The 2012/2013 NBA Season is officially underway and it has already seen its share or surprise with one team making a major trade that shook the foundation of the league to another team that was was expected to dominate, but so far has been an absolute embarrassment. Here is a list of the thirty players that are expected to have a major impact in their their teams and in the league as a whole. This list does not comprise of the usual suspects such as the big marquee names that most press outlets tend to focus on, but that of the unsung players who usually do not receive the praise and credit that they truly deserve. These are the sleepers who not only have the potential to break out this season, but also the motivation to surpass all expectations to either redeem themselves or to silence their doubters and critics.
So without any further adieu, here are the Thirty names that YOU should be keeping an eye on. This is not a list of today's stars, but of the stars of tomorrow and those who have something to prove--the true warriors who truly make this league great; however, it should be mentioned that these are just speculations. As with everything there are no guarantees--some of these guys may rise to the occasion and some may fall--nonetheless it will still be great to see which ones rise and which ones fall. So enjoy taking a look at this list and be sure to stay tuned for Slap Dog Hoops for more original and insightful content from the NBA and beyond.
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Landry would more than likely start for most NBA
team, but he has been assigned to provide support for the Warriors’ star power forward, David Lee. With his
ability to score down low and rebound, Landry gives the Warriors possibly one
of the deepest and most dangerous front courts in the league. If the Warriors manage to make the playoffs
at season’s end, place Carl Landry as the unsung hero who helped to get them
there and watch him possibly earn the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award
for his efforts as well.
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29
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He was picked up by Toronto as an insurance policy
in case either Kyle Lowry or Jose Calderon falls to injury; however, with his
rather stellar play during the preseason, John Lucas can prove to be much
more. Lucas showed quite the knack for
scoring during the Raptors’ exhibition season and may lead coach Dwane Casey
to reconsider his earlier designated role resulting in Calderon, whose
contract expires at the end of the season, to leave Toronto sooner than later.
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28
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This rookie who hails from North of the American
border looked rather impressive in his debut in the Magic’s preseason
exhibition games and with Orlando in the midst of rebuilding, he may get the
opportunity to raise some eyebrows in the regular season. With what he has shown in the preseason and
provided that he continues to perform the same way in the regular season,
Nicholson will certainly be in consideration for mentioning in the NBA All
Rookie First Team.
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27
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It looked as if Martell Webster’s career in the NBA
was as good as done when he was unceremoniously waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves as he was considered by many as a lost cause, but he found new
life when the Wizards decided to take a chance on him. And he has proved himself worthy by posting
remarkable shooting and scoring numbers during the preseason as he averaged
double figures in scoring while the player he would back up, veteran Trevor Ariza, floundered during much of the Wizard’s exhibition games. In a short time Webster may possibly find
himself bumping veteran Trevor Ariza off as the Wizards’ designated starting
small forward.
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26
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Butler proved to be rather talented prospect despite
not playing at all during his rookie season last season. After posting an impressive offseason performance
during the Summer League and with the departure of veteran swingmen Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer, he will have the opportunity to have a breakout
season for the Chicago Bulls. Look for
him to make a major impact on the Bulls roster as they struggle to find
someone to fill in the huge void of missing the team’s franchise player,
Derrick Rose, for a majority of the season
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25
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Last season, Johnson was the ultimate glue guy and
defensive presence for the Toronto Raptors leading the team in steals and
blocked shots while playing limited minutes.
What was his reward for his performance? A one way ticket out as he
was traded to Sacramento for nothing more than a future second round
pick. Look for him to play with a huge
chip on his shoulder bringing his effort, energy and unselfishness on both
side of the court to a team that desperately needs it: a sad dysfunctional Sacramento
Kings who struggled on the defensive end and played completely out of sync
last season.
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24
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Harris’ rookie season was pretty non-descript as he
played just over eleven minutes per game, but he showed plenty of potential
as he produced rather efficiently in such a short span of time to the tune of
about five points and two boards per game.
He showed even more glimpses of potential as he dominated the Summer
Leagues and will have the opportunity to have a breakout season this year as
he will have the opportunity to start. As the season progresses, Harris may
be the Bucks’ “X Factor” that will lift to team up from mediocrity and into
playoff contention.
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23
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Orlando Magic
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He has been just considered an added throw in the
mega deal that sent Dwight Howard out of Central Florida and straight to
Hollywood; however, there is more to this young big man than meets the
eye. After a rather decent rookie
season, Nikola Vucevic comes into a situation where he will get more minutes
and has already shown that given the minutes, he can become a valuable
contributor for this rebuilding Orlando Magic franchise. With the opportunity to start, Vucevic may
even be poised for a breakout season although it can be agreed that he will
never make nearly as much of an impact that Dwight Howard made.
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22
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Washington Wizards
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Simply put, this kid is an athletic freak who shined
rather bright in the waning moments of Washington’s rather dismal regular
season averaging close to nine points per game while shooting a blistering
.551 from the field in the last month of the regular season. He may not get as many minutes due
Washington’s massive upgrade in the front court during the offseason, but he
will certainly be one to look out for in years to come. During the offseason, Vessely worked on his
ball handling skills along with adding range with his perimeter shot and once
he has mastered those facets in his game, he will certainly be a force to be
reckoned with in the NBA.
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21
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This guy had to work hard to get back into the
league after being drafted right out of high school to just be cast aside and
it seems that his hard word has paid off.
After shining at the end of last season with the one time New Jersey Nets, Green has now
joined with the Pacers and will look to continue his streak of production
with his new team. Currently, he is
replacing Danny Granger, currently recovering from surgery, on the starting
lineup and if his production from the Nets carries over into this season, he
mind end up as a permanent replacement on the Pacer’s rotation.
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20
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After suffering rookie growing pains last season,
Kanter has returned with a completely ripped body and a more assertive
attitude. You could see his new found
energy in the preseason as he posted double doubles in points and rebounds
during the Jazz’s exhibition schedule. With his marked improvement, the Jazz will
find it easier to part ways with the team’s leading scorer Al Jefferson as
Kanter looks ready to take the next step as Utah’s big man of the future. Hopefully, Kanter will get his chance as certainly
proved worthy of it thanks to his work ethic during the offseason and his
impressive performance in the preseason.
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19
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Bayless will be coming into this season with a
rather huge chip on his shoulder as he was unceremoniously discarded by
Toronto Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo in favor of Kyle Lowry. Watch him to really be aggressive this
season as he looks to show folks in Toronto what a mistake it was to just let
him go for nothing. He will certainly
want to prove to not Colangelo, but for fans in Toronto whom did not think
much of him that he was a far better choice to be the Raptors point man of
the future than Kyle Lowry will ever become.
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18
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Fan favorite James Harden is gone and in his place
is a much older Kevin Martin to fill in the massive void that Harden will be
leaving. Martin will certainly have
plenty of pressure to produce as he will be replacing a potential All Star
and arguably one of the top shooting guards in the league in James Harden. His impact will be most measured at the end
of the regular season where everyone will see whether or not the Thunder can
make the NBA Finals for the second consecutive time without one of its key
players from last season.
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17
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The Houston Rockets raised quite a few eyebrows when
they signed former Chicago Bulls backup center to a three years contract
worth 30$ million with the last year being worth up to 15$ million, but it
seems as if they will be the ones laughing.
Although Asik offense has not been impressive thus far, he has proven
to be a beast on the boards averaging more than 10 rebounds per game in every
game he has played and has proven to be quite the stalwart in the paint
defensively as well averaging about 2 blocks per game as well.
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16
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Sure, all eyes will be on the first overall pick of
the NBA draft, Anthony Davis, but also keep an eye on Greivis Vasquez as he
will be running the show as the Hornet’s starting point guard. If his performances in the preseason and at
the start of the regular season are ant indications of the future, this guy
could possibly have a breakout season becoming one of the up and coming elite
point guards in the NBA. It may be a
bit presumptuous, but given his size and his ability along with his early
production, Vasquez might just emerge to become the Latino version of
possibly the NBA greatest point guard of all time, Earvin Magic Johnson.
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15
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New Orleans Hornets
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Talk about players looking to have a breakout season!! Robin Lopez
has been pining for an opportunity to show what he is capable of after being
poorly utilized in Phoenix for much of his career. Now on a new team that better suits his
playing style, look for Lopez to take it up a notch and have everyone in
Phoenix whom considered him a bust choking on crow watching him finally bust
out. Look for Lopez to be a candidate
for most Improved Player of the Year and possibly outshine Anthony Davis as
the marquee player on this Hornets team as the season progresses.
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14
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Mullens made the most of his opportunity in
Charlotte last season by posting moderately solid numbers of 9 points and 6
boards per game. He will look to build
on that success as he will be given a larger role on the team as a regular
starter in the team’s rotation this season.
If his performances in the Summer leagues and the preseason are any
indications of his future production, Mullens has added the ability shot the
three to go along with his solid post play in the paint making him an even
more dangerous opponent.
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13
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After being traded from the team that drafted him
and then allowed to walk away as a unrestricted free agent, Michael Beasley
will have a chance in Phoenix to show that he was worthy of being selected
second overall in the 2008 NBA Draft.
He now is on team that is willing to support him in his development
and may prove to pay immediate dividends as the regular season continues. In
Phoenix, Beasley has a chance to go from NBA lottery bust to future All Star
making him a definite player to look out for.
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12
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Phoenix Suns
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He ended his season spectacularly in Houston
averaging 15.0 points and close to 8 assists per game in the waning months of
last season and will look to build upon that performance as he returns to the
team who originally drafted him in Phoenix.
Although he will be replacing a soon to be Hall of Famer in Steve Nash, look for Dragic to carve his own stellar reputation as the new starting
point man for the Suns. If he starts
where he left off in Houston and leads Phoenix back into becoming a force in
the post season, the Suns may have another future Hall of Famer and from what
he has shown thus far, that may be sooner than later.
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11
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The Wolves’ front office let go of Michael Beasley
in favor of him to develop and now with Kevin Love sidelined with a broken
wrist, it will be put up or shut up time for Derrick Williams. He will have to prove that he can do much
more than his rather lack luster rookie season after being picked second
overall in last year’s NBA Draft and he will certainly have the opportunity
to do so as he has replaced Love in the Wolves’ starting five. Let’s hope that he can live up to the high
expectations from both the organization and the fans.
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10
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Sullinger will certainly be playing a huge chip on
his shoulder after a bogus report concerning his back ruined his chances of
being selected in the top five in the draft and almost caused him not to be
selected in the first round at all. If
his rather impressive play during the Summer Leagues and the preseason are
any indications of his potential production, then Sullinger will be the
biggest dark horse in this draft class and a possible All Rookie team
selection once the season comes to a close.
By the time the season is over, many GMs will regret passing on
Sullinger and take pre-draft camp reports with a grain of salt.
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9
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Boston Celtics
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After having a career that has ended up to be a
disappointment, Darko was expected to disappear from the NBA in obscurity
after being waived from the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he was blessed with
another chance as the Celtics decided to take a chance on this misunderstood
big man who has yet to live up to being the guy selected after Lebron James
in the 2003 NBA Draft. He won’t be
expected to dominate, but he will have an opportunity to prove himself to be
a solid player on a quality veteran team such as the Celtics. Despite owning the burden of holding the
title of draft day bust, Darko has still managed to survive in the league and
his courage and resiliency in the face of adversity should be respected
nonetheless.
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8
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His presence was reviled and scorned in the Nation’s
Capital as he was labeled a team cancer that had to be cut off resulting in
him being unceremoniously waived under the league’s amnesty provision. He has now got a second chance for
redemption and revenge as he is now signed with a more mature franchise with
highly regarded veterans in the Brooklyn Nets. If Blatche manages to turn his career
around in Brooklyn, it will be a huge blow for Wizards fans. Not only will
they have to swallow a lot of crow for seeing their one time prized franchise
player playing better on another team, but also the fact that their team will
still be paying him to do that over the next few years..
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7
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He went from being one of league’s most sought after
and versatile sixth men and a former NBA Champion with the Lakers to becoming
a complete train wreck and team pariah when he was traded to the Dallas
Mavericks last season. Now Odom has a
chance to redeem himself as he returns to the team that originally drafted
him, the Los Angeles Clippers, and has the chance to place alongside two of
the NBA's most exciting players in Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. Hopefully he can prove to the world that
last season was just an aberration and not a sign of things to come.
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6
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Orlando Magic
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When Dwight Howard was forced shut it down last season
due to a nagging back injury, the one who is affectionately known as “the Big
Baby” immediately filled in Howard’s massive void by becoming the primary
offensive option leading the team in both points and rebounds per game. Now with Howard in his new home in
Hollywood, Davis will look to build from his breakout performance last season
and possibly become a potential Eastern Conference All Star selection and a
candidate for the Most Improved player Award once the season comes to a
close.
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5
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Utah Jazz
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On the surface, He does not look like much in terms
of his skill and athleticism, but give Gordon Hayward a thick bushy mustache,
add curly blonde hair, inject some swagger into him, and sprinkle a bit of a
mean streak and you have got “Larry Bird 2.0.” Similar to Bird, Hayward’s
basketball skills and athleticism will not jump out at you, but he is
deceptively quick, has one of the smoothest shooting strokes in the league,
and has exceptional ability to find his teammates to make the extra pass. Laugh now Celtics fans, but already Hayward
has shown signs of becoming a potential star and given the time and touches
he will need to develop, he might just become a reincarnation of the Celtic
Legend.
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4
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Here is another candidate for the NBA’s Most
Improved Player as Philly’s Jrue Holiday, for the first time in his career,
will be counted on to orchestrate the Sixers offense thanks to the departure
of Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets.
Look for his numbers to take a huge spike up as he will be looked upon
by his coach and teammates to not only dish the ball and facilitate the
offense, but also to put up big scoring numbers on the scoreboard. Thus far, he has yet to disappoint as he
has posted career highs in scoring (19.3ppg) assists per game (8.7), and
shooting a whopping .533 from beyond the arc to start the regular season.
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3
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Denver Nuggets
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His hard work ethic and tenacity on the boards will
certain earn Faried not only the top spot for the league’s leading rebounder
at season’s end, but most probably a spot amongst the greatest rebounders in
NBA History. His current rebounding
rate per minute (.333) rivals that of some of the league’s best: Kevin Garnett (.268), Dwight Howard (.273),
Tim Duncan (.329), and Kevin Love (.349) to name a few. Given the chance and proper amount of
minutes, Kenneth Faried can potentially be one of the greatest rebounders in
the game since Dennis Rodman—of course minus the cross dressing, emotional
unpredictability, and bad attitude.
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2
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Forget about Anthony Davis!! This season’s Rookie of
the Year Award will go to an unlikely candidate coming out of a small time
college basketball program (Weber State) from a little known mid-major
Conference (Big Sky). Through the
Summer Leagues, to the preseason up to now, Lillard has shown a poise and
leadership that can be matched by very few.
Some may even compare his performance to that of former Rookie of the
Year award winners such as Chris Paul (2005), Derrick Rose (2008), and Kyrie Irving (2012); however, unlike those three mentioned, Lillard has never
received nearly as much hype as they received before they started their
careers. He is truly in all respects a
diamond in the rough that the Portland Trailblazers have been blessed with.
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1
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James Harden
Houston Rockets
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In a matter of a few hours, the Houston Rockets went
from perennial bottom feeder and possible lottery team to an instant playoff
contender thanks to the acquisition of James Harden. Paired along up and comer and potential All
Star Jeremy Lin, Harden will comprise potentially the most potent and
dangerous back court duo in NBA History.
He has already made his presence felt starting the season with
averages of 35 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game and if he continues
at this rate will most certainly be mentioned for league MVP as the season
progresses.
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