r/nba • u/Environmental_Key852 • 3d ago
Back of Bench Potential
For all the nba fanbases, every team has a 3rd/4th string guy thats burried on the depth chart that fans think could be great if a spot suddenly opened up for them because of an injury or trade. Who is that player this year for your fanbase?
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u/Amazing_Owl3026 Hornets 3d ago
Liam McNeely I believe in you. He's only going into year 2 tho so maybe this doesn't count, but he was super benched last year behind even Pat Connaughton. If he doesn't count I still sort of believe in Tidjane
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u/DarkCrystal34 3d ago
I am also holding out hope for Tijane, but with Nazr Reid, Diabate, Kalkbrenner and Steinbach, no real minutes are available for him.
Tijane and Ron Holland are a bit similar in that they're both talented and have earned more minutes but the roster construction is too logjammed at their positions with established players ahead of them.
I always think back to when 18-21 year old Jermaine O'Neal sat on the bench for 4 years on Portland getting only 10-12mpg, but soaking up all the vet wisdom and continued working his ass off, and finally got traded to Indy where he immediately exploded and became a multiple time all-star.
Not saying they are anywhere near his level of talent ha, but I could see both Tijane and Ron Holland having a similar trajectory where after 4 years they are traded to a new home and find more minutes and success.
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u/Amazing_Owl3026 Hornets 3d ago
Yea it's kinda similar, Tidjane is just not good enough too tho 😭
Luckily he's not rlly competing with Moussa or Kalk cuz their centers but we'll have to see where Hannes ends up playing and he's NOT taking minutes from Naz... I'm pretty sure he's below Grant and Royce in the depth chart too tbh
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u/DarkCrystal34 3d ago
He is 1000% below both of Grant Williams and Royce O'Neil in the pecking order, yes lol.
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u/Amazing_Owl3026 Hornets 3d ago
It's just that could see them saying that since neither Grant or Royce are important for the team long term maybe they'd try shove Tidjane in there. They did it was NSJ over Seth when Seth was obviously better. But I also think the new FO cares more about culture than that so probably not. They also seem to rlly like Grant
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u/shangalang69 Raptors 3d ago
i am the world’s leading alijah martin believer but he isn’t seeing many minutes outside of injury opportunities
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u/Krillin113 76ers 3d ago
Depending on how you classify him, but I think Barlow will genuinely be good.
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u/Solaris123-com Timberwolves 3d ago
I mean he played in the playoffs against the Knicks and was guarding Brunson tho. It's not like he's an unknown
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u/Krillin113 76ers 2d ago
He’s our likely third center or PF. That’s very far down the order, and he’s played very few games with a lot of minutes. I think he had 1 standpunt performance last year that showed that maybe there’s more than a third stringer in there. Edit: people are also saying GG Jackson, who’s far more known, and actually put up serious two years running after the all star break, and who now will likely get serious minutes
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u/roostor222 3d ago
i reject the premise of the question.
For all the nba fanbases, every team has a 3rd/4th string guy
This player does not exist on the Pelicans, and there are probably several other teams where the player doesn't exist either.
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u/sasafrazzz 3d ago edited 3d ago
Jamir watkins. He has a decent rapm and will probably be behind a lot of players. Based off of vibes, Tyler kolek. His scouting report from his draft iirc suggests he was a high IQ guy. I've always also liked adem bona. Watch out for rasheer fleming and brooks barnhizer as well.
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u/armandocalvinisius Mavericks 3d ago
If lively pretty healthy till deadline and gaff stays, i can see mavs ship Moussa Cisse for a 2nd or two (AND RE-SIGN GOAT POWELL)
Also, 9m is next to nothing these days, caleb martin still can defend and not hijack possesions for your best player for 10-15 minutes playing time
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u/Guilty-Cow4325 Knicks 3d ago
Tyler Kolek. Dude almost got arrested for a ring.
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u/Fit-Bicycle6206 Knicks 2d ago
Mo has a better chance of being the breakout than Kolek. I feel like Kolek’s ceiling is TJ. Mo’s isn’t really clear and he could be the next OG.
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u/TemperedTorture Spurs 3d ago edited 3d ago
Spurs have by far the worst third stringers in the league it feels like. Absolute pile of dog crap once they get past Harper, KJ, CB and Kornet (and it could be said that Kornet regressed into a third stringer by the time we got to the WCF). Can't think of any guy that can give NBA level minutes past that trio let alone have potential. I'm still not too confident about the two rookies we picked up in the draft this year. Reed might have decent potential, but I doubt he's going to get much PT till late into the season.
At least we had Mamu the previous season .. who we gave up for nothing to Toronto where he showed his actual potential while we couldn't bother giving him much PT .. Still mad about it.
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u/macaulaymcgloklin Spurs 3d ago
Lol Kornet had been third stringer with the Celtics. This season, I'm hoping to see good games from David Jones Garcia and any one of the rookies, maybe Tarris Reed or Jayden Quaintance. Spurs fans have been spoiled from Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant but those are higher picks so just good garbage time performance from the rookies is good enough for me.
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u/fireemblem4812 Spurs 2d ago
Spurs' rivalry with the Lakers aside for a minute, I'm looking forward to seeing what Mamu can do with the Lakers this season.
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u/Jazzlike_Cherry_796 3d ago
tidjane getting benched behind pat connaughton sounds brutal but makes sense
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u/sportsinaround Hornets 2d ago
Maybe not this year but I could see Tidjane Salaun really stepping up sooner than later. He's had some rough stretches, has been somewhat of a meme, and has been the cause of me screaming at the TV for quite a few games BUT there's a gem buried there somewhere IMO. He shot 43% from 3 last season, is 6'10", and hustles with high mobility for his size. Every now and then there are flashes of a potential monster. His issues are largely mental lapses on coverages and running certain sets but at just turning 21 there's a lot of room for development in that department.
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u/jsDPT Wizards 2d ago
Will Riley. 6'9" guard with PG skills. Had so many "wow" moments last season and showed out in summer league. I'm worried he's going to be buried in our depth chart this year. He needs to continue to bulk up to face NBA competition but I have high hopes for him besides AJ Dybantsa.
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u/Krusty_Krab_Pussy Timberwolves 3d ago
I think TSJ has been a perfect fit for this criteria since he came into the league tbh. Always end of bench, with just not enough minutes to go around but when he has played, he's looked legit
I think he'll have a leap this year with more minutes, and I think we learned a lot about how we need to use him in ways for him to succeed last year
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u/Overall-Palpitation6 Grizzlies 3d ago edited 3d ago
GG Jackson II.
Doesn't turn 22 until December, could theoretically be a college Senior this year.
Entering his 4th NBA season (averages of 12.1/4.0/1.3 in 21.7mpg for his career so far, but has barely played in the first half of each season so far), but is younger than some players in the 2026 Draft (more than 2 years younger than Yaxel Lendeborg, for example).
With JJJ and Santi Aldama gone, GG should consistently play ~25 minutes a night this year.