One under-the-radar player to watch from every NBA team

The New York Knicks failed to secure the rights to draft Zion Williamson, settled on RJ Barrett and then struck out in free agency. Ahead of what’s destined to be another losing season, the Knicks need 20-year-old Kevin Knox to show he was worth the ninth selection of the 2018 NBA Draft. New York signed Marcus Morris to a $15 million  contract during the summer, and the veteran is a better defender and more of a proven product than Knox. As Chris Iseman of NorthJersey.com wrote, Knox added strength during offseason workouts, and the one-year pro realizes he must become more of a polished shooter (he shot 34.3 3P percent, 37 FG percent as a rookie). Knox coming off the bench during the fall months and remaining fresh for the second half of the season could be best for his overall development. 

While with the Boston Celtics during the 2018-19 season, center Aron Baynes attempted (61) and converted (21) more threes (34.4 percent) than at any previous point of his pro  career. As Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic mentioned, the big man unexpectedly caught fire featuring for Australia during the 2019 FIBA World Cup. In seven summer contests, Baynes drained 11 of 21 shots (52.4 percent) from beyond the arc. While the international three-point line is shorter than the NBA’s, there’s something to be said for a 32-year-old growing in confidence on the perimeter. 

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com , only 2018-19 NBA Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam improved his points per game from the previous season more than Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman. After  Osman  tallied 3.9 PPG and 11 MIN as a rookie, the 24-year-old started in 75 of 76 games, scored 13.0 PPG and averaged over 32 MIN a night. Neither Kevin Love nor Tristan Thompson should be part of Cleveland’s future, which makes predicting Osman’s contributions and numbers a difficult task. For now, Osman cementing himself as a starter for something other than a lottery team is the goal.

Things will have gone wrong for the Chicago Bulls if Tomas Satoransky isn’t starting at point guard for the club come Christmastime. Kris Dunn is only on Chicago’s roster because the team hasn’t yet found a buyer for his services. Rookie Coby White is a project for the future who probably isn’t ready for prime time as of Oct. 1. All of this could lead to 25-year-old guard Ryan Arcidiacono enjoying a breakout season.  Arcidiacono started 32 games, made 81 appearances and shot 37.3 percent from the perimeter and 44.7 percent from the field while averaging 6.7 PPG and 3.3 AST during his second pro campaign. His presence makes Dunn expendable if — and that’s a big if at the start of fall — Chicago can trade him before the season tips off. 

As of summer’s end, the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year competition is a three-man race featuring Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett. Could Atlanta Hawks guard Cameron Reddish have something to say about that? Selected 10th overall by Atlanta last June, Reddish is a 6-foot-8 wing who  shot under 40 percent from the field during his lone season at Duke. As John Schuhmann of NBA.com reported in August, 19 percent of rookies surveyed believe Reddish will have the best career among players entering the league via the 2019 draft class. Reddish’s body should be NBA-ready as long as he’s healthy coming off core muscle surgery. If he locates a shot inside the arc, he could be a ROTY sleeper. 

The Washington Wizards trading both Bradley Beal and John Wall, potentially  to the Miami Heat , is likely under consideration, and that leaves rookie Rui Hachimura as the lone promising standout player on the roster. The idea we’re mentioning Isaiah Thomas at all, let alone as an under-the-radar name, shows how far he and the Wizards have fallen. The two-time All-Star with an alarming injury history recently spent forgettable stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, and “ a rupture of the radial collateral ligament of his left thumb” could sideline him through the middle of November. It’s likely wishful thinking to hope the 30-year-old can rediscover his All-Star form. The positive is that the hip issues that have plagued him over the years aren’t slowing him down as he works to recover from this latest setback. 

Reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic and unicorn Kristaps Porzingis will lead the Dallas Mavericks during their first season as teammates. Don’t undersell Dallas signing guard Seth Curry, a brilliant piece of  summer business. The less-famous splash brother shot  over 46 percent from the field in his last 188 NBA games, and he buried exactly 45 percent of the 251 three-pointers he attempted with the Portland Trail Blazers last season. Only Joe Harris and Danny Green finished with higher  percentages.

It’s easy to forget about former lottery flop Jahlil Okafor, who features for the new-look New Orleans Pelicans that have fresh faces on the roster such as Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Derrick Favors and Jaxson Hayes.  Okafor averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.7 REB across 59 appearances and 24 starts with New Orleans, but the Pelicans secured Hayes’ draft rights to fill Okafor’s spot on the depth chart. Okafor remains on a team-friendly and inexpensive contract, so he should be given every chance to prove his worth up through the trade deadline. 

The rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies are similar to the Cleveland Cavaliers in that the 2019-20 season is largely about acquiring future assets to build around a young duo — Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. as it pertains to Memphis. While Andre Iguodala unsurprisingly isn’t interested in playing for Memphis, per  ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski , fellow veteran Jae Crowder understands and appreciates his role with the club, as  Grizzlies.com contributor Michael Wallace explained in July. Crowder continuing to average nearly 12 PPG would allow Memphis to flip the 29-year-old and his expiring contract to a contender for additional capital early next year. 

If it wasn’t for Andrew Wiggins’ massive  contract, we’d probably focus on the 24-year-old here since expectations for him are at an all-time low. Instead, we selected Shabazz Napier, the guard who should serve as a key figure for Minnesota’s second unit. The 28-year-old posted  career marks in PPG and AST as a backup behind All-Star D'Angelo Russell last season, and he could take minutes from Jeff Teague if the 31-year-old struggles to recover from the  worst year  of his career. Napier has done well to drive the struggles he endured with the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic from our memories. 

For a piece published on Sept. 13, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com  explained why the Los Angeles Lakers could start Alex Caruso over Rajon Rondo alongside LeBron James. Caruso’s defensive production matches what James has looked for from players at the position, and the 25-year-old  drained 24 of 50 three-pointers (48 percent) last season. Experience is an issue, as Caruso has appeared in only 62 games at the highest level. Can he impress the King during training camp and October contests to the point that he’s penciled into the starting five before Thanksgiving? 

Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. still has a ways to go to prove he’s more than just a high flyer capable of producing highlight-reel dunks each night. In 60 appearances with the Miami Heat last season, he averaged 7.0 PPG and 4.0 REB, both career highs, and he showed his motor, athleticism and 6-foot-7 frame make him a nuisance on the defensive end of the court. Jones’ 30.8 three-point percentage in 2018-19 won’t jump off his stat sheet, but he’s improved dramatically as a shooter since his first days in the Association. Best of all, Jones is only 22 years old, so the Heat may be able to package him in a trade for a star to start alongside Jimmy Butler if “Airplane Mode” takes additional positive steps during the first half of the upcoming campaign. 

Maybe Malik Monk, Miles Bridges and/or rookie PJ Washington can give Charlotte Hornets fans reasons to care about Charlotte past New Year’s Day. Both Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb exited the club through free agency, and Charlotte needs to trade Marvin Williams for literally anything the team can get ahead of the deadline and the expiration of his  contract.  Is Dwayne Bacon the next player capable of earning a lifeline away from Charlotte? He  shot 43.7 percent from three-point land and averaged 7.3 PPG in 43 games last season, and the 2017 second-round pick could legitimately become a top scoring option for an awful team. Granted, he attempted roughly two three-pointers per night with the Hornets (87, to be exact), so he shouldn’t be counting future paychecks as he approaches restricted free agency quite yet. 

Understandably some may question if 34-year-old Trevor Ariza has the legs to keep up in the young and upbeat Sacramento Kings offense. Doubt him at your own risk. The three-and-d wing finished with the ninth-highest percentage for three-pointers attempted from the left corner last season, as  Alex Kramers of Kings.com explained, and Ariza hit 36 percent of his overall three-pointers in 26 games with the Phoenix Suns before Phoenix traded him to the Washington Wizards in December. The Kings have more talent and depth than either Phoenix or Washington, so limiting his minutes to 15-20 a night is a realistic goal. 

“Iso Joe” is back, as the Big3 MVP who led that competition in multiple categories officially signed with the Detroit Pistons in the middle of September. Both Joe Johnson and the Pistons must be realistic about what both entities expect from this relationship. Johnson is earning a roster spot unless disaster strikes during camp, but he’s 38 years old, and the mileage on his legs will affect his three-point shooting in full-court games. Detroit needs a shooter who can hit clutch threes and has playoff experience but who also has only so many minutes left in the tank. Detroit signed Johnson with springtime games in mind, so this move only makes sense if the team returns to the postseason. 

The Orlando Magic taking a flier on 2017 first-overall pick Markelle Fultz in February remains worth the risk, but forward Al-Farouq Aminu could emerge as the team’s top acquisition of 2019. The 29-year-old  averaged over 9.0 PPG and over 7.5 REB in 150 appearances, 148 starts, with the Portland Trail Blazers the last two seasons, and he converted 35.6 of his three-point attempts over that period. As Josh Cohen of NBA.com  wrote, Aminu’s 7-foot-3 wingspan allows him to cover multiple perimeter positions and replace Aaron Gordon or Jonathan Isaac if either goes down during the campaign. He could compete for Sixth Man of the Year honors. 

Only All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell (21.1 PPG) finished above Spencer Dinwiddie (16.8 PPG) in  scoring  for the Brooklyn Nets last season. One-time champion Kyrie Irving replaced Russell, a healthy Caris LeVert is back in the starting lineup, and questions regarding Kevin Durant’s health and when he’ll return to the floor will dominate headlines during the campaign. Meanwhile, Dinwiddie should again serve as Brooklyn’s most consistent off-the-bench scorer who could continue to  improve upon his PPG average.

Like the Brooklyn Nets, the Indiana Pacers added multiple recognizable names (Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb) and are waiting for an All-Star (Victor Oladipo) to return from injury. Indiana also needs to learn as quickly as possible if playing Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner in the same lineup is the right course of action. All of this could lead to forward TJ Warren flying under the radar throughout his first season with the organization. 

Per statistics offered by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, Warren enters his first fall with the Pacers as one of the worst defensive players at his position, but the 26-year-old averaged nearly 19 PPG in 108 appearances with the Phoenix Suns the past two seasons. More promising, he converted 77 of 180 three-point attempts (42.8 percent) in 2018-19 after averaging under 24.4 percent from that range across the prior two campaigns. 

The additions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George make the Los Angeles Clippers instant contenders, and the franchise was able to secure both All-Stars without losing Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams or Montrezl Harrell. In early September,  ESPN’s Zach Lowe mentioned the win-now Clippers could improve the team’s starting lineup by including Harrell in a trade for a guard such as Bradley Beal. 

The Clippers may want to pump the brakes on such notions even though Harrell becomes a free agent next summer. Harrell  played in all 82 regular-season games last year, he averaged career highs in PPG (16.6) and REB (6.5), and he can play down low whenever Ivica Zubac struggles or when L.A. wants to go small. 

Thirty-three-year-old shooter Marco Belinelli is entering the last year of his contract playing for a San Antonio Spurs team that could miss the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference. Belinelli "was better on perimeter shooting that 91.8 percent of the league" during the 2018-19 campaign, according to Jeff Garcia of News 4 San Antonio, he’s a career  37.6 percent three-point shooter, and he’s averaged double-digit points in each of the past four seasons. The Spurs should view him as a valuable trade asset, especially if head coach Gregg Popovich wishes to give 20-year-old Lonnie Walker IV more playing time following All-Star Weekend. 

In mid-September, ESPN’s Mike Schmitz provided reasons why he views Boston Celtics rookie Grant Williams as a first-year pro who may outperform expectations. Selected No. 22 overall in this year’s draft, the 6-foot-8 forward who repeated  as SEC Player of the Year before going pro drained nearly 37 percent (7-19) of his three-pointers in Summer League play, and one Celtics coach has already likened Williams to Marcus Smart, per  Quenton S. Albertie of Celtics Wire . With Al Horford and Marcus Morris no longer with the club, Williams could see substantial minutes early into his career. 

According to The Ringer’s Rodger Sherman , the Oklahoma City Thunder could possess up to 15 future first-round picks after dealing both Russell Westbrook and Paul George during the offseason. OKC will also likely continue shopping  Chris Paul and his anchor of a contract  through the trade deadline. Don’t sleep on guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who joined the Thunder in the deal that involved George joining the Los Angeles Clippers. 

The 21-year-old started in 73 of 82 games with the Clippers his debut year, he can feature at either guard position, and he should receive ample playing time alongside Paul, as Dorian Craft as of OKC Thunder Wire wrote. The biggest reason Gilgeous-Alexander would fly under the radar as an NBA sophomore is because casual fans may find themselves ignoring the Thunder by Valentine’s Day, especially if the club jettisons Paul. Per Evan Abrams of the Action Network, multiple sportsbooks set OKC’s win total at under 33 ahead of the campaign. 

The Utah Jazz are contenders for the Western Conference throne after adding Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic in the offseason. According to  Tony Jones of The Athletic (h/t Clutch Points ), Utah plans to move Dante Exum off the ball this season, which should make Emmanuel Mudiay the undisputed backup point guard until further notice. Mudiay is coming off his best offensive campaign, statistically speaking, as he  averaged 14.8 PPG and shot 44.6 percent from the field, both career highs, playing for an awful New York Knicks team. Before the Denver Nuggets shipped Mudiay to the Big Apple in February 2018, he converted 37.3 percent of his three-point attempts in 42 appearances off the bench during the 2017-18 season. 

Philadelphia 76ers guard Zhaire Smith is (hopefully) healthy and ready for a full season after multiple setbacks — including a life-threatening allergic reaction that cost him over 30 pounds in body weight, per  The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks — plagued him during what should have been a promising rookie year. The 20-year-old appeared in only six regular-season games with the Sixers last spring, and he was a non-factor in the playoffs. JJ Redick is now with the New Orleans Hornets, meaning Smith will receive plenty of chances to build upon his 6-16 three-point shooting during his first six official appearances. 

Veteran forward Thabo Sefolosha was always going to land a rotational role with a playoff club ahead of October, and the Houston Rockets provided the 35-year-old an opportunity to extend his career in September. Sefolosha gives Houston’s bench some needed help in perimeter defense, and he still  shot over 43 percent beyond the arc (34-78) while averaging only 3.8 PPG in 50 appearances with the Utah Jazz last season. The 6-foot-7 3-and-D wing fills a gap on the roster and joins Houston with minimal financial risk. He’ll largely fly under the radar until the playoffs. 

The Portland Trail Blazers lost considerable depth this offseason. Seth Curry, Enes Kanter, Evan Turner and Al-Farouq Aminu are big names playing elsewhere in 2019-20, and Portland hasn’t yet pulled off a trade for a star such as Kevin Love. 20-year-old guard Anfernee Simons needs to take a leap his second season if Portland is to enjoy more than another forgettable and unsuccessful postseason journey. 

Simons played in only 20 regular-season games his debut campaign, and he made no impact during the playoffs minus a pair of buckets. As The Ringer’s Kevin O'Connor  wrote, the promising 6-foot-4 guard will be Portland’s primary ball-handler not named Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum, and the Trail Blazers plan to throw Simons into the deep end this fall to see if he sinks or swims. Fair or not, the club’s title hopes may ride on the young man’s shoulders. 

Maybe Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. remaining under the radar for another year wouldn’t be the worst thing for all involved. Back surgery turned the injury-plagued Porter into a red-shirt rookie, and a knee injury he suffered during the summer cost him Summer League appearances. As Christopher Dempsey of NBA.com wrote, the 21-year-old prospect with lottery-pick potential should enter training camp healthy and ready to play.   Denver coach Mike Malone has little reason to rush Porter along. His lineups and rotations are capable of earning a top spot in the postseason tournament even if Porter experiences a new setback. Patience will be key, as Malone and the rest of the organization strive to learn if Porter can survive an entire season intact. 

Perhaps you heard that the Golden State Warriors lost two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets and that Klay Thompson is out indefinitely after suffering a torn ACL in the NBA Finals. Enter journeyman Alec Burks, who signed with the Warriors over the summer after brief stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings. The 28-year-old can  shoot  over 37 percent from the perimeter when he isn’t dealing with injuries, and head coach Steve Kerr seems keen on letting Burks compete for minutes with Alfonzo McKinnie, per  Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. 

There is no world where the duo of Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson account for Kawhi Leonard leaving the Toronto Raptors in favor of the Los Angeles Clippers. While Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet may dominate Toronto headlines as the team deals with the reality of trading veterans such as Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol ahead of the deadline, Hollis-Jefferson should continue to do work down low as an undersized paint presence. The 24-year-old has no outside shot of which to speak, but the 6-foot-7 forward is a defensive stopper capable of handling a variety of assignments, as  Tom Dowd of NBA.com wrote. 

With Malcolm Brogdon no longer on the Milwaukee Bucks roster, veteran guard George Hill could, in time, become one of his team’s most important figures in the closing minutes of contests. The 33-year-old can play the 2, he  shined for Milwaukee in the postseason vs. the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, and he hit on roughly 46 percent of his three-point attempts from October 2017 through his final appearance with the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2018. As Brian Foley of OnMilwaukee alluded to last May, Hill’s shooting and overall offensive production improved as he became more comfortable with the Bucks following that December trade. He has now enjoyed an entire offseason as a member of the organization.