5 Players I DISLIKE For The 2023 Season
Here are five players I dislike for the 2023 season. For one reason or another, I expect some regression from these guys in 2023.
In part one, I talked about five players I expected to have good seasons. This time, it’s time to talk about five players I dislike. By no means am I rooting for these players to fail. But, for one reason or another, I’m not very high on these guys. Here’s why.
Tyler Herro (Miami Heat)
Tyler Herro should (rightfully) be on top of the world right now. After a rocky sophomore campaign, he followed things up by winning 6th Man of the Year last season. Miami rewarded him with a $130 million dollar contract extension, keeping Herro in town for the foreseeable future. Here’s why I’m not that impressed.
For one, Herro hasn’t developed in any way since his rookie season. We know he can score in bunches. While he’s improved offensively, his game is painfully one-sided. Herro did average 4.0 assists last season, but that came with 2.6 turnovers per game, too. He remains a pure scorer for the moment.
Defensively? Herro is such a lost cause that the Heat stopped using him as much in the postseason. Opposing teams target him too much for him to be out there. And, more notably, Herro’s postseason magic is gone. His offensive production went out the window as he couldn’t get by defenders as frequently as he did in the regular season. Blame injuries all you want, but can the Heat trust this guy when it matters most?
So, the Heat paid $130 million for a player who isn’t as valuable in the playoffs. That’s not great. While Herro may put up good numbers in the regular season, I don’t think he’s reliable in the postseason. You know, the most vital part of the season.
Heck, Herro may even regress slightly in the regular season, too. We saw what happened with Duncan Robinson last year after he got a big contract. Don’t expect the Tyler Herro train to continue to rumble.
Outlook
I’m not saying that Tyler Herro will, all of a sudden, go down to averaging eight points per game. What I’m saying is that his production doesn’t impress me. At this point, and I hate to say this, but his stats are empty.
18.5 pts ~ 4.7 rebs ~ 43% FG (15.9 FGA) ~ 38% 3-PT ~ 0.3 BPM
John Wall (Los Angeles Clippers)
John Wall has been through a lot over the past few seasons. He went from being a franchise player in Washington to nearly out of the league in just a few seasons. The fact that he’s still playing, on a contending team no less, is incredibly impressive.
But, I have my concerns. Sure, Wall has looked good in the preseason. But the preseason is just that. The preseason. How can Wall hold up over the course of the entire season? More than that, what’s his role on this team?
For all their depth, the Clippers lack a pass-first point guard option. Will John Wall be able to be that guy? I don’t think so, since that’s never been his game. At 32 years old, you also have to wonder about his defensive capabilities.
Wall was never a great defender in his prime. The last time we saw him on the floor with the Rockets, he had a -1.4 DBPM in 40 games. I don’t think that sort of play translates to the postseason, where teams are sure to target the former #1 overall pick.
Look, John Wall is a great story. The Clippers will use him in spurts, but I don’t think he’s going to play a huge role for this team in the long-run. His game doesn’t translate to what this team so desperately needs right now. So much for a feel-good story, huh?
Outlook
Shame on me for pinning all my hopes on an aging player who doesn’t have the athleticism and speed he once did. I’m sorry.
11.6 pts ~ 44% FG ~ 36% 3-PT ~ -0.3 BPM
Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
Jalen Brunson has always been a good player. Without too many expectations of him in Dallas, he thrived. For the first time in his career, the spotlight is really on him. There’s no more Luka Doncic to bear the brunt of the teams’ shortcomings.
That’s not the entire reason why I’m not a Brunson fan this season, although it’s part of it. Going from Luka Doncic to the New York Knicks is a major drop-off. Brunson won’t be in the same spaced-out system that allowed him to thrive in Dallas.
If the Mavericks’ offense is water, the Knicks’ offense is closer to a smoothie. It’s not going to be as easy for Brunson to get downhill while sharing the floor with Julius Randle. One of Brunson’s best traits is that he’s super efficient. I don’t think that’s going to be the case in 2023.
This is what happens when you sign with the Knicks. Through no fault of his own, I don’t think Jalen Brunson’s electric postseason send-off with Dallas will carry over to the Knicks.
Outlook
Brunson will be New York’s best offensive weapon this season, so it’s not like he’s not going to get the ball. I think his regular season numbers will far outshine what he did in Dallas. But I don’t think that’s going to be a true reflection of his quality of play in the Big Apple.
17.6 pts ~ 5.2 asts ~ 46% FG ~ 34% 3-PT ~ 0.6 BPM
Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets)
Ben Simmons’ career has been nothing short of a massive disappointment. We all accepted that this dude would never develop a jump shot. Fine. Whatever. But this? This is a step too far. Not only has Simmons lost all the luster of being a former star, he can’t even be himself anymore.
Whether it be the pressure of Brooklyn, his nagging “back injuries,” or some mental roadblocks, Ben Simmons isn’t the same. He isn’t the 6’10” defensive bowling ball that disrupts everything. He isn’t the facilitating forward in the middle of the floor.
No. He’s none of that. Instead, he’s a shell of his former self. Fouling out in 12 minutes? Failing to make a 12-footer? When Simmons was first added to this Nets team, I thought he fit perfectly. There aren’t many near 7-foot forwards with Simmons’ skill.
Alas, I was foolish to believe this guy could do much of anything. All he’s going to do with the Nets is pass the ball to KD and Kyrie. Just like in Philly, Simmons will lurk in the background while everybody around him defends him like he’s some mythological being.
And to think, we thought this guy was going to be like Giannis a few years ago. Shame on us. I’m not wasting my time trying to predict what this guy is doing to do this season. It’s a lost cause at this point.
Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Anthony Davis has been doing his best Lakers impression for the past two seasons. After dominating in the bubble and looking to help cement the Lakers as a perennial contender in Lebron’s twilight, everything has gone down the drain. And when I say everything, I mean everything.
For one, injuries have kept Davis off of the floor. That has always been a concern with the Brow, but his problems go much deeper. When he has played, he hasn’t been the same. His shooting touch has all but disappeared.
On both ends of the floor, Davis hasn’t been the same player he once was. In his final season with the Pelicans, AD had a 9.4 BPM. This past season, he had just a 3.8 BPM. That’s good, but it’s a regression for a player who’s only 29.
The Lakers pinned all their hopes on AD being able to carry them. Lebron James wasn’t supposed to be putting up 30 points a night for this team to succeed. That role was meant for Davis. Instead, Davis has to sit and watch while Lebron drags this sorry franchise to relevance.
No matter how well AD plays this season, it likely won’t change the equation much for a Lakers team clinging to mediocrity. But I don’t see Davis returning to his alien form. He seems shaken, in some trance. Whatever the reason is, we may never witness the unicorn that is the unibrow ever again.
Outlook
I think we should all cherish Davis’ 2018 season in New Orleans a little more. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some highlights to watch.
22.6 pts ~ 9.7 rebs ~ 3.2 stocks ~ 51% FG ~ 3.5 BPM*
(Note: These are really good numbers, but they pale in comparison to what AD has done in the past)
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