One Player Every Team Should Be Excited About (BR)

I know, I know. Another Bleacher Report reaction? You lack creativity! I’m aware, but since there is literally nothing to talk about, I am left with no other choice. A couple of days ago, Bleacher Report made yet another article that I can talk about.

Every single team has a few players that you can be excited about and sometimes picking a player is easy. However, I will obviously have some disagreements with this list. Bleacher Report and I still don’t see eye-to-eye, so we’ll see how much I agree with them on this topic.

Atlanta Hawks – De’Andre Hunter

Kind of easy to agree with this one, especially because Hunter is one of my Most Improved Player candidates for 2022. Hunter only played 23 games last year in the regular season due to a meniscus tear. He missed the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the playoffs as well, so he didn’t really play all that much.

Which is a shame because for the first 18 games of the season, he averaged 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field and 37% from 3.

If Hunter can stay healthy, he’s a really great two-way player. I know that other youngsters like Cam Reddish and even rookies like Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper are exciting, but Hunter could be the 2nd or 3rd best player for the Hawks when healthy and take them to that championship level.

But if he is hurt, don’t worry Hawks fans, you’re good. You have other players to cheer for in 2022.

Boston Celtics – Robert Williams

It’s easy to love Timelord. The 2018 first-round pick struggled to stay healthy through his first two seasons but in 2021? Williams was healthy and got real minutes for a playoff Celtics team. He was one of the few bright spots for Boston and he signed a 4 year, $54 million dollar extension this offseason, a real steal for Brad Stevens and Boston (still weird to say that).

Williams is an elite shot-blocker and a great lob threat. His stats per 36 minutes last year showed his potential;

Robert Williams Per 36 Minutes In 2021;

15.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals

WOW,WOW,WOW,WOW,WOW!! I know he wouldn’t be able to do that every night, but that is some really good production. The Celtics used him really well in dribble handoffs with Tatum and Brown. He’s likely to split minutes with Al Horford this season, which I think is great for his development.

Williams did struggle with foul trouble at times last season, but if he can stay healthy and avoid foul trouble, he’s a really good anchor for the Celtics and could be their center of the future as he’s still just 23 years old.

Brooklyn Nets – Cam Thomas

I mean, I like what the Nets did in the draft. Cam Thomas is a great pure scorer for the bench and I like Day’Ron Sharpe’s potential down low for the future. But will these guys really matter in the long run?

Don’t get me wrong, Cam Thomas can score the ball really, really well. Great at getting to the free-throw line and can just score in bunches from all over the floor. But the Nets already have a loaded offense and will Thomas even get minutes in the playoffs, where the Nets are certainly going to rely upon more reliable veterans?

I get that Cam Thomas is good, but it’s going to be pretty easy to be overlooked with all the talent that the Nets have. I think he can make an impact a couple of years down the line as a great bench scorer, but his rookie campaign won’t be jaw-dropping.

I think that Thomas is great, but it’s really hard to get excited about somebody who isn’t going to be playing a whole lot. Now, if injuries hit the Nets like they did last year, now we’re in business. Thomas could see some real minutes and have a chance to make an impact.

But if that doesn’t happen? Cam Thomas will enjoy watching the Nets Big 3 score all day long.

Charlotte Hornets – Lamelo Ball

No real explanation is needed here. The reigning ROTY is electrifying. He’s such a smart playmaker and just makes this offense hum. Expect an offensive boost and efficiency boost in his 2nd season as the Hornets look to make a playoff push with their retooled roster, one that is being really overlooked in my opinion.

Lamelo is going to be really good again and so should the Hornets. Lavar was right all along.

Chicago Bulls – Patrick Williams

With the Bulls adding Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and DeMar DeRozan, it looks like they’re going to be a playoff-caliber team. But I really do think that Patrick Williams is the driving force for them and if he takes the next step, so can the Bulls.

It seemed like Williams was a reach at the #4 pick in the draft last year, but you saw the potential with his rookie season. While averaging 9 points in 28 minutes isn’t impressive, Williams showed flashes of being a great two-way wing.

He shot 39% from 3 on just under 2 attempts. If he shoots more like 4-5 outside shots per game and still shots about 35-40% from 3? More volume from 3 while keeping that efficiency is the next step. And in general, getting Williams closer to 10-12 shots per game instead of 7.5 is something I hope happens this season.

With opposing defenses focusing on all the All-Stars, Williams could be poised for a big 2nd season. Lonzo Ball is perfect for him, hopefully giving him the opportunity to score on backdoor cuts and in transition, something that the Bulls have lacked without a true floor general.

If Williams can average 14-15 points per game on good efficiency and take another step defensively? He can help anchor that Bulls starting 5 and make them really dangerous. I’m hoping for a big 2nd season from The Paw, so we’ll see how he fares in year number two.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Evan Mobley

Any high draft pick is exciting, but BR and I are in agreement that Evan Mobley is going to be great one day. I liked him a lot more than Jalen Green coming out of the draft and I think the Cavs got a steal. While centers aren’t exactly dominating the NBA like they once did, I think that Mobley can be the blueprint for the next generation of centers.

He’s just so versatile and dynamic. Offensively, he can dribble, shoot, and pass really well for his position. The scoring should come easier as he adds muscle to his slight frame. He’s also an elite shot-blocker who can guard 1-5. Should be a really nice pick-and-roll defender and solid as an overhang defender alongside Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro.

He might struggle in his rookie season due to that lack of size, but he’s so versatile and he fits really well with the Cavs rebuilding timeline. The fit with Jarrett Allen is one I’m really interested in, but I think that Mobley is a can’t miss player that should be really good during his career.

Dallas Mavericks – Luka Doncic

There’s nobody really else to be excited about. KP is looking like a worse and worse trade pickup by the day and everybody else is a role player. Dallas has to get Luka help, but at least Luka is breathtaking to watch and should carry a pretty weak roster to the playoffs, for the third year in a row.

Denver Nuggets – Michael Porter Jr.

Again, pretty obvious. Michael Porter Jr was historically good in his 2nd season, putting up numbers on efficiencies that we haven’t seen since Wilt Chamberlain. Last year, MPJ averaged more points than any other player who took fewer than 14 field-goal attempts per game, which is just ridiculously impressive.

And with Jamal Murray out for a good portion of 2022? MPJ is now the 2nd option and if he can score better off the dribble, he’s going to be a lethal scoring weapon. Jokic already gives him so many open looks, if he becomes a better one-on-one scorer with his raw athleticism and size? Denver might not need Jamal Murray to come back 100%, which is great.

MPJ is going to be a great player in 2022. Any 23-year old who can shoot 63% on 2-pointers and 45% on 3-pointers is a great player. While the efficiencies might go down slightly, 20 points a night might be light work for the Missouri product.

Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham

Duh.

I know that all #1 overall picks are supposed to be good, but Cade is about as complete a player as you can hope for. He can do it all offensively: shoot, handle, pass, etc. His size makes him a Luka Doncic-lite player and he should be able to orchestrate the Detroit offense for years to come.

He really doesn’t seem like he will be a bust, as he’s just picture perfect. Obviously, that’s subject to change, but it’s kind of true as of right now. He’s got one of the highest floors of any recent #1 overall pick.

If Cade Cunningham does turn out to be a superstar (likely), then the Pistons are going to be on the rise right with him. The Pistons could have a gem with Cunningham and his rookie season will be very, very exciting.

Golden State Warriors – Jonathan Kuminga

This situation is eerily similar to that of the Brooklyn Nets. Jonathan Kuminga played in the G-League and is incredibly raw as a two-way scoring wing. He and Moses Moody, another lottery pick, are good players. But with the Warriors are trying to contend and these two guys could be headed for another James Wiseman season.

Where they’re just too young to make a winning impact and veterans such as Andre Iguodala just make more sense to win games. It happened last year with Wiseman and I really wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen here again with not just Kuminga, but Moody as well. Not to mention that Kuminga is only going to be 19 years old when the season starts.

Again, I like both of these players. But the Warriors are trying to contend and as NBA draftees spend less and less time playing semi-pro basketball, they struggle out of the gates in the brutal NBA landscape.

Houston Rockets – Aleperen Sengun (But Also Jalen Green, Obviously)

I get that Sengun is a really talented young center who has great potential. He can shoot, rebound, defend, and pass pretty well. As of right now, he’s the franchises’ centerpiece down low (sorry Christian Wood), but Jalen Green should be the pick here.

I know BR technically said Green, but I really do think the headlines should be on Green. While the Rockets are going to be really, really, really bad in 2022, Green will be awesome at times. He’ll show you that oozing athleticism and scoring abilities.

He’s a fun player to watch when he gets things going and he’ll have those games that just leave you in awe. As much as I like Sengun’s potential, Jalen Green is likely going to be the best pure scorer out of this 2021 NBA Draft Class. He’ll (rightfully) be getting all the attention and I think Rockets fans should be really excited to watch him this year.

(Update: John Wall is not going to be playing any games as the Rockets look to try and trade him. More shots for Jalen Green and even more reasons to be excited about him).

Indiana Pacers – Isaiah Jackson

I don’t really like this one. Jackson was a first-round pick this year out of Kentucky and I do like him. He’s the vertical threat from Kentucky with great physical tools. But he’s really raw and he’ll likely be a backup behind more experienced guys like Myles Turner and even Goga Bitadze.

Pacers fans should be more excited about Indiana’s other first-round pick, Chris Duarte. I know that he’s already 24 years old as a rookie, which is as old as Devin Booker, who is entering his 7th season in 2022, but trust me, Duarte is good. I’m not just saying that because he went to Oregon, but he actually is good.

He’s a really good shooter and offensive player in general. A solid defender who should have no problem adjusting in the NBA with that advanced age. I think he’s going to have a Tyrese Haliburton-like impact on the Pacers off the bench and give them some great depth off the bench.

I do think that Jackson is a really good player and who knows, maybe he gets more minutes and moves up the rotation faster than I imagine he will. But Duarte will be good from the jump and he really compliments Indiana off the bench well.

Los Angeles Clippers – Terance Mann

Obviously, I don’t think Clippers fans are going to be happy in 2022. Without Kawhi Leonard for most of 2022, they’re unlikely to make a push for a title. While I do think they’re decent with Paul George at the helm, I don’t think a mere playoff birth excites them.

With that being said, Terance Mann should have a big role with The Klaw out. He had 39 points in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Jazz and he is a really talented player. He’s got some shooting abilities but is a really good slasher who brings an added element of surprise for a Clippers offense that is perimeter-oriented.

Mann played about 19 minutes per game last year and averaged 7 points. I really won’t be surprised to see him start more and get closer to 25 minutes per game with Kawhi being out for an extended period of time.

Obviously, the Clippers have more veteran forwards like Marcus Morris, Justice Winslow, and Nicolas Batum as well, but with what he did last year, Tyronn Lue might trust the Florida State product to close games out. I think that Mann could be really good in 2022 with a bigger role, so he’s definitely a player to watch.

But again, not being in contention kind of dampers the mood for the season for LA. Watching Lebron and company get back into contention really won’t help things either.

Los Angeles Lakers – Russell Westbrook

The Lakers added a lot of new pieces this offseason and unless people are going to be cramming into Staples Center just to get a look at Wayne Ellington, Westbrook is going to be the main attraction out of the new additions.

I obviously don’t like his fit with AD and Lebron. Lebron showed his first signs of slowing down, AD is still incredibly injury prone and Westbrook just can’t shoot the ball. However, if Westbrook can stay out of his own way and play off the ball more, this could work.

I don’t know what Russell Westbrook off the ball looks like, but he’ll probably have to do some of that. The fit is certainly interesting and I don’t know how it’s going to work out, but sure, Russell Westbrook is an exciting player to watch.

Now hopefully things don’t crash and burn immediately.

Memphis Grizzlies – Jaren Jackson Jr

I kind of agree with this one. Jackson was really good in 2020, showing off that great shooting ability. But he couldn’t build off that in 2021 as he was limited to just 11 games, recovering from a meniscus tear he suffered in the Bubble.

Jackson’s 2022 season will be huge for his development and we’ll see what type of player he really is, when healthy. He still has to stop fouling people so much, but I think he can be a good player. But the Grizzlies have a lot of young talent and to me, it’s hard to just pick one.

Dillon Brooks is a really good two-way guard, even if the Grizzlies might want to move him. Desmond Bane was really good as a rookie last year. What about Ziarie Williams, the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft? Brandon Clarke anybody? Clarke was amazing as a rookie but just wasn’t the same in his second season and he just fell out of the rotation entirely.

The Grizzlies have a lot of young talent and while I do agree that if he can get things going, Jackson will be a great player. But if he’s mediocre, Grizzlies fans aren’t exactly searching for someone to cheer for, they have a lot of options on that front.

Miami Heat – Bam Adebayo

While the Heat did add tough veterans in Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker, Bam Adebayo is the Heat’s youngest and brightest star. He looked very good defensively in the Olympics and I’m very excited to see how he can expand in 2022.

Adebayo improved greatly in 2021 from his 2020 All-Star campaign, which of course meant he wasn’t an All-Star in 2021, which just makes no sense. Adebayo averaged 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists with 1 steal and 1 block per game on 63% TS. He was a much better mid-range shooter on more volume and I think he’s a sleeper DPOY pick in 2022.

Adebayo is so versatile, like his Olympic teammate Draymond Green. He can guard 1-5 and the Heat’s defense was great with him on the floor last year. I think if Adebayo keeps progressing as a mid-range shooter, shooting more and making them at a similar rate, he could take that next step offensively.

Bam Adebayo will be an All-Star in 2022 and might make a campaign for an All-NBA team. The 24-year old could be in for a big jump and the Heat could be right there alongside him for the ride as they try and contend in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee Bucks – Donte DiVincenzo

While I do see the Greek Freak winning MVP, I think that this one is right. The Bucks are a pretty veteran-heavy team but DiVincenzo is one of their “young” guys. DiVincenzo was the starter for the Bucks in 2021 and would have greatly helped them win a title if he didn’t injure his foot in the first round and promptly miss the rest of the postseason.

The Bucks still won without him, but DiVincenzo would have greatly helped. He’s a solid shooter and defender, the perfect glue guy for their starting lineup. They missed his perimeter defense and they’ll need that skill more now than ever with PJ Tucker leaving this offseason for South Beach.

DiVincenzo is a great player and I’m hoping he’s able to play from the start of the season. The Bucks gave him a great backup in Grayson Allen, but DiVincenzo is the perfect player for the Bucks alongside their Big 3 and he should help them mesh well again in 2022.

Minnesota T-Wolves – Anthony Edwards

We already know what most of the T-Wolves’ stars are. Towns is an elite scoring center who can’t really get better offensively, only defensively. We know what D’Angelo Russell can be when healthy, but can he stay healthy? Malik Beasley can score well, but Anthony Edwards is the one who still has a lot of room to grow.

While he struggled to start the season, he put the doubters to rest with an incredible Post-All-Star scoring stretch. He’s pretty good at interviews too.

Anthony Edwards Post All-Star Break In 2021;

23.8 points and 5.3 rebounds on 57% TS.

Edwards bumped up his scoring by nearly 9 points per game in the 2nd half of the season and his efficiency? Pre-All-Star Break, his TS% was a horrendous 47%, which is 10% lower than the NBA average. He became an average league shooter in the 2nd half, a pretty big jump all in one season.

Edwards had two polar opposite seasons. Chris Finch gave him the ball and the Georgia product was excellent. If he can do that more consistently in 2022, remaining efficient and still having those explosive scoring nights? Edwards could take a big leap in his 2nd season and help the T-Wolves try and reach the play-in game.

New Orleans Pelicans – Zion Williamson

The Pelicans 2021 offseason was less than ideal. They downgraded at point guard with the loss of Lonzo Ball and the roster still has problems, mainly spacing-wise. But Zion should help them be decent at least because he is amazing, to nobody’s surprise.

Last year as a 20-year-old, Zion averaged 27 points and 7 rebounds on 65% TS. This went unnoticed by basically everybody, mainly because Zion wasn’t dunking as much. I find that to be an absurd reason not to talk about a player but I don’t make the rules.

Zion is the Pelicans magnum opus and I think he’s going to be an MVP candidate for a long time. He’s incredible, but it’s time for the Pelicans to stop running their team into the ground and actually give Zion some help.

New York Knicks – Kemba Walker

Eh. Obi Toppin? Evan Fournier? RJ Barrett? Miles McBride? Quintin Grimes? The Knicks have a lot of other exciting players, but this one isn’t bad or anything.

I get that the Kemba Walker homecoming thing is cool and all, but from a basketball point of view, again it’s kind of a meh from me. I don’t expect like All-Star Kemba Walker, but I do think he can contribute. I definitely think the pressure is off of him because he’s not getting paid that much anymore.

If he was still getting paid like $30-40 million, then I would expect a lot more. But $8 million? If he’s good, great. If he’s mediocre, then Evan Fournier, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett will just carry the load. The Knicks are deep and good and I don’t exactly think that Kemba is the tipping point for them.

I’ll obviously be eating these words once the season starts.

OKC Thunder – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Unless you like tenacious Lu Dort defense or Darius Bazley’s New Balance internships, then everybody else on the Thunder are literal children. Rookies Josh Giddey and Tre Mann haven’t played yet. Theo Maldeon and Aleksej Pokusevski are still panning out.

SGA is really the only guy we know for sure is going to be good. He signed a 5-year extension this offseason that could be worth over $200 million dollars if he plays well, which he will. SGA is the best player on the team and likely the franchise star going forward.

Other than SGA, it’s a lot of unknowns and certainly a lot more losing on the horizon.

Orlando Magic – Jonathan Isaac

Again, I don’t disagree, but there’s a lot of answers here. #5 overall pick Jalen Suggs? #8 overall pick Franz Wagner? Perhaps a Wendell Carter Jr. or Mo Bamba redemption arc? Who can forget about sophomore guards like RJ Hampton and Cole Anthony?

Again, I really don’t mean to be negative. Isaac was and probably still is an elite defensive player. We obviously didn’t see him in 2021 due to that ACL tear, but he’s going to be good. Obviously, he still has room to grow offensively as a shooter and creator, but the Magic have a lot more on their plate.

Given Isaac’s injury history, he might not be the long-term answer for the Magic. As crazy as that is, he’s missed a lot of time over his career and sometimes, a player just can’t be the answer if they’re not playing. Not foreshadowing or anything, but the Magic do have some other players worth watching and unfortunately, Isaac might fall short of that sky-high potential.

Philadelphia 76ers – Paul Reed

I know that Joel Embiid is the closest thing to Shaq we’ve seen since…Giannis, but Paul Reed is also a stud. He was the G-League ROTY and MVP in 2020 and then he put on a show in the summer league. He averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks in Vegas. That’s pretty impressive.

I liked Reed coming out of DePaul last year but he didn’t get to play with 3 other centers in front of him. But given Embiid’s injury history and the fact that Tony Bradley and Dwight Howard are gone, Reed could see more than a measly 177 minutes over 26 games.

Reed can shoot pretty well (44% 3-PT on 3.6 3-PTA in Summer League). I know he’s undersized at 6’9″, but he could get some chances to play behind Embiiid. I think Reed is really talented and he deserves at least a chance to try and play.

Maybe the 76ers don’t use him as they view themselves as contenders (unless they trade Ben Simmons they’re now), but I would like to see Reed play some meaningful minutes. Maybe not every game, but every few games or so, just to see what you have.

Phoenix Suns – Mikal Bridges

I might have gone with Deandre Ayton, but I’m not mad. Obviously, Ayton and Bridges have yet to get those big rookie contract extensions, but while they’re still trying to play well for a large contract? Both of these guys will be really motivated for 2022 and that will only make the Suns’ chances for a title stronger.

Bridges became the full-time starter last year and he’s only going to get better as he gets to play more with CP-3. Bridges is a solid defender and while his offense looks good, but he just needs to be consistent. He had a career year shooting the ball but maybe he gets more chances off the dribble.

With defenses gravitating towards the ball-handlers of Booker and Paul, Ayton and Bridges should have a lot of good opportunities to create for themselves. I think that Bridges can get to around 15 points a night and he will be getting a near-max contract in return.

I’m excited to see what guys like Ayton & Bridges can do in their 2nd season with Chris Paul. Both of them are very talented young guys and if they really take that next step, the Suns have another legitimate shot at winning the title.

Portland Trail Blazers – Larry Nance Jr

{Totally not biased}

My Blazers didn’t do much in the offseason, not that they had that much wiggle room. Obviously signing Cody Zeller, Tony Snell, and Ben McLemore is decent for the bench. Re-signing Norman Powell was great, but the team didn’t become the contenders that Damian Lillard wants us to be, so in that sense, it wasn’t great.

Other than trading CJ for Ben Simmons, this team couldn’t have gotten a lot better. That all changed when we got involved with the Lauri Markknan sign-and-trade (which I completely forgot ever happened).

Getting Larry Nance Jr. was great and we unloaded the nearly $10 million dollars attached to Derrick Jones Jr, who just wasn’t worth nearly that much money. Nance is a really solid wing defender that gives us some much-needed depth behind Covington.

To be fair, Nance is getting paid $10.7 million in 2022 and $9.6 million in 2023. That is similar to Derrick Jones Jr. and maybe Nance gets traded again, either this year or next year. But I do think Nance is the better player and he is a really solid defender. Good in the passing lanes, a pretty good passer, and could even provide some small-ball center minutes that we have just never had.

Maybe playing smaller helps the offense and that gives us a new wrinkle, something that again, we’ve never had. Jusuf Nurkic isn’t exactly Iron Man and I think Nance helps us in a lot of ways. Again, my Blazers aren’t contenders, but I really liked this move and it makes us a lot better.

Now it’s time to lose in the first round.

Sacramento Kings – Davion Mitchell

Again, not a bad choice, but there are certainly other options. Tyrese Haliburton entering his 2nd season, Richuan Holmes after getting a 4-year contract, De’Aaron Fox continuing his ascension to an All-Star level? Do any of those ring a bell?

I don’t think Davion Mitchell is bad by any means, but there are a lot of guys to be excited about.

For one, Mitchell is going to have a tough time in Sacramento with all the guards that they have. The easy solution is to trade Hield, Bagley, plus maybe even Mitchell himself for Ben Simmons. But that seems unlikely at this point, so fighting for minutes already puts the Baylor lottery pick at a disadvantage.

But Mitchell’s incredible perimeter defense is something that Luke Walton and the Kings lack severely, so they need him on the floor for 20-25 minutes a night because their defense is awful otherwise. Mitchell’s offense remains to be seen, but he can shoot, create, and pass pretty well. I don’t know if he can do all 3 as well as he did in college, but we’ll see.

Mitchell is a really interesting player. His skillset demands playing time but the Kings have so many other mouths to feed at the same position. I don’t know if Mitchell with the runt of the litter, but it could happen. That’s just the nature of the NBA.

San Antonio Spurs – Devin Vassell

Firstly, the Spurs are the most vanilla franchise ever. I don’t think Gregg Popovich has spoken more than 5 words ever during a mid-game interview. Their colors don’t pop, they don’t play like most other NBA teams, they’re just boring. If you made a Venn diagram of the Spurs and excitement, they would be in other rooms.

Secondly, they didn’t even pick the right player. Dejounte Murray anybody?

BR’s reason to be excited about Vassell was pretty bogus. I know that he’s good, but he needs a lot more development. But just because Gregg Popovich likes him, does not mean he’s going to be great. I do think he’ll be better, but Dejounte Murray is going to be great, much better than Vassell in 2022, and somebody that Spurs fans should be really excited to see.

Toronto Raptors – OG Anunoby

Move over Scottie Barnes, we all love OG. Anunoby is one of the most underrated players in the league and a great two-way wing in the making. He was unbelievably good in 2021 and I think he’s going to be great again.

OG averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds on 61% TS. He shot nearly 40% from 3 on about 6 attempts per game. His defense is solid and I think he’s going to be one of the faces of this new Raptors team. But I also have to say Scottie Barnes for this one. It’s a tie for me.

The Raptors made the bold decision to take Barnes #4 overall over Jalen Suggs. Suggs is clearly better now, but Barnes has that insane potential. He’s long and versatile and should be another great defensive wing. Offensively, he’s kind of like Ben Simmons. Can handle the ball pretty well for his size but can’t really score on his own. Hopefully, that comes down the line, but he’s a really raw player as of right now.

I think that Anunoby and Barnes are two great two-way wing prospects for the future and Canada should end up being very happy with both of them.

Utah Jazz – Donovan Mitchell

The Utah Jazz aren’t really that exciting. They’re good, but their players don’t exactly scream primetime television. Joe Ingles always looks tired, Jordan Clarkson is incredibly streaky, Mike Conley is quiet, and I’m pretty sure not many people know who Bojan Bogdanovic is.

The other answer to this question might be Rudy Gobert, but nobody likes defense and people don’t like that a defensive mastermind is getting paid over $200 million dollars. Even if he deserves it.

So it kind of goes to Mitchell by default. Mitchell was great last year and he still has room to grow. He’s getting there efficiency-wise, as he was about league average last year. He’s getting better at facilitating as well. But he definitely needs to play better perimeter defense.

I know his ankle was hurt last year in the playoffs, but since the Jazz have literally no good defense outside of Gobert, maybe a hyper-athletic 25-year-old can try his hand at defense. Just a thought.