The 2023-24 NBA season is coming up quickly! A lot of these players are emerging as solid middle-round options for organizations looking to maximize their draft hauls. Alongside these stars are Brandon Miller, Kevin Porter Jr., Kel’el Ware, Onyeka Okongwu, Payton Pritchard, and Matas Buzelis. All four players have undeniable skills and a high ceiling for making major impacts on their new teams.
Miller is a real scoring threat that has dazzled scouts and analysts this past season. He proved his explosiveness by putting up points, assists, and steals last season. Miller was a promising prospect as he averaged 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He accomplished this remarkable production during 59 appearances. Prior to his wrist injury, he was scoring impressively at 21.0 points per game. He added 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals, displaying his scoring ability and improved playmaking talents.
Besides Miller, Kevin Porter Jr. is another long-term asset that keeps teams on the fringes grinding. His versatility makes him equally effective starting or coming off the bench. Porter came off the bench all of last season, but in his 31 starts he averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 blocks. He ended the season with a blaze of glory. In his last 16 games, he averaged 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, with a solid game in high-usage bursts with his ability to knock down 2.3 threes per game.
Kel’el Ware carved out a nice role for himself as a freshman. He ended with a bang, averaging 11.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across his last 49 games. His earned right to start next to Bam Adebayo gave him the chance for numerous experience-building minutes on the court. Ware’s contributions will be on the minds of teams when considering their picks in those mid-rounds.
Onyeka Okongwu has quickly become one of the more influential players for the Atlanta Hawks. Last year was a career season for him as he put up 13.4 points on an unbelievable 56.2% shooting. On top of that, he contributed 8.9 rebounds, close to one steal and almost one block per game in less than 28 minutes a night in Rutgers’ crowded frontcourt. Okongwu’s growth has made him a vital component of the Hawks’ frontcourt strategy moving forward.
Payton Pritchard has been a major player to watch, blessed by the basketball gods with an excellent handle and elite scoring ability. He averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting an impressive 40.7% from three-point range overall last season. Pritchard’s long-term fantasy value this season is incredibly high. He quickly becomes one of the most appealing options in the third/fourth round range for teams needing a steady, quality guard.
Matas Buzelis completes this list as a high-upside prospect with deep, significant potential in any format. He offers out-of-this-world scoring production and elite level rim protection. This has made him an incredibly enticing pick for teams looking to bolster their frontcourts. Buzelis is currently positioned as the front-runner to start at power forward for the Chicago Bulls, making him one of the favorite draft targets this season.
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