Every NBA team's under-the-radar player to watch

The Hawks' fourth-year backup big man, Onyeka Okongwu, is an injury to Clint Capela (or a trade) away from becoming a household name. The 6-foot-8 athletic and versatile USC product had a solid third season last year, averaging 9.9 PPG, 7.2 APG, and 1.3 BPG in only 23.1 MPG. Though he isn't the same kind of rebounder as Capela, he averages far more blocks and steals on a per-minute basis, and he also finished in the top 10 in Offensive Rating per 100 possessions in the NBA, so don't be surprised if the Hawks try to shop Capela this season to open up more opportunities for Okongwu, their big man of the future.

It's difficult to select an under-the-radar player on the Celtics because they're such a deep roster with fairly well-known players. So instead of picking a lesser-known guy like Payton Pritchard or Sam Hauser, who may barely scratch the rotation, we're going with Derrick White. White averaged 12.4 PPG, shot 38.1 percent from three last season, and made an All-Defensive Team, but remains under the radar. He was probably the Celtics' third-best player behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown last season and was excellent during the playoffs, averaging 13.4 PPG with blazing-hot 51-46-91 shooting splits. Boston will likely have him split point guard duties with newly-acquired Jrue Holiday this season.

Most causals have probably heard of Nic Claxton, but I'm not sure they realize quite how good this kid is. Last year, in only his fourth season, Claxton, a skinny 6-foot-11 center, averaged 12.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 2.5 BPG (second in the league) while leading the NBA in field goal percentage. He was also top-10 in both Offensive and Defensive Rating per 100 possessions — one of only two players in the whole NBA to accomplish that feat.

It was franchise malpractice that Mark Williams only played 43 games and less than 20 MPG last season, considering they were one of the worst teams in the league. Williams averaged 9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 1 BPG in his limited time while shooting 63.7 percent from the field. Williams is a freaky, athletic 7-foot-1 rim-running and rim-protecting presence who should be a great lob threat for LaMelo Ball this coming season. 

Everyone loves the concept of Patrick Williams — a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward with the athletic ability and strength to cover the NBA's apex predators and the touch to shoot over 40 percent from three-point distance. However, Williams hasn't been nearly as impactful as his build and numbers would suggest thus far through three seasons. I'm still bullish on Williams, who just turned 22 years old, and I believe he has the best chance to enjoy a breakout season on the Bulls' mediocre roster.

That's right. I'm going there. I'm drinking the Summer League Kool-Aid everyone warns you not to drink. I'm buying into Emoni Bates, who was being compared to Kevin Durant in ninth grade but suffered a fall from grace that almost cost him a chance at the NBA. 

He seems to have at least one NBA skill: scoring the basketball. He looked like he belonged in the Summer League. While he may not contribute immediately, the Cavs will need wings who can make and are willing to take big three-pointers. And we all know he'll be ready to accept them.

You may not have heard much about Josh Green through his first three seasons, but I suspect you will know about him by the time the playoffs roll around next spring. In each of his first three seasons, he's shown marked improvement, culminating in a critical role in Dallas' rotation last season as a 22-year-old. This season, he'll look to continue to expand his role and improve upon the 9.1 PPG and 54-40-72 shooting splits he had in 25.7 MPG last season.

Christian Braun's official breakout was Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he scored 15 points on 7-8 shooting in 19 minutes and made plays all over the court. The 6-foot-7 athletic wing will have a much larger role this season now that two of Denver's eight main rotation players, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, left in free agency. Expect him to enjoy a nice second-year breakout this season.

I cannot believe that Jalen Duren is only 19 years old. Standing 6-foot-10 and chiseled like Ben Wallace, Duren flashed some serious potential in his rookie season with the Pistons, averaging 9.1 PPG and 8.9 while shooting 64.8 percent from the field. Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey will get more headlines, but Jalen Duren's progression over this next season and early career will likely be a barometer for the Pistons' success moving forward.

You should probably already know about Kevon Looney and his impact on the Warriors, but in case you don't, here's a fascinating statistic from last season: The Warriors outscored opponents by over 36 points per 100 possessions when Looney was on the court. It's probably a statistical anomaly, right? Think again. His net rating has been 15 or more points in seven of his eight seasons (the only season it wasn't was 2019-20, when he only played 20 games and the Warriors tanked). And that rating in the playoffs has been 18 points higher in all four of his trips to the postseason. 

Alperen Şengün is extremely fun and talented but a fairly flawed young player on what has been a terrible team in the Houston Rockets through his first two seasons. With defensive-minded coach Ime Udoka at the helm, it'll be interesting to see what kind of player Sengün really is this season — a legit All-Star prospect like his numbers in his sophomore season would suggest (14.9 PPG, 9 RPG, 3.9 APG), or a "good stats/bad team" player who doesn't help drive winning. 

Perhaps I'm crazy, but I think Obi Toppin can be a high-level NBA role player, and I was shocked that the Knicks gave him up for so little this offseason after only three seasons. Toppin's numbers aren't great, but neither were his opportunities. The poor guy was relegated to backing up Coach Thibs' favorite, Julius Randle, who either led the league in minutes or was near the very top of the league in MPG and Total Minutes each of the past three seasons. Toppin's got potential as a big forward on a fast-paced team, which is precisely what Indiana should be. I expect a mini-breakout from the 25-year-old Dayton product.

The Clippers are a fairly known commodity, and because they wouldn't include Terance Mann in an offer for James Harden, you've probably heard of Mann before. But have you seen him play? He's a do-everything madman on the court, making plays on both ends, pushing the pace, and impacting the game in every way. His game is reminiscent of Alex Caruso's, albeit a little more tilted towards offense. The Clippers think very highly of him, so expect an increased role this season.

After his "I'm Him" moment in the Lakers' playoff run and his FIBA World Cup run this summer, Austin Reaves no longer qualifies as under-the-radar. Neither does Rui Hachimura. So this comes down to Taurean Prince and Gabe Vincent. Because the latter played a prominent part in the Heat's Finals run last season, Prince is the Lakers' under-the-radar player this season. 

Through his seven NBA seasons, Prince has played many different roles that should be helpful for the talented but often injury-prone Lakers. he was more of an offensive focal point early on with the Hawks, averaging as many as 14.1 PPG in 2017-18. And, in his last few stops, he's been asked to be more of a defensive stopper. He's a career 37.2 percent three-point shooter and, at 6-foot-7, 218 pounds, figures to be a key second-unit rotation player in LA this year.

Though he's often left out of "Who's the best shooter in the NBA?" conversations, Luke Kennard has been the most accurate three-point shooter in the entire NBA in each of the past two seasons. He shot 44.9 percent from three in 2021-22 with the Clippers and a blistering 49.4 percent last season with the Clippers and Grizzlies (he shot 54 percent in the 24 games with the Grizzlies). Kennard is very under-the-radar in Memphis because of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart, but his ability to space the floor for Morant is of the utmost importance in the postseason every year.

The last time Miami had Josh Richardson, they'd turned him into a 16.6 PPG and 4.1 APG two-guard good enough to be the main part of the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade return for Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Richardson's production fell off a cliff since that deal in 2019, as he only averaged 11.4 PPG and 2.5 APG in his next 244 games. Did Erik Spoelstra simply work his coaching magic and inflate Richardson's value back in 2018-19, or is there some untapped part of Richardson's game that only Coach Spo knows how to tap into and make the soon-to-be 30-year-old a dynamic two-way player again?

When you think of the Bucks, you obviously think of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, and probably Brook Lopez. Those four are clearly the team's most important players, but when you look at his numbers, Bobby Portis is closer to being in that Big Four group than you think. In his three seasons with the Bucks, Portis has averaged 13.4 PPG and 8.6 RPG with 50-40-76 shooting splits in only 25.1 MPG. If he got starter-level minutes, he'd probably be close to being a 20-point, 10-rebound-a-night player. He's a luxury for the Bucks and very underrated as well.

According to Basketball Reference, Jaden McDaniels' nickname is "Seatbelt," and boy, is that apt. A rangy, athletic 6-foot-9 wing defender, McDaniels and Anthony Edwards are developing into a nightmare defensive duo in Minnesota. If McDaniels hadn't broken his hand punching a wall in the team's last regular season game, who knows how the Play-In Tournament and first round of the playoffs might have gone for the T'Wolves. McDaniels isn't just a vice on defense, either; he's developed into a competent three-and-D wing as well, averaging 12.1 PPG on 39.8 percent shooting from three last season. If his ceiling rises on the offensive end and Edwards makes the leap everyone expects, look out for the T'Wolves next season.

There is so much talent in the NBA today. Trey Murphy III, aka the bouncy 6-foot-9 guy who came in second to Mac McClung in the Dunk Contest, is still an under-the-radar guy in the league despite averaging 14.5 PPG with 48-41-91 shooting splits last season, his second in the NBA. He's the choice for the Pelicans on this list this year because he should leapfrog CJ McCollum as the Pelicans' third-best player this season and potentially have a Mikal Bridges-like trajectory as an elite two-way player.

Though his raw numbers (7.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.8 BPG) are never going to jump out at you, Mitchell Robinson's steady improvement and on/off-court impact has been a vital part of the Knicks' success the past few seasons. Much like Kevon Looney for the Warriors, when Robinson is on the court for the Knicks, they're dominant. The Knicks averaged 142 points per 100 possessions with him on the court while only surrendering 110 points per 100 possessions with him on the court last season. Robinson is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, averaging 4.9 ORPG last year, playing his role to perfection for Coach Thibs and the Knicks.

Like Trey Murphy III, Josh Giddey is getting recognition on this list as an under-the-radar player because he could be an All-Star in the next few seasons. Giddey averaged 16.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 6.2 APG last season while improving his three-point stroke from 26.3 percent as a rookie to 32.5 percent. He doesn't have the same name recognition as SGA or Chet Holmgren, but his progression from very good prospect to potential All-Star could soon turn the Thunder into a contender.

It's pretty funny that the Bulls decided to trade two first-round picks (one of which became Franz Wagner) and Wendell Carter Jr. to the Magic for Nikola Vucevic a few seasons ago because Carter is probably already a better player than Vucevic. He's clearly a more versatile defensive player, and his offensive numbers have been quite good the past two years: 15.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.5 APG. He may never become an All-Star, but he is an important foundational piece for the up-and-coming Magic.

De'Anthony Melton is going to have a long NBA career for two reasons. First is his defensive capabilities. At 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-8.5 wingspan, he can frustrate opposing point guards with his length and athletic ability and can defend up a position or two. Second, he's decent at everything. He's averaging 10.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, and 0.5 BPG while shooting 38.2 percent from three. Put differently, he can fit into every NBA rotation as a starter or first guard off the bench. We'll see how Nick Nurse utilizes him this season.

I always thought Keita Bates-Diop was going to vastly outperform his draft position (48th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft), given his size (6-foot-8) and scoring ability at Ohio State. This season projects to be one where KBD will be depended on like never before in his career. This past season in San Antonio, Coach Popovich finally gave him some consistent minutes (21.7 MPG), and he responded by averaging 9.7 PPG on 39 percent shooting from three. The Suns signed him with the hopes that he can provide some off-the-bench scoring pop when their stars sit or face double- and triple-teams. 

I'm sure you've seen a few Shaedon Sharpe dunks from last season. If not, take a look here . Regardless, you probably didn't see how well he played over his final 10 games of the season, where he averaged 23.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 4.1 APG on 46-38-77 shooting. We've seen plenty of young players put up empty stats in the season's final month and never make The Leap (see Gerald Green, 2006-07), but something about how Sharpe moves on the court tells me this might be legit.

After having a nice regular season last year (13.5 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.6 RPG), Malik Monk proved he was an even better player in the playoffs by averaging 19 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 3.6 APG. Not only did his numbers go up, but the eye test lets you know that he clearly belonged in the high-pressure games against the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Expect another solid regular season and perhaps another postseason explosion from Monk this season, as Sacramento should be a playoff team again.

Tre Jones, Tyus' younger brother, had the definition of an under-the-radar season for the Spurs last year, putting up career-best numbers in his third season across the board, highlighted by his 12.9 PPG and 6.6 APG. And like his older brother, he infrequently turns the ball over, with only 1.6 TPG in 29.2 MPG. He should be a solid, pass-first point guard to have on the roster with Victor Wembanyama coming to San Antonio.

Though he doesn't do much else on the offensive end of the floor, Gary Trent Jr. can put up points at a fairly efficient clip. In the past three seasons, aged 22 through 24, he's averaged 17.1 PPG on 42-38-83 shooting splits with the Blazers and Raptors. Probably a lot more points per game than you were thinking, right? Me too. If the Raptors decide to tank at the trade deadline, Trent could be an interesting player to watch as an upcoming free agent next summer.

The Utah Jazz, in general, are under-the-radar. Lauri Markkanen was the Most Improved Player last season, Jordan Clarkson was the Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago, and Walker Kessler played well enough as a rookie to earn a spot on the FIBA World Cup squad, so they're all out. That leaves us with Collin Sexton. Once an inefficient chucker on on a terrible team, Sexton is now a much more effective score-first guard, averaging 14.3 PPG with 51-39-82 shooting splits and a career-low 1.8 turnovers per game. 

Often referred to as one of the best, if not the best, backup point guards in the NBA, Tyus Jones (Tre's older brother) is the Wizards under-the-radar player this season. Dealt to the Wizards as part of the Marcus Smart-Kristaps Porzingis trade this summer, Jones' role should shift from elite backup point guard on a good team to starting point guard on a bad team. His steadying presence (5.2 APG with only 0.9 TPG) will be huge for the development of Washington's young players.