franchise.
Philadelphia 76ers- Julius Erving
Although Iverson is the bigger face of the 76ers franchise, Julius Erving did win an MVP with the 76ers in the 1980-1981 season. Julius played with Philadelphia for 11 seasons and was named an all- star in every season with Philadelphia. Julius Erving was chosen to 5 NBA first teams and 2 all NBA second teams as a member of the 76ers. He also did something Iverson could not, win a championship with the 76ers. Julius didn’t win the finals MVP but his consistency, scoring and him winning a championship gives him the edge over Allen Iverson.
Milwaukee Bucks- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
There’s no doubt Kareem earns this spot. Kareem is one of the greatest centers of all time and he dominated immediately when he entered the league. Even though Kareem’s accomplishments on the Bucks are overshadowed by his success with the Lakers, Kareem still averaged 30.4 points and 15.3 rebounds in 6 seasons with the Bucks. Kareem also brought the Bucks franchise their only championship. Kareem won 3 MVP’s, had 6 all-star appearances, and made 4 all defense teams as a member of the Bucks. Giannis has the potential to pass Kareem as the greatest Bucks player ever, but as of right now, it’s Kareem.
Chicago Bulls- Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is considered to be the best player of all time by most, so it’s no surprise he’s the best player in Bulls history. There’s nothing to say that hasn’t already been said. Jordan is the most dynamic scorer the league has ever seen, is an elite two way player and holds countless records with the Chicago Bulls. MJ has won the Bulls all of their franchises championships and has won 5 MVP’s along side 14 all-star selections as a member of the Bulls. Jordan completely dominated an era of basketball and he also dominates the Chicago Bulls records.
Cleveland Cavaliers- Lebron James
Just like the Bulls, this is also a no brainer selection. Lebron holds countless records with the Cavaliers. Lebron also brought Cleveland their first and only championship. With his time on the Cavaliers, Lebron has won 2 MVP’s along with multiple finals appearances and all-star selections. No one in the history of the Cavaliers has even come close to Lebron James’s talent level and pure dominance.
Boston Celtics- Bill Russell
This was one of the toughest decisions to make on the list of who’s the best Celtics player of all time. Larry Bird or Bill Russell. I decided to go with Bill Russell. Bill is the winningest player in basketball history, as well as a pioneer for the game of basketball. He won 5 MVP’s with the Celtics and was a 12 time all-star. Bill is also known as one of the best defenders ever. Bill Russell helped Boston establish one of the best franchises in NBA history.
LA Clippers- Bob McAdoo
The Clippers don’t have a large selection of hall of famers to choose from, unlike their rivals the Lakers. They still have Bob McAdoo who won an MVP during the 1974-1975 season, as a member of the Buffalo Braves. McAdoo only played with the Clippers franchise for 5 seasons, but he was named an all-star 4 times and made 2 all NBA teams with the Clipper’s. McAdoo has 3 scoring titles with the Clippers and averaged above 30 points per game in 3 consecutive seasons.
Memphis Grizzlies- Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol played a huge part in establishing a winning culture in Memphis during their grit and grind era. Gasol is the only player who’s made multiple all-star teams as a member of the Grizzlies. He made the All NBA first team in the 2014-2015 season, as well as winning the defensive player of the year award in the 2012-2013 season. Marc Gasol is one of the most well rounded centers in NBA history. He became a consistent 3 point shooter later in his career, was an elite defender for multiple seasons and is one of the best passing big men of all time.
Atlanta Hawks- Bob Petit
Dominique Wilkins may be the more recognizable Hawks legend, but Petit brought more success to the Hawks franchise than Wilkins did. Petit led the Hawks to 4 finals appearances and even won the Hawks their only championship in franchise history. Petit also found individual success with the Hawks franchise. He won 2 league MVP’s as a member of the Hawks. Petit lead the league in scoring twice and was named an all-star in every season of his career with the Hawks. Wilkins may be the flashiest Atlanta Hawk player ever, but Petit is the best, both as an individual player and a team player.
Miami Heat- Dwyane Wade
It’s very difficult to not put Wade as the best Heat player of all time. Some could argue Lebron is the best Miami Heat player ever. Lebron James was in the prime of his career with the Heat. He made 4 straight NBA finals, won 2 MVP’s, 2 finals MVP’s and 2 championships with the Heat. Lebron only played with the Heat for 4 seasons. Wade played for 15 seasons with the Heat and is the most loved player in their franchise’s history. Before Lebron joined Miami, Wade won a championship with the Heat and won the finals MVP. Wade led the league in scoring during the 2008-2009 season as well as having 13 all-star appearances as a member of the Heat. Wade is considered by most to be the 3rd best shooting guard in NBA history, behind Jordan and Kobe. Lebron may be the most dominant player to ever play for the Heat, but Wade is the best Miami Heat player of all time.
Charlotte Hornets- Kemba Walker
The Hornets probably are one of the weakest franchise in the NBA, due to their short team history. When it comes to their best player of all time, the Hornets really haven’t had any notable players who’ve stood out as all-time greats. Kemba was the heart and soul of the Hornets franchise for 8 seasons. Kemba Walker is the franchise’s leader in points, 3 pointers made, and games played. He also has the 2nd most assists total in the Hornet’s franchise. Kemba made 3 all-star games with the Hornets and made them worth watching during his 8 year career with the Hornets. Larry Johnson and Glen Rice both had great short stints with the Hornets, but Kemba is the best in the franchise’s history.
Utah Jazz- Karl Malone
Karl Malone is known as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. Malone has the 2nd most points in NBA history, but surprising never led the league in scoring. He played with the Jazz for an incredible 18 seasons and was named an all-star 14 times. He won 2 MVP’s with the Jazz and made the all-defensive team 4 times in his career with the Jazz. Malone was one of the best inside scorers of all time. Malone was one of the most dominant pick and roll players in NBA history. Stockton and Malone together formed one of the greatest duos in NBA history, but for the greatest Jazz player of all time, I give the edge to Malone.
Sacramento Kings- Oscar Robertson
Nobody in King’s franchise history comes close to the Big-O. Robertson is the franchise leader in points and assists. During his prime in Sacramento, he led the league in assists 7 times and won an MVP award. Oscar also averaged a triple double during the 1961-1962 season and was 0.1 rebounds shy from averaging a triple double during the 1963-1964 season. Oscar Robertson is one of the best point guards of all time and deserves the title of the best Sacramento Kings player ever.
New York Knicks- Patrick Ewing
This was a close race between Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing. Both are hall of famers and staples with Knicks basketball, but I gave the slight edge to Ewing. Ewing played more seasons with the Knicks and had more individual success than Frazier. You could make the argument that Frazier has the edge over Ewing because he won the Knicks 2 championships. Frazier won 2 championships and was a key part of the Knicks championships, but he never won the finals MVP. Although Ewing never won a ring, he was a victim to the Michael Jordan era of basketball. Although he never won the championship, Ewing did come close. In the 1994 NBA Finals, the Knicks lost to the Rockets in game 7 with a score of 90-84. The Knicks made another finals appearance during the 1999 NBA Finals but Ewing did not play in the finals due to an Achilles injury. Ewing is an 11 time all-star, made an all NBA team 7 times with the Knicks, and made 3 all defensive teams. Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick of all time and the face of New York basketball.
Los Angeles Lakers- Magic Johnson
The Lakers have so many hall of famers to choose from for this spot. They’ve had legends such as Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem, Jerry West, George Mikan, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant. Ultimately, I decided to go with Magic. Even though Shaquille O’Neal and even Magic Johnson have stated that Kobe is the greatest Laker player of all time, I still went with Magic. It was very close between Magic and Kobe. Both have won 5 championships, but Magic has 3 finals MVP awards and Kobe has 2. Magic has 9 finals appearances and Kobe has 7. Magic led the league in assists 4 times and led the league in steals twice. Kobe has more all NBA teams, all-star appearances and more defensive teams than Magic. This is because Kobe played in 7 more seasons than Magic Johnson. Magic is still the greatest passer and greatest playmaker of all time. Magic having more finals MVP’s, more finals appearances and more MVP’s gives him the slight edge over Kobe. Kobe may be the most loved Laker of all time, but Magic Johnson was the best.
Orlando Magic- Dwight Howard
Which Superman is the best Magic player ever? Shaquille O’Neal or Dwight Howard? Both players were elite dominant centers with their time on the Magic and they even both made the finals with the Magic. Even though Shaquille O’Neal is a better all time player, Dwight is the best Magic player of all time. Dwight made the all NBA first team for 5 seasons in a row. He was the best center in the league when he was with the Magic. Dwight also won the defensive player of the year award 3 seasons in a row with Orlando. Dwight was 23 years old when he played Lebron James in the Eastern Conference Finals, during Lebron’s MVP season. The Magic, led by Dwight beat an MVP Lebron to move on to the NBA finals. Shaquille O’Neal did make the finals with the Magic in 1995, but he only played 4 seasons with the Magic and Dwight played 8. Shaq had a better career overall than Dwight, but Dwight accomplished more while on the Magic.
Dallas Mavericks- Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk is undoubtedly the best player in Mavericks history. Dirk played with the Mavericks for an astonishing 21 seasons. He was a 14 time all-star and made an all NBA team 12 times in his career. Dirk also led the Mavericks to their 2 only finals appearances in franchise history. He even won a championship with the Mavericks and won the finals MVP. Dirk Nowitzki also won a regular season MVP award during the 2006-2007 season. Dirk is the best shooting big man in NBA history and paved the way for 3 point shooting big men. He also paved the way for international players in the NBA. Dirk Nowitzki is their best player in the team’s history and loved by the city of Dallas.
Brooklyn Nets- Jason Kidd
Although Jason Kidd’s time in Brooklyn only lasted 7 seasons, he still had a huge impact on the Nets franchise. The season prior to acquiring Kidd, they won a mere 26 games. The following season, with the addition of Kidd, the Nets made the NBA finals. Kidd also led the Nets to the finals the next season. He led the league in assists twice with the Nets, and made the all NBA first team twice. Kidd made 6 all defensive teams with the Nets and was a great floor general during his tenure in Brooklyn.
Denver Nuggets- Alex English
It’s hard to argue that Alex English isn’t the best player in Nuggets franchise history. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in points, games played, assists, minutes played, field goals attempted and field goals made. Alex English led the league in scoring during the 1982-1983 season. He made 8 all-star appearances with the Nuggets, and made an all NBA team three times. English led the Nuggets to the conference finals during the 1984-1985 season. English places 20th on the all-time scoring list and is the best Nuggets player of all time.
Indiana Pacers- Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller is best known for his incredible 3 point shooting and him scoring 8 points in 9 seconds during a playoff game. He also spent his whole career in Indiana. Reggie was a 5 time all-star and made the all NBA third team 3 times. Reggie Miller led the Pacers to the conference finals 5 times and even led the Pacers to the NBA finals in the 1999-2000 season. He is the Pacers all-time leader in points, assists, steals, 3 pointers made and many more. Miller had such a huge impact on the Pacers franchise, he took the team to places they have never seen before and put Indiana basketball on the map.
New Orleans Pelicans- Chris Paul
The Pelicans franchise has only been around for 18 seasons and have never made it past the second round of the playoffs. The closest they’ve ever been to the conference finals was during the 2008 playoffs when they lost in game 7 to the San Antonio Spurs. The Pelicans team was led by Chris Paul, who just led his team to 56 wins. Chris Paul was second in MVP voting that season, and some people argue he should have won the award. He led the league in assists twice and led the league in steals three times during his time with New Orleans. Chris was a 4 time all-star, made 3 all NBA teams and made an NBA defensive team, during his time with the Pelicans. Chris Paul brought success to New Orleans and proved himself as an amazing teammate who made the others around him better.
Detroit Pistons- Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas was the leader of the Bad Boy Piston era in Detroit. Thomas led the Pistons to back to back championships and even though he only has 1 finals MVP, he was still the best player on both championship teams. Isiah played his whole career in Detroit and was named to 12 all-star games and made 5 all NBA teams in his career. Isiah is the Pistons all-time leader in assists and even led the league in assists during the 1984-1985 season. He averaged 13.9 assists that season. He also is he Pistons all-time leader in points and steals. There is no greater player in Pistons history
Toronto Raptors- Vince Carter
Vince Carter may not have made it past the second round with the Raptors. Vince may not be the all-time leader in points but he is still the best scorer in Raptors history. Carter made 6 all-star games with the Raptors and made 2 all NBA teams. Vince’s high flying put the Raptors and Canadian basketball on the map. Vince was half man, half amazing.
Houston Rockets- Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem is by far the best player in Rockets history. He led Houston to their only 2 titles in franchise history and won finals MVP’s in both championship runs. Hakeem won 2 defensive player of the year awards in his career and is the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, DPOY and Finals MVP in the same season. Hakeem played 17 seasons with the Rockets. In those 17 seasons, Hakeem was a 12 time all-star, made 12 all NBA teams, 9 all NBA defensive teams, lead the league in blocks 3 times and lead the league in rebounds twice. Hakeem even has a post move named after him, the Dream Shake. Hakeem is one of the best centers of all time, as well as undoubtedly the best Rockets player of all time.
San Antonio Spurs- Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan has been the key to the Spurs being one of the best franchises in the NBA. Duncan has one of the best winning percentages by an individual player. Duncan leads the Spurs franchise in numerous statistical categories and played with the Spurs for 19 seasons. During his career, Duncan was a 15 time all-star and made 15 all NBA teams, including his 10 NBA first team selections. Tim won 5 championships with the Spurs, and Duncan never missed the playoffs during his career with the Spurs. Duncan made 15 all NBA defensive teams, but surprisingly never won a defensive player of the year award. Duncan is a two time MVP and is known as the consensus best power forward of all time.
Phoenix Suns- Steve Nash
Although Nash never led the Suns to a championship, he led the Suns to 3 conference finals appearances. Nash was never a lockdown defender, but he made up for it with his incredible offensive impact. Nash led the league in assists 5 times with Phoenix and averaged 9.4 assists during his time with the Suns. Steve Nash made the 50/40/90 club 4 times with the Suns and won 2 MVP’s. Nash completely changed the NBA and how it’s played today. Nash sped up the pace of basketball and paved the way for smaller guards to succeed in the NBA.
Oklahoma City Thunder- Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant’s departure from OKC gave fans a bad image of Durant, but you can’t deny his great career in Oklahoma. Durant spent 9 seasons with the Thunder and led them to 3 conference finals and 1 NBA finals appearance. Durant led the league in scoring 4 times with the Thunder and even won the MVP in the 2013-2014 season. KD was a 7 all-star and had 5 all NBA first team selections. KD averaged 27.4 points per game while playing in a Thunder uniform and is known as one of the deadliest scorers in NBA history. Westbrook may be the more loved Thunder player, but Kevin Durant was better all time.
Minnesota Timberwolves- Kevin Garnett
The Timberwolves may not have had the best team success, and they’ve only made it to the conference finals one time in their franchise’s history. Kevin Garnett led the T-Wolves to their only conference finals appearance and was the league MVP that season. Garnett is the Timberwolves all-time leader in every main statistical category. KG made 10 all-star appearances with Minnesota, as well as 8 all NBA team selections. He was also an elite defensive player with the Timberwolves and was named to 8 all NBA defensive teams. Kevin Garnett is considered by most to be a top 3 power forward of all time and had his best years in Minnesota.
Portland Trailblazers- Clyde Drexler
Drexler’s high flying and ability to score was often second to Michael Jordan. Clyde never won a championship with the Trailblazers but he did lead them to 2 NBA finals. Clyde played in Portland for 12 seasons and averaged 20.8 points per game in that span. Drexler was an 8 time all-star and made 5 all NBA teams with Portland. He averaged 27 points per game for two straight seasons with Portland. Playing in the Michael Jordan era overshadowed Clyde’s accomplishments and legacy, but he’s still the best player ever to play for the Trailblazers.
Golden State Warriors- Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry has already done more for the Warriors franchise than any other player in their team’s history. Some could argue Wilt Chamberlain deserves this spot because he averaged an absurd 41.5 points and 25.1 rebounds during his time with the Warriors. These are crazy mind blowing all time statistics but Wilt only played 6 seasons with the Warriors franchise. Steph has already played 11 seasons with Warriors and still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Stephen Curry was the first unanimous MVP in league history and has another regular season MVP to his name. He also led the Warriors to the best regular season record in NBA history. Curry has also won 3 championships with the Warriors, and although he doesn’t have a finals MVP, he was still the Warriors leader in each of their championships. Steph is a 6 time all-star, has made 6 all NBA teams, which includes him making the first team 3 times. Stephen Curry changed the way that basketball is played today and is undoubtedly the best shooter of all time.
Washington Wizards- Wes Unseld
As of right now, Unseld is the only player in the Wizards franchise history to play his whole career in Washington. Unseld’s scoring numbers didn’t look elite, but Wes was an absolute beast. He stood at only 6″7 and averaged 14 rebounds in his career. Wes led Washington to their only championship in the franchise’s history and was awarded the finals MVP. Wes was a 5 time all-star and only made 1 all NBA team in his career, but he did win a league MVP award with Washington. Unseld was a force to be reckoned with and is well deserving of the title as the best Washington Wizards player ever.
The 2020-2021 NBA season will begin shortly. With every new season, there are players who see drastic improvements. They break out and elevate their games to the next level. Last season we seen many players make big improvements and gain more media attention. Some examples of players who broke out last season are Brandon Ingram, Bam Adebayo, Devonte Graham and Jayson Tatum.
It can be very difficult to predict which players will elevate their game to the next level. We will be looking at players around the league who are most likely to have a breakout season. We will be taking a players potential and current team situation into consideration to determine which players will have a breakout year.
Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen was the 7th overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. In his rookie season with the Bulls he showed flashes of his potential. He averaged 15.2 points per game and shot 36% from 3 as a 7 footer. In his 2nd season he made even more improvements. Markkanen shot 36% from 3 on 6.4 attempts per game. He also gained more muscle and worked on his aggressiveness. Markkanen also raised his rebounding and scoring statistics.
Despite making constant improvements, Markkanen took a huge step back in his 3rd NBA season. Markkanen had one of the most disappointing seasons last year. He posted career low averages in almost every major statistical category. At only 22 years of age, Lauri seemed to have regressed. A big factor of his regression was Bulls head coach Jim Boylen. Markkanen and Boylen didn’t have a good relationship last season. Boylen heavily mismanaged Markkanen and didn’t incorporate Lauri consistently into the offensive game plan.
Now that Boylen is no longer the head coach, we should see Markkanen reach his full potential. With more structure, Markkanen should blossom. Lauri is very talented and has lots of potential. He’s a 7 footer with great shooting touch and is also improving his post scoring ability. Markkanen hasn’t played an NBA game since March 10th. This has given him lots of time to work on his game and improve. With the new coaching change, Markkanen should gain more confidence, while also being integrated more into the team’s offence. He can be a potential candidate for the most improved player award next season.
Marvin Bagley III
The former 2nd overall pick has been pretty disappointing so far in his NBA career. Bagley was selected above of Luka Doncic and Trae Young. So far in his career he hasn’t been able to reach these expectations. Marvin didn’t have the best opportunity in his rookie season, despite being the 2nd overall pick. Bagley played most of the season off the bench. Bagley averaged 15 points in his rookie season and he averaged 20 points per game when he started. The biggest concern in Bagley’s rookie season was his injury concerns. He missed 20 games in his rookie season which hurt his development.
In Marvin’s sophomore season he struggled. Bagley struggled even more with injuries. He only played 13 games and missed most of his sophomore season. It’s been difficult to evaluate Bagley’s potential since he has only played 75 career games over the course of 2 seasons.
Despite having a rocky start to his career, Marvin has lots of potential to bounce back. You can’t forget that he was the 2nd overall pick in his draft. Bagley looked amazing coming out of college. In his lone season at Duke, Bagley showed he could be a potential star in the NBA. He is only 21 years old and has had lots of time to work on his game. The last time he played an NBA game was in January. He’s had almost a full year to recover from his injuries and get stronger.
Bagley should be a main focal point of the Kings offence this season. He will be one of the main scoring options and can majorly benefit off of De’Aaron Fox’s playmaking. Bagley has the tools to have a great season. He’s young, athletic and extremely talented. The only thing that can hold Bagley back is his injury concerns. As long as Bagley can stay healthy, then he should have a great 3rd season.
Thomas Bryant
Thomas Bryant is a young center who has made massive improvements from every season in his career. This season Bryant could potentially make another step forward in his game.
Thomas Bryant had a great season with the Wizards. He averaged 13 points and 7 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from 3 point range. Bryant is skilled offensively. He can space the floor, as well as score in the post. He shown huge flashes of greatness during the NBA bubble. During his 8 bubble games with the Wizards, Bryant put up impressive numbers. He averaged 19 points per game and 9 rebounds per game. He also shot 53% from the field and 41% from 3 during this span. Despite these impressive numbers, the Wizards had a record of 1-7 during this span. Washington was also missing Beal and Bertans for these 8 games.
Bryant shown great individual talent and he can potentially take another big leap next season. During his time in Washington, Bryant hasn’t had the opportunity to play with an elite playmaker. He has been forced to create most of his own offence and doesn’t have many players to feed off of. With Russell Westbrook being recently acquired by the Wizards this season, this should change.
Westbrook has been one of the league’s best passers for the past couple of seasons. He has a career assist average of 8.3 assists per game and has had 4 seasons where he’s averaged more than 10 assists per game. Westbrook has also led the league in assists twice in his career. Westbrook is great with finding shooters, as well as playing with bigs in the pick and roll. Bryant can benefit from both. He can space the floor and be a great pick and roll partner for Westbrook.
Bryant isn’t amazing on the defensive end. Despite this, he’s a very skilled offensive player who will heavily benefit from playing with Russell Westbrook. Expect Thomas Bryant to make a big leap next season.
Mitchell Robinson
Mitchell Robinson was one of the lone bright spots on the New York Knicks last season. He led the league in field goal percentage last season by shooting an absurd 74% from the field. Mitchell Robinson now holds the record for highest field goal percentage by a player in a single season. He is extremely mobile and excels in the pick and roll. Robinson is also a big lob threat.
Mitchell is also a beast on the defensive end. He averaged 2 blocks per game last season which ranked him 7th in the entire league for blocks per game. In his rookie season he was even more elite as a shot blocker. He averaged 2.4 blocks per game which ranked him 2nd in the entire league for blocks per game. Mitchell Robinson has great length, athleticism and defensive instincts. All of these tools make him a dangerous defensive player.
Although he’s proven to be extremely efficient and a great defender, he still has room to improve. Mitchell Robinson often finds himself in foul trouble. This issue can keep him off the court for long periods of time. He needs to foul less and stay more disciplined on the defensive end. If he can do this, it will elevate his defensive play to another level. Mitchell Robinson should also see major improvements on the defensive end thanks to the Knicks coaching change. Tom Thibodeau is a great defensive coach that will help the defensive development of Mitchell Robinson. Thibodeau coached Joakim Noah who is a former defensive player of the year winner. He played a big part in elevating Joakim’s defense to defensive player of the year level. He could potentially have the same effect on Mitchell Robinson.
Another issue with Mitchell Robinson last season was his fit on the roster. The Knicks had Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle as the primary bigs on the roster, despite their inability to play next to each other. This proved to be very problematic. Because of their poor fit, Mitchell Robinson was moved to the bench. They couldn’t play together due to the lack of spacing. Mitchell Robinson doesn’t shoot jump shots and Julius Randle was atrocious from 3 point range last season. He shot 27% from 3 on almost 4 attempts per game.
The Knicks fixed this problem during the 2020 offseason. They drafted Obi Toppin with the 8th overall pick. Obi Toppin has proved that he can be a great 3 point shooter and should be a great fit next to Mitchell Robinson. These two will fit alongside each other great in the front court. This should help elevate Mitchell’s game.
Mitchell Robinson is a 22 year old center with extreme athleticism and defensive abilities. With a new coach and system change, along with better pieces around him, he should have a breakout season for the Knicks and be one of the bright spots on the team next season.
Markelle Fultz
Markelle Fultz has had a very strange and abnormal start to his NBA career. He was a star in college during his time at Washington. He was then selected 1st overall in the 2017 NBA draft. Markelle suffered an injury in his rookie season which allowed him to play a mere 14 games. He suffered one of the weirdest rookie seasons in NBA history. He got a shoulder injury and forgot how to shoot a basketball. Markelle had to relearn how to shoot a basketball. This led to many memes mocking his unorthodoxed form. Despite this abstract rookie season, he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple double. He was 19 years old at the time.
After a strange career in Philadelphia, they gave up on him. He was traded to the Orlando Magic to get a fresh start and to unlock his full potential. Last season he played his first full season for the Magic. This was also his first full season in the NBA. He was Orlando’s starting point guard for the majority of the season and showed flashes of greatness. He recorded 6 games this season where he scored at least 20 points. Markelle also recorded 4 double doubles and 1 triple double during the season.
Although he didn’t shoot well from 3, he did well in other categories. He proved to be a good playmaker by averaging 5 assists per game and facilitating the Orlando Magic offence. Markelle also showed flashes of being a slasher. He shot 47% from the field on the season and proved to be very effective with the floor spaced out. Markelle is great in the open court and very athletic. Fultz also showed defensive promise. He averaged 1.3 steals per game and proved to be a tenacious on ball defender when locked in on defense.
Fultz is a former 1st overall pick and is just scratching the surface of what he can become. He may not ever become the player he was expected to become out of college, but he can still become an all-star caliber player. Next season he will improve and will most likely get more touches. He should get more opportunity next season which will help him break out. He’s only 22 years old and is very talented. Don’t give up on him just yet.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been surprising people since he first entered the league. He was drafted with the 11th overall pick and made an immediate impact in his rookie season. Shai was the starting point guard on a playoff team in his rookie season. He only stayed with the Clippers for one season and was one of the major pieces of the Paul George trade. Shai surprised lots of people in his sophomore season and was in most improved player of the year discussions. In Shai’s sophomore season he raised his points per game by 8.2. He also improved his ability to create his own shot, as well as create for others.
During the 2019-2020 season, Shai had to share the ball with lots of players. Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder all had a significant role on the team. This offseason the Oklahoma City Thunder retooled their roster and have went into full rebuild mode. They traded away Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder, while also letting Danilo Gallinari sign elsewhere in free agency. With all of these players gone, this creates more opportunity for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Shai will now be the main ball handler on the team. Last season Chris Paul was the main ball handler for OKC, with Schroder being the secondary ball handler. Shai will have an increased playmaking role this season and will be expected to orchestrate the team’s offence. We can see his assist numbers take a huge leap this upcoming season.
Shai will also be the go to scorer of the team. Although Shai led the Thunder in points last season, he wasn’t their primary scoring option. He shared scoring responsibilities with Gallinari, Schroder and Chris Paul. With these players now gone, Shai will be taking a majority of the shots next season for the Thunder. Expect his volume of field goal attempts to heavily increase.
Shai is only 22 years old and has shown flashes of his potential already. Now that the Thunder have depleted their roster, Shai should be getting unlimited touches next season for OKC.
Deandre Ayton
People are quick to forget about Deandre Ayton. Players drafted after Ayton have been gaining more attention in their NBA careers. Luka Doncic and Trae Young were part of the same draft class as Ayton. The hype around Luka and Trae has caused Deandre Ayton to play in their shadows. Ayton was the 1st overall pick of the 2018 draft.
His first two seasons in the league have gone under the radar. He averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game in his rookie season. Ayton also shot 59% from the field in his rookie season. In Ayton’s sophomore season he got even better. He averaged 18 points and 11.5 rebounds in his 2nd season. He also improved his shot blocking abilities and raised his blocks per game average to 1.5 blocks per game.
In Ayton’s first 2 seasons in the league he has shown great potential. Last season Ricky Rubio’s presence severely improved Ayton’s development. Rubio’s playmaking brought Ayton’s game to the next level. During the 2020 offseason, the Phoenix Suns acquired Chris Paul. Chris Paul is one of the best floor generals and playmakers in the league. He will help elevate Deandre’s game to a new level. Chris Paul and Ayton can form an elite pick and roll duo. Ayton has struggled with aggressiveness during his NBA career. With Chris Paul on the team, he will help push Ayton to be more aggressive on the offensive end. Ayton has also been making massive improvements on the defensive end. He can potentially make massive defensive improvements next season as well.
During the NBA bubble, Ayton showed flashes of his full potential. Ayton showed improvements in his floor spacing ability. He shot 30% from 3 point range during the NBA bubble. He’s started to attempt 3 pointers and showed promise of extending his range. Ayton will look to improve on his floor spacing ability and it can help take his game to the next level.
Deandre Ayton is a former 1st overall pick with lots of potential. He has just scratched the surface of the player he can become. Ayton has the potential to be one of the best bigs in the NBA. He is only 22 years old and has showed constant improvements in every season of his career. Playing next to Chris Paul will do wonders to Ayton’s game. He can potentially become a first time all-star this upcoming season.
The 76ers were once the most promising young team in the entire league. After years of being in the bottom of the standings, the 76ers looked to be the next future dynasty. Ben Simmons was a former 1st overall pick entering his rookie year. Simmons was being compared to Lebron James at this time. The 76ers also were fresh off of drafting Markelle Fultz 1st overall in the 2017 NBA draft. Coming out of college Markelle Fultz looked to be a promising guard who can become elite. Philly also had Joel Embiid who was 23 at the time. He was coming off an amazing rookie season and looked to be the most promising young center in the league.
3 years ago the 76ers had the most promising young core in the NBA. The young core of Fultz, Simmons and Embiid were expected to have accomplished a lot as a trio already. Unfortunately for the 76ers this hasn’t been the case. Fultz hasn’t panned out and was shipped off to the Orlando Magic. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are a very talented duo, but they have failed to put a good supporting cast around this duo.
They traded Robert Covington, J.J Redick and Dario Saric. Covington is one of the best 3 and D role players in the NBA and would have been a great fit for Philly. Redick is one of the best shooters in the league and had the best season of his career alongside Ben Simmons in the backcourt. Saric was a perfect fit alongside Embiid in the frontcourt. Saric was only 23 years old and had great floor spacing abilities. They don’t have any of these players anymore. All of these players would have been great role players to play next to Simmons and Embiid.
Philadelphia decided to speed up the process and try to contend right now. They gave up future assets to go into win now mode. Philadelphia acquired Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris during the 2018-2019 season. They were looking like championship contenders, but unfortunately they lost in the playoffs to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors. After losing Jimmy Butler in the 2019 free agency, the 76ers still looked to be title contenders. They had just acquired Al Horford and Josh Richardson, while also still having Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons on the roster. They were projected to win 55 games in the regular season while being one of the favorite’s to come out of the eastern conference.
Unfortunately for Philadelphia, the 76ers had one of the most disappointing NBA seasons in recent history. They were swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics and their future was looking rocky. They overpaid Tobias Harris and Al Horford, who both didn’t fit on the team. The 76ers had both of these players locked up long-term, even though they proved that they clearly aren’t good fits for the 76ers. Philadelphia also didn’t have many promising young players. They also severely lacked depth. Philadelphia also had one of the worst head coaches throughout the entire league in Brett Brown.
The 76ers were a mess, but they recently have been turning things around for the franchise. We will be looking at the recent moves the 76ers have made. Have these moves put the 76ers on the right track to returning back as contenders? Read on to find out!
Management Changes
The 76ers made 2 major management changes this offseason. They hired Doc Rivers as their new head coach. Rivers was coming off a 2nd round exit to the Denver Nuggets. Doc Rivers has proven he’s a good coach and he’s a clear upgrade over Brett Brown. Rivers has lots of valuable coaching experience that he can bring to the 76ers. He was the head coach of the 2008 championship winning Boston Celtics. He was also the coach of the Lob City Los Angeles Clippers. Doc can bring great playoff experience to Philadelphia. He will help elevate this team to a contending team. Doc will quickly gain the respect of his players and make them work hard every day.
Another position the 76ers upgraded was their head of basketball operations. They previously had Elton Brand in this position. Elton made some questionable moves at the helm of the 76ers. He is the main man responsible for the downfall of the 76ers. He let Jimmy Butler and J.J Redick walk in free agency. Brand also was responsible for giving Horford and Tobias Harris their contracts.
The 76ers needed a more competent head of basketball operations. So they decided to go out and hire Daryl Morey. Although Daryl Morey never won a championship with the Rockets, he did help elevate their franchise. He helped turn the Rockets into a consistent threat in the western conference. He isn’t afraid to make necessary moves needed to contend for a championship. Morey is going to do his best to turn this 76ers team around. He’s already made some great moves during his short time he’s had at the helm.
Al Horford Trade
Al Horford was the most questionable free agent signing of the 2019 offseason. The 76ers signed a 33 year old Al Horford to a long term contract. He signed a 4 year contract with the 76ers worth $109 million dollars. The other confusing part of this signing was their positional need. The 76ers didn’t need Al Horford on their roster. They already had Joel Embiid on the roster. It was very apparent during the 2019-2020 NBA season that Al Horford was a terrible fit for the 76ers. He could not play next to Joel Embiid. He was also playing out of his natural position of center.
Al Horford is looked to have one of the worst contracts in the entire league. The contract looked to be almost unmovable. However, this offseason Daryl Morey found a trade for Al Horford. The 76ers traded Al Horford and 2 draft picks in return for Danny Green. The 76ers gave up only 1 first round pick to give up one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
They also acquired Danny Green in this trade who immediately fits well with the 76ers. Danny Green has championship experience and can bring playoff experience to Philadelphia. He is coming off back to back championships and has a total of 4 finals appearances. Danny Green is also a great sharpshooter to play next to Ben Simmons. Although Danny’s shooting ability has regressed, he is still a great floor spacer. He shot 37% from 3 point range on 5 attempts per game. He can space defenses out and be a great fit next to Ben Simmons.
Danny is also a very valuable player on the defensive end. He averaged 1.3 steals per game last season and proved to be a very capable on ball defender. Danny Green also has an expiring contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. This will give the 76ers more cap flexibility moving forward. The 76ers gave up an aging Al Horford who had a terrible long term contract, in exchange for an expiring player who fits great next to their core.
Seth Curry Trade
It’s common knowledge by know that you need to put shooting around Ben Simmons. He doesn’t space the floor and his abilities are maximized when playing next to elite shooters. The 76ers realized this need, so they decided to trade for one of the best shooters in NBA history. Seth Curry has the 2nd highest 3 point percentage in NBA history. He has a career 3 point percentage of 44%. Last season with the Mavericks, Curry shot 45% from 3 on 5 attempts per game. Curry will be the perfect fit next to Ben Simmons next season.
The 76ers didn’t have to give up too much to acquire Curry. They traded Josh Richardson and a 2020 2nd round pick. Josh Richardson is a great player but he wasn’t a good fit next to Ben Simmons in the backcourt. Richardson only shot 34% from 3 and he wasn’t able to consistently create for himself from the perimeter. Seth Curry will be a much better fit next to Ben Simmons. Curry is an elite 3 point shooter who can create for himself from the perimeter.
Daryl Morey has figured out that you need to surround Simmons with shooting. He’s already shown the willingness to provide shooting next to Simmons by acquiring elite shooters.
Drafting Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey was viewed by most to be one of the biggest steals of the 2020 draft. He was one of my favorite players in the draft. Tyrese Maxey played for the University of Kentucky and showed great promise. He has a lot of potential and could be a great young player for any NBA team.
The 76ers made a great selection by selecting Tyrese Maxey with the 21st overall pick. He is a talented combo guard who can fit great with the 76ers. Maxey is a good shooter who can score from all 3 levels. He is a gifted scorer and gifted athlete. Tyrese is a prospect who has potential to be a starter in the NBA. The 76ers are lacking young talent, so Tyrese is a great player to add to their young core. He could also be a great fit next to Ben Simmons. Maxey is a great scorer who can play off ball and create from the perimeter.
This pick was a selection in the right direction. They get a promising young player who fits with their core. Tyrese can become a special player, and he can become very valuable to the 76ers organization.
Conclusion
The 76ers have recently made great steps forward for their organization. They have 2 elite NBA players in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Lots of NBA fans have been saying that the 76ers should break up the duo of Embiid and Simmons. The 76ers have made the right decision by choosing to build around the duo, rather than splitting them up.
Philly has made lots of great moves to turn this team into a championship contender. They still have lots of work to do, but they are making steps in the right direction. Daryl Morey has done a great job at bringing this team back on track. After the 2019-2020 season ended, the 76ers looked to have one of the worst situations in the NBA. They had a poorly built team and lacked cap flexibility. Now Philly has made the appropriate moves to bring this team out of a slump. We will have to see what other moves the 76ers make this offseason to help further their chances of contending.
The Chris Paul sweepstakes have officially concluded. The 35 year old all-star point guard has officially been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix acquires Chris Paul and Abdel Nader. The OKC Thunder acquire Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Jalen Lecque, Ty Jerome and a 2022 first round pick. Chris Paul was one of the biggest names on the trade market. He is now now he is officially off the market.
We will be analyzing this trade to determine the biggest winners and losers of the trade. Which players and teams benefit best from this trade and which teams get the short end of the stick? Read on to find out!
Winner: Sam Presti
With the Chris Paul trade, Sam Presti and the Thunder acquire even more future draft picks and assets. The Thunder now own 17 first round picks from now until the year 2027. Presti has done a phenomenal job of getting future assets. The Thunder are now entering a rebuild with a plethora of future draft picks, as well as a young centerpiece in Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Presti turned Serge Ibaka into Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, which turned into Paul George. Presti then managed to flip Paul George into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 5 future first round picks from the Clippers.
Sam Presti also flipped Russell Westbrook into Kelly Oubre and 2 future first round picks. The Thunder may not be a playoff team for next season, but they are starting their rebuild off on the right foot.
Loser: Ricky Rubio
Last season Ricky Rubio was the Suns starting point guard. He made a great contribution to the Suns success last season. Rubio helped the development of Deandre Ayton and he proved to be a great fit next to Devin Booker in the backcourt. He ranked 3rd in the league for assists per game with 8.8 assists per game. He also shot a career high 36% from 3 point range. Rubio also proved to play a massive part in the Suns success by ranking top 40 in real plus minus.
Rubio looked to be a great fit in Phoenix after his first full season with the team. Unfortunately for Rubio, the Suns had different plans for their starting point guard position. Rubio was involved in the Chris Paul trade and he didn’t seem too happy about it. He went to Twitter to express his frustration by throwing shade to the Suns organization. Rubio seemed genuinely hurt that the Suns decided to replace him after only one season.
Ricky Rubio was the starting point guard on a team with playoff aspirations. Now he’s been dealt to a rebuilding team. It isn’t an ideal situation for Rubio, but now he can help take pressure off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as being a great mentor for the younger players on the team.
Winner: Deandre Ayton
The former first overall pick Deandre Ayton had a great sophomore season. Although he did miss significant time due to a suspension, he was still very impactful in the games he did play for Phoenix. Rubio significantly helped the development of Ayton last season by getting him involved in the offence. Rubio also did a good job at feeding Ayton in the post and in the pick and roll.
Now that Chris Paul is teammates with Deandre Ayton, he will only get better. Chris Paul is one of the best floor generals in NBA history. He is amazing at making players around him better. I have no doubt that he will do the same with Deandre Ayton. Chris Paul is a pick and roll maestro who will make Deandre Ayton a deadly pick and roll threat. Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul can potentially be one of the league’s top pick and roll duo’s next season.
We have also seen Chris Paul do a great job at elevating his bigs. In Los Angeles he was paired up with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. Those are two athletic big men who played significantly better next to Chris Paul. Ayton has the athleticism to catch lobs, as well as being strong enough to finish in the post. Deandre Ayton is only 22 years old and has lots of potential. Chris Paul will play a crucial part in elevating Deandre Ayton and helping him reach his full potential.
Loser: Milwaukee Bucks
It’s no secret that Giannis’s future in Milwaukee is in jeopardy. He is an upcoming free agent who hasn’t had the playoff success as expected. This offseason is crucial for the Milwaukee Bucks. They need to prove to Giannis that they can win and build a proper team around him. It’s championship or bust for the Bucks, and them losing out on the Chris Paul sweepstakes may have costed them Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks were one of the top teams in the Chris Paul sweepstakes. Chris Paul would have been a perfect fit for the Bucks. Milwaukee is desperately looking for a playmaker who can create from the perimeter. Chris Paul would have checked off both these boxes and would have raised the Bucks ceiling to championship contenders. Giannis also heavily expressed interest in the Bucks pairing him with Chris Paul.
Unfortunately, the Bucks were unable to acquire Chris Paul. This is crucial for the future of the Bucks organization, as well as the future of the entire league. Giannis is the reigning back to back MVP and has proved himself as one of the league’s best players. If the Bucks don’t find success in the 2020-2021 NBA season, Giannis will likely leave the Bucks and pursue a career in a bigger market.
Winner: Devin Booker
For the past couple of seasons, Bookers future in Phoenix has been questioned. He has voiced his concerns about the lack of team success, while also stating how desperately he wants to make the playoffs. The Suns made a blockbuster move in order to push for a playoff spot, while keeping Devin Booker content in Phoenix.
Devin Booker is an elite scorer and one of the best shooting guards in the league. Chris Paul is going to be a perfect fit next to Booker in the backcourt. Both players have high basketball I.Q’s and are both very competitive players. Chris Paul is also an elite defender who makes up for Booker’s lack of defensive ability. For his whole career Devin Booker has been the primary ball-handler, as well as the primary scorer on the team. Now with Chris Paul on the Suns, he should help take playmaking responsibilities off of Devin Booker.
Devin Booker can now solely focus on what he knows best. Scoring the basketball. Booker is also an elite off ball player, but we haven’t seen him too much off the ball due to the lack of talent around him. Now with the acquisition of Chris Paul, it will add another element to Bookers game. Booker will now be an elite isolation scorer, as well as an elite off-ball player. With Chris Paul now on the Suns, they should find success. If they find success then Devin Booker will be content in Phoenix for the time being.
Loser: Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers were another team with championship aspirations who were interested in Chris Paul. The Clippers obviously need a playmaker on the team to help orchestrate the offence. We seen this glaring weakness during the 2020 NBA playoffs, when they blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets.
It made perfect sense for the Clippers to be pursuing Chris Paul. He is one of the best playmakers and floor generals in the league who would heavily elevate the Clippers offence. The Clippers are also already familiar with Chris Paul. He played for the Clippers from 2011-2017. Chris Paul returning to the Clippers would have been beneficial for both sides, as it would be another chance for Chris Paul to chase his first championship.
Unfortunately for the Clippers, they missed out on their potential reunion with Chris Paul. He would have made them immediate title contenders. Now the Clippers have to go back to the drawing board and find another player on the trade market who can raise their championship odds. It’ll be difficult to find a player who will fit in as well as Chris Paul would have. If the Clippers can’t find that playmaker they need, it may result in another season in the Clippers championship drought.
The 2020 NBA offseason has officially begun. The offseason is an exciting time for NBA fans and NBA franchises. It’s the time when the futures of many NBA franchises can be altered. Every offseason there is many trade rumors. The offseason is the time when a majority of NBA teams assess their roster and situation to make trades accordingly. It creates a buzz and excitement around the league. The trades made in the offseason can heavily influence the landscape of the league for the upcoming years.
With that being said, there are many big name players that could potentially be dealt this offseason. In this article we will be exploring players that could realistically be traded this offseason. We will state the player’s situation, why we think the team should trade the player, and the teams most likely to acquire the player. Now that we got that all out of the way, let’s begin!
Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield was the centerpiece of the trade which sent Demarcus Cousins from Sacramento to New Orleans. Now just over 3 years later, Buddy Hield’s time in Sacramento might be up too.
Over the past three seasons, Buddy Hield has shown flashes of greatness for the Kings. Hield has participated in the 3-point contest during All-Star Weekend two times in his career with Sacramento. He even won the whole competition during the most recent NBA All-Star Weekend. Buddy has shown during his time in Sacramento that he is an elite shooter. He shot 43% from 3 and ranked top 10 in 3-point percentage during the 2017-2018 season. That same season he ranked top 20 in 3-pointers made that season with 176 total 3’s made. The next season he became an even better shooter. Buddy ranked top 5 in 3-pointers made with a total of 278, and he shot 43% from 3 which ranked him 7th in the league in 3-point percentage.
This most recent season Hield ranked 2nd in 3-pointers made and 3-pointers attempted. This ranked him just behind James Harden. Buddy Hield even holds the record for most 3-pointers made in a players first 4 seasons. He has made 830 3-pointers over his first 4 seasons, this surpassed Damian Lillard who previously held the record with 828 3’s.
The Kings made sure to secure Buddy Hield after he had a career high season where he averaged almost 21 points per game. In October of 2019, the Kings signed Buddy Hield to a 4 year extension worth $94 million dollars. Buddy Hield is 27 years old and in the prime of his career, and he’s proven he’s one of the league’s best shooters. With this being said, why has Buddy Hield been in various trade rumors?
Buddy is a great player, but he seems to be very unhappy in Sacramento. Hield struggled to start the 2019-2020 season, as well as the rest of the Kings team. From October to January, Hield shot 36% from 3 and under 42% from the field. He also had a plus minus of -3.5 and the team had an overall record of 15-29. First year Kings Head Coach Luke Walton decided to make a change by moving Buddy Hield to the bench. Although Hield shot better and the team was having more success with Hield on the bench, he was still unhappy. There were some games where Buddy was benched in a close game at the end of the 4th quarter.
This added more fuel to the fire. Buddy Hield has made passive aggressive comments which suggest he’s unhappy and wants out of Sacramento. There was a report in October of 2020 that Buddy Hield has not been answering Luke Walton’s calls. It appears that the relationship between Luke and Buddy has been severely damaged and may not be able to be repaired.
The Kings also have another starting shooting guard on their roster. Bogdan Bogdanovic is a shooting guard for the Kings who had a career year during the 2019-2020 season. He averaged 15 points per game and shot 37% from 3 on 7 attempts per game. Bogdan is an upcoming free agent and the Kings will most likely be forced to choose between Bogdan and Buddy for which shooting guard they want moving forward. Due to his great versatility, the Kings are likely to choose Bogdan over Hield moving forward.
With Buddy Hield on the trade block he can draw interest from many NBA teams. There are multiple contending teams among the league that are looking to add more shooting to their lineup. Buddy would be a great player to acquire for a team looking for an elite shooting starting shooting guard who can help raise a team’s ceiling.
Potential Destinations: Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks
Jrue Holiday
As of right now Jrue Holiday is one of the most sought out players in the entire league.
Jrue is an underrated player and is very versatile. He’s a great passer and facilitator. Holiday averaged 6.7 assists per game last season and has a career average of 6.4 assists per game. Jrue also ranks top 10 in assists from the 2010’s decade. Jrue is a combo guard who can play shooting guard as well as point guard. He can be very valuable to a team looking for a veteran guard who can efficiently run the offence.
Jrue also recently received the award for NBA teammate of the year. Jrue is 30 years old and has lots of NBA experience. He would be very valuable to any locker room. Up until last season, Jrue Holiday was the primary ball handler and the 2nd scoring option next to Anthony Davis. Jrue had a decreased role this season with the Pelicans but he still did great. Holiday is an unselfish player who can fit into any role a team gives him.
Another major part of Holiday’s game is his play on the defensive end. Jrue is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He brings great effort and hustle on the defensive end. Many NBA superstars such as Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard have praised Jrue’s defense. Durant stated he believes Jrue is the best perimeter defender in the NBA and Lillard stated he believes Jrue got snubbed from the 2019-2020 all-defensive teams. In 2018 he made the all-defensive first team and he earned all-defensive second team honors the following season. He did not make an all-defensive team in 2020 but most people argue he should have been selected. Jrue is an elite perimeter defender who will be targeted by many NBA teams this offseason.
Jrue Holiday is an amazing player, but the Pelicans can potentially be looking to trade him away. A big reason for this may be the development of Lonzo Ball. This season Lonzo played in 10 games without Jrue Holiday in the lineup. In these 10 games Lonzo averaged 14.3 points and 9.1 assists per game. Lonzo is a great playmaker who is very effective when leading the offence. He is a very good playmaker and defender who would benefit more with Jrue Holiday gone. More spacing next to Lonzo would maximize his abilities even more. Holiday is a decent shooter but Lonzo would benefit next to a better shooter. Jrue also takes more touches away from Lonzo.
We also don’t know where Jrue fits on the Pelicans roster and in their future plans. Jrue has 2 years left under contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Jrue will be 32 years old at the end of his contract and he will be just exiting his prime. The Pelicans have one of the best young cores in the league led by Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball. New Orleans will most likely prioritize developing and maintaining their young core, rather than maintaining their veteran guard. Jrue takes touches and opportunities away from the younger players on the team. It is very likely that most of the young players would blossom more with the absence of Jrue Holiday. His value is also at an all-time high right now, so the Pelicans would be smart to capitalize on his value.
New Orleans could look to trade Jrue for young assets to add to their young core and future draft picks they could use as trade assets down the line. They could also look to add more shooting and depth to the roster to help space the floor out for the young core. As for Jrue Holiday, many teams will have high interest in a veteran versatile combo guard who can playmake and defend at an elite level. Jrue will be making just over $25 million dollars next season so it may be difficult to move his contract. You will most likely need to take on a large contract in order to trade away Holiday. For the team that gets Jrue Holiday, they will be acquiring a player who can immediately raise the team’s ceiling.
Potential Destinations: Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers
Chris Paul
We already wrote a whole article on why Chris Paul should be traded which you should check out. We will summarize the points we made in that article and why we believe Chris Paul should be traded.
After a magical season, the Thunder are most likely going to transition into a rebuild mode. The Thunder have a young player to build around with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as many future first round picks. Danilo Gallinari also is unlikely to return to the team as he is an upcoming unrestricted free agent. Chris Paul’s value is at an all-time high right now and the Thunder should capitalize on his value. Many teams around the league have taken notice of Paul’s magical season with the Thunder and many teams are targeting Chris this offseason. The Thunder can easily acquire young assets for Chris Paul if they decide to part ways with him.
Last season with the Thunder, Paul proved to be one of the most valuable and impactful players in the league. CP3 can immediately make any team better and raise their ceiling. A big reason for this is his leadership and playmaking. Paul has proven to be one of the best leaders in the league. Many of Paul’s teammates have praised that he’s an amazing leader. Chris is also the president of the NBA Players Association. He knows how to get the best out of everyone around him and his intensity and energy is contagious.
Chris makes everyone around him better and elevates his teammates play. The most recent example of this is with Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. CP3 helped Shai blossom this season and he was a great mentor to the second year guard. Chris Paul is one of the best floor generals of all-time and would be the perfect lead guard for any NBA franchise.
Chris Paul is also one of the most clutch players in the NBA. He led the Thunder to be the best 4th quarter team in the league this season, and this can be heavily accounted to his leadership. When it’s the 4th quarter, you want Chris Paul on your team. He led the league in clutch wins and ranked top 10 in points in the 4th quarter. He also shot 92% from the free throw line in the clutch and had a plus minus of 2.3.
Chris is also a very valuable defensive player and hustle player. Although he didn’t make an all-defensive team this season, he is still one of the most impactful perimeter defenders in the league. He ranked top 10 in the league for deflections per game with 3.3 deflections per game. He also averaged 1.6 steals which ranked him 13th in the entire NBA.
The interesting thing about a Chris Paul trade is he can be a great fit on various types of NBA teams. This season we seen that Chris Paul can help change a team’s whole culture and direction. Going into the 2019-2020 season, ESPN projected the Thunder to have a 0.2% chance to make the playoffs. Thanks to Chris Paul, he helped raise the Thunders ceiling and helped them reach the playoffs. Many young teams looking to make the playoffs could be interested in acquiring Chris Paul. He can help develop young talent and get the best out of the young players on a rebuilding team.
Contending teams with championship aspirations could also target Chris Paul. Chris is 35 years old and has lots of experience. He has shown he can perform in the playoffs when he’s healthy. Chris hasn’t won a ring yet in his career, but if he goes to a contending team, he could be extra motivated to win his first career championship.
Potential Destinations: New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks
Myles Turner
Myles Turner was drafted 11th by the Pacers in 2015 and he’s been a member of Indiana for 5 seasons. He’s been in many trade rumors this year and is a player who is very likely to be traded.
One of the things that makes Myles Turner so valuable is his fit in the modern NBA. The big man position has changed drastically in just a short amount of time. Traditional big men who rebound and score in the post at a high level are becoming extinct. Big men who can space the floor are becoming very valuable in the league. This makes Myles Turner very valuable on the open market. Myles has shot above 34% from 3 in his past 4 seasons in the league. During the 2018-2019 season he shot a career high 39% from 3 on almost 3 attempts per game. Myles is effective as a catch and shoot big man who provides very valuable floor spacing.
Turner isn’t just a shooting big man, he is also an elite rim protector. His defensive play makes him even more valuable to an NBA team. He is a 3 and D center who is perfect for the modern NBA. Turner averaged 2.7 blocks per game during the 2018-2019 season. He led the entire league in blocks per game and he ranked 5th in defensive player of the year voting. Turner didn’t play as well on the defensive end during the 2019-2020 season, but he still was defending at a high level. He averaged 2.1 blocks per game which ranked him 4th in the NBA for blocks per game. Myles also averaged 8.7 2 point shots contested last season. This ranked him top 15 in contested 2 point shots.
Myles is very valuable but the Pacers may trade him away due to his fit. He was paired with Domantas Sabonis in the frontcourt last season, and they didn’t seem to play well together. The Pacers had a record of 6-2 when Myles Turner didn’t start with Sabonis. The Pacers look better with Sabonis and Turner not playing together. Indiana could potentially explore moving Sabonis to the center position next season and trading away Turner. Indiana should capitalize on Turner’s value this offseason. Domantas was named an all-star last season and just inked a 4 year contract extension, so he will most likely be safe if the Pacers are forced to choose between Sabonis and Turner. Turner is only 24 years old and has 3 years left on his current contract. He’s making $17.5 million dollars on his current contract.
Overall, Myles is a very valuable asset that many teams desire. Teams looking for rim protection and floor spacing will explore the idea of acquiring Myles Turner. The Pacers could trade Turner in return for some more depth and trade for a player who can fit better on their team.
Potential Destinations: Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors
Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert has very high trade value right now. He averaged 18.7 points per game last season along with 4.4 assists per game. In the bubble LeVert raised his value even more. Caris averaged 25 points and almost 7 assists per game in the bubble exhibition games. In the 2020 playoffs the Raptors swept the Nets, but Caris displayed his potential and was a bright spot for the Nets. He was an amazing playmaker in the playoffs. Caris averaged 9.5 assists per game while scoring 20 points per game in the first round. Many teams took notice of his play in the bubble and will most likely be inquiring about LeVert this offseason.
Caris is only 25 years old and is coming off the best season of his career. He showed how well he can perform with more opportunity. He averaged 22 points and 5 assists per game this season when Kyrie Irving wasn’t playing. Caris also recorded a 51 point game this season. Kyrie Irving did not play in this game. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective. Caris has just scratched the surface of what he’s capable of. He’s an amazing offensive player who can thrive even more in a different situation. Caris has the potential to breakout and become a most improved player candidate next season if traded. He also can potentially be named an all-star.
If Caris is so great, why would the Nets want to trade him? The answer to that is his fit on the team. Caris is a great player but he wasn’t a great fit next to Kyrie Irving. Both of these players need the ball in their hands to be fully maximized. When these two played together, Caris struggled sharing the ball. Caris isn’t a great fit with Kyrie and isn’t a great off-ball player. The Nets could potentially trade LeVert for a player that fits better with Kyrie Irving in the backcourt.
Another reason the Nets could trade Caris is because of the teams title window. It’s no surprise that the Nets are going all in next season. With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant returning fully healthy, they are one of the favorites to win the 2021 NBA championship. The Nets time to win is now. It has been heavily reported that the Nets are looking for a 3rd star to help boost their title odds for next season. If Brooklyn is looking for that 3rd star, Caris LeVert will be one of the main pieces in a potential trade.
Caris has 3 years left on his contract and is still improving. Many teams around the league should be monitoring LeVert on the trade market. He can potentially break out for whichever team takes the chance on him.
Potential Destinations: Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trailblazers, Washington Wizards
Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose’s name has heavily been involved in trade rumors ever since the 2020 trade deadline.
Although Derrick isn’t at his MVP form anymore, he is still a very good NBA player. Rose had limited playing time this season with Detroit. He only played 50 games in the regular season and averaged 26 minutes per game. He only started 15 games this season and fully embraced his bench role. Rose has had injury concerns throughout his entire career, which holds him back from getting more playing time.
Despite the low playing time, Derrick is one of the most efficient players in the NBA. Derrick embraced his 6th man role last season and was in contention for the 6th man of the year award. He didn’t win the award but he still averaged impressive numbers. Rose averaged 18.1 points and 5.6 assists per game. He also shot 49% from the field.
Rose was one of the best slashers in the NBA last season. He averaged 17.6 drives per game which ranked him 7th among the league in drives per game. He shot 56.4% on drives which made him a more efficient finisher than players like Russell Westbrook and Lebron James.
Derrick is also a very valuable playmaker. Rose was an efficient player in the drive and kick. He averaged 1.7 assists on drives which ranked him top 10 in assists created on drives. He also exceled in the pick and roll last season. Derrick Rose led the league for the highest frequency of being a pick and roll ball handler. He also ranked top 10 in points scored in the pick and roll. Derrick was not only an amazing drive and kick playmaker this season, but he was also amazing in the pick and roll. If he’s traded to a team with good rollers and shooters, Derrick can be very effective.
The Pistons are clearly entering a rebuild. They traded Andre Drummond at the deadline for very little in return. Derrick Rose is 32 years old which makes him the oldest player on the roster. Many championship teams in search of a point guard will consider trading for Derrick Rose. The Pistons should capitalize on Derrick’s value in the offseason and trade him for draft picks or young assets.
Derrick Rose also has a very affordable contract. He’s making under $8 million dollars next season so it should be easy to move his contract to a contending team. His contract expires after next season and he can be a great rental option for a team chasing the championship.
Rose can bring great experience to a team and be a good leader on and off the court. Derrick is at the tail end of his career and has the potential to win his first ever championship if he’s traded to a contending team.
Potential Destinations: Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers
The NBA draft is always an exciting time of the year. A whole NBA franchise can be altered from one singular draft. Teams are looking for prospects who can help elevate them to new heights. The draft is always filled with top name prospects who have generated hype from all over the world. Prospects such as Lamelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman highlight the 2020 NBA draft class. These players are the faces of the draft and look to be the best players to come out of this draft, but that’s not always the case.
With every draft, there are draft steals. There are also players who haven’t generated the same hype or attention coming out of the draft. There are many great players selected outside the lottery that go on to become great NBA players.
In this article, we will be discussing players from the 2020 draft class who have potential to become draft steals. We will be discussing players who are projected to be taken outside of the lottery. These players are very talented and have potential to be great NBA players. They just haven’t gotten the hype or attention that the top prospects have gotten. When their careers are all said and done, these players can be looked back on as the biggest draft steals of their class.
Desmond Bane, SG, TCU
The first prospect to talk about is Desmond Bane, a senior guard out of TCU. His shooting is what stands out most. Many believe he is one of the best shooters in the draft. Bane shot 44% from 3 on 6.5 attempts per game. He shot 44% on 4 attempts per game in his college career. He is a very consistent shooter and his shooting ability should easily translate to the NBA. His jumpshot looks unorthodox and he needs to tweak his shooting form, but he uses the right mechanics in his shot. Desmond also excels at playing off the ball. He’s a slippery off-ball player who is great at coming off screens. He’s great at reading defenses and knows how to get open off the ball.
Desmond isn’t just an off-ball player. He is also great at shooting off the dribble. This past season, Bane scored 1.068 points per possession when shooting off the dribble. He ranked in the 92nd percentile of off the dribble shooting. Desmond is a great shooter but he also has an efficient floater. His floater is efficient and a dangerous weapon, but he takes a low amount of floaters. If he can attempt more floaters and attack the basket more, it can become a real dangerous weapon and make it even harder for defenders to stop him.
Now that we’ve discussed Desmond Bane’s scoring ability, let’s move on to his play on the defensive side of the ball. He is a high I.Q defender who is always in the right spots. Bane is also a great team defender. He excels with help defense, rotations and playing in the passing lanes. He averaged 1.5 steals per game last season, and looks to adjust nicely on defense at the NBA level. Desmond is also strong and has a good frame which benefits him defensively.
Desmond projects to be a good defender, however he has limitations on the defensive end. He has a short wingspan and has a rare negative wingspan. He also lacks footspeed which can hinder him from guarding quicker players. Regardless of these weaknesses, he still brings great effort on the defensive end and can be a valuable defender.
One underrated part of Desmond’s game is his playmaking. He’s a better passer then some of the top point guards in the draft. He averaged 3.9 assists per game last season and shown flashes of being a potential secondary ball-handler in the NBA. As a playmaker, Desmond excels best in the pick and roll. He is a great passer in the pick and roll and a very efficient passer as the pick and roll ball-handler. On the playmaking end, Bane needs to work on his handle. He has a decent handle but it might not transfer to the NBA level. He needs to use his body more to create space from his defender. If he can do this, then it will help him create his own shot at the NBA level.
Other than his floater, Desmond needs to work on his finishing. He struggles with finishing through contact. This can mostly be due to his short wingspan, which limits his finishing potential. He also isn’t an explosive athlete which can hurt him when attacking the basket.
Overall, Desmond is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. He projects to be a great shooter at the NBA level who puts great effort on the defensive end, and has potential as a secondary ball handler. He needs to work on his finishing, and his defense might be limited by his physical tools. Desmond is a very skilled player who can step in right away as a key rotational player. Bane also has potential to be a starter in the NBA.
Comparisons: Malcolm Brogdon and Eric Gordon
Projected Selection: Late First Rounder- Early Second Rounder
Grant Riller, PG, Charleston
Our next prospect who we think will be a draft steal is Grant Riller. He’s one of the most NBA ready players in the draft. What stands out most about Grant is his scoring ability. He is one of the best scorers in the draft, and averaged 22 points per game last season. His finishing ability is the area of scoring that stands out most. Riller is one of the best finishers in the draft. He has a great finishing touch and uses his body well to finish at the rim. Grant is also very adaptable. He can adjust his finishing in mid-air and adapt to defenders when finishing at the rim. Grant is also great at splitting defenses.
Grant is also very effective on the perimeter. With his dribbling abilities, he can create his own shot and can transfer as a good shot creator at the NBA level. He can drill tough shots, especially in clutch situations. Grant was forced to take a lot of bad shots in his senior year of college. This was mostly because he was by far the best offensive player on the team. He can be more efficient when he has less pressure on the offensive end.
He didn’t shoot amazingly from 3 in college. Grant shot 36% on 4 attempts per game last season. However, his shooting can transfer over to the NBA. He has the right shooting technique which will help him be a decent shooter in the NBA. Riller also has great confidence which should transfer to the NBA level.
Grant was an efficient catch and shoot player last season, but had a low volume of attempts. If he’s used more off-ball, it can make him even more of an offensive threat.
Riller also has great dribbling and playmaking abilities. He’s a very creative ball-handler who has lots of moves in his arsenal. He has a very effective spin move which he utilizes a lot when attacking the basket. Grant also has great crossovers and hesitations he uses in isolations to beat his defender. He has the ability to break down his defender, thanks to his great dribbling abilities. Riller also has a great step back jumper in his arsenal. He is also a deadly pick and roll threat. He scored 1.1 points per possession in the pick and roll last season. This ranks him in the 97th percentile.
Playmaking wise, Grant still has a lot of room for improvement. He averaged 3.9 assists per game, but he also averaged 3.1 turnovers per game. Grant doesn’t have the best pass accuracy, which can lead to lots of turnovers. He needs to work on his decision making, especially when being double teamed. He has shown flashes of making great decisions and good NBA level reads, he just needs more consistency.
Defensively, Grant has the tools to be a decent defender. He has good lateral quickness, and a good mix of size and strength which can help him defend guards. When Riller is locked in on defense, he can clamp his defender. The issue is Grant puts a low amount of effort on the defensive end. He is not a good off-ball defender and can be found falling asleep on off-ball defense. He can be decent on the defensive end, but there’s a high chance his defense gets exposed in the NBA.
Overall, Grant Riller is a flashy player who is a huge threat on offense. He is an amazing dribbler, finisher, and can score from all 3 levels. His playmaking and facilitating needs work, as well as his effort on the defensive end. Grant is being slept on in the draft mostly due to his age. He’s 23 years old, and typically older players are selected later in the draft. When drafted, Grant can immediately step in and be an effective rotational player and spark plug off the bench. If he continues to improve he has the potential to become an NBA starter.
Comparisons: Damian Lillard and Fred VanVleet
Projected Selection: Late First Rounder- Mid Second Rounder
Jordan Nwora, SF, Louisville
Next up is Jordan Nwora, my favorite player in the draft. I had the opportunity to see Jordan play live and he really impressed me. I watched him lead Team Nigeria to defeat Team Canada during August of 2019. He led his team in scoring, hit some big shots in the clutch, which included a dagger from him late in the 4th quarter. Ever since then, I became a fan, and I think he can make a great impact in the NBA.
Nwora’s biggest strength is undoubtedly his shooting ability. He is a great shooter, and in college he proved he can shoot from NBA range. Jordan shot 40% from 3 last season with 6 attempts per game. He also excels as an off-ball player. He’s great off the ball and knows how to get open. Jordan was elite in the catch and shoot, and shot 45% on catch and shoot 3’s. Jordan also has some moves in his arsenal that he uses off the catch. He utilizes a step back jumper off the catch which he has found to be very efficient. Jordan also uses lots of pump fakes, specifically from the wings and corners. This can help get him an open look, and he uses pump fakes consistently on the perimeter.
Nwora has shown flashes of being a capable shot creator, but he has been inconsistent. He’s smooth off the dribble, but only shot 31% from off the dribble last season. He’s a decent shot creator, but he has a below average handle. This makes it more difficult for Jordan to create separation. He needs to keep working as a shot creator and improve his ability to create space.
Jordan also can have questionable shot selection at times. There have been games where he forces up lots of bad shots, but there have also been games where he disappears completely on offence. He needs to be more consistent on his shot selection moving forward.
Jordan Nwora does have his troubles with finishing at the basket. He doesn’t score efficiently when driving and isn’t explosive enough to get consistent open looks at the basket. However, he still has some promise with his finishing. He has a nice floater game, but he doesn’t go the floater as much as he should. He shot 46% on floaters last season, and it proved to be an effective tool for Jordan.
Nwora is also great in transition. He knows when to leak out and runs hard on the fast break. He also has shown flashes of taking the ball coast to coast and scoring. Jordan shot 55% from the field in transition and looks to be a very valuable player to a team who wants to play fast paced. He also has shown potential as a sneaky pick and roll threat as the roll man. He was very efficient on slips in the pick and roll. Jordan shot 66% from the field while slipping off the pick and roll.
On the defensive end, Nwora has some intriguing potential. He’s a smart team defender with a solid frame. He doesn’t do well on quick and shifty guards, because he doesn’t have the footspeed to keep up with them. Jordan also doesn’t have the strength or length to be able to guard bigs. Jordan also struggles to guard taller players, due to his poor shot blocking ability. He works best at defending players who are similar to his size. He did show promise as an on-ball defender last season as opponents shot 36% when being guarded by Nwora. Jordan needs to work on his footspeed if he wants to increase his ability to switch onto guards. This would also help his defensive versatility.
Another promising part of his game is his rebounding. Jordan almost averaged 8 rebounds per game last season for Louisville. He’s a great rebounder for his size, and has shown the ability to rebound in traffic. Jordan has also shown he can excel at rebounding on the offensive end too. He almost averaged 2 offensive rebounds per game last season.
One major flaw in his game has been his playmaking. He is simply not a good passer or decision maker. In his college career, he has gotten a total of 95 assists and has a total of 168 turnovers. He has a terrible assist to turnover ratio and is a liability in the playmaking department. Even though his role isn’t playmaking, his passing and decision making is still concerning.
Overall, Jordan Nwora is a valuable shooter who lots of teams may target in the second round. He has great defensive potential and has shown promise in the fast break. He desperately needs to improve his playmaking, shot creation ability, and finishing if he wants to take the next jump. Jordan would be best utilized as a 3 and D player to come off the bench. The question is if Jordan would be willing to accept that role. He will most likely want to become more of a shot creator and a go to offensive option on his team. However, if Jordan wants the best chance for a long and successful NBA career, he will need to adapt into an effective 3 and D player at the NBA level.
Comparisons: Omri Casspi and Cameron Johnson
Projected Selection: Mid Second Rounder
Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas
The next prospect on this list is the senior big man from Kansas. Udoka is a menacing brute force that can intimidate his opponents. He is listed at 7″0, weighs 275 pounds, and has a 7″7 wingspan. Udoka was also one of the most efficient players in college basketball last season. He shot 75% from the field and shot 85% on non-post up shots. This led the whole NCAA in field goal percentage of non-post up shots. Udoka is a traditional back to the basket big who is very good at getting positioning in the post. He’s great at sealing off his defender and can score almost immediately after a post entry pass. Udoka has also shown that he has a decent post game. He has a variety of post moves that he uses. His favorite move is the post hook which he uses very effectively.
Udoka isn’t just a back to the basket big, he is also great as a roll man. Last season, he shot 82% from the field as the roll man in the pick and roll. This ranked 2nd among all college basketball players. He has also shown to be a great lob threat. Udoka has a 7″7 wingspan and great leaping ability. If you need an easy two points, just throw it up for Azubuike.
One of the most glaring flaws Udoka has is his range. He excels at dunking, put backs, and shots in the post but he can’t score from more than 10 feet away from the basket. He has absolutely no ability to space the floor, which can be problematic in the NBA. Udoka also might be the worst free throw shooter I have ever seen. He’s an abysmal free throw shooter who only shot 44% from the line last season. He attempted almost 5 free throw attempts per game and is a liability at the line. He doesn’t need to expand his range to 3 point range if he wants a successful NBA career, but he absolutely needs to improve his free throw shooting.
Rebounding is one of Udoka’s biggest strengths. His motor heavily improved this season. He went from averaging less than 7 rebounds per game to now averaging 10.5 rebounds per game. Udoka took a big step in the rebounding department, especially on the offensive glass. He averaged almost 4 offensive rebounds per game and is great at snagging boards on the offensive end.
On the defensive end Udoka has shown some great promise. He is a very intimidating rim protector who has shown his ability to make opponents change the way they play. Similar to Rudy Gobert’s defensive impact, just not at nearly the same level of gravity. This season he improved at contesting shots and improved at staying out of foul trouble. He averaged 2.6 blocks per game in the most recent college season and has great potential as a rim protector. This is due to his length and defensive I.Q. Udoka has also shown he can be a great one on one post defender. He’s a great defender when being posted up and can neutralize post scoring centers.
Udoka may be a very good post defender, but he is terrible on the perimeter. He struggles defending in space and has very poor footspeed. He sometimes appears as if he has bricks on his feet. Udoka will get exposed a lot on the perimeter in the NBA. He will get into trouble if he is switched onto a smaller player and Udoka will most likely struggle in the pick and roll. Udoka’s rim protection abilities may lose value when matching up against stretch bigs. If you put Udoka on the perimeter against an excellent shooting team, he will get exposed and played off the court.
Another flaw in his game is his playmaking and decision making. He is a terrible passer and poor decision maker. Udoka also tends to get impatient with the ball which leads to many carless turnovers. At Kansas, he was one of the focal points of the offence and got doubled a lot. When he got doubled, he struggled. He averaged 0.5 assists and 2.5 turnovers per game last season. He also receives lots of 3 second violations and travelling calls, which leads to more careless turnovers.
Overall, Udoka has lots of strengths but lots of flaws. He’s a great roll man and lob threat who can score in the post, but he is also a terrible shooter, a liability on the perimeter, and with decision making. If Udoka played in the 90’s era, he would have more hype around him and be a more effective player. The reality is it’s hard for players with Udoka’s skillset to succeed in today’s NBA. I believe he can still be a great backup center who can play 10-15 minutes per night, but might not ever become more than that. He’s a very raw player who will take lots of time to develop. If Udoka is drafted in the right system, gets the proper conditioning, and stays out of injury trouble, then he can become a potential draft steal.
Comparisons: Mitchell Robinson and Boban Marjanovic
Projected Selection: Second Rounder
Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG, Kentucky
During the 2020 NBA playoffs, we seen former Kentucky players show how valuable they are in the NBA. Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Jamal Murray are all former Kentucky players who broke out and gained massive attention during the playoffs. They’ve also produced some great guards from recent history, such as De’Aaron Fox, Devin Booker, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Kentucky is great at producing NBA talent. There is a very high chance that the next draft steal to come out of Kentucky is Tyrese Maxey.
An underrated part of Maxey’s game is his shooting ability. He shown in college and high school that he can shoot from deep. The kid has range, but he had a low shooting percentage in his lone college season. He only shot 29% from 3 last season, but I believe he’s a better shooter than the numbers show. He has the confidence and range to be at least a decent shooter in the NBA.
A major reason as to why his 3 point percentage was so low was because of his role. In high school he had the ball in his hands the majority of the time. In Kentucky he had to adjust to playing off the ball. He struggled shooting off the catch and playing off-ball during his first season. Despite this, I think he can improve as an off-ball shooter with more time. Tyrese is a streaky shooter, but when he’s on fire he’s hard to stop.
One of the most enticing parts of Maxey’s game is his finishing ability. He’s a great finisher who absorbs contact from centers. He has great balance and body control when finishing at the rim. Tyrese is a crafty finisher who can change directions mid-air and make acrobatic layups. The best tool Tyrese has is his floater game. He had an elite floater in high school and it’s a very useful tool he can utilize in the NBA. He had an elite floater in high school and he goes to it very often. Tyrese is a very quick and shifty player which helps him with his finishing. He’s fast in transition, but needs to improve on utilizing his speed in the half-court offence. Tyrese also needs to be more aggressive and draw more fouls, as he’s a great free throw shooter who shot 83% from the line.
In his lone college season, Tyrese showed that he’s a very good defender for his position. A big part of defense is effort based, and Tyrese puts lots of effort on the defensive end. He’s a tenacious on-ball defender who can frustrate his opponent. He is also just as tenacious off-ball as he is on-ball. Tyrese has great communication on the defensive end and has shown to excel with switches and rotations. Tyrese has also shown to be a great shot blocker for his size. He is great at contesting shots and closing out his opponent. He has potential to be a great shot blocking guard in the NBA.
With so many great scoring guards in the NBA, it’s very valuable to have a good defender at the point guard position. Tyrese has the potential to be a good defender at the NBA level, if he improves his technique, especially his defensive stance.
Playmaking is a noticeable weak spot in Tyrese’s game. Tyrese is 6″3 and when you lack height, most of the time you need to make it up by being a great playmaker. He hasn’t shown that he can be a consistent facilitator in the offence. He lacks court vision and has many times where he misses open teammates. When attacking the basket, Tyrese can get tunnel vision and settle for a tough finish, rather than passing out to the open shooter. He can be utilized as a great drive and kick player, if he improves on his court vision.
Character and personality is very important when looking at an NBA prospect. You want a player who’s hard working, has great leadership abilities, and is a good locker room presence. Tyrese has shown that he has all these qualities. Off the court, he’s very unselfish and teammate oriented. Tyrese always goes out of his way to praise his teammates and give them credit for their work on the court. He also is always happy and smiling and brings off positive energy, which translates to the locker room. Team chemistry and locker room issues are very vital in determining a team’s success. Tyrese is showing that he will be a vital player to any NBA franchise’s locker room.
Overall, Tyrese Maxey is a score first guard who has shown off his range and finishing abilities. He also has high potential as a two-way combo guard in the NBA. He needs to work on his playmaking abilities if he wants to make a bigger impact at the next level. Maxey also needs to become a more consistent shooter and learn to play more off the ball. Tyrese wasn’t utilized correctly in Kentucky which will hurt his draft stock. He’s easily a top 10 player in this draft and has the potential to be the biggest steal of the draft.
Comparisons: George Hill, Collin Sexton, and Lou Williams
Projected Selection: Mid First Rounder- Late First Rounder
Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Greece
Our last prospect is the rawest, but also the most intriguing player on this list. He’s seen by most to be the highest risk highest reward player in the draft.
The most intriguing part of his game is his playmaking. Aleksej is a great ball-handler for his size. He’s 7 feet tall and can handle the ball. A rare and valuable skill in the NBA today. He’s also a great passer for his size. He can playmake effectively from the high post, which resembles Nikola Jokic. Aleksej can also find open shooters and has incredible court vision. Even when he’s double teamed and under pressure, he still can find the open man and make great decisions. He can also quickly bail out of a shot and find an open man to get an easy assist.
We are starting to see a wave of elite playmaking from tall players. Aleksej can join this trend and can potentially fit in perfectly to the modern NBA. Playmaking abilities of his caliber are almost unheard of for his size. He has elite playmaking potential.
One significance weakness Aleksej has in the playmaking department is his habit of being too flashy at times. He has a tendency to try and make the flashy highlight reel pass, rather than the basic fundamental and more accurate pass. Once he matures more, this habit may slowly go away. With his unique skillset, he will have plenty of opportunities to make highlight reel plays without even trying.
He’s not just an effective decision maker in the half-court offence, he’s also an advanced decision maker in transition as well. He runs the floor well in transition which leads to lots of easy buckets. Aleksej has also shown the ability to go coast to coast and lead the fast break. He thrives in the open court and is lethal in transition.
One of the most important parts of Aleksej’s game is his shooting. He has high potential as a shooter and has shown flashes of being a good shooter at the next level. However, he still has lots of improving to do. He only shot 32% from 3 last season but he shot 78% from the free throw line. This is a very impressive free throw percentage for someone of his size. He also has a solid jumpshot form to work on as a base. Aleksej still needs to tweak his form a bit. He has the tendency of pushing the ball and kicking his legs out when shooting. If he adds more upper body strength it will help eliminate this habit.
A huge concern for Aleksej is on the defensive end. His role on defense moving forward is very questionable. As of right now, he’s very weak and frail. He’s 7 feet tall but only listed at 207 lbs. As of right now he is unable to guard 4’s and 5’s due to his lack of strength. He also struggles tremendously guarding the perimeter. Aleksej doesn’t have the foot speed to guard the perimeter. He does terrible in open space and gets exposed very easily when switched onto a guard. Aleksej also needs to work on his closeouts. His closeouts and contests are very lazy when guarding the perimeter. Aleksej also gambles too much on the defensive end. Most of the time he will try and get the block or force the turnover, rather than being disciplined and in the right position. Discipline will most likely come with more reps.
Although he is questionable on defense, Aleksej still has some defensive potential. He has very high shot blocking potential due to his length. Aleksej also has solid defensive I.Q and is good at getting help defense blocks.
Overall, Aleksej Pokusevski is one of the most unique and enticing player’s in the draft. He is a 7 footer who is perimeter oriented and has amazing playmaking abilities for his size. His number one priority should be getting stronger. As of right now he is simply too weak to play consistent NBA minutes. Once he adds muscle and gets stronger, it will benefit every aspect of his game. Aleksej isn’t a player you draft to make your team better immediately. He’s a project player who is going to need at least a couple of years to develop into a rotational NBA player. He’s only 18 years of age and is very inexperienced. Aleksej is going to need more reps and spend more time developing his game before he can make an NBA impact.
His ability to shoot and his strength are going to be factors that may make or break his NBA career. Aleksej can easily turn into a bust, but he can also easily become a special player in the NBA. We will see on draft night which team is willing to take the risk.
Comparisons: Nikola Jokic and Bol Bol
Projected Selection: Mid First Rounder- Second Rounder
The 2010’s had many teams dominate the decade. The Golden State Warriors had 5 straight Finals appearances from 2015-2019, including 3 championships in this span. The Miami Heat dominated the early 2010’s with 2 championships and 4 Finals appearances in a 4-year span. The Cleveland Cavaliers also dominated in the 2010’s with 4 straight Finals appearances, one of which included the greatest series comeback ever in an NBA finals.
There were also many great players who headlined the 2010’s. Lebron James was undoubtedly the best player of the decade and had 8 straight finals appearances during the decade. Stephen Curry also dominated the decade with his back to back MVP awards, along with his 3 championships in 5 straight Finals appearances. Stephen Curry’s former teammate Kevin Durant also proved himself as one of the best players of the 2010’s. Durant earned 4 scoring titles and 2 championships during the decade. He also won 2 Finals MVP’s during the 2010’s.
With every decade, there are player’s and team’s that highlight a whole decade of basketball. With the 2020’s decade just beginning, which players and teams will dominate the next 10 years of basketball?
In this article we will be predicting 10 teams that will rule the 2020’s. It will be near impossible to predict the teams that will dominate for the next 10 years due to the league’s unpredictability. We took market size, management and young cores into consideration when evaluating which teams will be the best of the decade. These teams are listed in no particular order. With that being said, let us begin.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have already started off the 2020’s on a high note. During the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009. The 2020 Denver Nuggets also defeated the Clippers in the 2nd round of the playoffs. The Clippers were heavy title favorites going into this series. Denver has already found success in the playoffs while having one of the brightest young cores in the NBA.
Jamal Murray gained popularity over a terrific playoff run. His emergence was one of the biggest surprises of the 2020 playoffs and his high level of play can potentially carry over to future seasons. Murray averaged 26.5 points per game in the playoffs while shooting 50% from the field and 45% from 3 on 7 3-point attempts per game. Jamal is only 23 years old and is finally starting to tap into his potential.
The biggest issue in Murray’s NBA career has been his consistency. He has struggled at being consistent throughout his whole career. In the playoffs, Murray played very consistently and showed he can be a main option on a winning team night in and night out. Hopefully, his amazing performance wasn’t a fluke, and he can consistently play like how he was in the playoffs. This will be a big deciding factor on the future of the Denver Nuggets.
Denver also has Nikola Jokic on their team. Jokic is only 25 years old and is just entering his prime. This playoff run established Nikola Jokic as the best center in the league. He led the Nuggets to the Conference Finals and has the potential to lead them to many more. Jokic is going to be a leading MVP candidate for many years to come and thanks to his talent, he can help the Nuggets reach new heights.
The Nuggets have another young player who will be a bright spot for them for many years to come. That player is Michael Porter Jr. MPJ has shown huge flashes of becoming an elite scorer, but he hasn’t been given consistent playing time. Moving forward the Nuggets are most likely going to give him more minutes and have him play a bigger role in the offence. The sky is the limit for Michael Porter Jr, and he can potentially be a very important piece to a contending Nuggets team.
Denver has one of the most promising young cores in the league. This young core also has a deep playoff run under their belt. Experience is very important in the NBA and the Nuggets are a young team with playoff experience. We’ve seen how far this group can get and they can get even farther in the playoffs if their young core develops even more. They are building a great culture in Denver. They are an exciting young team who focus on inclusion and team basketball. The Nuggets also have a great development system. With all these factors included, Denver should look to be a dangerous team for the next decade.
Dallas Mavericks
This season the Dallas Mavericks proved their going to be an elite team for many years to come. Luka Doncic is only 21 years old and he’s already establishing himself as one of the league’s best players. In his sophomore season, Luka earned himself an all-NBA first team selection and led his team to the playoffs. Doncic also led his team to have the highest offensive rating in NBA history. In the playoffs, the Mavericks fell to the Clippers in the first round, but it was a close and competitive series. Luka has the potential to claim the title as best player in the league and could go down as one of the greatest to play the game of basketball. With Luka Doncic on your team, you are already instant contenders for the next 15 years.
The Mavericks also have Kristaps Porzingis on the team. Porzingis is under contract with the Mavericks until 2024 and looks to be one of the main focal points of the team for many years to come. Kristaps is only 25 years old and is showing he can be a great fit next to Luka. Porzingis is one of the best floor spacing big men in the NBA and he is also an elite rim protector. In the playoffs Porzingis showcased his value even more. He averaged 23.7 points per game and shot 53% from 3 in the series against the Clippers. Luka and Porzingis are going to get even better and build even more chemistry over time. They have the potential to be the best duo in the league one day.
Dallas has also found the formula to build a great team around Luka. They have surrounded Luka with great shooters and great rollers to fully maximize Doncic’s elite playmaking abilities. The Mavericks just need to get more defense on the team, specifically from the perimeter. They also are looking for another shot creator that can play off-ball and relieve some pressure off Luka. The Mavericks have already expressed interest in acquiring a 3rd star for the team. With Luka on the team, it will make the Mavericks more enticing in free agency. They also have a great culture, a great owner and one of the lowest personal income tax rates in the U.S.
If the Mavericks keep Luka Doncic on their team, and Porzingis can stay healthy, then the Mavericks will look to be one of the league’s most dominate teams for the next decade.
Boston Celtics
Ever since the Bill Russell era, the Boston Celtics have found a way to be one of the league’s top teams. This streak looks like it will continue throughout the 2020’s decade.
The Celtics are led by one of the league’s most promising players in Jayson Tatum. Tatum is only 22 years old and he’s already considered a superstar in the league. He has had 2 Conference Finals appearances so far in his 3-year career and looks to add many more to his resume. Tatum has the potential to be one of the league’s best players, due to his elite scoring ability and 2-way play. He has gotten better every year so far throughout his career and projects to become an even better player in the following years. Tatum has also proven that he can step up when it matters the most, showing he can be a gamechanger in the playoffs and in the 4th quarter.
Boston has another promising young player on their roster who has improved in every season of his career. That player is Jaylen Brown. Jaylen is only 23 years old and has already proven to play a major factor in the Boston Celtics success. He is one of the best young two-way players in the league, while also proving he can be a main part of an effective offence. Brown averaged 20 points per game in the 2019-2020 season on good efficiency. He has also proven to thrive in the playoffs and at times has looked like the Celtics best player. That consistency, energy, and defense that Jaylen brings is going to be a major part of the Celtics success in this decade.
The Celtics have more young players on their roster right now who can grow into quality NBA players. Players like Grant Williams, Romeo Langford and Robert Williams are all young players with lots of room to grow that can be great role players for a potential championship contender.
Teams that find success in the NBA are almost always led by good management. Luckily for the Boston Celtics, they have one of the best front offices in the entire league. Brad Stevens has been the head coach of the Boston Celtics for 7 seasons and he’s proven himself to be one of the best coaches in the league. The Boston Celtics are one of the best player development teams in the league, mostly because of Stevens. He recently signed a contract extension with the Celtics and looks to be the head coach for many more seasons to come.
The Celtics also have Danny Ainge, who is one of the best general managers in the NBA. Danny Ainge is the man who assembled the Celtics championship team back in 2008. He is also responsible for drafting players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, two players who are key pieces to their current team. The Celtics are one of the best drafting teams and one of the best trading teams for a reason. It’s because of Danny Ainge.
Boston is also one of the biggest markets in the NBA. If they stay competitive, they shouldn’t have any issues attracting big name free agents to play for them. If history does repeat itself, then it will be no surprise if the Celtics dominate yet another decade of basketball.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have already started the 2020’s decade with a Finals appearance, but they have the potential to make many more appearances during this decade.
Los Angeles has been one of the winningest franchises the NBA has ever seen. The Lakers have dominated every decade of basketball they’ve been in. During the 60’s they made 6 Finals appearances while being led by hall of famers Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. During the 70’s they won an NBA championship and had 3 Finals appearances during the decade. They had all-time greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain play for them during the decade. During the 80’s they had 8 Finals appearances and 5 championships during this decade. This state of Lakers basketball is widely known as the Showtime Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The Lakers only had one Finals appearance during the 90’s, but they had players like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson play for them during this decade. They 3-peated early in the 2000’s and then finished off the decade with another championship. The Lakers earned 6 Finals appearances during this decade and players like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant highlight this era of Lakers basketball. The 2010’s was a darker era of Lakers basketball, but they still earned a championship during this decade.
The Lakers have dominated every decade of basketball since they entered the league. There’s no reason for them not to add the 2020’s to decades of basketball they have dominated.
Market size in today’s league is more important then it’s ever been. With that being said, the Lakers are the largest market in the entire NBA. They have shown that they can sign hall of famers in free agency with ease. The Lakers signed Shaquille O’Neal and Lebron James in free agency, two players who are widely considered to be top 10 players of all time. They have also traded for many all-time greats, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Pau Gasol and Anthony Davis. Greatness runs within the organization and almost every player in the NBA would love to play for the Lakers. The Lakers are the most desirable franchise in the league.
The Lakers have Lebron James already on their team, who has led the Lakers to a Finals appearance. Although he is 35 years old, he is still one of the leagues best talents. He is under contract until 2022 and it appears like he will retire as a Laker. Regardless of age, if Lebron James is on the Lakers, they will be title contenders.
The Lakers have another elite player currently on their roster. That player is Anthony Davis. He is an expiring free agent but he’s very likely to resign with the Lakers for long term. Davis is only 27 years old and has just entered his prime. He is going to be one of the league’s best players for most of this decade, and that will most likely be as a member of the Lakers.
The Lakers don’t have any young assets like the other teams on this list. Despite this, they always find a way to be great. Even if they go through a couple years of rebuilding during the decade, it won’t be long until they are back at the top.
Miami Heat
Just like the Lakers, the Miami Heat are another team that has started off the decade with a bang. The Heat already have a Finals appearance during this decade and could potentially earn more during the 2020’s.
Since the early 2000’s, the Heat have been one of the league’s most successful franchises. They won a championship in 2006 with Dwyane Wade and then Miami would go on to form a big 3 with Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh during the early 2010’s.
Miami is one of the biggest markets in the NBA. They are a top free agent destination thanks to their market, and location. They also have Pat Riley who is the best free agent pitcher in the league. Lebron James was the unanimous best player in the league during 2010 and Pat Riley convinced Lebron to leave the Cavaliers and team up with Bosh and Wade in Miami. Giannis Antetokounmpo is an upcoming free agent that the Heat have already expressed interest in pursuing. Miami can make a strong free agency pitch to Giannis during the 2021 free agency. Miami’s culture, recent success and large market will really strengthen Miami’s pitch to Giannis. If the Heat find a way to lure Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, then they will be a shoe in as title contenders for the rest of the decade.
Not only are the Heat one of the most enticing free agent destinations, but they also have great young players on their current roster. Bam Adebayo is only 23 years old and is most likely going to be a valuable player for the remainder of the decade. He made his first all-star and all-defensive team this season and was the runner up for the most improved player award. Bam Adebayo is still improving and hasn’t reached his prime yet. Due to his athleticism, playmaking, and versatility on defense, Bam looks like he can be a main piece for the Miami Heat for the rest of the decade.
The Heat have another young player on their roster with lots of potential. That player is Tyler Herro. This season Herro has emerged as one of the best rookies in his class. He is only 20 years old and yet he’s making a huge impact on a contending team. Offensively, he is very lethal. He’s a great shooter, can create his own shot and can handle the ball. Herro still has lots of room to grow, especially in the playmaking category. If he continues to improve and keep adding to his game, then he can be one of the most versatile offensive players in the league. The Heat have found a real gem in Tyler Herro, hopefully they don’t let him out of their reach.
The Miami Heat have done a great job of establishing a hard-working culture that has led to success. They are well coached and are one of the best drafting teams in the NBA. Miami is also one of the best teams when it comes to player development. They turn unknown players into quality NBA players. Miami is on the right track and they project to be one of the league’s best teams for the remainder of the decade.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have one of the best young cores in the NBA. Memphis surprised a lot of people this season by earning the 9th seed in the stacked Western Conference. The Grizzlies are only going to get better with more experience and look like they can be a top team in the Western Conference in the following years.
Memphis is led by Ja Morant, who is one of the most promising young players in the league. Ja is coming off an amazing rookie season for Memphis. Ja Morant is one of the few players in NBA history to average at least 17.5 points and 7 assists in their rookie season and have their team win more than 30 games. The other players to accomplish this was Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. Ja Morant has potential to be a future hall of famer. He’s going to keep improving and can become the best point guard in the NBA one day. He is only 21 years of age and still has lots of great basketball left in his career.
Ja Morant isn’t the only promising young player on the Grizzlies roster. They also have former 4th overall pick Jaren Jackson Jr. Jaren is a near 7-footer who shot almost 40% from 3 last season. He is one of the best young floor spacing bigs in the league, which makes him the perfect fit next to Ja Morant. Jaren also has shown great potential as a rim protector. He has incredible length and averaged 1.6 blocks per game last season. Jaren Jackson Jr is the perfect modern day 3 and D big man. He is also only 21 years old and will continue to develop alongside Ja Morant.
Memphis also has an abundance of young players who can be great role players for many years to come. Brandon Clarke just came off one of the most efficient seasons from a rookie in NBA history. He shot 61% from the field in his rookie season, which is currently the record for highest field goal percentage by a player in their rookie year. Clarke also shot 36% from 3 and proved to be a good defender. He is only 23 years old and looks to be an elite role player for many more years to come.
Memphis also has Justice Winslow who is only 24 years of age. He is a former 10th overall pick and has some decent potential, but he’s coming off a rough season. Winslow only shot 22% from 3 and averaged a career low in steals per game. He had a difficult year due to injury, so hopefully he can comeback fully healthy and be a valuable defending point forward for the Grizzlies. Lastly, the Grizzlies have former 4th overall pick Josh Jackson. He hasn’t lived up to his expectations so far in his career, but he can still be a valuable role player for the coming years. He’s only 22 years old and can still develop into a serviceable NBA player. He can potentially become a valuable perimeter defender on this team.
The Grizzlies have assembled a good young core and are already establishing a style of basketball that is geared towards the modern NBA. Memphis is playing a fast-paced offence which allows them to get more offensive possessions per game. During the 2019-2020 season the Grizzlies ranked 7th in possessions per game. This style also creates more fast break point opportunities. Memphis ranked 3rd in the NBA last season in fast break points per game. When you have one of the fastest players in the league on your team in Ja Morant, it makes sense why you would want to run a fast tempo offence. However, moving forward the Grizzlies need to acquire more perimeter shooting. They ranked 24th in 3-pointers attempted per game. In a league where 3-point shooting is more valuable then ever, you need more players who can create and finish 3-point opportunities.
The biggest concern for Memphis moving forward is their market size. Market size plays a huge factor in signing free agents, as well as retaining players currently on your roster. Memphis is one of the smaller markets in the NBA which will make it difficult for them to be title contenders in the future. It is not impossible, but it’s a very challenging task. The Grizzlies have already done a good job at drafting, developing, and building good chemistry, but it simply might not be enough moving forward. Memphis absolutely needs to keep Ja Morant for the next decade if they even want a chance at being contenders.
Atlanta Hawks
Although the Atlanta Hawks were one of the worst regular season teams this season, they still project to be one of the best teams in the league for the next decade.
When building a serious championship contending team, it’s very important to have a player who can create for himself and create for others at an elite level. Trae Young checks off both these boxes.
There are only a few players in NBA history to average at least 29.5 points and 9 assists per game in a single season. This list includes Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, Nate Archibald, and Trae Young. Trae has accomplished this elite feat at only 21 years of age. Trae ranked 7th in points per game in 2020 as well as ranking 2nd in assists during that season. Young is putting up these historic statistics while being double teamed every single night. The Hawks only won 20 games this season, but Trae Young is in no way the reason for the lack of success. Atlanta has one of the worst rosters in the league. On top of that, the Hawks second best player John Collins missed significant time this season.
The Hawks are attempting to surround Trae Young with more talent for him to succeed. They drafted Cam Reddish and Deandre Hunter back in 2019, who look like they can be great fits next to Trae once they develop. Atlanta is also trying to surround Young with great defenders to mask the fact that Trae Young is the worst defender in the league. Atlanta is attempting to use the Golden State Warriors blueprint on how to build a dynasty. They see the similarities between Stephen Curry and Trae Young and they are trying to replicate the Warriors style of basketball. The Warriors were the most recent dynasty, so it makes sense for the Hawks to attempt to recreate what made them so great. Whether or not it will work out is the real question.
The Atlanta Hawks do have one major advantage that they could potentially abuse for the next decade. Atlanta is in the Eastern Conference. The east has famously been known as the easier conference in the NBA. The west has always been known as the more competitive conference, so the Hawks being in the east may give them more of a chance to make a deep playoff run. Atlanta can potentially dominate the east for the next decade if they play their cards right.
Although they have an advantage with being in the easier conference, there is one major factor that can be the downfall of their success. That downfall may be their market size. Like I previously stated, as of right now market size plays a huge factor in a team’s success. This could change throughout the decade, but as of right now it looks to become an even more apparent problem throughout the years. Atlanta already has a great and youthful foundation and have laid the groundwork for future success. However, they cannot rely on acquiring free agents to establish them as contenders for the next decade.
Golden State Warriors
Some people may think that the Golden State Warriors dominance is coming to an end. I think it’s just getting started.
The 2019-2020 season was a blessing and curse for the Golden State Warriors. They began the season without Klay Thompson due to injury, however they still had Steph Curry, who most people believed to be an MVP candidate. The Warriors also acquired D’Angelo Russell in the previous offseason, who just came off a 21 ppg season. Curry got injured very early on in the season and would only play a total of 5 games that season. With Steph Curry and Klay Thompson out, the Warriors struggled tremendously. The team was horrendous and finished the season off with 15 total wins.
Despite the poor season, it looked to be a blessing in disguise for the Warriors as they were awarded the 2nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. With Klay Thompson and Steph Curry being fully healthy for next season, it looks as though they have returned to being contenders once again.
This 2nd overall pick is going to play a huge factor in deciding the Warriors future. As of right now, we are unsure if the Warriors are going to draft a prospect with this pick, or if they will trade this pick away to acquire a player who can immediately strengthen their championship odds.
If they choose to draft with their pick, then they can potentially develop a prospect who can help them win for the remainder of the decade. Developing a young rookie with a lot of potential within the Warriors system might be perfect. Most of the time a high overall pick is expected to immediately make a huge impact and turn the entire franchise around. If the Warriors draft a prospect with this pick, they won’t have that same amount of pressure placed on them early in their career. Plus, they can potentially take over the franchise once Steph and Klay’s time in Golden State is up.
If they choose to trade this pick for an NBA established talent, then they will likely be serious title favorites until Stephen Curry retires. Some might worry that Curry and Klay will take a massive decline next season due to their major injuries, but this may not be the case. Despite them both suffering major injuries, both of their games don’t rely heavily on athleticism. As long as they can still shoot at an all-time great level, they’ll be just fine. Golden State can without a doubt contend for the next 3 seasons if they decide to go all in for the short term.
The Warriors have another key factor they need to consider for their future. Golden State owns Minnesota’s 2021 first round draft pick. They acquired this pick in the Andrew Wiggins trade. The Timberwolves do not look to be a playoff team next season, so this pick can be very valuable. It is a top 3 protected pick, but that pick can still be very valuable. Minnesota has Karl-Anthony Towns who will most likely lead his team to a better record than a bottom 3 team in the league. Plus, the 2021 draft is supposed to be loaded with elite level talent. Even if the Warriors end up with the 4th pick, they could still potentially draft a franchise altering player with their selection. They could also explore trading this pick to strengthen their championship odds even more.
Over the past decade the Warriors have done a fantastic job at building a winning culture. Culture generally does not leave once star players leave. The culture is usually instilled into the franchise. Great franchises always find a way to be great. Even if they go through a drought where they experience a lack of success, they eventually find their way back to the top. This could be the case with the Warriors.
They have Bob Myers at the helm, the main man responsible for building the Warriors dynasty. He is one of the best executives in the league and is great at acquiring talent. They also have an established winning coach with Steve Kerr who has played a big part in establishing their system. Golden State is also benefited from playing in California and have the luxury of being a large market team. With all that being said, they shouldn’t have problems dominating this decade, even when Steph and Klay’s time in Golden State is up.
Toronto Raptors
Once Kawhi Leonard left the Raptors after their 2019 championship run, most people thought it was time to hit the reset button. However, this season the Raptors have proved that they can still dominate the Eastern Conference, even without Kawhi Leonard.
One of the main reasons the Raptors still had success even after losing Kawhi was because of their elite management. Toronto has Nick Nurse, who is considered one of the best head coaches in the entire league. He won a championship in his first year as the head coach. Nurse also helped his team exceed expectations in his second season. A big part of the Raptors success this season was due to Nick Nurse. He is great at defensive scheming and strategies. Nurse is also great at helping players reach their full potential. Nurse has taken the Raptors places that previous head coach Dwane Casey could not.
Toronto also has an elite executive on their team with Masai Ujiri. He drafted Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, two players who have turned out to be amazing draft steals. Masai also signed Fred VanVleet, traded for Serge Ibaka, traded for Norman Powell as well as trading for Kawhi Leonard in one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. The Knicks have heavily pursued him to join their management team, since he is one of the best executives in the league. He knows how to make smart front office decisions. This is something very crucial in building a long lasting contending team.
The Raptors also have one of the best development systems in the league. It is a common myth in the NBA that you need to build your team through the draft. When Toronto won their championship back in 2019, they proved that you don’t need high draft picks to win a championship. When they won their championship they had 0 lottery picks on their roster. That is an impressive feat which should be very progressive towards the future of the NBA. Tanking in the NBA does not work. The Raptors have proved that tanking doesn’t equal success. Culture and player development equals success.
Toronto has built an elite player development system, as well as an elite culture. They have a culture built on hard work, dedication, and grit. The Raptors have established an identity of being one of the hardest working and one of the grittiest teams in the league. They also have top notch developing and have been progressing how you develop NBA players. The Raptors have used the G-league as a great developing system for NBA players. They had 6 players on their roster during the 2019-2020 season that have G-league experience. They are also great at finding undrafted talent like Terence Davis and Fred VanVleet. With great drafting, developing and trading, you can contend for multiple decades. Hard work beats talent and the Raptors have shown this mindset can result in championship success.
Toronto already has a young core in place that can help them be competitive. Pascal Siakam keeps improving even after winning the most improved player award in 2019. He is an all-star caliber player who perfectly embodies the Raptors culture of grit and hard work. During the 2020 playoffs, Pascal Siakam struggled, but he’s the type of player to turn his loses into wins. I think with hard work and dedication he can bounce back from his disappointing 2020 playoff run.
The Raptors also have OG Anunoby on their team who has shown to be one of the best isolation defenders in the NBA. He fits perfectly into the Raptors system and is only 23 years of age. He still has lots of room to improve and can increase his role on the Raptors moving forward. Toronto also have Fred VanVleet who has shown to be a very valuable player for the Raptors. Unfortunately, he is a free agent in the 2020 NBA free agency, and he will draw interest from many teams. Hopefully the Raptors can keep VanVleet as he is going to be a very crucial part of the Raptors for the following years.
Although they aren’t a top free agent destination, they are a decently sized market that can make an enticing pitch to a big name free agent. Even if they don’t find free agent success, the Raptors will still find a way to be successful.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Anthony Davis trade set the Pelicans up nicely for the next decade. They acquired Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart to play alongside rookie phenomenon Zion Williamson. With this combination of youth and potential, they have one of the most promising young cores in the league.
Their core is led by 2019 1st overall draft pick Zion Williamson. Zion has only played 24 games in his career, but he has already shown flashes of greatness. Zion is the only rookie in NBA history to average at least 22 points in under 30 minutes per game. He’s averaging 22 points per game in under 30 minutes strictly off of athleticism. Once he develops his game, he will become an even bigger threat. He has the potential to be one of the league’s best players. He is a versatile athletic freak who can handle the ball and throw down highlight reel dunks. One of the main issues so far with Zion has been his conditioning and injury concerns. Over time hopefully these issues can be resolved. Zion is too good and has too much potential to have his career held back by injuries.
The Pelicans have already found a young promising player who can play alongside Zion. That player is Brandon Ingram. Ingram was just awarded the most improved player award and he will most likely continue to improve. He’s only 23 years old and has already made an all-star team. He averaged 24 points per game on great efficiency and looks to be one of the league’s top scorers this decade. Ingram is also very versatile and can potentially be one of the most versatile players this decade. He can playmake and handle the ball, create from the perimeter, play off the ball and finish efficiently in the paint.
Zion and Ingram are hopefully going to lead the Pelicans for the remainder of the decade. They haven’t had a lot of time on the court together to grow chemistry, but they are both in the Pelicans long term plans so they will have plenty of time to form chemistry.
Lonzo Ball has had his rough spots in his career, but he’s still a promising part of the Pelicans. He has made improvements to his shooting every season which is going to be crucial to playing alongside Zion Williamson. You need to surround Zion with shooting and Lonzo was a very good catch and shoot player this season. He’s also an amazing playmaker who can facilitate the Pelicans offence. He’s also great in transition and can help maximize the Pelicans fast paced style of basketball. Lonzo is also a great perimeter defender. He’s only 22 years old and is a former 2nd overall pick who still hasn’t reached his full potential.
The Pelicans have other young pieces like Josh Hart, Jaxson Hayes, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. These players can develop into key rotational pieces for the Pelicans and help provide great depth for the future. The Pelicans also have the 13th overall pick in this upcoming draft. With this pick they could potentially select another great role player who can be a good fit next to their young core. New Orleans also have future Lakers first rounders. They can either draft their own players, or they can use these picks as trade assets.
New Orleans currently have David Griffin as their executive. Griffin is responsible for assembling the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team. It is very vital to have a winner already established within the organization. Griffin knows how to build a team and it’s reassuring that he has previously won a championship. Zion Williamson has drawn many comparisons to Lebron James early on in his career. Since David Griffin built a championship team around Lebron James, maybe he can do the same for Zion Williamson.
Head coaching is also very important in the league. As of right now the Pelicans do not have a head coach. They need to choose their next coach carefully as it could heavily impact the future of the team. They should prioritize hiring a coach that can utilize the Pelicans young players to the best of their abilities. When looking for a coach they should also hire someone that can help develop their young players.
Although the Pelicans have one of the most promising young cores, history can repeat itself for the franchise. The Pelicans have had 2 superstars in their franchise history. Anthony Davis and Chris Paul. Both of which they were forced to trade away. Both players were traded from New Orleans to go play in Los Angeles. Zion is a potential superstar, and it is pretty concerning that they lost two superstar players in an 8-year span. Hopefully, history doesn’t repeat itself and Zion doesn’t leave for a bigger market team, but it can happen.
The Pelicans have never been a great free agent destination. It may be very difficult to convince free agents to play for them. What may make luring free agents easier is having Zion Williamson on your team. We have already seen the gravity that Zion Williamson has on the league. He has taken the NBA media world by storm. Zion is already one of the most popular players in the league at only 20 years old. He also was named a cover athlete for NBA 2K21, despite only playing 24 games in the league. The more Zion plays, the more popularity he will gain. Maybe Zion will have the same effect and gravity for luring free agents.
It’s no surprise that the future of Giannis is in question after being eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second round. There was already speculation of Giannis leaving in free agency before they disappointed in the playoffs. Now this upcoming season is do or die for the Bucks. If they want to secure Giannis as a Buck for the foreseeable future, they need to make the Finals. Some people already speculate that it’s too late for the Bucks to keep Giannis and that he is most likely out of their reach.
When superstars leave their franchises after many years, it usually isn’t one game or bad move by management that persuades them to leaving. It’s usually a slow build up over time that causes the superstar player to leave his franchise. An example of this is Lebron James leaving Cleveland back in 2010. The Cavaliers were constantly disappointing in the playoffs due to Lebron not having enough talent around him to succeed. This led Lebron to join Miami and form a big 3 to contend for championships. People are comparing Lebron James legacy to Giannis and his legacy and drawing comparisons between the two’s careers. It is likely that Giannis follows in the footsteps of Lebron James and leaves in free agency for a better chance to compete for championships and play in a bigger market.
Since Giannis has arrived in Milwaukee, they have made many questionable moves which could ultimately cost them their franchise player. But which moves have led Giannis to potentially leave the Milwaukee Bucks? In this article we will explore the Buck’s decisions that could ultimately result in them losing Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2021 free agency.
Losing Malcolm Brogdon and Not Willing to Spend the Luxury Tax
One of the main reasons the Bucks lost in the second round to the Heat was their lack of a secondary ball handler. Another reason they got upset was their lack of creation from perimeter. Last season the Milwaukee Bucks had a player who did both of these things. They had Malcolm Brogdon. In his last season with the Bucks, Brogdon led the league in free throw percentage and was part of the elite 50-40-90 club. He was one of the best shooters in the league and added another scoring punch to the Bucks team. He was also a secondary playmaker and averaged 3.2 assists per game. Brogdon was also a good defender who fit in perfectly with the Bucks defensive identity.
In the 2019 offseason, the Bucks did a sign and trade which sent Brogdon to the Pacers. In his first season with the Pacers, Brogdon showed the Bucks that they made a colossal mistake. This season with the Pacers, Brogdon averaged 7.1 assists per game which ranked 11th among the entire league. He was also an efficient playmaker and had a top 20 assist to turnover ratio. Brogdon averaged a career high 16.5 points per game and shot 89% from the free throw line. His free throw percentage ranked 9th in the league.
Brogdon looked like a most improved player candidate before he got injured. In the first 11 games of the season he averaged 20.7 points and 8.5 assists per game. He also shot 47% from the field and 98% from the line in his first 11 games as a Pacer. Unfortunately he suffered a back injury which hindered his most improved player candidacy.
Giannis and Malcolm Brogdon had a close relationship when they were teammates. Giannis voiced how disappointed he was that he wouldn’t be teammates with Malcolm Brogdon. This move could’ve resulted in Giannis losing trust in the Bucks organization. How could Giannis trust that the Bucks will keep him happy if they trade a player who was key to their success and who Giannis had a close relationship with?
The reason the Bucks lost Malcolm Brogdon is because they were not willing to pay the luxury tax to maintain him. One of Milwaukee’s majority owners is Marc Lasry. He has a net worth of $1.8 billion dollars and he was too cheap to pay the luxury tax. Giannis and Marc recently had a 3 hour lunch to discuss the future of the franchise. Marc confirmed that the Bucks are willing to pay the luxury tax this upcoming season, in an attempt to maintain Giannis. However it might be too little too late. The Bucks already lost Malcolm Brogdon due to unwillingness to pay the luxury tax and should have already been willing to pay the tax prior to their 2nd round exit.
Poor Draft Decisions
The Bucks did make the best draft decision of the decade by drafting Giannis 15th overall in the 2013 draft, but this doesn’t excuse the many draft mistakes they have made in recent history.
In the 2014 draft, the Bucks selected Jabari Parker 2nd overall. In his lone season with Duke, he was one of the best players in college basketball. Jabari showed flashes of greatness in the NBA by averaging 20 points per game at the age of 21. Unfortunately injuries have heavily hindered Jabari’s career. He has played more than 65 games in a season just once in his 6 year career. His lower body injuries have plagued his ability to stay on the court. They have also affected his play on the court, resulting in him not being the same player he once was. Jabari’s career has been on the rapid decline since he left Milwaukee and he’s been labeled by most to be a draft bust.
To put more salt on the wound, the Bucks drafted Jabari Parker over Joel Embiid. Joel was selected one pick after Jabari. Embiid is one of the best rim protectors in the league, one of the best post scorers in the league and arguably the best center in basketball. The Bucks passing up on a multiple time all-star to select one of the most injury prone players in the league is just one of many draft mistakes they have made in recent history.
In the 2015 draft the Bucks made two crucial mistakes. The first was drafting Rashad Vaughn with the 17th overall pick. Vaughn only played 3 seasons in the NBA and didn’t have any impact when he was in the league. He has a career average of 3 points per game and was a pretty disappointing player for the Bucks. However, we can’t be too harsh on the Bucks as there weren’t many great players they passed up on to select Vaughn. They did pass up on quality players such as Delon Wright and Bobby Portis, but they didn’t pass up on any players that would make them greatly regret their selection.
The more noticeable draft mistake they made was in the 2nd round of the 2015 draft. The Bucks selected Norman Powell with the 46th pick, then immediately traded him to the Toronto Raptors. This season Powell had a breakout year with the Raptors. He averaged 16 points per game on 50% shooting from the field and 40% from 3 point range. He also showed this season that he is valuable on the defensive end. In this trade the Bucks also traded away their 2017 first round pick. This pick ended up becoming OG Anunoby. OG has proven this season to be good in the catch and shoot, while also being one of the best isolation defenders in the NBA. The Bucks traded away these two players for Greivis Vasquez. Greivis would go on to play 23 games as a member of the Bucks, before shortly being out of the league.
The next significant draft mistake they made was in the 2016 draft. Although they did draft Malcolm Brogdon in the second round, they fumbled their first round selection. With the 10th overall pick the Milwaukee Bucks selected Thon Maker. Thon was a very risky and intriguing pick. The Bucks viewed Thon as a mobile 7 foot tall floor spacer with potential as a shot blocker. Unfortunately he hasn’t panned out as expected. Many people thought Thon had lots of potential and could be a key part of the Bucks future. He even gained heavy praise from former NBA players such as Kevin Garnett. In Maker’s rookie year, Garnett claimed that Thon could be a future MVP. Thon hasn’t even come close to sniffing MVP level and hasn’t proven he’s worthy of this praise from a hall of fame player.
There was also some controversy surrounding Thon Maker and his age. A big red flag for drafting Thon was no one was quite sure of his age. He was listed as 19 years old on draft night, but most believed he was significantly older. It was speculated that Thon was between 21 and 23 years old on draft night. Thon was traded to the Pistons after playing with Milwaukee for 3 seasons. If they would have made a smarter pick, the Bucks future could look a lot different right now.
The Bucks passed up on Domantas Sabonis, who was selected one pick after Thon. Sabonis made his first all-star appearance this season for the Pacers at the age of 23. He still has lots of room to grow and could potentially make more all-star appearances in his career. Domantas averaged nearly 20 points per games this season and was one of the league’s leading rebounders. Sabonis is another all-star player that the Bucks passed up. Another decision that haunts them and their franchise.
The streak of Buck’s draft mistakes continues. In the 2017 draft the Bucks selected D.J Wilson with the 17th overall pick. D.J is 24 years old and still has time to improve, but it most likely won’t be with Milwaukee. He hasn’t been given a great opportunity to succeed with the Bucks. He only averaged 10 minutes last season and it is clear the Bucks have given up on him. What makes the selection sting even more is the player drafted 2 picks later. John Collins was selected two picks after D.J Wilson. John Collins is one of the biggest steals of the 2017 draft and has all-star potential. He averaged 21.6 points per game this season and shot 41% from 3. Collins would’ve been the perfect fit next to Giannis due to his mobility and floor spacing abilities.
Obviously it’s easy to point out teams mistakes using hindsight. In the moment most people wouldn’t have thought that these decisions would backfire as much as they have. The amount of draft mistakes they have made since 2013 is very concerning. One of the main keys to championship teams is great drafting no matter where you are selecting. The Bucks have had opportunities to select great players, but they made the wrong decision. These bad draft mistakes have piled up and could be a key deciding factor in Giannis potentially leaving in the 2021 offseason.
Coaching
It’s not always the players to blame in a disappointing playoff exit. Most of the time the coach is the most responsible for a playoff loss. Good coaching is very important in the NBA. The best teams in the NBA and the best teams of all time, have all been led by great coaches. When a team is upset in the playoffs, the coach is usually the first thing that looks to be changed. In the case of the Milwaukee Bucks, it is more than likely that head coach Mike Budenholzer returns for another season. Although his job for next season is safe, he is still a crucial part in their second round exit.
One of the main pieces of criticism that Budenholzer has faced is how he allocated his player’s minutes. Budenholzer only played Giannis 30 minutes per game during the second round of the playoffs. Playing the two time reigning MVP only 30 minutes a night is criminal. He was the best player in the series and one of the best players in the league and should have been on the court more. Budenholzer managed Antetokounmpo’s minutes like he was a 20 year veteran. Giannis is only 25 years old and is in the prime of his career. He was also very well rested. There’s no excuse to play Giannis only 30 minutes a night. None.
Mike Budenholzer also had some other questionable coaching decisions. His rotations were heavily questioned and are a main reason they got upset by the Heat. First off, he played Frank Mason III in a playoff game. He only played 2 minutes total in the series but he never should’ve been on the court in the first place.
Budenholzer also played Pat Connaughton too many minutes in the playoffs. He’s another player who shouldn’t have been playing that series. He averaged 13 minutes per game and played a total of 25 minutes in game one in the Heat series. You should never play Connaughton 25 minutes in a playoff game. Never. He was a -36 in the series and shot an atrocious 28.6% from the field.
The best thing to do in the playoffs is shorten your rotations. This allows your best players to be on the court more often, which results in more success. The Bucks didn’t tighten up their rotations and ultimately payed the price.
Another issue with the coaching in the playoffs was Mike’s unwillingness to adjust. A 7 game playoff series gives teams lots of time to adjust on how to defeat your team. The playoffs are all about adjusting. Mike Budenholzer simply got outcoached by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Budenholzer is a 2 time coach of the year winner and got outcoached in embarrassing fashion.
During the Bucks 2019 playoff run, the main issue was Budenholzer’s unwillingness to adjust and change his game plan. This ultimately resulted in them losing to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. History repeated itself and Mike Budenholzer failed to adjust in 2 consecutive playoff runs. In the regular season, the Bucks were the best team in the league. They found lots of success for excelling at one style of basketball. Once the playoffs arrived, their style of basketball was countered. They refused to adjust their style and this was ultimately their downfall. The Bucks allowed the most 3 pointers during the regular season. In the playoffs, they were matched up against an elite shooting team and failed to change their defensive style.
The Heat did an amazing job of limiting Giannis and slowing him down. This was one of the main factors that won the Heat the series. Mike Budenholzer failed to adjust how he was utilizing Giannis. He failed to involve Giannis in a cohesive offensive scheme. This made it easy for the Heat to slow Giannis down. Once you slow Giannis down, you slow the Bucks down.
Utilization of Giannis Antetokounmpo
It’s no secret that Giannis Antetokounmpo is a special player. He is among the league’s most elite players. He is an established superstar, as well as a generational talent. When you have a player that great on your team, you want to utilize his abilities the most you can. The Bucks surrounded Giannis with good defenders and shooters. This helped enhance Giannis and his abilities, but the job doesn’t end there. Giannis struggled in the half court offence during the second round. The Heat did an amazing job at limiting transition, as well as clogging the paint. These factors made it more difficult for Giannis to score.
During the regular season, Giannis put up great statistics as a pick and roll ball handler. He ranked in the 94th percentile as a pick and roll ball handler and had a score frequency of 52%. Despite these impressive numbers, he only averaged 1.9 possessions as the pick and roll ball handler. He ranked 153rd in possessions as the pick and roll ball handler, despite it being a very efficient option. In the playoffs he was even better as a pick and roll ball handler. He ranked in the 80th percentile and had a score frequency of 56.3%.
Despite this, he only averaged 1.8 possessions as the pick and roll ball handler. When Giannis was struggling in the half-court offence, they should have utilized him more as a pick and roll ball handler. He has great vision but he is primarily used as a drive and kick option. They could have went to him being the pick and roll ball handler. This would have opened up the floor for his teammates and be an efficient offensive option.
Another aspect of his game that has been very efficient and misused is his post game. When you compare his post stats to the best post players in the NBA, Giannis isn’t that far off. He shot 55.6% from the field on post ups, which ranked above Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite this efficiency, he only had a post up frequency of 11%. With his combination of height and strength, he should be utilized more as a post up player. He would also be an even more elite post up player if he shot better from the free throw line. Putting Giannis in the post more would also make the Bucks offence more complicated and it would add another level to their offensive scheme.
What’s Next for the Milwaukee Bucks?
Via @codyh_6 on Twitter
As of right now the Bucks are in jeopardy. Milwaukee is at a high risk of losing their franchise player in the 2021 free agency. They need to give Giannis a reason to stay in Milwaukee. The Bucks need to show Giannis that they can build a successful team around him. The way to do this is to win the 2021 NBA championship. Next season is championship or bust for Milwaukee. They need to find a way to improve their team from this most recent season. They clearly weren’t worthy enough of winning the 2020 championship. So how do the Bucks contend for the title next season?
It will be difficult for Milwaukee to make roster changes this offseason. The Bucks need to improve their roster if they want to be serious title contenders next season. Unfortunately they won’t have the flexibility to do so. They won’t be able to gain new talent through free agency, as they are projected to have $-15 million dollars in cap space. The Bucks also don’t have many assets on their team that they could provide in a potential trade. They lack future draft picks and don’t have many, if any, trade assets on the roster.
The Bucks will most likely need to improve eternally, as it will be difficult for them to make trades and free agent signings to strengthen their roster. Milwaukee will need to play different styles of basketball and find different ways to utilize Giannis in the offence. Giannis also needs to take another step in his game. Despite being the reigning MVP, he still has many flaws in his game. First and foremost he NEEDS to become a better threat from the perimeter. In today’s NBA it is almost impossible to win a championship if your best player can’t consistently hit a jumpshot. Giannis also needs to be played in the post more.
Overall, it’s going to be very difficult to convince Giannis to resign. The Bucks have dug themselves a hole that might be impossible to climb out of. They have made many mistakes over the past couple of years which could haunt them in the long run. If the Bucks can’t prove to Giannis they can contend for the championship, it might make his decision to leave easier. His career in Milwaukee is starting to look very similar to Lebron James first stint in Cleveland. Don’t be surprised if Giannis leaves the Bucks to join a bigger market team with better supporting pieces.
Chris Paul had a great redemption season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to the season starting, Chris Paul’s value was at an all-time low. He was viewed to have one of the worst contracts in the league, earning $124 million dollars over the course of 3 years. This is a very expensive contract for a player who is 35 years old and expected to reach a massive decline in production soon.
Chris Paul was in trade rumors almost immediately after he was traded to the OKC Thunder. It was expected that in order to trade Chris Paul you would need to attach draft picks to incentivize teams to absorb his large salary. Now after Chris Paul’s magical season where he led the Thunder to the playoffs, his value is now at an all-time high. There are lots of teams around the league that have expressed interest in acquiring Chris Paul. They also would be willing to trade draft picks to do so.
It is inevitable that the Thunder trade Chris Paul this offseason. They have parted ways with head coach Billy Donovan, which could signal the start of a rebuild in Oklahoma City. Chris Paul also released a video shortly after being eliminated to the Houston Rockets. Some have speculated this is his farewell video to Oklahoma. The Thunder have young players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lugentz Dort to start their rebuild with. They also now have a trade asset in Chris Paul who is a sought out player among the league.
It is very likely that Chris Paul is traded this offseason. The real question is which team will acquire Chris Paul? Another question is what will the return be like for the Thunder? In this article we will be looking at potential trade destinations for Chris Paul. We will also view Chris Paul’s potential fit on teams among the league, as well as potential return pieces for the Thunder.
New York Knicks
Photo via: ClutchPoints
With every player that enters trade rumors, the Knicks are somehow almost always linked. They’re a big market team who are always on the search to acquire big name players. Chris Paul is a player that the Knicks have already expressed interest in.
The Knicks recently hired Tom Thibodeau to be their head coach for the foreseeable future. Thibodeau is a coach who likes defensive minded players. He also is a coach who gets the most out of his veteran players. Chris Paul is one of the best defensive point guards in the league. If acquired by the Knicks, he would bring a defensive intensity that Thibodeau would be satisfied with.
Chris Paul also brings leadership to a young Knicks team. As of right now, New York lacks a leader for on and off the court. They have a very youthful roster that lacks leadership. The only leader the Knicks had was Marcus Morris, but he was dealt to the Clippers at the trade deadline. RJ Barrett could become the leader of the Knicks in the future, but as of right now it’s too soon. He’s only 20 years old and is already dealing with a massive amount of pressure. It’s difficult to be so young and playing in one of the NBA’s biggest markets.
Chris Paul shown this season that he can be a great leader on a young team without playoff expectations. He is one of the best leaders in the NBA and would quickly gain respect from his teammates.
RJ Barrett struggled in his rookie season. He had a lot of expectations going into the season that he could not reach. He was dealt with a lot of pressure to be the savior of the franchise. This just wasn’t the case. The Knicks threw him into a position that is almost impossible to navigate through as a rookie. Barrett has lots of potential, but the Knicks need to do a better job of developing him.
Chris Paul would help achieve this. We saw how much Chris Paul helped the development of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season. He was an amazing mentor for Shai and helped him reach a new level. He could have the same effect on Barrett if the Knicks acquire CP3. Paul could help develop RJ’s playmaking and passing I.Q, as well as his shot creation ability.
The Knicks are attempting to acquire Chris Paul in hopes that he can have the same effect on their franchise as he did to the Thunder organization this season. Chris Paul helped raise the ceiling of the Thunder and helped by making everyone around him better. The Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since 2013 and are desperately trying to return to the postseason. They are hoping that Chris Paul can help elevate this teams ceiling and lead them into the playoffs.
If the Knicks were to trade for Chris Paul, they would need to part ways with some of their young players. They would also need to give up draft picks as well. There is a report that the Knicks top priority this offseason is to trade Julius Randle. He would also be part in a potential Chris Paul trade to help balance the salaries.
Kevin Knox is another player who would most likely be involved in this trade. The Thunder are trying to acquire more young players for their rebuild. Kevin Knox’s value is at an all-time low right now. He was highly praised coming out of the 2018 draft. Knox was viewed as a player who could potentially be the steal of the draft. He showed flashes of greatness at college level and in Summer League but so far hasn’t shown promise at the NBA level. After 2 seasons, the Knicks seem to be ready to give up on Knox. The Thunder should look to acquire Kevin Knox. This is due to him only being 20 years old. He also needs a new change of scenery which could help him develop into a serviceable player with the Thunder.
Milwaukee Bucks
Photo via: ClutchPoints
The Bucks future is being heavily questioned after their 2nd round exit to the Miami Heat. The Bucks had the best record in the regular season. They ranked 1st in points per game and 1st in defensive rating. They lost to the Heat in embarrassing fashion by losing in 5 games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a free agent in the 2021 offseason and the rumors of him leaving are heightened. The Bucks need to win the championship next season or else they will lose Giannis in free agency. Simple as that. The Bucks need to put it all on the table. They need to do whatever it takes to win the 2021 NBA championship. If they don’t, it could cost them Giannis Antetokounmpo.
So how do they go all in to win the championship next season? Acquire Chris Paul.
One of the biggest issues the Bucks faced against the Heat was shot creation from the perimeter. The Bucks didn’t have anyone who could create their own shot from the perimeter. Their half-court offence struggled. This is due to not having a reliable option of someone who could create their own perimeter shot in the half-court offence. Chris Paul would solve this problem. Chris Paul is one of the best mid-range shooters in the NBA. He can generate his own shot with ease.
He is also a great passer and playmaker that can create for others on the perimeter. The Bucks have good shooting and Paul could help at finding open shooters. Chris would also help be the lead playmaker and facilitator on the team that would help run the offence smoothly. Sometimes the Bucks offence can get stagnated with very little ball movement. He would help the offence run smoothly and raise their half-court scoring.
The Heat were able to slow down Giannis in the series so easily because he was the only player they needed to focus on. If the Bucks add an elite playmaker like Chris Paul, then the defense won’t be as focused on Giannis.
Middleton is a great player, but this series showed he’s not enough to help the Bucks. He isn’t good enough to be the second option on a championship team. Middleton would be an amazing 3rd option for the Bucks. If the Bucks acquire Chris Paul it could benefit Middleton. It could decrease his role to one he can thrive in more.
The Bucks also need another closer. Milwaukee struggled in the clutch in the postseason. They had a 1-4 record in clutch games. You could argue they might have been able to beat Miami if they would have been better in the clutch. Chris Paul was one of the best closers this season and one of the most clutch players in the NBA. He knows how to control the game in close situations at the end of the game. He led the Thunder to be the best 4th quarter team this season. If the Bucks need a perimeter shot in a clutch situation, Chris Paul would be a reliable option for them.
What would the Bucks have to give up to acquire Chris Paul? Eric Bledsoe is almost guaranteed to be involved in the deal, as he would help balance salaries. Bledsoe is also currently the starting point guard for the Bucks. If they acquired Chris Paul he would step into that role immediately. Eric Bledsoe is a disappointing playoff player who will likely get dealt in the offseason. The Bucks need a better starting point guard than Bledsoe, especially come playoff time.
Donte DiVincenzo could also draw interest from the Thunder. Donte is young and is a great defender. He would fit in great on a team filled with good young defenders such as Shai and Lu Dort. DiVincenzo is the Bucks most valuable young asset and could potentially help build an identity in Oklahoma.
The Bucks would also have to trade some of their depth to balance the cap. They would most likely have to part ways with Ersan Ilyasova, George Hill and DJ Wilson to make the trade work.
Milwaukee would lose lots of depth in this trade. Despite this, they would be gaining an elite point guard who can raise this teams ceiling to a championship team. If the Chris Paul in Milwaukee experiment works out, it could convince Giannis to stay in Milwaukee, which is their biggest priority as of right now.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have one of the best young cores in the NBA. Nikola Jokic is debatably the best center in the league at the age of 25. Jamal Murray is 23 years old and is just starting to show his true potential. Michael Porter Jr is 22 years old and has showed flashes of greatness. They also have Bol Bol, a 7″2 mobile floor spacing player who is only 20 years old.
This team has a very bright future, but they are still a piece away from being true contenders. If the Nuggets want to get over the hump and start contending next season, they could explore trading for Chris Paul.
Denver’s system is built on ball movement and getting everyone involved. They ranked 4th in assists during the regular season. Chris Paul would perfectly fit in with this system. Chris Paul is an elite playmaker and one of the best passers in the league. He also knows how to share the ball and find shooters.
The Nuggets do already have a point guard in Jamal Murray but he can easily slide to the shooting guard position. He is listed at 6″5 and has the height to play the shooting guard position. Murray even played his rookie season at the shooting guard position. His play style is more fit to a shooting guard. He’s a score first guard who can play off ball.
The back court of Chris Paul and Jamal Murray could be an interesting experiment that has the potential to succeed. Chris Paul’s elite playmaking and great defensive play makes up for Murray’s playmaking and defensive weaknesses.
Chris Paul would also bring much needed experience to the Nuggets team. Paul Millsap will most likely leave the Nuggets in free agency, which will leave them without a veteran presence. CP3 would also bring in some much needed playoff experience. Chris Paul would bring great leadership and playoff experience to help a young team raise their ceiling.
Not to mention the duo of Nikola Jokic and Chris Paul. You pair one of the best passing big men of all time with one of the best passers of all time. Imagine the pick and roll of Chris Paul and Nikola Jokic. That could be one of the best pick and roll duos in the league. If the idea of a Chris Paul and Nikola Jokic pick and roll doesn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will.
Chris Paul could also help develop the young players on the roster. Maybe if you add Chris Paul to the Nuggets, he’ll hound Michael Porter Jr to actually play defense…
Anyways enough Michael Porter Jr slander. Let’s ask the question of what could a potential trade package look like for Chris Paul to the Nuggets? Gary Harris would most likely be involved in the deal. He makes $17.8 million dollars and would help the Nuggets absorb Paul’s large salary. He could also be a valuable asset to the Thunder. He’s a great defender who would fit great with Oklahoma. Harris has also showed scoring potential. He averaged 17.5 points per game during the 2017-2018 season. Harris could potentially put up similar numbers if given a bigger role for OKC.
The Nuggets would also have to trade Will Barton to make the salaries work. Barton could be a valuable piece for the Thunder. He was one of the most underrated players in the league this season and could bring a lot to the Thunder. He would be a good leader for the team and provide veteran leadership to a young team. His good shooting, defense and playmaking would be very valuable to the Thunder.
I could imagine the Thunder would target Bol Bol in a potential trade. He is a very intriguing and unique prospect with high potential. I highly doubt the Nuggets would trade away Bol, but if I’m the Thunder, I would pursue Bol in a trade.
The Nuggets would also most likely need to add draft picks for the Thunder to accept the trade. Denver would be fine giving up future draft picks since they have already established their young core and look to be a competitive team for the foreseeable future.
Phoenix Suns
During the bubble, the Suns were the most surprising team. They were invited to the bubble with hopes that they would capture the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Despite playing amazing and going 8-0, they still missed the playoffs.
Phoenix going 8-0 showed how close this team is to contending for the playoffs. The Suns haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 and after a long rebuild, they believe they are ready to return to the postseason.
Chris Paul would be the perfect player for the Suns to get. We saw that he can come in and immediately elevate a team’s production. He can most likely accomplish this with the Suns. He would bring veteranship and leadership to a younger team hungry for playoff success.
The Suns had a great and smooth offense with Ricky Rubio starting at point guard this season. However, Chris Paul would be an upgrade at that position. He’s better in the clutch, a better defender, better passer, better leader and better shooter. Upgrading at the point guard position would heavily benefit Phoenix and their success moving forward.
Another positive to acquiring Chris Paul would be how it effects Devin Booker. Booker is the face of the franchise and the team’s best player. He has played 5 seasons with the Suns and has yet to make the playoffs. He’s already expressed how desperately he wants to make the playoffs and the Suns should do everything in their power to satisfy Booker. Acquiring CP3 might be the piece that puts the Suns in the playoffs and keeps Booker content.
Acquiring Chris Paul would also help relieve pressure off of Booker. Booker is the leading scorer of the team and he takes a majority of the team’s shots. If the Suns get Chris Paul, that will be another scorer next to Booker. This could take some pressure off of him. It would also help add another aspect to Devin Booker’s game. Devin Booker is a great off ball player who excels in the catch and shoot. It doesn’t get showcased often because the ball is in his hands the majority of the time. If the Suns get Chris Paul, they can utilize Booker’s off ball abilities more.
Another player who benefits from this Chris Paul trade is Deandre Ayton. Ayton was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. He has shown lots of promise, but still has lots of improving to do. This season, Rubio helped Deandre Ayton develop offensively. With Chris Paul on the Suns, he could help Ayton’s development even more.
Chris Paul is a great pick and roll player and would form a nice pick and roll duo with Ayton. Chris Paul would help Ayton take a scoring jump and be more aggressive. Ayton has struggled with aggression early on in his NBA career. With Chris Paul as your point guard, he will help you be more aggressive and pass to you in the right places. Chris Paul could also help boost Ayton’s confidence up. A result of this could be Ayton becoming a 20 point per game scorer.
In return for Chris Paul, the Thunder would most likely acquire Ricky Rubio. If the Suns trade for Chris Paul, Rubio’s services wouldn’t be as needed. He also will be making $16 million dollars next season and would be included in the trade to balance the salaries.
The main center piece of the trade would be Kelly Oubre. He’s coming off the best season of his career where he averaged 18.7 points per game. Oubre is also only 24 years of age. The reason the Suns would trade Oubre is they may not be sure of Kelly’s fit and future with the team. Oubre missed the NBA restart due to a knee injury. The Suns went 8-0 in the bubble and it showed that they can succeed without Oubre. It also showed that maybe he’s not the best fit on the team. Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges proved in the bubble that they can play in the starting lineup and be great fits.
Another reason the Suns are not sure if he is in their future plans is because of his contract situation. Next season is the last year on his contract and then he will be expecting a large contract. The Suns will most likely trade him this offseason while his value is still relatively high, and the Thunder may be very interested.
The Suns also hold the 10th pick in the 2020 draft which may be a good trade asset. If the Suns wish to complete the trade before the draft, the 10th overall pick would be a very enticing asset for the Thunder.
Conclusion
It’s no secret that the Thunder are looking to trade Chris Paul and go through a rebuild. Thanks to an incredible season, Chris Paul has raised his value and will be one of the biggest named players on the trade market this offseason. He will draw interest from many teams. Chris Paul will also gain interest from teams in different directions.
Young teams who are rebuilding and believe they are ready to be competitive will attempt to trade for Chris Paul. This could make them hopeful that he can elevate their team to new heights. Going into the 2019-2020 season the Thunder were viewed as a rebuilding team with a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs. Chris Paul led them to the playoffs and rebuilding teams are optimistic if they trade for him that he can have the same effect on their franchise.
Contending teams will also be interested in Chris Paul as the last piece needed to become true championship contenders. Chris Paul’s career is nearing an end and he still has yet to win a championship or even have a finals appearance. If he gets traded to a contender, he can contribute to a championship team and get the ring he deserves.
Last season the Sacramento Kings were one of the biggest surprises of the 2018-2019 NBA season. Prior to the 2018-2019 season, they were projected by ESPN to win 27 games and finish last in the Western Conference. Bleacher Report projected for them to win 25 games that season. The Kings exceeded these expectations and finished with 39 wins and ranked as the 9th seed in the Western Conference. This success was thanks to their fast playstyle, as they ranked 3rd in the NBA in pace last season. De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield had breakout seasons which heavily contributed for the team’s success that season. They also had their 2nd overall pick Marvin Bagley on the roster. Their future was looking very bright with their young core already being close to the playoffs.
Now a year later, they have one of the most uncertain futures in the NBA. Vlade Divac recently stepped down as the Sacramento Kings general manager. Vlade Divac made some questionable moves as the general manager of the Kings, including drafting Marvin Bagley over Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA draft. Bagley has played 75 games over the course of 2 seasons and has struggled with injuries. Meanwhile, Doncic is one of the NBA’s best players and leading his Dallas Mavericks into the playoffs. Hopefully with Divac stepping down, they can get a more competent general manager for the Kings front office. The Kings currently hold a 14 year playoff drought, which ranks as the second longest playoff drought in NBA history. In this article we will be assessing the future of the Kings and what moves they need to make to end their historic playoff drought.
Coaching/Playstyle
Last season, the Kings won 39 games and were the 9th seeded team in the Western Conference. This was the best season the franchise has had since the 2005-2006 season. Lots of their success could be attributed to their run and gun playstyle, which was orchestrated by former Kings head coach David Joerger. Vlade decided to fire head coach Joerger, despite them being one of the most promising up and coming teams in the NBA. Divac fired the Kings head coach after they just had a very successful season that surprised a lot of people. This firing had many people puzzled as to why Joerger got fired. They replaced David Joerger by hiring former Lakers head coach Luke Walton.
Luke Walton has been a big factor in the Kings fall off this season. The Kings found success during the 2018-2019 season due to their incredible pace and great offence. This season however, Luke Walton has made the Kings play a slower style of basketball which has led to less success.
They went from the 3rd highest paced team in the league under Joerger, to the 19th highest paced team under Luke Walton. During the 2018-2019 season the Kings led the league in fast break points with an average of 20.9 fast break points per game. During this most recent season the team ranked 19th in the league in fast break points with an average of 12.7 fast break points per game. The Kings thrived in the fast break and have struggled in the half-court offence this season. Walton took away the team’s biggest strength and stripped their identity as a young fast team. If they want to find more success, they need to speed up the offence and pick up the pace. Especially when you have De’Aaron Fox who is one of the fastest players in the NBA.
Future of Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield’s future in Sacramento is very questionable. Last season he signed a 4 year contract extension worth $106 million dollars. At the time, it was a very good value contract. Hield is an elite shooter who came off the best season of his career and was just entering his prime. However, he struggled to start out the 2019-2020 season. In the first month of the season, he averaged 16 points per game while shooting 35% from the field and under 40% from the 3 point line. He also started off the year with a horrendous plus minus of -21.6.
Luke Walton moved Buddy to the bench later on in the season. Hield has vocally expressed his frustration with moving to the bench, creating bad blood between Hield and head coach Luke Walton. There were numerous times this season when Buddy was sitting on the bench in the clutch when his team could’ve used his play on the court. There is tension between Hield and the Kings organization and it’s very likely that he gets dealt in the offseason.
Hield is an elite shooter who offensively fits great next to De’Aaron Fox. Despite this Hield, might need a change of scenery. He wants an increased role and he can get dealt to a team that will give him more opportunity to succeed. It is more than likely that Hield will be traded in the offseason. The real question is what team he gets traded to and what the Kings ask in return for Buddy. Only time will tell Buddy’s future in Sacramento, which will play a huge effect on the organization going forward.
De’Aaron Fox
Fox had a breakout year last season and finished 3rd in the most improved player voting. The former 5th overall pick improved greatly in every main statistical category and proved he has the potential to be an all-NBA player in the future.
This season, De’Aaron took another jump in his game. He improved his ability to drive to the basket. He went from 12.2 drives per game to 18.3 drives per game. Fox became more aggressive which helped improve his free throw attempts. He went from 5.1 free throw attempts per game to 6.7 free throw attempts per game. This helped open up the floor for his teammates. He needs to improve on his drive and kick game by finding open shooters when attacking the basket. Fox was great in the clutch this season and proved he can be a reliable go to option in late game situations. De’Aaron has emerged as the leader of the team and has become a great young floor general.
The biggest flaw in Fox’s game this season was his shooting. Last season, he developed a respectable jump shot and became a solid threat from beyond the arc. This season, Fox took a step back in regards to his jump shooting. He only shot 29% from 3 this season with almost four 3 point attempts per game. Fox needs to improve his range if he wants to elevate his game to the next level. He was a reliable midrange shooter this season shooting 44% from midrange, but he needs to increase his volume as he shot under 2 midrange shots per game. If De’Aaron is not going to be shooting 3 pointers at a high percentage, then he should start to go to the midrange shot more often.
De’Aaron Fox is the future of the Sacramento Kings. He is currently their best player on the roster and also has the most potential on the team. Fox is eligible for a contract extension this summer and the Kings should do everything in their power to extend him for long term. They need to prioritize keeping Fox happy if they want him to stay in Sacramento.
The way to make him happy is to build around Fox. De’Aaron is a player you can build around. The Kings need to prioritize surrounding De’Aaron Fox with more talent, to raise the ceiling of this team. Surrounding Fox with more shooters will make him an even bigger threat in the drive and kick, as well as improve his playmaking production. Fox would also greatly benefit from a pick and roll partner who can clean the glass. If they commit to Fox long-term and acquire talent that fits next to De’Aaron, then this team can find success in the near future.
Marvin Bagley III
Marvin Bagley is the biggest question mark on the Sacramento Kings roster. Bagley was the number one ranked prospect coming out of high school and was a top player in college during his time with Duke. He was selected 2nd overall in the 2018 NBA draft and was compared to multiple time all stars Chris Bosh and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Fast forward 2 years later and he hasn’t shown flashes of potential. He has had major injury concerns early in his career and has struggled to stay on the court. It is difficult to evaluate Bagley and how good he can become when we’ve barely seen him play. The injuries could be a red flag for the 20 year old and could potentially derail his NBA career. He has suffered multiple foot and knee injuries early in his NBA career, which is concerning for a player who heavily relies on their athleticism. Marvin Bagley still has good potential, but due to the injuries and lack of a jump shot, he is less likely of reaching his full potential. This could lead people to label him as a bust if he doesn’t show massive improvements soon.
What stings even more is the fact that the Kings drafted Bagley over 21 year old prodigy Luka Doncic. Bagley has a lot of work to do if he wants to avoid being known only as “the guy who was selected above Luka.”
Marvin has the tools to be an all-star caliber player. He is 6″11 with good length and tremendous athleticism. Bagley would excel in a fast paced offence next to De’Aaron Fox, due to Marvin’s ability to run the floor. He would also be a lethal pick and roll partner for Fox and would be a great lob threat.
Earlier in the season, Luke Walton compared Marvin Bagley to NBA superstar and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bagley also has stated that he’s been studying Giannis and his game and taking notes on how he can improve his own game. Although Marvin is more than likely never even going to come close to the player that Giannis is, it still shows you that Bagley has the tools to be a great player.
Bagley will be a key factor in determining the success of the Kings moving forward. If he can improve his game and stay healthy, then he can potentially form a great young duo with De’Aaron Fox. I don’t think he’ll ever be the best player on a team, but I think he can develop into the second best player on a playoff team for the Kings. His ceiling is a Shawn Kemp caliber player. An athletic rebounder who can dunk, block shots and average 15-20 points per game. If he can achieve this then that will play a huge factor in the Kings returning to the playoffs. Worst case scenario is that Bagley struggles with injuries throughout his whole career and never gets close to his potential. This would make the Kings rebuild much more difficult and Bagley could potentially go down as a monumental draft bust.
Bogdan Bogdanovic Contract
The biggest question for the Kings and the 2020 free agency is the future of Bogdan Bogdanovic. Sacramento is faced with the option of keeping Buddy Hield and letting Bogdanovic walk, or re-signing Bogdan and parting ways with Hield. Due to Hield’s frustration with the team and his role, it is very likely the Kings opt to resign Bogdan.
Bogdan was good when he was in the starting role. He averaged 16 points per game with 46% shooting from the field and a good offensive rating. Bogdanovic’s versatility may help the Kings decision to resign him. He can play the point guard, shooting guard or small forward position. He also provides a solid scoring punch and serviceable playmaking and defence. Bogdanovic is an upcoming RFA but the Kings did give him a contract extension offer earlier in the season. They offered him a 4 year $51.4 million dollar contract which he declined. He is most likely looking for a 4 year contract worth at least $60 million dollars. If he does resign, it will most likely be a 4 year deal worth $60-80 million dollars.
Young Players on the Team
Outside of Fox and Bagley, there isn’t a lot of promising youth on the team. Their only young player rather than Fox and Bagley that can be rotational players are Harry Giles. Giles was the top recruited player in his class coming out of high school. He was also projected to go first overall in early 2017 NBA mock drafts. A severe injury made his stock tank in the 2017 draft. He fell to the 20th overall pick and was selected by the Portland Trailblazers but was immediately traded to the Sacramento Kings.
He sat out the whole 2017-2018 season, which was supposed to be his rookie season. During the 2018-2019 season he averaged 7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field. He only averaged 14 minutes per game in his rookie year and he averaged 13 points per game in games where he played over 20 minutes. Giles struggled with injuries in his rookie year and only played 58 games that season.
His second season was very similar to his rookie year. Giles averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds and shot 55% from the field. He also improved his free throw shooting in his second season. Giles went from 64% from the free throw line in his rookie year to 77% from the free throw line in his second season. He didn’t start any games in his rookie season but he started 17 games in the 2019-2020 season. As a starter, he averaged 10 points and 6.5 rebounds per game with 60% shooting from the field.
Giles has great potential and can be a key piece for the Kings but he hasn’t been given a big role yet. The Kings have a log jam in the front court, causing Giles to get lost in the rotation. The Kings are going to have Bagley, Holmes, Bjelica, Barnes and Jabari Parker ahead of Giles next season. They should try and make more room for Giles and get him at least 20 minutes per game next season.
Sacramento also has a lottery pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA draft. It is very unlikely the team jumps up in the draft lottery as they have a 1.3% chance at getting the first overall pick. They desperately need to hit on their first round pick to help their rebuild. They will most likely target a young wing in the draft, which this class has an abundance of. The Kings need to draft a good young player to fit in with their young core, especially since they didn’t own their own first round pick in the 2019 draft. Their original first round selection ended up becoming Romeo Langford. If the Kings want to improve their depth and young core, they need to draft wisely in the upcoming draft.
Conclusion
Vlade Divac stepping down as the Kings general manager is very promising for the franchise. They can bring in capable management to make the right moves for the organization to bring them to success. The Kings need to keep and develop their young talent, as they are not a desirable free agent destination. Sacramento is a small market, which will make it nearly impossible to lure a big name free agent. They need to work on developing their young players and keeping them content. Fox can lead his team to the playoffs with the right players around him. Bagley is a hit or miss player who you can’t give up on yet and Buddy Hield is a great trade asset.
It’s going to be very difficult to make this team a playoff team, especially in the stacked Western Conference. If they increase their pace and get good management, then that’s the first step for this team to potentially end their 14 year playoff drought.
The NBA media coverage is dominated by the top superstars of the league. The NBA is driven by elite top level talent. Players like Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry bring in countless amounts of revenue and fans for the league. However, lots of very talented basketball players go under the radar. These players play in the shadow of the top NBA players. Role players are very underappreciated, but they hold significant value in determining a team’s success. Lots of players who aren’t the first option on their team, are actually very talented and better than most people give them credit for.
Today we will be looking at the most underrated players in the league. Being called underrated can mean something different for every NBA fan. This list will be made with players that are very good but go unnoticed by the average NBA fan. For example, these players can be great role players on winning teams that are in the shadows of the star players on their team and don’t get enough credit for contributing to winning. They can also be great players on bad teams or a team that doesn’t get enough media attention. These players will be ranked in no particular order as we believe they are all equally underrated.
Christian Wood
Christian Wood is a player who recently broke out this season. Most people didn’t even know who Christian Wood was before the season. He’s been bounced around the league since 2015 but started to establish himself as a great player with the Pistons this season.
This season Wood has played 62 games with the Pistons. In these 62 games, he’s averaging 13.1 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. He also shot 56.7% from the field and 38.6% on 3’s this season. Wood already showed promise in the league last year with the Pelicans. He played 8 games with the Pelicans last season and averaged almost 17 points per game.
This season, Wood has showed a greater sample size of his greatness. After the Andre Drummond trade, Wood became a full time starter for the Pistons. In his 13 games he played after Drummond was traded, Wood averaged 20.3 points per game. The team went 1-12 without Drummond but Wood is not to blame for the lack of success towards the end of the season. The Pistons did not have a winning roster around Christian Wood.
Wood is a very skilled player with a very valuable and versatile skillset. He is the perfect modern day power forward. He can stretch the floor and shot 40% in catch and shoot 3’s this season. Most big men struggle with shooting mechanics and usually have awkward and uncomfortable shooting forms. Wood doesn’t have this same struggle and he has a smooth and fluent jump shot. He can also create for himself due to his great athleticism and explosive first step.
The most impressive part of Christian’s game may be his finishing ability. He has a soft touch around the rim and is a very talented finisher. He also has incredible dunking abilities and is a deadly lob threat. Wood is also starting to master one of the most common plays in basketball. The pick and roll.
He has been one of the best players in the pick and roll this season. Wood is one of the most efficient players in the pick and roll. He averages 1.5 points per possession as the roll man and ranks in the 96th percentile as a pick and roll man. Next season Wood needs to be used more in the pick and roll as he only had 2.2 pick and roll possessions per game. To put this stat into perspective, there were 40 players this season who averaged more pick and roll possessions per game than Wood.
Christian Wood is still very unproven. He has proved that he can put up impressive scoring numbers in a short period of time. Wood has yet to prove if he can consistently put up high scoring numbers over a long period of time. He also hasn’t had much team success in the NBA, which creates the question of does Christian Wood put up these impressive stats because he is on teams that lack scoring and talent?
It also makes you question, would Christian Wood be playing this good on a winning team? I believe Wood can have a great contribution to a winning team. He just hasn’t had any structure on an NBA team and hasn’t been incorporated into a team’s scheme. Wood is an upcoming free agent, so this can be his chance to unlock his full potential on a successful team. A lot of teams can use a player with Christian Wood’s skillset.
Wendell Carter Jr
The Chicago Bulls have a promising young core that gets a lot of attention. Players like Zach LaVine and Coby White have their scoring abilities highlighted in social media and the general NBA media. What doesn’t get a lot of attention is Wendell Carter and his overall impact for the Chicago Bulls.
Wendell is the main locker room leader on the team and has displayed maturity and a high I.Q early in his NBA career. He plays like an NBA veteran. Wendell is also very impactful on the court and is the glue that holds the team together. Carter missed significant time this season due to an ankle injury. He only played in 43/65 games for the Bulls. Wendell had the second highest net rating for the Bulls this season.
The Bulls were better with Wendell on the court, especially defensively. Wendell is one of the team’s best defenders and without a doubt their best interior defender. Carter is an undersized center who stands at 6″9 but makes up for his lack of height with his wingspan. His long wingspan helps him contest shots and helps him provide great rim protection. He doesn’t average a lot of blocks but has excellent defensive positioning.
His defensive style is comparable to Al Horford. Both are very high I.Q defenders who are always in the right place at the right time. Both are also undersized centers who have a great defensive impact. They both also get more steals than most centers do. Wendell has the potential to be a defensive anchor on a good defensive team.
Carter is also a great rebounder. He averaged 9.9 rebounds per game this season and led his team in rebounds. He also ranks top 5 in box outs per game with 5.7 box outs per game. Carter is a great offensive rebounder and ranks 8th in offensive rebounds with an average of 3.2 offensive rebounds per game.
Wendell Carter also does stuff that goes unnoticed and doesn’t appear in the box score. He ranks top 15 in screen assists and sets great screens that are effective and free his teammates up. Another part of his game that goes unnoticed is his playmaking. Some may argue this is the most underrated aspect of Carter’s game. On the surface, it may not seem like he is a great playmaker because he only averages 1.2 assists per game. However, once you look beyond the surface, you realize how good of a playmaker Wendell is. If you watch him play you see how good of a passer he is. He’s unselfish and can find the open man, it’s just that the Bulls struggle to hit jump shots.
Wendell is also a very good post playmaker and has great court vision. There is still some untapped potential in this category as the Bulls don’t have Wendell playmake from the high post too often. If the Bulls can utilize his playmaking more, especially from the high post, then the Bulls offence may be more fluid. The sudden drop in assist from last year can be due to his teammates not scoring off his passes. If the Bulls surround more shooters around Wendell, then we can see his assists numbers spike.
Wendell still needs to improve his post game, as he is not an athletic rim runner like most big men his size. He needs to improve on his touch around the rim. He also needs to keep working on expanding his range. He’s a decent shooter from the free throw line but had his free throw percentage drop this year. This previous season he shot 80% from the line on 2.5 attempts per game and this season he only shot 74% on 3.5 attempts per game.
He is a decent midrange shooter and shoots 40% from the midrange area on 2 attempts per game. Wendell still needs to grow in this area but he can still work on expanding his range. He especially needs to work on his 3 point shooting to space the floor for his teammates. He shoots only 21% from 3 on 0.7 attempts per game. This is still an improvement from last year and he’s proven he can improve his shooting.
Wendell Carter is a great young player with lots of potential. He gets overshadowed by other young big men taken in his same draft class as him, such as Deandre Ayton, Jaren Jackson Jr and Mitchell Robinson. Wendell doesn’t do anything that will show up on highlight reels, but he has a great impact on the court and is good at making the right play. He will serve to be even more valuable once he’s surrounded by more talent and playing on a winning team.
Derrick Favors
On the surface, Derrick Favors basic stats aren’t eye popping. He averaged 9.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and averaged 1 block per game this season. It’s easy to forget about Favors when he plays on the same team as Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball. Once you look more into the advanced stats you start to realize how good Favors is. Favors provides more impact to the team than the on the surface stats would suggest.
Favors is a beast on the defensive end. He brings great rim protection for the Pelicans. Favors may only average 1 block a game, but that leads his team in that category. He ranks top 30 in blocks per game this season. He averaged more blocks this season than guys like Al Horford, Serge Ibaka and Deandre Jordan. Favors averaged more blocks this season than these established great rim protectors. He was also tied with Giannis Antetokounmpo this season in blocks with both players averaging 1 block a game. Favors ranks top 15 in contested 2 point shots per game. He averages 8.8 contested 2 pointers per game. This ranks him ahead of players like Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis. He also has a block percentage of 37.3%. This ranks him ahead of Giannis, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and many other great rim protectors.
Derrick is not only an effective defender, but he’s also a great rebounder, especially on the offensive end. He averages an impressive 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. Derrick Favors leads his team with offensive rebounds per game and ranks 6th in the entire NBA in offensive rebounds per game. He is in elite company and almost averages the same amount of offensive rebounds as Rudy Gobert and Steven Adams, players that are notorious offensive rebounders. Favors even has an offensive rebounding percentage of 12.4%. This is the best on his team and ranks him top 10 in the league in offensive rebounding percentage. He ranked above Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside in offensive rebounding percentage this season.
Favors also ranks highly in defensive rebounding. He averages 6.6 defensive rebounds per game, which ranks him top 20 in defensive rebounds per game. Favors also ranks top 15 in defensive rebounding percentage with a defensive rebounding percentage of 24.8%. Favors led his team in defensive rebounds and defensive rebounding percentage this season. The Pelicans as a team ranked as the 5th best rebounding team in the league and 1st in contested rebounds. Favors has helped make the Pelicans an elite rebounding team.
We now know how good Favors is as a rebounder and on the defensive end, but how does he help his team on the offensive end? Favors may not have great floor spacing ability but he is one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. He shoots 62% from the field which ranks him 6th among the entire league. Favors is great around the basket and even excels tremendously in the pick and roll. He is efficient in the pick and roll, while also setting effective screens to gain separation for his teammates. Derrick Favors ranks top 25 in screen assist per game.
Derrick Favors doesn’t get enough recognition for his work on the court. He is a very capable starting center that every team would like to have. He’s efficient on offence, a great rebounder and good defensively. When discussing the Pelicans most people bring up Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram or Jrue Holiday but Favors is a player that also has a great amount of impact on the team.
Dejounte Murray
When discussing the best young point guards in the league, Dejounte Murray’s name is rarely mentioned. Dejounte is only 23 years old and has shown great promise. He missed the entire 2018-2019 season which hindered his development. Dejounte missing a whole season also made people forget how good he really is. People also forget that Dejounte made an all-defensive team in his second season in the league. This made Dejounte the youngest player ever to make an all-defensive team.
His biggest strength is on the defensive end. Dejounte is a 6″4 point guard with good length, great defensive instincts and decent athleticism. His defence has also somehow improved from his all-defensive team season. This season he averaged a career high 1.7 steals per game. This ranks him 6th in the NBA for steals per game. He also leads the entire league in steal percentage with a steal percentage of 43.7%. He also gets a lot of deflections. Dejounte ranks top 10 in the NBA for deflections per game with an average of 3.2. Dejounte also ranks 3rd in the NBA for steals per 36 minutes.
The eye test also shows how great of a defender Dejounte is. He also has the tools to guard the 1-3 positions. Dejounte has a chance to make another all-defensive team this year. His elite defensive play will make him a very valuable player for many years to come.
Most people know how good Dejounte is at defence because that’s his primary area of expertise. What goes unnoticed is how good Dejounte is on the offensive end. He had a career scoring year this year averaging 10.7 points per game. Dejounte also improved his shooting percentages from his last season. He raised his field goal shooting by 4%, his 3 point shooting by 11% and his free throw shooting by 9%.
The biggest weakness in his game has been his shooting but this season he made massive improvements. Last season he wasn’t even comfortable taking 3 pointers consistently, but this season he has improved his volume. He went from 0.4 3 point attempts per game to 1.6 attempts per game. He’s a decent pull up shooter from the midrange area, but he rarely attempts this shot. Murray shot 42% on catch and shoot 3’s this season. He still needs to improve his 3 point attempts and take more 3 pointers.
Murray needs to develop his outside shot if he wants to take the next jump. Murray is a decent finisher but he’s not an explosive athlete with elite finishing abilities. He has the ability to be a great shooter and floor spacer but he needs to be more comfortable taking that shot.
Another aspect of his game that gets overlooked is his playmaking abilities. He has a good assist to turnover ratio and is good at finding open teammates. He’s a smart passer and has a very high basketball I.Q. He excels with playing for Gregg Popovich. Dejounte is a great floor general who has displayed maturity and leadership abilities. He has shown signs of being a great playmaker that can lead an offence. Murray is smooth off the dribble and is a great ball handler. Dejounte has shown potential to be good in the pick and roll but he needs better rollers to better utilize his pick and roll abilities. Having more shooting around Dejounte would also improve his assist stats and make Dejounte a more lethal playmaker.
Dejounte is a great young point guard who has shown lots of promise, while still showing lots of room for improvement. The Spurs are most likely going to rebuild very soon and Dejounte would likely be their new franchise player. He can take a big jump in his game next season and could potentially be a most improved player candidate. Dejounte still has lots of potential and could possibly be a future all-star caliber player.
T.J Warren
Contrary to what Jimmy Butler believes, T.J Warren is not trash. Warren may very well be the most underrated player on this list. He gets underrated in rankings of the best players in the league and doesn’t get talked about because he plays for the Pacers. The Pacers got an absolute steal in Warren after acquiring him in the 2019 draft for cash considerations.
Warren has stepped up in the absence of Victor Oladipo this season. He’s been the leading scorer on a playoff team this season. He is averaging 18.7 points per game this season with a very impressive 53% from the field. T.J is a very good midrange shooter and a decent 3 point shooter. Early in his career, he was a below average 3 point shooter and now he can hit the 3 consistently. He has also been essential for the Pacers winning in the clutch. He has had many clutch moments this season that has propelled the Pacers to a win. The most notable clutch moment from the season being his clutch block against the 76ers to win the game.
Warren has also had many high scoring efficient games this season to help his team win. Warren had 4 games this season where he scored over 30 points. He shot over 60% from the field in each of his 30 point games this season and he even had a game where he went 15/18 from the field.
The most underrated part of Warren’s game has been his defence. Throughout his career, Warren was known as a player who wasn’t very good on the defensive end. Warren ranked just 11th in plus minus and defensive rating among all of the Phoenix Suns players last season. It helps that Warren is surrounded by better defenders and in a system that focuses heavily on defence. Despite this, he has still found a way to stand out on defence. He ranks 4th on the Pacers in defensive win shares. Warren also looks more aware on the defensive end and is better at making plays on defence. He has shown more switch ability on defence and showing that he can be a good defender when he puts in the effort. Warren still isn’t an elite defender, but at least he isn’t a liability anymore.
Lots of players on the Pacers don’t get talked enough as much as they should, but Warren is the most underrated of the bunch. He was a top 10 small forward this season and has improved significantly from last season. The Phoenix Suns should be scratching their heads as to why they traded away T.J Warren for no return.
OG Anunoby
When the Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard in the 2019 NBA offseason, most thought that they would struggle with their wing position. This season, OG has stepped up to be the starting small forward and be the defensive stopper the team needed. He didn’t get much playing time last season playing behind Kawhi and Danny Green but this season he has made the most of every opportunity.
The best part of OG’s game is his athleticism and defence. He has great athletic tools that he utilizes to perfection. OG is listed at 6″7 and has a 7″2 wingspan. He has elite length which heavily benefits him defensively. He is also quick and has a great leaping ability.
OG playing behind Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard last season helped his development. He wasn’t ready to be a full time starter yet and he was being mentored and learning from Kawhi and Danny. He has arguably been the team’s best defender this season on a team with many great defenders. The Raptors have the best defence in the league this season and OG Anunoby is a huge reason why.
The most underrated part of Anunoby’s defence is how he defends in isolations. OG is only 22 years old and is already an elite isolation defender. He ranked in the 94th percentile in isolation defence and has shown he can consistently stop his opponent from scoring in isolation situations. He is rapidly becoming the best isolation defender in the NBA. The NBA has lots of offensive threats who thrive in isolation and OG’s ability to defend in isolations is proving to be very valuable and overlooked.
OG Anunoby may also potentially make an all-defensive team this season and should definitely receive some recognition. He’s only 22 years old and can still improve on the defensive end. He has potential to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and can be in all-defence team discussions for the next decade.
Most people consider OG to be a defensive specialist, but he’s made great improvements on the offensive end this season. He’s been making improvements with his shooting this season. Last season he shot 33% on three 3 point attempts per game. This season he’s shooting 38% on 3.4 3 point attempts per game. The majority of his 3 pointers are wide open assisted 3’s. He averaged 3.2 open 3 pointers this season and shot 38% on open 3’s. OG is a good catch and shoot shooter but he needs to improve on shooting while contested. OG also needs to increase his shooting volume to be a bigger threat on the court. He has potential to be a good shooter but can’t consistently create shots for himself.
OG has potential to be a good slasher due to his great athleticism but he needs to attack the basket more. He only averaged 3.5 drives per game but shot 50% when driving to the basket. He needs to be aggressive and attack the basket more, as well as improve on his finishing while off balance.
OG is a sneakily good offensive player but needs to increase his volume and be more aggressive on offence. He also needs to be more consistent offensively. He went through stretches throughout the season where he struggled to score the basketball. Despite this, OG Anunoby is still an amazing defender and has played a huge part in Toronto’s success this season. He is one of the best young defenders in the league and is a huge part of the Raptors future. He may not have superstar potential but he’s an elite role player that every team would love to have.
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![T.J. Warren [Video]](https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/HcXisT_C5oq2oh1YK4jlJw--~B/aD0xMDgwO3c9MTkyMDtzbT0xO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/http://d.yimg.com/hd/cp-video-transcode/prod/2020-02/09/5e40510cda8e8362466fe5b0/5e40510cda8e8362466fe5b1_o_U_v2.jpg)
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