Post by The Slough on Dec 26, 2023 4:58:37 GMT
Top 5 Overrated Players For The Year:
1. RJ Barrett SF (Cavs) – He is only 23 years old, but for the money he makes and only scoring 13.6ppg starting at SF for the Cavs who seem to be an underwhelming team thus far in the first half of the year, I thought he would manage a bit better than this. I think the glaring thing to add is the fact his shooting percentages are very low as well, if those were higher it wouldn’t be as bad a hit on the team, but it compounds everything.
2. Keegan Murray SF (Kings) – Again another young player, but I thought with his ratings and skill set he would have fit it nicely this year with the makeup of the Kings. His contract is very good still, but it’s a bit odd on his output and at minimum thought he would be a better shooter with what you see, but his D+ handles are starting to look like that could be the issue for him. Only about 11ppg and decent rpg, but still 1.8 turnovers, low apg and not very efficient adds to the list.
3. Jalen Suggs PG (Thunder) – I think starting to see a trend here on more players I thought would be better based on ratings to start with and how they are in the NBA, but it’s looking at bit underwhelming for these young guys. Granted Suggs is playing SG it looks like for the Thunder and its cool to have him paired with his Gonzaga mate in Chet, but back to the low efficiencies, scoring, and turnovers just doesn’t do well for the young guy. You start to wonder with 1.7tpg is he a 3-4tpg PG or just a future combo guard that many thought had a high ceiling. In my heart I wish he was much better, haha.
4. Trae Young PG (Hawks) – Young wasn’t recently shipped to the Thunder, and it probably makes sense with Suggs ahead of him on this list and maybe Melo heard me in the universe while I was typing this and forgot he was even traded until I looked it up. As is Young has been just an ok SG, granted he isn’t one, but still with 3tpg, low scoring, you wonder what his game is in this league especially for someone making 40+ mil for the next 4 seasons. I do like Melo making a move on this and Trae can still put up those Trey’s as his namesake, so who knows, just think the contract outweighs his skills.
5. Jrue Holiday PG (Bucks) – I was leaning towards Garland on the Cavs, but I have beat them up enough with Barrett and granted I don’t think Garland is doing the best, especially when he should on those ratings, his age will give him a don’t show up on this list next year and getting to Holiday looks like it hasn’t been a great Holiday season for him, pun intended. For 36 mil a year and I would think decent enough ratings for a vet, has Dame and Giannis to be the star power how is he not getting more than 10ppg at minimum. Seth Lundy looks better and who the Fuck is Seth Lundy?!?! Holiday really is I guess just passing the ball back to Dame when he is in the backcourt and doing nothing else.
Top 5 Underrated Players For The Year:
1. D’Angelo Russell PG (Wolves) – I originally was going to do the Wolves counterpart in Rudy Gobert who is low key putting up an amazing season and its arguable in my opinion better than KAT besides the PPG that isn’t the best stat to compare as he is killing it. However, I put D-Russ up here based on a few things, one I hear the team struggles without him a few times when he was out, not to mention if you look at his ratings it isn’t nothing spectacular, but the 17ppg, 8.4apg, 1.4spg, and yes 3tpg is higher than you would like, but he matches it up with 48% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc. He also has a solid contract at 17/18 mil per year for two years compared to the 41+ for 3 with Rudy.
2. Nic Claxton C (Nets) – I think Claxton is low key very underrated especially with all the other players gaining all the attention on the Nets and other rosters. He is only 24, and is an expiring 9.4 mil, but averaging a double/double not to mention 3.5 stocks per game and only 1.2tpg in 33.6mpg which is very good for a center and not having to do much but play defense. His ratings look decent, but many times similar ratings really don’t produce the type of stats Claxton is doing. I will say the biggest weakness is he couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat from the FT line, but other than that, low key nice.
3. Nikola Vucevic C (Magic) – Being that Rog’s baseball team just ruined baseball by offering a billion dollars for two players I really didn’t want to talk any good thing about any of his players, however Nikola out of nowhere is quietly a very good big man across the board. If you told me his ratings would put up a 18/10/1spt/1bpg with only 1.3tpg I would laugh at you and tell you he is at most a solid bench player or a 10/8 guy starting. However, the aging vet gets it done and one of the reasons I think is keeping the Magic in the hunt with Shai.
4. Austin Reaves SG (Lakers) – Like in real life I feel he is underrated, and nobody is talking about him. His stats are there, and his contract is very good if he can continue to grow on the stats and start winning more games. Side note, I felt being a big NCAA fan that he would be good in the NBA watching him play for Oklahoma and battling my Zags in the tournament a few years back. Some how he gets unorthodox shots off and they go in. His salary is super cheap and 4 years long, so I think with the makeup, stats, and efficiencies he is very, very good.
5. Dereck Lively II C (Mavs) – I could have gone a few players here, but what the Mavs are doing and how much I hated on overrated young players above, I felt this 19-year-old kid is actually a huge asset, plus underrated player for the team this year. It isn’t anything flashy, but 6ppg, 8rpg, 1spg, 1.2bpg, and that crucial .9tpg is huge for a big man playing 28mpg. I think that alone with the defense, rebounding and adding in the nearly 47% from the field is huge for a team that is a bit weak in the front court compared to their run n gun Guards they start.
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