A quick disclaimer that this isn’t a ranking. Players have been listed by alphabetical order of their last name. With that said, let’s begin.

Jalen Duren, C | Detroit Pistons

Duren brings a ferocity down low that few centers in the NBA can match. He uses all of his 6 feet 10 inches and 250 pounds to bully his way to the rim, and can consistently beat other bigs on contested lobs with an impressive amount of bounce for his size. Although his defense was less than stellar, he is only 20 years old, and has the natural talent and drive to become a plus defender. In his second season with the lowly Pistons, he averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, despite the lackluster team performance. With a new coach in JB Bickerstaff that helped develop Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in Cleveland, and another year of gaining chemistry with talented guard Cade Cunningham, Duren seems poised to break out as one of the best centers in the league in his third year.

Keon Ellis, G | Sacramento Kings

Ellis is coming off a strong end to the 2023-24 campaign, becoming one of the keys to pushing the Kings close to a playoff spot down the stretch. His defensive ferocity gradually earned him more playing time as the season wore on, and his energy was something the other Kings players fed on. On top of that, he showed that he could have a reliable three point shot, a lethal combination that every team longs for. The Kings have a glaring lack of defensive guards and wings on their roster coming into this season, especially in swapping out Harrison Barnes for DeMar DeRozan. They are asking Ellis to step up into the role of being a defensive menace akin to a Marcus Smart or Jrue Holiday at the point of attack, and hold it down on that end while they let their more offense-oriented stars focus on putting points on the board. Ellis has the chops and drive to be that force, and if he is able to bloom in that role, the Kings could be a dangerous team.

Bones Hyland, G | Los Angeles Clippers

Hyland was buried on the depth chart of the Clippers the past two seasons, stuck behind Sixth Man of the Year candidate Norman Powell on the bench. However, in the limited games he got to play more than 15 minutes, he showed why he was considered a valuable bench cog with the Denver Nuggets in his first two years in the league. No performance encapsulated his talent more than an early April game against the Phoenix Suns, in which he scored 37 points on 50% shooting from three, without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George or Powell playing. Now, with George relocating to the Philadelphia 76ers and Powell likely sliding into the starting lineup, Hyland has a chance to return to being the spark plug off the bench on offense he seemed to be on a trajectory for.

Jonathan Isaac, PF | Orlando Magic

Isaac is one of the best defenders on the planet right now. He is one of the few people who can spend an entire game guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo then come back the next night and defend Luka Doncic at a similar level. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ACL tear and a grueling recovery from surgery that lasted several years, stunting his offensive development. Isaac displayed a decent three point shot last year in his first year fully back from his ACL recovery, but his cutting and passing skills left a lot to be desired. However, with a healthy offseason and work with Orlando’s other talented wings such as Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Isaac could add to his offensive arsenal enough to have him on the court with his incredible defense more consistently, a weapon Orlando would greatly appreciate in an Eastern Conference that is looking much more competitive than last year.

Jalen Johnson, SF | Atlanta Hawks

Johnson flashed his immense potential in his first year as a regular rotation player with the Hawks last year, averaging 16.0 points per game and 8.7 rebounds on over 50% shooting. However, a midseason injury and a lack of cohesion on the Hawks roster as a whole put a damper on his breakout, and prevented him from blooming fully. Now, as the undisputed number two option on a retooling squad with Dejounte Murray on the New Orleans Pelicans, Johnson will have the opportunity to truly shine. Last year, his three point shooting was a bit streaky, with his overall percentage ending at just over 35% on the year. If he can bump that number up a bit while also increasing his volume, he and Trae Young could prove to be one of the most dangerous offensive 1-2 punches in the NBA.

Tyus Jones, PG | Phoenix Suns

During his four years with the Memphis Grizzlies, Jones was widely regarded as one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. Last year in Washington, despite being on a roster lacking much talent or consistency, he proved he could increase his volume with the ball in his hands and still maintain that decision making that made him one of the best backups, leading the league with 7.2 assists per turnover. Then, as a free agent, he signed with the Suns on a minimum, eager to prove he could be the lead guard on a contender despite the lesser pay. The Suns lacked a true passer on their roster last year and it showed, as they had the 6th most turnovers in the league. If Jones can again prove himself as one of the best passers in the league, alongside the playmakers the Suns have, he could have a career year.

Johnathan Kuminga, PF | Golden State Warriors

The Splash Brothers are officially estranged, and the number two scoring option in the Bay Area behind Steph Curry is up for grabs. Last year, Kuminga showed he has the talent and abilities to fill that role well, averaging just over 16 points per game on a solid 52% from the field, despite limited shot attempts. His three point shot is iffy, and he doesn’t rebound as much as you’d hope for from a 6 feet 7 inches, 225 pound wing, but he is a violent driver with solid touch around the rim, and a decent midrange game that keeps defenses honest. The Warriors are desperately searching for someone to step up and allow Steph Curry to continue to play meaningful basketball while he continues to be a top 10 player in the league. If Kuminga can improve his three point shooting to around league average while upping his shot volume to fill the Klay Thompson-sized void the Warriors now have, he could be just the person needed to help Curry continue to terrorize the rest of the NBA.

Bennedict Mathurin, SG | Indiana Pacers

An unfortunate late-season injury prevented Mathurin from participating in the Pacers’ magical Eastern Conference Finals run in last year’s playoffs, but make no mistake: Mathurin is one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA. Typically used as the Pacers’ sixth man, he can score from all three levels, and adds a layer to the offense that somehow makes it even more dangerous than it is without him. While he is occasionally streaky, his threat to score at any moment opens up the floor for Tyrese Haliburton’s decision making and allows everyone else to play freely. Mathurin is also already one of the best in the league at drawing fouls, one of the few areas on offense that the Pacers are sorely lacking. Adding his skillset and ability to get to the free throw line back into the dangerous offense that carried the Pacers deep into the postseason will lead to another year where the numbers will make eyes pop.

Jabari Smith Jr, PF | Houston Rockets

Smith has had two under-the-radar seasons to start his career, which isn’t too surprising given he shares a draft class with Paolo Bachero and Chet Holmgren, among others. However, he has been steadily improving, and seems primed to have a breakout third campaign as a part of an exciting Rockets team. He averaged almost 14 points per game and over 8 rebounds per game, while also improving both his efficiency from the field and from three by 6 percentage points from his rookie season. His defense in the frontcourt is stellar, and if his efficiency continues to climb, he could soon become one of the best two-way players in the league. With center Alperen Sengun looking to build off his own third-year leap, that kind of major improvement from Smith could form one of the most formidable frontcourts in the league.

Gary Trent Jr, SG | Milwaukee Bucks

Trent has spent the last four years toiling in Toronto on teams ranging from mediocre to awful. Despite the less-than-ideal situation, Trent has continued to be the player he’s been his entire career: a flamethrowing two guard who can change the course of a game if he gets hot. What sets Trent apart from other spark plug guards such as Jordan Clarkson or Reggie Jackson is his consistency from beyond the arc: outside of his rookie season, he has not shot below 35% in any year of his career. Now, reunited with his former teammate from Portland in Damian Lillard, Trent has the opportunity to be a catch-and-shoot menace off of Giannis Antetokounmpo drives, with open space he hasn’t seen in years. Based on how well Malik Beasley was able to take advantage of that last year, Trent should have no problem taking advantage of it either on his way to a career year.