Sophomore Slump, Star, or Swing

Sophomore Slump, Star, or Swing

Slump Watch

• Bennedict Mathurin – I don’t mean this so much in that I think he’s gonna have a disappointing year, I actually think it’s the opposite. After a great rookie year I think he’ll push for a starting role and lose his eligibility. Certainly one to draft in the first two rounds if Buddy Hield stays in the starting lineup, though

• Shaedon Sharpe – Same thing here. If they trade Dame, Sharpe’s a starter. If they keep Dame, Sharpe might still be a starter. Too risky right now to love taking him early in the draft

• Jalen Duren – Duren started 31 games last year, and while he can’t shoot all that well, he’s just about the springiest guy in the league. Keep an eye on him for sure since Detroit has about 11 centers on the roster, but his eligibility will certainly be in question

• Johnny Davis – I don’t know if he can be on slump watch if he never showed us anything at all to make us think he was a star, but with all the newness swirling around, Davis feels like he’ll be left behind

Star Watch

• Christian Braun – The most obvious one. Without Bruce Brown. Christian Braun could step right into that role without missing a beat. He showed out in the playoffs and looks set to be at the absolute minimum a good rotation guy next year, with potential to be a 6th-man kind of piece in Denver’s title defense

• Dyson Daniels – 6’7 200 lb PG for one of the teams with the worst injury luck in the business. Good defensive instincts, a steady hand to back up CJ. I like him to take a Trey Murphy III style leap this year, which would be ideal for them considering Murphy’s out until at least mid-November after leg surgery

• Jake Laravia – There’s not much shot that he takes Dillon Brooks’ starting spot, so if he doesn’t, he’s my pick for Random Memphis Guy Who Has A Great Season

• Tari Eason – Eason was the surprise of the rookie class last season, and with Dillon Brooks taking a starting role, Eason looks set to be a second unit rock again. He’s got a ton of equally young talent around him, but he plays defense. Ime’s gonna play him a ton

• Ochai Agbaji – Agbaji started 22 games last year, but the Jazz had shut everyone down by that point. He shot 42/35/81 and, as the roster sits, is pretty secure behind Sexton and Clarkson. That’s a shoot first ask questions never starting lineup, so Agbaji should see regular minutes really regardless of what the Jazz do this year

• AJ Griffin – With Collins out of the way, Griffin gets a little more space to stretch his wings. The man can shoot the shit out of the ball, and a second unit with Bogdanovic, Okongwu, and an improved Griffin is Christmas morning for Quin Snyder. Only thing keeping him down is Jalen Johnson taking his minutes

• Jaden Hardy – Mavs have simultaneously helped and hurt their guard depth by adding Curry and Exum. When Hardy was given the opportunity last year, he showed he could get buckets. Curry’s always hurt and Exum’s a prayer. Hardy could slot into real minutes

Swing Watch

• Payton Watson and Collin Gilespie– Their names came up after Denver won the finals as guys they were excited about for next year. After losing Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, there will certainly be some rotation minutes for them

• Marjon Beauchamp – Beachamp is a big but realistic swing on assuming the Bucks’ old men fall to pieces and need help from a young wing

• TyTy Washington Jr – TyTy is an even bigger swing but when you look at the Bucks’ guards you don’t see any other 20-year-olds. With Jevon Carter moving on, they’ll need someone to eat innings in the regular season

• Malaki Branham – Branham started 32 games for the tanking masters last season, but with everyone healthy and awake, there’s a zero percent chance he runs with the starters. He was all geared up to go on Star Watch, but then the Spurs went out and got Cam Payne. Since Graham is suspended for the first two games of the season from a DUI, the runway is lit up for Branham to impress early and earn real minutes

• David Big Body Roddy – Had a good rookie season in a weird year for the Grizzlies and will be fighting for minutes in a post-Brooks world. I worry he’ll be fighting uphill, but all Grizzlies draft picks are stunningly valuable

• Patrick Baldwin Jr – Warriors played him more than I’d thought (31 games) but in a pretty crowded frontcourt in Washington, he’s not likely to see much of the floor. Unless of course, the ‘Zards go into a shameless tank… 

• Nikola Jovic – Heat didn’t play him much this year (15 games) and I think they like their rookie Jaquez better, but this team’s pretty old and has absolutely no qualms with shitting the regular season away. Jovic looked pretty good at the World Cup this summer, so he could and should easily fit into their wonky, old, stunningly untalented for always getting to the conference finals roster