Five NBA Players Suited To Breakout This Season

Photo Credit: NBA.com

The season is just around the corner and the players are starting to wrap up their summer workout to polish up the things they are trying to improve. Every year there are a few players whose work in the offseason will show on the court. Here are five players who can possibly break out and make a name for themselves this season.

1. Jared Sullinger – Foward / Center – Boston Celtics

Jared Sullinger was the #2 high school recruit from the class of 2010, so there’s no doubt he is talented. It was always doubtful if his game and body (280 lbs, 6’9) can adapt to the NBA. With Boston not having much production on their team (and Sullinger shedding some weight), he was one of the few that stepped up.

He even extended his shooting range to the three-point line, shooting over 208 three-pointers last season. His three-point percentage is under 30 percent, so at this point his shot isn’t yet a threat. If it has gotten any better, it could be a deadly weapon. Sullinger has battled injuries over the last few years and if he can stay healthy, look for him to improve from his sophomore season where he averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game.

He might get his shot if Rajon Rondo is traded, as the offense would most likely run through Sullinger. The glaring weakness to Sullinger’s game right now is the low frequency of getting to the line (2.7 attempts per game ) and his shot efficiency as a big man (.440 percent for career).  If he can improve on that, Sullinger will have a very nice season.

2. John Henson – Center – Milwaukee Bucks

Another player coming from a good basketball background where he played at North Carolina,  John Henson was given the opportunity last year (due to Larry Sanders’ injury) and proved that he can produce as a starter.  Henson has a very balanced game and uses his length to make an impact on defense where he averaged 1.7 blocks per game in only 26 minutes of action.

Per 36 minutes Henson averages 15.6 points, 2.1 blocks, and 10 rebounds per game as well as shooting 52 percent from the field.  Those are very good stats for a player whose minutes have been limited.  Henson will only get better with age and opportunity, especially if he develops a mid-range shot.  Make sure you keep an eye on Henson because he is a valuable asset and has potential for the upcoming season.

3. Jeremy Lamb – Shooting Guard – Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have invested a lot in Jeremy Lamb.  He was the main asset acquired from the James Harden trade; they also let Kevin Martin and Thabo Sefolosha walk during the free agency period over the past two years.  Even though they have invested a lot in Lamb, it doesn’t seem like they have a lot of confidence in him just yet.

His minutes have fluctuated as he only averaged 16.7 minutes per game for his career and only nine minutes per game in last year’s playoffs. The former NCAA Champion has shot a solid 35 percent from three; there is promise for him to be a great shooter.  The only other shooting guard on the roster is veteran Anthony Morrow, so Lamb does have a great chance of winning the starting job.  He has a great opportunity to breakout this year: it is only up to him to prove it.

4. Terrence Ross – Shooting Guard – Toronto Raptors

This might be a reach, but any player that ties their franchise record in points with 51 in a game has a chance to be a very good player. Ross has a prototypical shooting guard body at around 6’7. He also has a ridiculous athleticism with a 37-inch vertical leap.

After the Rudy Gay trade, Ross started to get more minutes and contributing to the Raptors playoff run. That playoff experience was beneficial to his improvement and allowed him to see where he can improve, only averaging five points per game and shot less than 30 percent from the field. Ross has the talent and athleticism and the opportunity to get better on a playoff team.

5. Kenneth Faried – Power Forward – Denver Nuggets

Averaging a career high 13.7 points per game last year, Kenneth Faried has shown that he is a great addition to any team in this league. His hustle is incomparable to anyone else playing on the court with him. For his career, Faried averages three offensive rebounds per game (11th in the league last year) and also contributes a steal and block as well.

It has also been great surprise that Faried is one of the impact players leading the USA team to victory in the 2014 FIBA World Championship. If Faried can bring that level of play that he has developed from Team USA to the Denver Nuggets, he will be a beast this upcoming season.