Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons controls the ball ahead of Jalen Green #0 of the Houston Rockets during the second half at Toyota Center on November 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
While the upcoming NBA season is still months away, it’s never too early to look ahead and predict which players will take the next leap. Last year, young guards Ja Morant and Jordan Poole headlined the notable improvers.
Next year, a few more young guards will look to continue that trend of improvement, while other young prospects teeter on the brink of ascending to a new level. In 2022-23, these four players are set for breakout seasons.
Cade Cunningham
Predicting a massive sophomore improvement from Cade Cunningham isn’t a hot take. If anything, it’s the expectation. A 6’6” lead guard with a deep bag of tricks on offense, it’s obvious as to why the Pistons selected him first overall in 2021.
Like the other players in this article, much of Cunningham’s improvement will simply come from an extra year of experience and maturity. But uniquely, it’s the surrounding environment in Detroit that makes Cunningham’s ascension a likely possibility.
Recent draftee Jaden Ivey gives Cunningham a solid and young backcourt mate that complements Cunningham’s on-ball style with a well-rounded off-ball game. Similarly, the inconsistent, yet promising, Marvin Bagley projects to be a solid partner to maximize Cunningham’s playmaking.
The environment also favors Cunningham because of the control it offers him. After trading Jerami Grant to the Blazers, the Pistons handed even more control of the offense to Cunningham. With that comes the much-needed freedom and opportunity for the 20-year old to blossom as a primary creator in the system.
For Cade Cunningham, the ability is there, as it has been from day one. The next step for him is supplementing that ability with experience to maximize his potential. While other youngsters often see their growth stunted by veterans ahead of them in the rotation, Cunningham enters his second year with no such roadblock. Instead, the Pistons have bought into him as “the guy,” thus giving him the keys to improve.
Jalen Green
Like Cunningham, a big leap from Jalen Green is to be expected in 2022-23. After all, he made massive improvements within his rookie season, playing like an entirely new player by season’s end.
Green’s rookie year was full of bumps and obstacles, but he finished it on a high note. Through 33 career games, he posted 14.2 points per game on lowly efficiency. But in his final 34 appearances, Green flipped a switch. He upped his scoring average to 20.3 points per game and did so on strong efficiency (58.8% true shooting).
The midseason improvement was the most notable of any rookies and strongly resembled that of rookie Anthony Edwards in the prior year. Edwards, another two-guard with incredible athleticism, blossomed into a fringe all-star in year two, potentially foreshadowing a similar improvement from Green.
With a lightning-quick first step and freakish athleticism, Green has all the tools to be a superstar scorer. What he struggled with in year one – shot selection and processing speed as a playmaker – are easily fixable with the extra experience he’ll receive in 2023. He repeatedly flashed that potential in the second half of 2022, and there’s little reason to believe he won’t continue into his sophomore year.
Patrick Williams
When the Bulls selected Patrick Williams fourth overall in 2020, fans quickly doubted the decision. A prospect projected for the late lottery, Williams’ ceiling appeared far lower than most of his counterparts in the draft. Even today, that pick may look questionable on the surface.
After a decent rookie year, a wrist injury limited Williams to just 17 games in 2021-22. Naturally, Williams received little attention last season and was a forgotten piece of Chicago’s trip to the playoffs. But his progression from his time as a rookie was already evident.
During a 35-point outburst in the final regular season game, Williams looked like a seasoned veteran. Per usual, he knocked down his spot up jumpers & played sound defense. But moreover, he excelled as a connective tissue with smart extra passes and a decisive handle that he used to attack incoming closeouts. Those latter aspects of Williams’ game were often mere flashes in year one. In year two, they became increasingly more apparent.
Williams won’t take charge of an offensive unit anytime soon. But given his outside shooting, passing, ball handling, and improved processing speed, he fits the mold as a 3-and-D connector wing, otherwise known as every contender’s dream.
In the few games that Williams played after his injury, he looked like a revamped talent compared to his rookie year. And this time around, he’ll have a full season to put his improvements on display.
Marvin Bagley
Four years into his career, Marvin Bagley is best known as the player the Kings picked over Luka Doncic. It’s a dubious title for a player who had so much acclaim entering the league. And while Doncic has already risen to superstar status, Bagley’s early years have been disappointing.
Yet, Bagley is just 23 years old and full of unteachable potential. His production has been shaky so far, but the idea of what Marvin Bagley can be is still worthwhile. At 6’11”, he’s one of the most gifted athletes in the league. He combines imposing size with agile mobility and hops. Those tools, combined with his flashes on both ends, make him worthy of a fresh start and second chance.
Luckily, the Detroit Pistons gave him that fresh start by trading for him in February. Next to the aforementioned Cade Cunningham, Bagley finds himself on a youthful team next to a competent pick-and-roll partner.
While the sample size is small (18 games), Bagley’s time in Detroit has been promising. In just 27.2 minutes, he averaged 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds on a career-best 58.5% true shooting. As Cade Cunningham continues on his upward trend towards stardom, Bagley will have the perfect change of scenery to blossom as a play-finishing big man.
His defense will likely remain a work-in-progress, but Bagley’s offensive potential hints that a breakthrough is within reach. In an age where Bagley’s archetype (versatile & athletic rim-running big) is at a premium, perhaps that breakthrough will finally happen in 2022-23.
Comentarios