With all the movement of this past NBA offseason, there are a lot of players that switched teams, and some that flew under the radar. There are always acquisitions that have more value down the road then what they might seem at the time. Take a look at four players who have the chance to make a big impact on their new teams. I’m not saying they will be all stars, but they have the potential to flourish in their new roles.
Trey Burke, Philadelphia 76ers
Trey Burke was off to a decent start in his career with the Jazz, and then things started going downhill. After he left Utah he bounced around and was playing worse than he was during his first three years. Last year playing for the Knicks and Mavericks, he averaged close to 11 points and 3 assists on 19.4 minutes per game. I’ve always been a believer that Burke has potential left in him, and I think he can reach it in Philly. He will most likely come off the bench, but Trey can be a guy to score for the second unit and has the chance to be a big part of the 76ers season, where they will make a run for the championship.
Dewayne Dedmon, Sacramento Kings
I have always been a fan of Dewayne Dedmon’s game. His ability to shoot the three well, and play some pretty solid defense is very valuable to a team, and his rebounding numbers have improveed as well. Dedmon seems like a guy that would fit on a lot of teams, but with Willie Cauley-Stein leaving the Kings, Dedmond should slide right in and play valuable minutes in that rotation. Whether he starts alongside Marvin Bagley, or they bring him off the bench, Dedmon should be helping the Kings make a push for the playoffs this year.
Jerami Grant, Denver Nuggets
Grant turned into a solid player with the Thunder, and this summer he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Jerami is only 25, and he joins a young core in Denver that was the 2 seed in the west last year. He can be another good piece in Denver as they grow as a team and get better to eventually compete in a couple years. I think Grant has potential to be one of the better and more versatile defenders in the league, and offensively he is pretty solid. Jerami Grant will be a glue guy and a solid piece in Denver.
Jeremy Lamb, Indiana Pacers
Different spelling, same name. Jeremy Lamb has gotten better every year of his career, and became a pretty good scorer next to Kemba Walker, averaging over 12.5 points for the past two years. After four years with the Hornets, he left in free agency for the Indiana Pacers. With Victor Oladipo returning from injury, Lamb will probably be coming off the bench. Lamb off the bench has the potential to be a sixth man of the year candidate in my eyes, and he can be a very good scorer for the Pacers.