Every NBA Team's X-Factor- Eastern Conference, Central Divison
Chicago Bulls- Josh Giddey:
Just like the Hornets, the Bulls are not contending this year, but they have multiple young pieces they need to develop, and Josh Giddey is one of them. The Bulls acquired Giddey this off-season, in a straight-up swap for Alex Caruso, a trade that many people hated for the Bulls. It seems rough to move on from an all-defensive player, but Giddey has immense upside on offense if he can develop a respectable three-point shot.
At 6'8, 216 pounds, Giddey is a triple-double threat every night. He can get into the paint with ease against smaller defenders and is one of the best passers in the game. During Giddey's sophomore season in 2022-2023, he averaged 16.6 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists a night in 31 minutes a game. Last season he took a dip, after losing minutes on a deep Thunder team. In Chicago, he is the clear point guard, which will allow him to create for himself and others. With shooters such as Coby White and Zach Lavine by his side, Giddey will have plenty of drive-and-kick opportunities.
The former Thunder guard will be a free agent this off-season, and considering what the Bulls gave up for him, he's expected to be re-signed. He needs to show he can run the offense, and more importantly, he needs to show he isn't a total liability from beyond the arc. Giddey is a career 31% shooter from three, which is not ideal for a starting point guard, but his playmaking and bully ball have helped make up for it. If he can improve as a shooter then the Bulls have their point guard of the future, but if Giddey struggles once again, and gets picked on defensively, then the Bulls may need to pivot.
Cleveland Cavaliers- Caris Levert:
Levert has the skill to be a 20 ppg player in this league, but he seems to get lost on the court at times and takes poor shots. This has led to him being a 6th man for the Cavs.
Levert being the X-factor for the Cavs is a no-brainer. The Cavs have been searching for a 3rd shot creator next to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, and Levert is far and away the next-best shot creator on the roster. Evan Mobley has the upside to take an offensive leap this season and score 20 points per game, but Levert has shown he can get red hot and run the offense. Unfortunately, Levert has also shown the ability to take poor shots and have tunnel vision at times on offense, which the Cavs can't afford.
Levert needs to become more consistent for the Cavs to become true contenders this year. If he can become a consistent scoring threat, and close games for the Cavs, their offense will become more dynamic. Donovan Mitchell won't have to do everything himself. If Levert continues to have his ups and downs, then the Cavs will need another player to take an offensive leap, because Donovan Mitchell can't be the only scoring threat when the playoffs come around. To most, Evan Mobley would be the obvious choice for Cleveland's X-factor, but he is already an elite defender who is expected to take a leap. Levert is a 6th man with the ability to unlock the offense with his shot creation.
Detroit Pistons- Jaden Ivey:
The Pistons are bad and also young. This means they need to figure out who fits the best on their team for the future, and while Ivey should be a part of the future, there are concerns about his fit with Cade Cunningham. After a weird start to the season for Ivey, coming off the bench as the 11th man at times, he got going and averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists a game. Those are good numbers, but the concern is the 33% from three for Ivey, as it relates to his fit next to Cunningham.
Ivey is one of the fastest players in the league. He wants to get downhill and get into the paint, as opposed to teeing off from three. Cunningham also wants to get inside the paint and use his size to shoot over smaller defenders, instead of shooting threes all game. On top of having two guards whose strengths are getting to the basket, the Pistons have rim runner Jalen Duren at center, Ausuar Thompson who is good at everything except shooting, and Ron Holland who also prefers going downhill. Most of the Pistons' young core are not strong shooters from beyond the arc.
The question with Ivey is not his talent, but his fit with this roster. The Pistons have two very talented shot creators, but the spacing is a concern, which makes Ivey's future with the Pistons more of a question mark. Of all the things Pistons fans should be looking for this season, Ivey's fit with Cade should be at the top of the list, along with the development of the other young players.
Indiana Pacers- Andrew Nembhard:
The future of the Pacers is Tyrese Haliburton, but after the playoff series against the Celtics, there were people seriously wondering if Nembhard might be the best point guard on the roster. Haliburton is still clearly the leader of this team, but if Nembhard can play to the level he did against Boston, then the Pacers can hit another level offensively.
Nembhard averaged just 9 points and 4 assists a game during the regular season, but against the Celtics in the conference finals, he averaged 21 points and 8 assists a game. What was even more impressive, was the performances in the two games without Haliburton. Nembhard had 32 points and 9 assists in game 3, then 24 and 10 in game 4. He was picking apart the Celtics' defense in ways many players couldn't. The Pacers are a deep team that gets production from everyone in the rotation. If Nembhard is closer to the player he was in the Celtics series, as opposed to the player he was in the regular season, the Pacers can make a jump.
Honestly, anyone on the Pacers outside Haliburton and Siakim could be the X-factor, as they need another player who can create their own shot, but because Nembhard showed it at one of the highest levels, he is a clear choice.
Milwaukee Bucks- Gary Trent Jr.:
It's not often that a player who signed for the veterans minimum could be a team's X-factor, but Gary Trent Jr. is worth much more than the vet minimum, and was a steal for the Bucks.
Last year, Trent had his worst statistical season since 2019-2020 when he averaged 9 points per game. Since then, Trent has averaged at least 15 points per game, with a high of 18 ppg in 2021-2022. Last season he averaged 14 ppg on a bad Raptors team, and people seemed to forget about him as a result. Trent is a threat from beyond the arc, as he shot just under 40% from three last season, and he has some shot-creation ability.
The Bucks were decimated by injuries last year, with Kris Middleton being hurt in the regular season, and Dame and Giannis missing games in the playoffs. Without their two best players, the Bucks lacked scorers outside of Middleton and Bobby Portis vs the Pacers, which led to the Bucks being eliminated in the first round. Trent may not have changed the outcome of the series, but he would have provided a much-needed spark offensively and could have altered the outcome of the series.
The Bucks will roll out a starting lineup of Lillard, Trent, Middleton, Giannis, and Brook Lopez this season. On paper that is a dangerous lineup. Malik Beasley was in Trent's role last year, and while Beasley is a great shooter, he is a liability on defense and doesn't offer much shot creation. Trent is an above-average shooter, an upgrade from Beasley defensively, and offers shot creation if needed. When the season ends, people will look back and be shocked Trent was signed for just the minimum.
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