Three Eastern Conference Players To Watch This Upcoming NBA Season

Unexpected breakouts are what make the NBA fun. Young players waiting to take the next step and cashing in on their opportunity is a joy considering the typical rate of success of NBA draft picks.

Oftentimes we don’t have a clear idea who those players are– otherwise the jobs of many around the NBA would be considered far easier than they actually are. It’s quite unusual for a player to show zero promise before taking significant steps forward. This is a list of three players that have shown promise and can take major leaps in the right direction, if they are afforded the opportunity to do so.

Deni Avdija

Just last year Avdija was considered a bust in some circles after being drafted 9th overall by the Washington Wizards. The 21-year-old was originally slated to go within the top five picks of the 2020 NBA draft before nearly falling out of the top-10 entirely.

His rookie season was a disaster for his lack of usage and efficiency on the offensive side of the ball. Eventually, the season ended in disappointment when he fractured his right ankle that kept him out of the final 14 games of the regular season along with the 1st round of the playoffs.

Avdija stretched out his game in just enough ways his next season that the glimmer of potential could be seen. He kicked up his usage rate by over five points and impressively took more command of the offense with an assist rate of over 11%. Avdija was the 4th youngest forward in the league to pile up that assist percentage last year, which is important to note for it was a trait of his that was praised coming into the draft.

His defense is lauded by analysts and is backed up by ESPN’s FiveThirtyEight. The metric they use, called defensive RAPTOR, has him ranked 18th among small forwards with a +1.9 figure. This seems likely to be the calling card for Avdija, who could build off of last year with an improved 3-point shot and a limited number turnovers.

Josh Robbins detailed how that ankle injury mitigated his previous offseason:

There’s another reason to feel optimistic: This is Avdija’s first NBA offseason he can devote primarily to individual improvement. Avdija’s draft, the 2020 draft, occurred just a few weeks before the start of training camp. Last offseason, he focused on recovering from a right ankle fracture. This offseason, he has spent considerable time working with skills coaches, including highly regarded Drew Hanlen.

Hanlen has improved the game of several NBA stars and Avdija might join the group when we look back on the 2022-23 NBA season.

Immanuel Quickley

The biggest talking point surrounding the New York Knicks right now is the possibility of acquiring Donovan Mitchell. The asking price could include Quickley, but for the purposes of this exercise we’ll just evaluate the player. In viewing his role on the current Knicks team it’ll be interesting to see how many minutes come his way. The chance to start has vanished with the addition of Jalen Brunson, and Derrick Rose should play a bit more than he did last season if he can stay healthy. The funny thing is that opportunity may be the only thing stopping the former Kentucky Wildcat from reaching his potential.

In the final 23 games of the season he made clear the type of player that he can be: a borderline All-Star. The 23-year-old finished with a sizzling 16 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists with a 60 true shooting percentage. The most infectious part of Quickley’s game is the impact he has on the court and team as a whole– the Knicks had a +/- of 8.4 during that stretch and a 7.5 mark overall on the year. His gravity from three, elite free throw shooting, and activeness on defense make him one of the most intriguing guards to watch next season. It may be why the Knicks haven’t budged on a Mitchell deal yet, or why they didn’t move him at the deadline.

P.J. Washington

The position that Washington plays is the biggest question in getting him into star territory. Last year he inched his way toward playing more at center– a bit more than 50 percent of possessions, according to Basketball-Reference. In order to play full-time at the position he has to become a more intimidating force on defense, which is considered to be the most important in cultivating a strong unit on that end of the court.

He graded out at a below league average rate in both ESPN’s RPM and FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR. On top of that, he finished the season as one of the worst players in the league at defending the rim. In theory, his 7’3 wingspan should offset his height in giving him an active presence at the basket. Steve Clifford may be able to get the most out of the 23-year-old, but the problem is that the organization just drafted Mark Williams and they still have Mason Plumlee on the books.

Washington still has plenty of worth as a rotation player if the team chooses to utilize him more at the power forward position. The team could be without Miles Bridges this season, and that would give Washington a chance to bump up his paltry 14.8 usage rating from last season. He became a glorified 3-point spacer for the team, even though he has the potential to do more damage inside the paint.

Even though it is entirely possible that Washington can be a helpful starter as a power forward, it is likely that he’ll make his bones as a center.