There are plenty of young guys in the league who have potential but just can’t get consistent minutes. Below are some guys who I think can make a difference and surprise with more playing time.
Nick Richards – Charlotte Hornets
Richards has been stuck behind Plumlee and Mark Williams for the past month or two this season. This would make sense considering Plumlee is playing as an above average 5 man and Williams has all the potential in the world. But when I watch the Hornets and look at the advanced stats, I see Nick Richards as an ideal backup big behind Williams. If Charlotte is able to trade Plumlee before the deadline, I would love to see the 1-2 punch of Williams and Richards; so much athleticism and underrated skill that could be developed in tandem with LaMelo Ball. Richards can rebound, run the floor, and has a nice touch paired with his 66% TS%.
Aaron Wiggins – Oklahoma City Thunder
Wiggins is an ideal 3&D wing for OKC. He has had inconsistent minutes as the Thunder have a handful of wings that they are sifting through to see what combinations work the best. But what Wiggins brings is strong spot up shooting and plus defense. At 6’6″ and 200 lbs., Wiggins has the frame and shooting (38% from 3) to be a lasting 3&D guy in this league. That is beneficial for any team, and especially with the Thunder who have two ball dominant guards in SGA and Giddey. Wiggins is a low usage player who play within his role and is on a team-friendly contract. I wouldn’t be surprised if OKC begins to play Wiggins more as that 3rd wing running with SGA and Giddey.
Jordan Goodwin – Washington Wizards
I will never jump off the Jordan Goodwin bandwagon. He is grading out as an elite defender that plays within the flow of the offense. With an insane DBPM of 2.1 (that’s well above league average), Goodwin could be an All-Defense kind of player. And with Washington blowing two 20 point leads in a row, I don’t see why they wouldn’t give Goodwin a shot to play more than 20 minutes a night. He’s shooting 40% from 3 and is a low usage player that would fit well around Beal, Kuzma, and Porzingis. Time will tell, but it would be a mistake if the Wizards keep Goodwin on the bench.
MarJon Beauchamp – Milwaukee Bucks
There is so much talent here with Beauchamp but he’s been riding the bench on this veteran-filled Bucks team. I would love to see Bud give MarJon some more consistent minutes just to develop his game. Milwaukee could use a youth infusion and they have it on the bench but for the life of me I don’t know why they aren’t using it. Beauchamp has the length and athleticism to develop into a plus defender, while he also has the offensive skills to supplement Giannis, Holiday, and Middleton after we come back from the All-Star break.
Isaiah Jackson – Indiana Pacers
Jackson has just absurd athleticism and with the Pacers most likely not making the playoffs I would love to see Carlisle give Jackson more PT. If Jackson can develop a consistent corner 3 then he could be the 4 of their future. I wouldn’t be surprised f the Pacers play a lineup of Haliburton/Mathurin/Nesmith/Jackson/Turner more often and we see insane advanced metrics. That lineup would have scoring, spacing, athleticism, and length. Jackson would be able to play as the energy big and could make more jaw dropping plays like what we see below.