1 Under The Radar Player For Every NBA Team- Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics- Baylor Schierman:
The Celtics are running it back this year after winning the championship last season. All the core rotation players are known commodities to most fans after the long playoff run last year. The one notable addition made by the Celtics, was the selection of Baylor Schierman in the first round of the draft.
Schierman is a versatile offensive player, who can shoot from deep and put the ball on the floor. He averaged 18.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists a game last year at Creighton, and showed he can do a bit of everything on offense. He likely won't see many minutes this year, with the Celtics being a veteran team looking to win the title again, but he can provide an impact on offense if he ever gets a shot. He will mostly be used as a spot-up shooter by the Celtics, and that is perfectly fine, as his shooting is his best skill set.
Don't put any expectations on Schierman this season, as he will have a very limited role, but pay attention to him when he does eventually get on the floor.
Brooklyn Nets- Ben Simmons:
With all the negativity that has been spewed about Ben Simmons in recent years, he has turned into an underrated player. He is not the same player he once was, as he doesn't look to get downhill and score as often, but he is still a great playmaker and rebounder.
The Nets are going to be bad this season, so their goal should be player development this year. Simmons is a veteran at this point, but he is trying to rebuild his career, and he can do that with Brooklyn. He has a chance to run the Nets offense, and not face any backlash for underperforming, like he did in Philadelphia. Simmons still possesses a lot of valuable skills that any team could use, but his unwillingness to shoot and draw contact has become an issue. If he uses this season to regain confidence, and work his way back to the player he once was, he can become a valuable player for any team.
Pay attention to Simmons this year to see if he can return to form and remake his career.
New York Knicks- Tyler Kolek:
The Knicks sacrificed their depth this off-season to build a great starting lineup. While the lineup looks great on paper, it is risky to bank everything on five players, especially after seeing how injured the Knicks were last year in the playoffs. Miles McBride is a nice player and Mitchell Robinson is good when healthy, but outside of that, the bench is lackluster.
The Knicks drafted Tyler Kolek in the second round this off-season, out of Marquette, to be their backup point guard of the future. Kolek is exactly what teams should want in a backup point guard, as he is a pass-first player who is a great facilitator, as well as a good shooter. He is just a solid, smart player who knows how to run an offense. Miles McBride is a guard as well, but he is better off the ball, as he is more of a shot-creator than a facilitator. Kolek may not play much early on, as he is just a rookie, but as the year goes on he should see more opportunity, especially if any injuries occur.
The Knicks need someone to have an unexpected impact on their bench, and Kolek seems like the most likely to do so.
Philadelphia 76ers- Kelly Oubre Jr.:
Kelly Oubre seemed to revitalize his career last year, when he finally got a chance to play meaningful basketball. He has always been able to score, but he was always on bad teams, and that caused people to question if he was putting up empty stats.
Last season, on a minimum contract, he averaged 15 points a game for the Sixers, and became a key piece for them. He became one of their better perimeter defenders, and was relied on in the playoffs, on both ends of the floor. Philly rewarded him with a two-year deal this off-season to make him their starting shooting guard for the future. The Sixers also added Paul George this off-season, and he will take away from Oubre on offense, which means Oubre may go under the radar this season. Even if his numbers take a dip this season, he will still be a key piece for the 76ers as they look towards the playoffs.
Don't overlook Oubre this season when the Sixers have their big three fully healthy, as he will be a key contributor on both ends of the court.
Toronto Raptors- Bruce Brown:
Two seasons ago, Bruce Brown was a key member of the Nuggets title run, and now he is on the Raptors, and people probably have no idea. The Pacers signed him to a large contract after his year with Denver, but he didn't fit, and they traded him to the Raptors as part of the package for Pascal Siakam.
Brown is not going to be a part of Toronto's future, but he is a valuable trade piece. He is a free agent this off-season, as he is on a $23 million dollar expiring contract. He is a valuable player on a good team, as he can fill any role, but he doesn't offer much for a rebuilding team. He can run the offense, play small ball five, play off the ball, he can do whatever the team needs. Brown will likely get traded this year to a contender, and the Raptors should get a solid return for him. He is under the radar because most people probably forget he is on the team, and because he is a good trade asset.
The sooner the two sides can find a trade partner the better, as Brown needs to be playing for a contender, and the Raptors need to give their young players as much playing time as possible.