Category: Uncategorized

Bojan Bogdanovic is way too good to be overlooked, but here we are. The Utah Jazz are a genuine title threat, and their starting five is a group of guys with very defined roles. For Bogdanovic, its being a defensive goon while also having a deadly long-range shot. He finished 10th in the league in threes made and is 16th on the active list for true shooting percentage. If he was playing for one of the glamour franchises, he’d be heralded for his skill and his dad bod. The reason Bojan has to be on this list is because he plays for the Jazz, so he’s overlooked. Utah is already a fun team to watch, but in between the smooth passing of Mike Conley, the board crashing tenacity of Rudy Gobery, and Mr. Everything Donovan Mitchell, be aware of just how damn great Bojan Bogdanovic is night in, night out. In a just society, he’d be an all-star, but here we are adrift in the sorrows of the real world. Appreciate the dad bod god. He’s brilliant.

Gary Trent, Jr. had a good time in the bubble. He’s only 21 years old, but is an up and coming 3-and-D guy who should see his minutes increased in the new season after a solid showing in Orlando. He will insert himself into the fray below the basket then creep out to the corner for a quick three, whether he’s followed or not. He projects more as a regular 2 guard but can hang with bigger guys when the situation arises. His shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, is a major transition threat. As a leader on the second unit, he’s the de facto 6th man for Portland, and will often be on the court at the same time as Damian Lillard, causing a spacing headache for opposing defenses. The Blazers are a darling spoiler for the first round, and despite the series result really gave it to the Lakers in the playoffs. If Trent can continue his bubble progress, another playoff season is on tap and maybe a 6th Man of the Year award is in his future.

Troy Brown, Jr. is criminally underutilized on a Washington team that is lost in the wilderness. While he crept just over 25 minutes per game in his sophomore season, he was used in fewer than 18% of plays. When given opportunities, he has pretty good production. The problem is that now his team is centered around Russell Westbrook, who has no time for backup SG/SF young guns looking for a chance. I mean, are you going to actively seek out Wizards games in 2021? Westbrook is a viscerally exciting player to watch, but is he enough to get you to watch? If by some chance you do, and Brown gets a chance to prove his worth, pay attention. When he is freed to a team that will actually play him correctly, Brown has sub-all-star potential that can really help a team in the playoffs.

Ogugua Anunoby is here to make you mad. Last season he ascended to a starting role with the defending champs and ran with it, improving in nearly every area of his game. He has potential to be one of the best on-ball defenders in the game while he drastically grows his offensive production. He finished the weird 2020 campaign 7th in the league in defensive win shares. He has a court intellect that surprises teams at the worst times, intercepting and deflecting passes and then burning them in transition. A player like Anunoby can cause the kind of mental disruption that quenches an opposing rally. The common misconception after Kawhi left for the Clippers was that the Raptors would take a massive step back, but it allowed for OG’s development. It’s a mistake to overlook what’s going on with the Raptors, who have a core that can compete with anyone. As OG continues to develop, he has a ceiling that could resemble vintage Paul George- a two-way, MVP-caliber player. The “buy low” ship sailed last season on OG, but if you take heed of my advice now, you can watch a potential great player blossom.

Kira Lewis, Jr. is a rookie and probably going to start on the bench, but I think there will be plenty of lineups on the floor where he works alongside Lonzo Ball. Of course, because the Pellies have Zion Williamson, they’re going to be on TV all the time. It will be interesting to see what they’re able to do in situations where Zion cannot be on the floor, be it for minutes limitations or (hopefully not) injury. Lewis is a slasher to the basket, and I’m looking for him to be a pick and roll threat with Steven Adams whenever they’re on the court together. I hope he gets plenty of opportunities to grow his game because he’s a solid prospect. He’s a liability on defense and his size might not allow him to drive as effectively against grown men, but he’s quick enough that he might be a pest that draws defenders close enough to create a disruption. He might be the only rookie I pick, and it all stems from what I see in his potential as a player with a lot of room to grow.

Jaren Jackson, Jr. needed Ja Morant. Ja Morant needs Jackson. They are already one of the most exciting tandems in the game, and now a year older are each ready to take the next step. You hopefully already know Morant, so its time to know Jackson. He suffered from a torn meniscus and might have been the difference maker in the play-in tournament if he had been there. The Grizzlies are a very young team and may suffer from inexperience as they try to ascend in the West, and Jackson’s health will be a crucial element to that success. He’s a 6-11 monster who can shoot the ball from all over the court. His size and skill allow him to create his own shot, and his meteoric point guard is there to trade off open looks. His shooting form is strange. He almost looks like he levitates laterally even from a catch and shoot opportunity, but man he can knock down shots from well beyond the arc. Jackson is one of those prototype new bigs who can cut like a guard, shoot like a guard, and still punish their positional equals under the basket. He also has a big problem with fouling. If he can fix that and stay on the floor more in early game situations, the Grizzlies won’t be just a spoiler.

Luke Kennard has been a “guy to watch” for a few years. Last season, he succumbed to bilateral knee tendonitis, which is a major concern for a 24 year old expected to take more than ten shots a game. Moving to LA’s second unit will help keep his minutes down and try to maximize his production. If healthy, Kennard has that 50/40/90 potential. On a team that was snuffed out due to complete incompetence in the most dire of situations, maybe having a consistent knock-down shooter will give the Clippers’ stars a breather. It’s really hard justifying anything this dumb franchise does, but when you have never even made the Western Conference Finals, you have to look at any shred of positivity as a sign that something might change. Kennard can ball, when healthy. Kawhi will probably rest a bunch, Paul George too, so he might get more minutes than expected in those situations. I’d love to see him have a chance here, but my god this team is depressing to think about.

Furkan Korkmaz is fun to say, and fun to watch. With the overhauled Sixers attack, someone like Korkmaz will be looked at as a quick catch-and-shoot option in transition. There are plenty of glamor names on the Sixers, and adding Danny Green takes away Furkan’s specialized gift. Still, Doc Rivers will find opportunities for the kid. He has improved considerably from year to year, and as a defined role player off the bench, he’s going to open the floor for a second unit anchored by the annually rejuvenated Dwight Howard. You’re going to see a LOT of Sixers basketball this season, probably late into the summer, so get used to an unsung name that might shoot his way into the collective consciousness.

Mikal Bridges is an elite defender. You won’t see him leading the scoring for Phoenix unless he’s the only one playing, but man is he fun to watch. He’s constantly aware of the ball to the point that it seems he may have some sort of radar for the thing. He’s skinny, borderline scrawny, but can somehow hang and bang with anyone in the game. For a particularly delicious highlight, go to the 1:10 mark of the video below. Bridges is tenacious and will insert himself under the rim against guys 5-6 inches taller. He simply does not care, Bridges wants the ball. On a team that features Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, and now Chris Paul, there’s reason to believe Bridges will be tasked with being a walking headache to opposing offenses, then be on the lookout to swipe rebounds from unsuspecting bigs. Phoenix’s second unit is bleak, so it’s likely Bridges and the rest of the young Suns will be hounded to keep the team afloat.

Christian Wood is playing for his SIXTH team in five seasons. He had a bit of a mini-breakout last year for Detroit, and graduated to likely being the starting center for the Rockets. Houston has a LOT of problems, and most of them are random achilles injuries throughout the roster. The main one is James Harden. If Harden plays a full season for Houston (he may be traded by the time this is posted) then the Rockets MIGHT make the playoffs. Wood will be crucial to their success if he doesn’t. No pressure, kid, but if John Wall can’t play 72 games, its you and… uh… Daniel House? Wood can switch and cover both the power forward and center positions. With his size and athleticism, he’s capable of being both a defensive monster AND a bruiser in the paint. BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE- he’s actually not a bad shooter for his size, dropping nearly 40% from three. Wood is a rags to riches story, floundering in the G-League and switching teams often, but 20-21 might be the year he finally finds a home.