Defensive wins championships but every team still needs a guy who can make something out of nothing and get a bucket when the moment demands it. These three players aren't the primary options for their teams and rarely get a play called for them. But with skill and force of will they have a tendency to come up with big buckets and could be ready to break out this season.
3. Cason Wallace
Cason Wallace, like most Kentucky guards that make it to the NBA, has a knack for putting the ball in the basket. The fact that Wallace was able to make such an impact in his first season on a very talented, contending Oklahoma City Thunder team says a lot about him. His ability and willingness to adapt as a rookie was impressive. A tried and true point guard, Wallace found he had to play more of an off-ball role last season as Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Josh Giddy dominated most of the minutes at point. However, Wallace embraced this role with enthusiasm.
He was the Thunder's true sixth man, logging the most minutes on the team behind the OKC core of SGA, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddy, Lugentz Dort, and Jalen Williams. He had the fifth highest eFG% on the team last season at 60.2%. He hustled on both ends of the floor and shot the ball at a high clip, finishing the season at 41.9% from beyond the arc. He can play that 3&D role. He can attack a closeout and go get a bucket. Cason Wallace is a gamer, plain and simple.
With around 20 minutes of playing time per game last season, Wallace averaged 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. However, according to basketball-reference, per 36 minutes, Wallace averaged 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. So, in terms of his point generation per minute rate statistics, with more minutes, Wallace should be able to score closer to let's say 10-12 points. With Josh Giddy's departure, we can definitely expect more playing time for Cason Wallace this season. All in all, he already impressed a lot with his play in his first year, and he's poised to make an even bigger splash this upcoming season.
2. Andrew Nembhard
The Indiana Pacers' Andrew Nembhard emerged as an NBA player to watch last season. However, we may not give Nembhard enough credit for his scoring ability. Everybody knows Nembhard can play. We look at him as a scrappy defender and secondary playmaker next to Tyrese Haliburton. However, if we're judging Nembhard by his latest performance, his scoring is something to keep an eye on this upcoming season.
During the playoffs, Nembhard's play raised plenty of green flags. We can't forget about his go-ahead three to beat the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that Nembhard averaged 21.0 points per game against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. He also dished out 7.8 assists and grabbed 3.8 rebounds on top of that. This seems to have been forgotten in the midst of the Celtics' 4-0 victory over the Pacers. Considering Nembhard averaged only 9.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game during the 2023-2024 regular season, these are very impressive numbers.
Nembhard has only been in the league for two years now. Yet, when the lights get bright, Nembhard tends to shine. Entering his third year with Indiana, we can only expect Nembhard's scoring confidence to grow.
1. Tari Eason
Tari Eason's averages, like most on this list, don't jump out at you. However, his impact on the game is undeniable. In Tari's rookie year, the Houston Rockets finished with the second worst record in the league (22-60). However, there was one bright spot — Tari Eason, who was named to the 2022-2023 All-Rookie first team, alongside his teammate, Jabari Smith Jr.
The 6-foot-8 forward out of LSU averaged 9.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in his first season, and finished third on the team in rebounds behind Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Now, Tari Eason is not a bucket-getter in the sense that he drains stepback threes off the dribble on a nightly basis. He's a bucket-getter in the sense that he'll crash the glass to grab the offensive rebound, typically resulting in an easy putback. He uses his athletic ability in transition to blow by bigger defenders. He's comfortable shooting open catch-and-shoot threes. He's a do-it-all guy, one that's willing to fill the lane and play above the rim. This paired with his 7-foot-2 wingspan, puts Eason in an elite category of players. He's an all-around great player, and we should only expect to see his name more and more in the coming years.
Unfortunately, Eason missed the majority of last season with a leg injury. He only played 22 games. For this reason, he's an underrated player to watch this upcoming season. All in all, if Eason can stay healthy, both fans and opponents will realize what an exceptional talent he is.