There’s accepting your function, after which there’s accepting that it’ll at all times be your function.
Take the Atlanta Hawks’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker, for instance. Former teammates and coaches say he blossomed with the Minnesota Timberwolves partly as a result of he accepted his function as a secondary weapon slightly than making an attempt to be a high-usage scorer, one thing he struggled to do effectively when he got here into the league in New Orleans.
That half is completely true, however I’m undecided Alexander-Walker ever accepted that was his ceiling. In his first 12 months as a Hawk, he’s exhibiting why.
The participant who averaged 9.4 factors per sport with Minnesota in his sixth professional season has shockingly greater than doubled that in Year 7. Yes, Alexander-Walker averaged 20.1 factors per sport within the first half of the season to assist the Hawks offset the absence of Trae Young for all however 10 video games, and he threw in stellar protection on high of it, shortly establishing himself as a Most Improved Player candidate.
But then March got here round … and Alexander-Walker actually took off.
Atlanta has received 18 of its final 22 video games, together with a 15-2 mark in March that received teammate Jalen Johnson Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors. But the actual story in Atlanta is the heater Alexander-Walker has been on during the last 5 weeks. Yes, the Hawks have taken benefit of a comfortable stretch of schedule, however can we discuss the truth that this dude hasn’t missed a shot in over a month?
I’m solely barely exaggerating. In 18 video games since March 4, Alexander-Walker is averaging 24.4 factors per sport with a 72.3(!) true taking pictures proportion. The leaderboard on this class is a bunch of facilities who solely shoot dunks and Alexander-Walker, who’s bombing contested pull-up jumpers because the Hawks’ second choice behind Johnson and pulling down every thing.
In that stretch, greater than half of his photographs have come past the arc, the place he’s made 49.0 % of them, whereas additionally taking pictures 60.6 % on 2s. It hasn’t simply been the Wizards and Nets of the world that felt his wrath: He dropped a career-high 41 factors in a vital win over the Orlando Magic and hung 36 on the New York Knicks in a troublesome loss Monday.
These aren’t catch-and-shoot fungoes he’s hitting, both. Alexander-Walker has completed loads of his work on the ball and off the dribble, utilizing his dimension and excessive launch to cook dinner defenders even when he hasn’t cleanly beat them. He’s taken eight 3-pointers a sport on this stretch, principally from above the break.
Quietly, he’s additionally develop into a cash foul shooter. Alexander-Walker shot 78 % from the road in Minnesota a 12 months in the past; this 12 months, he’s at 90.2 % for the Hawks and 94.6 % in his torrid stretch since March 4. In different phrases, the participant who might need been the league’s Most Improved Player by the top of February can be arguably the league’s most improved in-season participant because the begin of March.
Signed for the midlevel exception to be a 3rd guard, he’s as an alternative had an epic breakout. If there have been a Free Agent Signing of the Year award, he’d declare that prize. (Atlanta has him on the books for simply $29.6 million over the following two years earlier than his 2028 participant choice.)
That additionally makes Alexander-Walker the captain of my Post-All-Star Breakout Team. Here are 10 others who haven’t acquired sufficient shine for the way they’ve performed within the stretch run. (Stats and data are getting into Thursday’s video games.)
Darius Garland, Clippers
It’s normally arduous for high-usage gamers to regulate to a brand new crew straight away; even the most effective usually see their numbers take a success, particularly once they change groups midseason.
Not Darius Garland. All of his stats are massively higher with the Clippers than they had been in his 25 video games with Cleveland, just about mirroring the All-Star numbers he put up in 2024-25. Obviously, Garland’s full restoration from a toe damage has been an enormous a part of the story, however he’s nonetheless outkicked his protection even relative to earlier seasons. In 17 video games with the Clippers, Garland is taking pictures 45.8 % from 3 on career-high quantity, dropping 41.8 % of his 2s and averaging greater than two assists for each turnover.
Garland’s 62.3 true taking pictures proportion as a Clipper could be a profession excessive, and he’s doing so on career-best utilization (30.3). All of that is vastly encouraging for a Clippers crew that made an old-for-young swap (James Harden for Garland) within the hopes that Garland might replicate The Beard’s prolific manufacturing. So far, the Clippers are profitable the guess.
Gui Santos, Warriors
Golden State’s midseason contract extension for Gui Santos is already wanting like a screaming discount (three years, $15 million, with a 2028 participant choice). That got here with a bit of additional commerce maneuverability from Golden State’s aspect. (Santos’ extension places an additional $4.5 million in tradable wage on the Warriors’ books, which in flip assures they’ve sufficient outbound wage to execute a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo commerce with out ready on every other gamers to make selections on participant choices or sign-and-trades. While Santos can’t be traded till Aug. 28, a deal might be agreed to lengthy earlier than then.) But the first motivation was Santos’ seamless match within the Warriors’ reducing, transferring offense.
In his third professional season, Santos has added sufficient ability and sanded down the tough edges to the purpose the place he’s moved past “scrappy hustler” to “key rotation piece.” He’s develop into a way more aggressive offensive participant and will get most of his photographs on the rim, which is why he’s taking pictures 65.3 % contained in the arc; Santos can be top-of-the-line passers at his place (5.4 dimes per 100 possessions) and a decent taking pictures risk.
Since the All-Star break, Santos has began 20 of the Warriors’ 22 video games and averaged 16.4 factors, 5.8 boards and three.9 assists, and his effectivity (60.8 true taking pictures proportion) hasn’t suffered. That makes Santos yet one more hit on a late Warriors draft choose (he was chosen fifty fifth in 2022), and on a crew waging annual battles towards the tax-apron dragons, his locked-in wage seems to be like a serious plus.
LaMelo Ball, Hornets
Stop the presses: LaMelo Ball has performed 70 video games this season! That alone could be a narrative after he averaged simply 35 a 12 months over the earlier three seasons.
But he’s additionally gained steam because the 12 months has worn on. Following a sluggish begin and early-season commerce rumors, Ball has keyed the Hornets’ stunning surge into the postseason. He leads the NBA in offensive ranking because the break, with the Hornets scoring a torrid 127.9 factors per 100 when he performs. This is extra notable as a result of the Hornets’ offense stagnates with out him, and that’s been the case all season; Charlotte scores simply 110.4 factors per 100 within the non-Ball minutes.
The eye take a look at additionally seems to be kindly on Ball; his previously sluggish defensive habits have improved noticeably. He’s additionally proven extra craft as a short-range finisher than we’ve seen in earlier seasons, particularly with decel steps.
I haven’t heard him get loads of shine for end-of-season honors, however Ball has performed sufficient video games to be eligible (!) and needs to be a candidate for Third-Team All-NBA.
Saddiq Bey has bounced again properly from his torn ACL. (Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
Saddiq Bey, Pelicans
Welp, the “Jordan Poole” a part of the Jordan Poole commerce hasn’t labored out so effectively … however the Saddiq Bey piece might hardly have gone higher.
After lacking all of final season with a torn ACL, Bey has quietly been a revelation in New Orleans after the Wizards despatched him and Poole there within the offseason for CJ McCollum. If the league nonetheless had a Comeback Player of the Year award, Bey could be a shoo-in. The 6-foot-8 ahead has performed 72 video games and began 64 of them, and what was already a formidable resurgence has gone to a different stage because the All-Star break.
Post-break, Bey is averaging 20.0 factors per sport and taking pictures 40.0 % from 3, whereas dialing his utilization charge well past his earlier profession highs. He hung 42 on the remnants of Utah’s roster and has eleven straight video games with no less than 15 factors.
For the season, Bey’s 17.2 PER and 57.9 true taking pictures proportion mash his former bests, recharging a profession that has appeared stalled out even earlier than the damage. Best of all, for a Pels crew that has main cap and tax points, Bey is a strong starter on the books for simply $6.4 million subsequent season … a determine that nearly offsets the $34 million in lifeless cash on Poole.
Precious Achiuwa, Kings
In honor of Canada’s finest songstress, isn’t it ironic that the exclamation level on Precious Achiuwa’s profession resurrection got here in his 28-point, 19-rebound eruption at Toronto which will have fatally wounded Toronto’s hopes of getting the East’s fifth seed?
The former Raptor, who wasn’t even on a roster in the beginning of the season, ended up in Sacramento after the Kings realized they forgot to signal any energy forwards within the offseason. And because the Kings’ season went off the rails, Achiuwa’s profession obtained again on monitor.
For these of you who haven’t been watching loads of Kings video games the previous a number of weeks, Achiuwa is averaging 15.7 factors and 9.3 rebounds on 59.6 % true taking pictures because the All-Star break. No, significantly. In that point, the Kings have been shockingly competent when Achiuwa performs (only a minus-3.0 internet ranking) and mercilessly thrashed when he sits (minus-19.1).
Suffice it to say that I don’t suppose Achiuwa might be unsigned on opening day of 2026-27. Because Sacramento signed him to a one-year cope with no choices for subsequent season (however nonetheless allowed him to do irreparable hurt to its draft place by staying within the lineup), Achiuwa might be an unrestricted free agent who, at 26 years previous, ought to get loads of consideration.
Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers
You could have missed this as a result of Matisse Thybulle missed all however 4 video games within the first half of the season, however he’s been again for twenty-four video games and doing his post-impressionist sleight-of-hand methods in addition to ever.
Thybulle has posted an unbelievable, incomprehensible 5.9 % steal charge in his 454 minutes, which might almost double that of the league chief on this class, Detroit’s Ausar Thompson. Meanwhile, regardless of enjoying on the wing, Thybulle additionally has a 2.7 % block charge that will rank within the league’s high 30 if he had sufficient minutes. Between the 2 classes, Thybulle stays the NBA’s “stocks” gawd; his mixed 7.6 % charge is the most effective of any non-center and almost matches his career-best from his second season in Philadelphia.
To underscore this, take into account that Thybulle is simply averaging 16.2 minutes per sport, but has nonetheless recorded no less than one steal in 25 of his 28 appearances. And he’s not simply padding his steals charge on reckless gambles, both. The Blazers sport a microscopic 99.5 defensive ranking in his minutes, in comparison with 115.0 when he’s off the ground.
File this away if the Blazers handle to squeeze into the playoffs. Thybulle stays as disruptive a defender as any participant within the sport, and he’s getting into his free-agent 12 months.
Jaylin Williams, Thunder
The last item the league wants is one other Oklahoma City developmental success story. Welp, I’m afraid I’ve some dangerous information.
On Feb. 25, I went to Detroit and watched a Thunder roster that was resting most of its stars tackle the Pistons; the Thunder misplaced, however I used to be shocked to see Jaylin Williams end with 30 factors and 11 rebounds. Sure, that was an outlier, however it was much less “out” than you may suppose. He scored 29 in a key win over the Denver Nuggets and put up a 17-6-6 line on the Chicago Bulls.
Since the All-Star break, particularly, Williams has been launching 3s with confidence, working slick dribble-handoffs together with his guards and taking expenses together with his normal aplomb. (Williams has drawn 17 expenses in simply 1,277 minutes this season, in keeping with pbpstats.com, which is the best charge within the league.)
Williams’ high 5 scoring video games and high seven rebounding video games have all come because the starting of February. Some of that is because of minutes and alternative, however he’s additionally been far more environment friendly: Since the All-Star break, he has a real taking pictures proportion of 70.7. This isn’t only a tiny smattering of makes an attempt, both: He’s a scorching 62-of-129 (48.1 %) from 3 since Feb. 1.
Williams has lengthy been considered a high-character chief who has uncommon juice within the locker room for a younger, third-string heart. But now he’s one thing groups like much more: a personality man who can play. Williams’ three-year, $24 million extension that kicked on this season seems to be like one other sensible transfer by the Thunder.
Paul Reed provides Detroit a greater choice than many as a 3rd heart. (Mike Watters / Imagn Images)
Paul Reed, Pistons
Like I wasn’t going to say this.
Do you understand how good B-ball Paul has been within the second half of the season? He’s taking pictures 61 % because the All-Star break, averaging a “stock” each 7.5 minutes and scoring at a excessive sufficient charge that he’s been in a position to hit double figures in fewer than 20 minutes 9 occasions since Feb. 1.
For the 12 months, Reed would rank seventh within the NBA in PER if he had sufficient minutes to qualify. By BPM, he’d nonetheless be eleventh. It’s not like he’s padding the numbers towards different groups’ backups both. In 10 video games as a starter, he has a plus-10-per-100 internet ranking and a Thybulle-esque 37 “stocks.”
Theoretically Detroit’s third heart, Reed is best than 90 % of the league’s backups and a good variety of the starters and is signed for the mere sum of $5.6 million for subsequent season. Isaiah Stewart’s return might even see him consigned to a restricted function within the postseason, but when he’s referred to as into service, keep watch over Reed making a big effect.
Ty Jerome, Grizzlies
Wahoowa! Between accidents and, um, “injuries” (tank you very a lot), it’s been a quick season for Ty Jerome. But when he performed, he was a revelation, showcasing all of the ability that made him such a troublesome cowl in Cleveland regardless of his not-exactly-daunting footspeed.
Jerome solely performed 15 video games, however he averaged almost a degree a minute when he performed. Yes, a degree a minute: He performed 22.6 minutes per sport and scored 19.7 a sport, devastating opponents each together with his funky floater sport contained in the arc and his 42 % 3-point taking pictures from past. Did I point out he additionally averaged greater than three assists for each turnover?
Between all that, Jerome’s 25.7 PER for his small season pattern is in famous person territory. Obviously, we are able to’t fairly anticipate that for a full season, but when he’s wholesome subsequent 12 months, Jerome could make a large impression in Memphis (or elsewhere).
