Sometimes, all a player needs is a chance to show the NBA what they've got. Players like CJ McCollum, Jimmy Butler, and Jeremy Lin all played limited minutes at the beginning of their careers, only to get a shot to start and not look back. Butler is one of the best players in the NBA right now, McCollum is one-half of one of the best backcourts in the NBA, and Lin is an above-average, reliable starting point guard. Basically, some players just need a good amount of minutes to show what they can really do, and with all the moves this offseason, there are tons of unproven players who could get those minutes. With that being said, here are 7 players I think could breakout this season.
Deyonta Davis
The Memphis Grizzlies lost a big part of their team this off-season when Zach Randolph signed with the Sacramento Kings, leaving the starting power forward spot up for grabs between Brendan Wright, Jarell Martin, and Deyonta Davis. Martin is, if we're being honest, kind of trash, and while Wright is a perfectly solid player, I think that Davis is a good fit to take over for Z-Bo. Davis' rookie season last year saw him play a very limited role, averaging 6.6 minutes in 36 games and recording 1.6 points & 1.7 rebounds per game on 51% shooting. However, if you go by his stats per 36 minutes, those jump up to 8.8 points & 9.1 rebounds per game, perfectly respectable numbers for a 20-year old second round pick. Along with that, Davis is a solid defender, having a 1.8 defensive plus minus while holding his opponents to 36% shooting. Davis is very young and has a lot of potential. It would be a good idea for the Grizzlies to capitalize on it this season.
Jon Leuer
Jon Leuer's NBA career hasn't been the smoothest. Drafted in 2011 by the Milwaukee Bucks, Leuer spent the first four years of his career on three different teams while struggling for minutes. He found a spot on the Memphis Grizzlies roster in 2013, but he still only played around 13 minutes a game while on the team. His last two seasons, however, have seen big improvements from him since he's been playing more. After being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Leuer played 18.6 minutes per game and averaged 8.5 points & 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 38% from three-point range. His next season saw him put up similar stats for the Detroit Pistons with improved scoring and more minutes, going up to 10.2 points per game in 25.9 minutes per game. If he continues to get more minutes, he could be a solid piece of the Pistons lineup.
Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel was in a bad position at the start of last season. Playing for a Philidelphia 76ers team that already had Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric, and Richaun Holmes in the frontcourt, Noel struggled for minutes, something that Noel had no problem speaking out about. Whether or not that led to a falling out with the team, Noel ended up getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he saw more playing time. In his 22 games with the Mavericks, Noel averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 57% from the field. Those are solid numbers, but if you go by his stats per 38 minutes, Noel goes up to a double-double on the season, shooting up to 14 and 11.2 rebounds per game, along with an additional 1.8 blocks per game to strength his stat line. Nerlens Noel is capable of being a starting center, and the Mavericks have the opportunity to create a strong frontcourt between Noel and Dirk Nowitzki if Noel is given more time to play.
Willie Cauley-Stein
Similar to Noel, Willie Cauley-Stein started last season in a situation where he didn't have a chance to shine. Cauley-Stein spent the first year and a half of his career backing up DeMarcus Cousins, getting few opportunities to play serious minutes for the Sacremento Kings. In his sophomore season, however, Cousins was sent away to the New Orleans Pelicans, allowing him to slip into the starting center spot and start to play a lot better. While backing up Boogie, Cauley-Stein averaged 5.8 points and only 2.7 rebounds per game while averaging 13 minutes a game. When Cousins left and Cauley-Stein went from 13 minutes a game to almost 31 minutes a game, his stats shot up 12.9 points & 8.2 rebounds per game. The Kings are in rebuild mode right now, but this season is Willie Cauley-Stein's time to show what he can do in a full season.
Ian Clark
If the Golden State Warriors made one mistake this offseason, it was letting go of Ian Clark. Last season, Clark really found his footing in the NBA as a role player on the Warriors, averaging 6.8 points per game on 49% shooting while backing up Klay Thompson. However, he found himself in a battle for that backup spot against rookie Patrick McCaw, and with McCaw still under contract for the next season, Clark parted ways with Golden State and signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. This could actually be a better fit for Clark, who could move into the starting shooting guard spot in New Orleans. Going by his per 36 minutes stats, Clark's averages shoot up to 16.7 points. While he definitely won't be the go-to scoring option on the Pelicans, but he could be a good third option to Anthony Davis & DeMarcus Cousins.
Jonathon Simmons
Jonathon Simmons really proved how good he was during the playoffs this year. After a decent little season with the San Antonio Spurs averaging 6.2 points per game on 42% shooting, Simmons came through big during the Spurs' six-game series against the Houston Rockets, where averaged 13.2 points and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47% from the field while shutting down James Harden defensively in Game 6, holding him to 10 points on 18% shooting. Simmons continued his solid play into the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors despite his team getting swept, averaging 15.3 points per game on 41% shooting. Simmons was rewarded for his play in the postseason this offseason when he signed a three year deal with the Orlando Magic. If he continues to play the way he did in the playoffs, he could be a great addition to the team.
D'Angelo Russell
D'Angelo Russell has a lot to prove this season. Rusell spent the first two seasons of his career running the offense on a struggling Los Angeles Lakers team, mostly feeding the ball to ball dominant players like Kobe Bryant, Lou Williams, and Nick Young. Now with those three out of the picture, it seemed like the 2017-18 season was going to be Russell's time to lead the young Lakers team. Then Lonzo Ball happened. The Lakers got the #2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and decided to commit to Ball as their point guard of the future, solidifying that by trading Russell to the Brooklyn Nets. Now, it's up to Russell to prove they made a mistake by getting rid of him. Russell averaged 14.3 points and 4 assists in his two seasons with the Lakers, but I think he can do so much better as the top guy in Brooklyn. I expect big things from D'Angelo Russell this season, and I believe he could end up winning Most Improved Player of the Year.
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