Under the Radar NBA Players
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by Notthatgood4
Here is my list of some players under the radar who may have big impacts in the upcoming season.
Amir Johnson - Last high school player to be drafted has all the physical tools to be a valuable contributor. ESPN Magazine compared him to Kevin Garnett, and while Johnson is 3 inches shorter, he does have some of the versatility that made Garnett into a star player. He is deadly in the paint and has range that can extend all the way to the three point line. Good shot blocker for his size. He along with Rodney Stuckey is the keys to reenergizing an aging Pistons team. Signed to a 3 year/11 million dollar deal, which by year 3 will be an absolute steal.
Tarence Kinsey- Undrafted out of South Carolina last year, was very productive in "garbage" time games for Memphis. Provides tremendous energy off the bench. Memphis will be better this year, and Kinsey's spark can lift them in tight games. Solid rebounder for his size, good defender, and adequate passer. Have to wonder what made Balkman worth more than his teammate Kinsey in the eyes of NBA scouts; I'd take Kinsey in a heartbeat.
Walter Herrmann- He single-handedly screwed over the Bobcats lottery odds with his brilliant performances late in the season. Having tragically lost his mother, father, girlfriend and two sisters within a year, so seems to play without fear of failure. He is a deadly long-range shooter and has surprising athleticism. His solid late season performance was no fluke; this guy can flat out play.
Maceo Baston- Ok now I'm really going under the radar. If there is one certainty in the league, it is Bryan Colangelo knows how to find players. Was anybody expecting Anthony Parker to be a playoff starter this time last year? Baston has had cups of coffee in the NBA, even one with the Raptors before recently being on the Pacer's roster, but has never done much. The Raptors organization knows how to get the most out of players and Baston's size and defensive abilities will be utilized. Someone has to pick up the slack for a defensively challenged Jason Kapono.
Oleksiy Pecherov- The Wizards are starved for big men who can actually play, and Pecherov may be the answer. Their first round pick from last year, Pecherov spent the season playing in his native Ukraine. He is an inside-out player with a nice stroke and tenacity in the post. If Brendan Haywood can hold down a spot in the Wizards line-up, I like Pecherov's chances.
Dorell Wright - This is his 4th season in the league and it is make or break time. He has the tools to be a big time player in the league. The Heat are going nowhere fast, and Riley would be wise to give Wright more minutes this season. He has shown his abilities in limited minutes. There is little doubt that if he can consistently get 25-30 minutes a game, he will be in double figures in points and put up around 6 boards a game. Give the man some minutes for goodness sake!
Ronnie Price - Returns to the state of his college days in Utah. Didn't get much playing time in Sacramento, but he can put up some points in a hurry. Probably won't get major minutes in Utah, but I can see him playing a Bobby Jackson type role eventually.
