1 player on each NBA team who must take a leap in 2023-24
Our writers identify the NBA player on each team in need of a jump in 2023-24.
NBA basketball returns Oct. 24. As we gear up for another exciting new season, our writers examine one player from every team that should have a breakout campaign during 2023-24. Take a look.
Atlanta Hawks
- De’Andre Hunter. The Hawks showed good faith by extending De’Andre Hunter a few summers ago but his progression still awaits a generous leap. Hunter does a few things well, but nothing great. He could replace Collins as the Hawks player most often in trade rumors. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Boston Celtics
- Oshae Brissett. The Celtics need more than six guys they can trust. It’s important that Payton Pritchard recovers from some regression in his third season, but Boston is thinner up front, especially with Al Horford now 37 years old. After Tatum, Brissett (who has no playoff experience) is the next guy who can give the Cs some minutes at the four, and they’ll need him to make open shots and hold his own defensively. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
Brooklyn Nets
- Ben Simmons. The 27-year-old is much better on defense, but Brooklyn could use his offensive skills as much as anything. While Bridges has become a prolific and efficient scorer, he’s not a playmaker, and the rest of the Nets’ ensemble needs somebody to set them up. Simmons, who’s played just 42 games over the last two years, could be that guy. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
Charlotte Hornets
- P.J. Washington. Freshly signed to a 3-year, $48 million extension, he needs to shed inconsistency to justify the financial commitment. The 25-year-old power forward dropped hints of being a reliable player at times last season. Charlotte doesn’t anticipate anything along the lines of the 43-pointer he had last March against OKC, but better rebounding (4.9 last year) isn’t asking too much. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Chicago Bulls
- Patrick Williams. Chicago drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 2020, yet he enters his fourth season with fans and media talking about him as if he’s a rookie, still wowed by occasional glimmers of his talent and too forgiving for how long this is taking. He hasn’t established himself as the power forward the Bulls projected him to be, falling behind draft peers Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and a half dozen others. Though he could have signed an extension this summer, he will have to demonstrate his market value this season and then hit restricted free agency. Go deeper. — Steve Aschburner
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Evan Mobley. His skill set is surpassed only by his work ethic and his desire to get better, according to folks in Cleveland who know and work with him. Now, in Year 3, it’s time to expect more from the lean 7-footer with Defensive Player chops. Enhancing his offensive game with greater shooting range and more ferocity in the paint are boxes to be checked this season. Go deeper. — Steve Aschburner
Dallas Mavericks
- Dwight Powell. The Mavs re-signed Powell in July, but the team wants to upgrade the center position. Expect Dallas to open competition for the starting spot with Powell and newly-acquired veteran Richaun Holmes battling it out for the job. Powell has the inside track at winning the start due to his familiarity with Doncic and the Mavericks’ system. Go deeper. — Michael C. Wright
Denver Nuggets
- Peyton Watson. The Nuggets were the 1 seed in the West despite having the league’s 29th-ranked bench last season. But after a long playoff run (in which the bench was much better), it would be nice if they could keep their starters fresh. We know they can trust Christian Braun, but rotation spots 7-10 come with questions and Watson (the 30th pick in last year’s Draft) might be one of the answers. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
Detroit Pistons
- Cade Cunningham. This isn’t just a calendar thing – Cunningham’s first two seasons have seen him play 64 and 12 games, a sample big enough to demonstrate his abilities but too small to have a real impact. His numbers from his dozen appearances last season (19.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.0 apg), replicated over 70-plus games, would have him on an All-Star arc and the Pistons’ offense and growth on a fast track. Go deeper.
— Steve Aschburner
Golden State Warriors
- Jonathan Kuminga. He’s one of the few remaining young players the Warriors took a chance on, and he had his time in the development system. Now it’s time for him to be a rotational factor. Being part of the pick-and-roll with Paul will help. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Houston Rockets
- Dillon Brooks. He unfairly took heat for Memphis’ postseason struggles, but he also deserved the bulk of the credit for helping to establish a culture of selflessness that propelled the Grizzlies to three consecutive playoff berths. Brooks needs to serve as an example for these young Rockets, too, both on and off the court. Coming off an All-Defensive Second Team selection last season, Brooks may also need to scale back his game somewhat offensively to fit Ime Udoka’s vision. Go deeper. — Michael C. Wright
Indiana Pacers
- Bennedict Mathurin. The explosive wing from Quebec jumped out to a quick lead in Kia Rookie of the Year attention and earned first-team All-Rookie status, finishing fourth in ROY balloting. He did it from an unusual spot, too, serving as Indiana’s sixth man to thrive against foes’ secondary lineups. His shooting has room for improvement, because he did his best work attacking the rim or getting to the foul line. Go deeper.
— Steve Aschburner
LA Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard. Look, we’re not talking a traditional “leap,” as in a breakout season in production, or a literal leap in which he might hurt himself again. Leonard needs to make a leap in durability and thus availability, and needed to do so before the NBA instituted its new player participation rules. He has missed 147 of a possible 308 games since joining the Clippers and the team is 96-46 when he and Paul George both play in their four seasons as teammates vs. 86-80 when one or both are out. Go deeper. — Steve Aschburner
Los Angeles Lakers
- Rui Hachimura. After toiling in mediocrity with the Washington Wizards, Hachimura showed a higher gear in his half-season with L.A. and was awarded an extension. He has the tools and now the security, so there are no more excuses. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Memphis Grizzlies
- Jaren Jackson Jr. He struggled somewhat in his summer run with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, but the experience will only help the rising sixth-year veteran who is coming off his first All-Star nod and Kia Defensive Player of the Year honors. One of the league’s top rim protectors and a career 35.5% 3-point shooter, Jackson needs to curtail his penchant for committing unnecessary fouls while continuing to grow as a viable inside scoring option for Memphis. Go deeper. — Michael C. Wright
Miami Heat
- Nikola Jovic. With Miami losing Strus through free agency, there’s an opening. Jovic ran into a numbers game as a rookie, but brings the skills to crack the rotation this season provided he staves off the competition. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Milwaukee Bucks
- Khris Middleton. The veteran wing, in his 12th season, doesn’t have to leap anywhere he hasn’t been before or even quite that far. A three-time All-Star, he can get comfy as the Bucks’ No. 3 weapon if he boosts his scoring, shooting and availability from their disappointing 2022-23 levels (15.1 points per game, 43.6 FG% in just 33 games). At age 32, he should get cleaner looks and better opportunities … if he can stay quick enough to defend and durable enough to be on the floor. Go deeper. — Steve Aschburner
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Jaden McDaniels. Most eyes will be on Edwards, but his draft classmate from 2020 is the sleeper whose rise could take the Wolves’ prospects with him. The 6-foot-9 wing’s versatility in guarding smalls, bigs and in-betweens merited an All-Defensive berth he narrowly missed, and he has ratcheted up his scoring average by about three points in each of three seasons. No reason he can’t do that again with increasing efficiency, making Edwards look wise in calling McDaniels “the most important person on the team.” Go deeper.
— Steve Aschburner
New Orleans Pelicans
- Zion Williamson. It’s not even about a leap on the floor for Williamson, who has proven throughout his career to be one of the league’s most lethal forwards. The 23-year-old has played in 114 games over four seasons, and he’s acknowledged his own shortcomings in terms of preparation and physical conditioning. He spent the majority of his offseason training in New Orleans for the first time in his career, and vice president David Griffin said the forward “is embracing doing his part” to stay healthy. Go deeper.— Michael C. Wright
New York Knicks
- RJ Barrett. It’s fair to say that, after being selected third overall in the 2019 Draft, Barrett has had a disappointing first four seasons. Among 139 players with at least 2,000 field-goal attempts over those four seasons, only Dillon Brooks (50.8%) has a lower true shooting percentage than Barrett (51.7%). The Knicks don’t need him to be a star, but they do need him to be a more efficient secondary scorer. Go deeper.
— John Schuhmann
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Josh Giddey. He increased his scoring last season by 4.1 points per game in addition to improving shooting percentages from the field and from deep while cutting down on turnovers. If the 20-year-old takes another step, something as simple as getting to the free-throw line more, it would provide Oklahoma City with another level of consistency opposite Gilgeous-Alexander while possibly giving the guard some long-term security considering he will enter next offseason with a shot at receiving an extension. Go deeper.
— Michael C. Wright
Orlando Magic
- Jonathan Isaac. Beset by injuries since the 2020 season restart, he’s appeared in 11 games in three seasons. Orlando can now release or trade him without much financial harm, so it’s imperative that Isaac, a decent defender, show what he’s worth. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Philadelphia 76ers
- Tyrese Maxey. He has already shown some dramatic improvement in his three seasons and is one of only four players who’ve shot 40% or better on at least 300 3-point attempts in each of the last two. But if Harden is unavailable (or if the Sixers don’t get a starting point guard in a trade), the 22-year-old will need to handle the ball a lot more and create good shots for Joel Embiid and the rest of the rotation. Go deeper.
— John Schuhmann
Phoenix Suns
- Jusuf Nurkic. Dealing with centers in the West such as Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis isn’t an easy task, and Phoenix made that endeavor more difficult by trading Ayton for Nurkic, who hasn’t played more than 56 games since 2018-19 due to various injuries. Those leg injuries over the years have adversely affected the 29-year-old’s mobility in switching and playing effective pick-and-roll defense. Nurkic will have to supplement waning athleticism with physicality, the ability to screen and pinpoint passing — all while remaining healthy enough to be a mainstay as Phoenix targets a lengthy postseason run. Go deeper. — Michael C. Wright
Portland Trail Blazers
- Shaedon Sharpe. If Henderson is the main guy, Sharpe has the potential to be No. 2. He’s got freakish athleticism, but also shot 36% from 3-point range and finished well in the paint as a rookie. This won’t be a defining season for the 20-year-old, but if he takes a step forward with a year under his belt and a full summer of work, we’ll have a better view of the Blazers’ future. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
Sacramento Kings
- Keegan Murray. The No. 4 overall pick in 2022, Murray slipped comfortably into Sacramento’s starting lineup and earned All-Rookie first-team status, never having his responsibilities dialed up higher than he could meet. Brown did goad the 41.1% 3-point shooter to be more aggressive overall, and that’s the trait Murray most will have to demonstrate to move up in the Kings’ pecking order. Surrounded by more experienced players, he should be able to dial up his production across the board. Go deeper. — Steve Aschburner
San Antonio Spurs
- Zach Collins. Expected to tip off the season as Spurs’ starting center, Collins averaged a career-high 11.6 points per game in a resurgent 2022-23 campaign. This season, the team expects even more growth from the veteran. One of the Spurs’ most experienced players, Collins provides leadership and a frontcourt partner with an edge for Wembanyama (who is slated to start off his career as San Antonio’s starting power forward). Although Collins enters the final year of his contract, if he raises his game to another level this season, team brass might view the center as a solid building block for the immediate future. Go deeper.
— Michael C. Wright
Toronto Raptors
- Scottie Barnes. Schroder replaces VanVleet in the lineup, but Barnes will probably need to take on a larger playmaking role. He’ll also need to shoot better. His effective field goal percentage of 38.5% on shots from outside the paint last season was the second-worst mark among 212 players with at least 200 attempts. Barnes showed the potential of a do-everything star as a rookie, but it’s still not clear what of the “everything” he’s going to do well. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
Utah Jazz
- Collin Sexton. He arrived in the Mitchell trade and initially backed up point guard Mike Conley. When Conley was shipped to Minnesota at the deadline, Sexton should have had a shot, but injuries essentially ended his season after the All-Star break. He’ll get competition from George, the rookie, and needs to demonstrate that he’s not just a shoot-first point guard. Go deeper. — Shaun Powell
Washington Wizards
- Johnny Davis. The No. 10 pick of last year’s Draft played a total of just 62 minutes through the first 67 games of his rookie season. He was second on the team in minutes over the last 15 games, but registered an effective field goal percentage of just 44.4% (also shooting just 11-for-24 from the line) over that stretch. So Davis has a lot to prove in Year No. 2, and all the guards that the Wiz have acquired will provide competition for playing time. Go deeper. — John Schuhmann
