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Hardwood Paroxysm: 7 young players we’re excited to watch in 2015-16

By HP Basketball Network

Dec 9, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) drives the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 9, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) drives the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren (12) puts up a layup against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren (12) puts up a layup against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that Summer League is in the rear-view mirror, the real offseason begins. Over the course of the next few months, all we can do is twiddle our thumbs as we wait for NBA basketball to creep back into our lives.

Between now and then, though, we can’t help but speculate how next season will play out, like which rookies and sophomores are primed for breakout seasons.

At Hardwood Paroxysm, we have a few names in mind.

T.J. Warren’s scoring is flying way under the radar

Jacob Rosen (@WFNYJacob) — Nylon Calculus

After their runner-up status in the LaMarcus Aldridge sweepstakes and even in the Summer League Championship, the Phoenix Suns just feel somewhat incomplete. It is one of those rosters, à la Boston, that just feels like it is primed for a trade with a number of seemingly random young assets. But that makes the opportunity even larger for second-year forward T.J. Warren. Alongside new additions Tyson Chandler and Mirza Teletovic, and returning regulars Alex Len, Markieff Morris, P.J. Tucker, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, it would appear Warren has the chance to really shine for the Suns in a potential hunt for one of the West’s final playoff seeds.

As a rookie, the No. 14 pick out of NC State only played 40 games and averaged 15.4 minutes per night after fracturing his thumb in late October. But Warren showed flashes of stardom in a handful of games down the stretch. He had 18 points on 10 shots against Oklahoma City. He had 17 points on 12 shots in a close loss at the buzzer at Golden State. He averaged a team-high 18.7 points per game in Vegas. How quickly we forget how he averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during his final season in the ACC.

Phoenix fans feel slighted by the lack of national appreciation for their still-around young core, which also includes third-year guard Archie Goodwin and rookie Devin Booker. The continued development of Warren, a sneaky underrated scorer, is something that should warrant a bit more attention.

Next: Stanley Johnson

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