The Eastern Conference is a different beast this season. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are Sixers. Giannis went to the Heat. Kawhi Leonard is reunited with Toronto. Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton are back healthy. There are a solid dozen teams gunning for eight playoff spots.
Let's focus not on established stars, but on breakout candidates. For the purposes of this article, we will ignore rookies and established All-Stars. Instead, here are the players primed for a leap — either from good to great, or from obscurity to relevance.
Atlanta Hawks: Aaron Wiggins
The Hawks acquired Aaron Wiggins this summer in what was essentially a salary dump for the Thunder. If there's one downside to OKC's unmatched depth, it's that talented players are sacrificed at the alter of cap management. Wiggins was buried in the Thunder wing rotation, but he's poised to become a legitimate sixth man in Atlanta.
Last season was not Wiggins' strongest, but it's hard to blame him when his role was so restrictive. He immediately inherits more freedom with the Hawks, who can turn to Wiggins as a microwave scorer on the second unit. In the past, Wiggins has shot efficiently from 3-point range while pressuring the rim at a high rate, where he's a skilled finisher. The Hawks are well-built to cover for Wiggins on defense, where he can struggle, while pushing the tempo and counting on his varied scoring profile. Expect a sizable leap in minutes (21.8 per game last season) and output with the Hawks.
Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard
Payton Pritchard put up 17.0 points and 5.2 assists last season on 58.2 percent true shooting; the season before, he won SIxth Man of the Year. We know Pritchard is a bucket, perfectly engineered to Joe Mazzulla's Math Ball offense. But there's the opportunity for another leap this season, especially if Boston deigns to start him in lieu of the departed Jaylen Brown.
While Paul George nominally steps into Brown's spot on the wing, he won't make up for Brown's self-creation and playmaking — not at this stage of his career. The Celtics need someone other than Jayson Tatum to consistently pressure the defense and create advantages, especially once the postseason arrives. Pritchard's shifty, strong-man handles, paired with a quick trigger on the pull-up jumper, means he could step into a featured role this season. If Boston wants to turn the page from last year's flameout, he just might have to.
Brooklyn Nets: Egor Dëmin
Egor Dëmin is one of several second-year players hoping to take a leap next season. There's not much standing in the way in Brooklyn, where Dëmin is every bit a centerpiece of the Nets' future. He's in an optimal position, too, at least on paper. Rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr. will take on primary creation duties, while Julius Randle applies constant pressure on the interior. That should leave Dëmin positioned to bomb spot-up 3s and attack closeouts, operating as the high-IQ, quick-thinking connector Brooklyn needs.
The Nets reached on Dëmin at No. 8 in the 2025 NBA Draft; that was my thought, at least. But after struggling to score efficiently anywhere on the floor early on, Dëmin quickly locked in and hit 38.5 percent of his 3s (on healthy volume) as a rookie. He still needs to add muscle, which he's doing, and become more well-rounded, particularly when it comes to scoring at the rim. If Summer League was any indication, Dëmin is at least taking steps in the right direction.
Charlotte Hornets: Naz Reid
Charlotte made the surprise decision to trade LaMelo Ball this offseason at the absolute peak of his value. The return package was built on future draft picks, but Naz Reid is more than a toss-in. The former Sixth Man of the Year figures to take on a more expanded role this season, probably starting at the four in lieu of Miles Bridges (also traded). And, without LaMelo, the Hornets will need to look elsewhere for shot creation.
Reid carved out a major niche for himself in Minnesota as a bench energizer focused on catch-and-shoot 3s and mismatch-hunting. But he can handle and pass far better than your typical big man, blessed with uncommon grace and dexterity at 6-foot-9, 264 pounds. Reid's live-dribble creativity was a selling point coming out of LSU seven years ago. Charlotte will give him the opportunity to embrace the full breadth of his skill set.
Chicago Bulls: Matas Buzelis
This season is a natural launchpad for Matas Buzelis, Chicago's third-year forward who plays with a chip on his shoulder. Buzelis has spent most of his first two seasons playing at a strength disadvantage, but you wouldn't know it from watching him. He attacks the rim fearlessly. He embraces physical assignments on defense, looking to hand out a punch for every one he takes.
Buzelis is already an elite help-side rim protector on the wing. Now paired with Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton, the Bulls defense is going to muck things up on the back end defensively. The real leap for Buzelis, however, needs to come on offense. He's a functional straight-line slasher and a dangerous transition scorer, but he's still in need of go-to moves in the half court. If Buzelis can take a leap in efficiency, either from behind the 3-point line or at the rim, stardom is in the cards.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Peyton Watson
The Cavaliers handed Peyton Watson a four-year, $88 million contract to pry him away from Denver. It's a risky investment, as Watson's NBA résumé is scant; he has put together less than half a season of consistent, quality play and he missed the 2026 playoffs due to injury. That said, there's a reason the Cavs went all-out to get him (besides the fact that they'd just whiffed on LeBron James). Watson's flashes last season, when healthy, were tantalizing. He added new wrinkles as a scorer and projects as a stout, versatile defender on the wing.
It just so happens that Watson is more or less exactly what Cleveland needs on the wing. Sandwiched between two bigs and two high-usage guards, Watson can handle the top-billed assignments on defense. He can hit spot-up 3s, attack mismatches with his strength and walk into easy buckets as defenses collapse on Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Watson needs to ramp up his 3-point volume and finish better at the rim, but he has every tool and is teasing a rocket-like ascent.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Joe
After four productive years in OKC, including a championship run, Isaiah Joe was shipped to Detroit this summer in a salary dump. It was found money for the Pistons, who put another knockdown shooter in Cade Cunningham's orbit. OKC has consistently performed better with Joe on the court; he shoots with a quick trigger and deep range. He can defend a little, too.
Detroit will probably roll with Duncan Robinson in the starting five to begin the season, as he's more entrenched. But Joe provides many of the same benefits with a more well-rounded skill set. Joe can better attack closeouts and get to the rim in a pinch. Robinson is more of a hidden object on defense. Don't be shocked if Joe ends up starting and playing major minutes; he should build fast chemistry with Cunningham, who exists primarily to spoon-feed teammates on the perimeter.
Indiana Pacers: Jarace Walker
Look, I'm not going to pretend like "the signs" tell us much about Jarace Walker. But he's entering the final year of his rookie contract as a former top-10 pick and it's now or never. Walker found more opportunities last season as Indiana tanked its way to the bottom; he could be the rare "breakout candidate" whose surface-level stats regress while his impact skyrockets.
Walker was such an awesome prospect coming out of Houston three years ago. To put it bluntly, I viewed him as a future two-way star. Those dreams are hanging on by less than a thread, but Walker's bowling-ball physicality and versatile defense gives him a pathway to success on this Pacers squad. Ivica Zubac's full-time presence at the five spot should empower Walker as a switchy, roaming defensive playmaker. If he can maintain last season's 3-point volume, Tyrese Haliburton will deliver cleaner looks and more opportunites to attack downhill with punishing force. There's still a chance for Walker to really stake his claim as an essential piece to the Pacers' championship-hopeful puzzle.
Miami Heat: Pelle Larsson
Pelle Larsson's four-year, $60 million contract extension this summer was met with a lot of furrowed brows, but something tells me that was a result of Miami being out of the spotlight last season. Larsson made a sizable year-two leap and he should remain on that trajectory this season, now with Miami hoping to contend for a championship post-Giannis trade.
Larsson will serve as a sixth man out of the gate, but expect him to consistently close games over Klay Thompson — and don't be shocked when he jumps into the starting five eventually. Larsson needs to bump up his 3-point volume, but he's a crafty, off-beat slasher with real playmaking equity on the wing. The Heat don't have a ton of depth, so Larsson's value will be amplified by necessity.
Milwaukee Bucks: Ousmane Dieng
Ousmane Dieng, a former lottery pick, was buried in a deep OKC rotation for 3.5 years. He wound up in Milwaukee at the trade deadline last season and immediately blew up, more than doubling his career-high averages in scoring (11.0 points per game) and assist rate (20.7 percent). With so much uncertainty around this Bucks roster, Dieng shouldn't find it hard to carve out a role at the four spot. He's better than Kyle Kuzma; rookie Nate Ament, the only other big forward on Milwaukee's roster, needs ample development time.
Beyond Tyler Herro, there's not an established hierarchy on this Bucks roster. Dieng could start sooner than later. There's a nonzero chance he ends up as one of their top scorers, if last season's ascent continues. He's a real defender, too, which carries special importance for a Milwaukee team short on stoppers.
New York Knicks: Mohamed Diawara
Mo Diawara didn't play much as a rookie, but the Knicks' second-round pick provided plenty of flashes when he did see the floor. New York has an extremely deep and established core, so Diawara is scrapping for opportunities on the margins right now. That said, he's pretty much the platonic ideal for a Knicks wing — long, strong-bodied, with an appetite for defense and a developing 3-point stroke.
With Mitchell Robinson gone, the Knicks' frontcourt rotation is in flux right now. Mike Brown has already floated the possibility of small-ball five minutes for OG Anunoby. If Diawara can get his foot in the door and beat out some of New York's more one-dimensional reserves, he could end up being an essential part of their second unit.
Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson
Jase Richardson was mostly out of sight, out of mind as a rookie, but the 2025 first-round pick theoretically fills an essential role on this Magic roster. Orlando's backcourt is loaded with lockdown defenders, but the Magic are light on true volume shooters and creators. Richardson spent his lone college season at Michigan State in an off-ball role, bombing 3s and attacking seams, but he's a hatural point guard with real functional strength as a ball-handler.
He's not the most disruptive defender, but Orlando has the size and versatility to protect Richardson on that side of the basketball. An elite shooter and below-the-rim finisher in college, Richardson was something of an analytics darling. He protects the ball and plays with poise. There's room for a year-two breakout that not many folks see coming.
Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe
This feels like cheating, but who else on the Sixers' roster really qualifies? Labaron Philon is a rookie and the depth of this team is largely comprised of one-dimensional vets. So Edgecombe gets the nod — and there's a real chance for a significant year-two leap, despite the influx of talent around him.
Much has been made of Edgecombe's necessary sacrifice with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown on board, but this is arguably a much better setup than last season. Edgecombe should be far more efficient. Driving lanes will open up like a parting sea as defenses collapse on Philadelphia's various on-ball generators. Edgecombe is still not the most polished creator; that's something he's bound to improve upon, but for now, he's going to feast on weak-link defenders and shoulder a critical burden on defense. Even if the scoring does not explode, expect Edgecombe to notch meaningful improvement.
Toronto Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles
Another mild cheat, as Collin Murray-Boyles was a top-five rookie in a loaded class, but he's primed for a meaningful uptick in minutes and usage this season. Especially if Toronto abandons Jakob Poeltl and goes with CMB as the full-time small-ball five, which is their best path forward. Murray-Boyles does not play like a small-ball center; he can switch and guard the perimeter, yes, but he's also incredibly strong, with elite anticipation as a shot-blocker.
The next evolution for CMB will be offensive. He made strides as a 3-point shooter last season after shying away from perimeter shots in college. Can he continue that growth? Expect the Raptors to run more actions through CMB at the elbow and in the post, too. He's an underrated passer and a super-skilled finisher, with deft footwork and immense power. Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard will drive the car, but CMB could break out this season as Toronto's third wheel.
Washington Wizards: Will Riley
There are several candidates for this list on the Wizards roster. Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George are too established, however, and Tre Johnson's defense could be problematic for a team starting Trae Young at point guard. So, let's roll with Will Riley. The rookie numbers weren't all that impressive, but Riley had several explosive performances down the stretch.
The main factor working against Riley is depth, as Washington will lean heavily on Kyshawn George and AJ Dybantsa as their starting wings, with a two-big frontcourt setup. Perhaps it will take an injury (see: Anthony Davis) for the floodgates to open up. But Riley's flashes last season were tantalizing. He's a shifty, slippery slasher on the wing. If he can shoot more efficiently from deep and continue developing as a passer, he will find his way to minutes.
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