Two-Way Talents: Brandon Boston Jr.

We are less than a month into the 2024-25 NBA season and the New Orleans Pelicans already wish they could start over. Almost every major rotation player they have, besides Brandon Ingram, has been slated to miss significant time with injury. They continue to sink deeper and deeper below .500 and it doesn’t seem likeContinue reading “Two-Way Talents: Brandon Boston Jr.”

3 Reclamation Projects Who Are Finding Success So Far This Season

One of the smartest things a rebuilding team can do is take a chance on young guys. Specifically, ones who were high-upside first round picks who haven’t panned out yet but are still young. Situation matters so much in the NBA, and a change of scenery could be all it takes for a player toContinue reading “3 Reclamation Projects Who Are Finding Success So Far This Season”

2 Young Stars Who Are Making “The Leap” This Season

“Who is going to break out this year?” “Which young player is going to make the biggest jump?” “Who will make their first All-Star game?” These questions run rampant on NBA social media during the offseason. Everyone wants to predict who will be the next player to make an unexpected jump, or to take theContinue reading “2 Young Stars Who Are Making “The Leap” This Season”

3 Things to Watch For From Each Team on Opening Night

It’s the most wonderful time of the year— the NBA is finally back! Two fantastic games are on the slate for opening night, with the Knicks taking on the reigning champions, the Celtics, followed by LeBron and the Lakers taking on the Timberwolves. I’m as excited to watch as you are, so I’ll leave theContinue reading “3 Things to Watch For From Each Team on Opening Night”

2024-25 Breakout Candidate: Ricky Council IV

The Philadelphia 76ers underwent a massive makeover this summer. Ten new players were brought in via free agency and the draft, with the headliner of course being future Hall of Famer Paul George. These newcomers are primed to fill many key roles in Philly’s rotation this season, with the ultimate expectation being that they canContinue reading “2024-25 Breakout Candidate: Ricky Council IV”

How Do Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle Fit on Their New Teams?

The NBA never fails to surprise us, and the surprises never fail to be exciting. Last Friday night we got our first big trade of the post-Woj era, with Karl-Anthony Towns heading to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo (and former Bench Mob Blog All-Star Keita Bates-Diop). This dealContinue reading “How Do Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle Fit on Their New Teams?”

Can Cam Thomas Swing the Rock?

Score-first players face a lot of scrutiny in the NBA world. Teams want players who can affect the game in multiple ways and do the little things like defend and rebound. As a result, the real value of pure microwave bucket getters is uncertain. One guy who is often under the microscope is Cam ThomasContinue reading “Can Cam Thomas Swing the Rock?”

How Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. Will Make Cade Cunningham Better

The Pistons were absolutely abysmal last season. That’s no secret. Probably the most detrimental cause for their woes was their three-point shooting. They ranked 29th in 3PM, 27th in 3PA, and 26th in 3P%. In a league where the three-ball is king, stats like that are a recipe for disaster.  It is, however, somewhat ofContinue reading “How Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. Will Make Cade Cunningham Better”

Ranking Every Two-Way Contract Player in the NBA

Two-way contracts are incredibly undervalued. Season after season, we see success stories where overlooked players outplay their two-way deals and earn multi-year standard contracts. Guys like Alex Caruso, Duncan Robinson, and Lu Dort are proof that contributors can be found anywhere in the NBA if teams look hard enough. The current two-way contract pool isContinue reading “Ranking Every Two-Way Contract Player in the NBA”

2024-25 Breakout Candidate: Keon Ellis

The Sacramento Kings are locked, loaded, and ready to compete. With De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and the newly added DeMar DeRozan at the helm, the team has enough star power and offensive firepower to make real noise in the West. As we’ve seen in recent years, though, having a few stars isn’t enough to makeContinue reading “2024-25 Breakout Candidate: Keon Ellis”