Which players have the most impact on the game without producing big numbers?
Nate Wolters—PG
Wolters posted 7.2 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game over the span of 58 games during his rookie year. His free-throw (65.6 percent on 1.6 attempts per game) and 3-point (29.0 3Pt on 1.1 attempts per game) percentages are things he needs to improve in 2014-15, but the 6-4 guard is capable of defending both backcourt positions, and makes sound decisions with the ball—as evidenced by the fact that he committed only 1.0 turnover per game.
The fact that the Bucks plan on playing the “Greek Freak” some at the one and have four capable point guards (Wolters, Brandon Knight, Kendall Marshall, and Jerryd Bayless) means that Wolters is likely to continue to see time at both guard positions. On a team that’s unlikely to be seriously vying for a playoff spot, Milwaukee might be smart to increase his workload this season to see if he can sustain his efficiency during extended burn versus opposing teams’ starters.
Avery Bradley—SG
Bradley is one of the better backcourt defenders who can cover both guard positions, and his offensive game has gotten better every year he’s been in the league. Some eyebrows were raised when the Celtics inked him to a four-year, $32 million contract this summer, but in time I believe Bradley will silence the skeptics.
Coming off of the best statistical career of his season, during which he averaged 14.9 points (43.8 FG, 39.5 3-Pt, 80.4 FT), 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, Bradley may find himself ineligible for the no-stats All-Star team in 2014-15 if he continued to improve offensively this summer.
With Rajon Rondo on the shelf for 6-8 weeks with a broken hand, Bradley is set to take on a heavy load of minutes regardless of the Celtics’ disinterest in competing for a playoff spot—as they’d have to relinquish their first-round draft pick to Philadelphia. Rookie Marcus Smart will probably assume the reigns as starting point guard in Rondo’s absence with Bradley occupying the two, but Bradley will probably still spend some time alleviating Smart of ball-handling duties given that the Celtics lack another quality backup. Both guards are big and strong enough to cover opposing shooting guards, and it should be exciting to watch the defense-first duo of Bradley and Smart to start the season.
P.J. Tucker—SF
Tucker earned his 30.7 minutes per game in 2013-14 for Phoenix—not because of his 9.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game averages—but because of his undying willingness to do the dirty work and play within himself. The former no. 35 overall pick of 2006 played one season with the Raptors before making stops in the the D-League, Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Germany before returning to the NBA in 2012. It’s been a long road for the 6-6, 224 lb. 29-year-old small forward, but having helped the Suns nearly make the playoffs last year Phoenix decided to bring him back on a three-year, $16.5 million deal.
Tucker is probably never going to be a guy who pumps out big numbers, but you can count on him to give it 100 percent every second he’s on the floor. His hard-nosed defensive nature and stellar corner 3-pointer have resulted in Bruce Bowen comparisons. Another thing that makes Tucker so valuable is that he crashes the glass hard on both ends, and is perfectly comfortable banging with the bigger players for rebounding position—thus allowing the Suns to play him at power forward if/when they elect to play small ball.
Another guy whom plenty were surprised to see get paid as well he did, Tucker doesn’t seem like the type of player to become complacent. Having worked as hard as he has to get back to the NBA level there’s little doubt in my mind that he continued to bust his butt this summer—especially since the Suns drafted another small forward in T.J. Warren.
Channing Frye—PF
After sitting out the entire 2012-13 season with a heart condition Frye appeared in all 82 games during 2013-14, contributing 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 28.2 minutes per game—but these statistics do no justice to the impact he makes simply from being on the court. A lethal 3-point threat at 38.5 percent for his career, the floor spacing Frye provides at the four makes him infinitely more valuable than the numbers he nets.
The Suns do have the Morris brothers and newly signed Anthony Tolliver—all less proven than Frye, but still very capable floor-spacing fours; but on top of Frye’s ability to keep the driving lanes open, his leadership will be sorely missed in the Phoenix locker room, and greatly appreciated by Orlando.
Frye, like Tucker and Bradley, is another player who got paid well this summer (four-years, $32 million) for what he brings to the table. This resulted in many questions about what Orlando is doing given that they just drafted Aaron Gordon with the no. 4 overall pick and rid themselves of veterans Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson—but Gordon is far from ready to play the starting role, and on a team filled with young guns I believe the Magic were wise to invest in a veteran locker room leader who can space the floor and help them play considerably more minutes of meaningful, competitive basketball.
As Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, and the young Magic core look to gain valuable experience and build chemistry it’s imperative that they have the opportunity to compete on a nightly basis, and Frye helps ensure that the Magic won’t be getting waxed on a near-nightly basis.
Omer Asik—C
Asik returned to a reserve role in 2013-14 behind Dwight Howard in Houston, which he was not the least bit pleased about, and posted averages of 5.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 20.2 minutes per game—actually slightly better than his four-year career marks of 5.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.
Asik did average 10.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game as the Rockets’ starting center in 2012-13, and will probably average a double-double as the New Orleans Pelicans’ starting center, but his career averages of 0.9 blocks and 0.4 steals per game do not indicate his status as an elite defensive center. He and Anthony Davis will join forces to create perhaps the most demoralizing defensive frontcourt duo in the league.
Asik also sets immaculate screens and rolls hard to the rim offensively. He does lack shooting range, and struggles from the free-throw line (54.4 percent), but he knows his limitations as a player and always gives his best effort. On a Pelicans team that severely struggled to protect the paint Asik is exactly what the doctor ordered in New Orleans (on top of a clean bill of health). His contract will be up at the end of the season, but if the Pelicans find a way to make the postseason you can book the “Turkish Terror” being re-signed to play alongside AD for the foreseeable future in NOLA.
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