5 Underrated Pickups

The main NBA headline during the offseason were the movements of stars such as James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and John Wall. However; I’m here to talk some underrated offseason pickups.

Seth Curry, Guard, Philadelphia 76ers:

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The Philadelphia 76ers did a great job of surrounding the necessary pieces around Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons. Which includes them trading for Seth Curry who is a perfect complementary piece for their star duo. He’s also on a very good contract for Philly as he’s currently on a four-year, $32 million deal. Seth Curry is a career 44.6% three-point shooter, so far this season, he’s currently shooting an absurd 50.7% from three (second-best in the league). This was a major issue for them last season. Curry's constant off-ball movement and ability to rise up from anywhere is allowing Joel Embiid to operate more freely on the court. He’s been a major piece for Philly so far as their spacing and offense has been a lot better to start the season. The starting five of Seth Curry, Danny Green, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid has payed major dividends for not only Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons but for Philly as a whole, as Philly are looking like legit contenders at the moment.

Nicolas Batum, Forward, Los Angeles Clippers:

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Talk about a player rejuvenating their career. After suffering injuries and going through a rough last couple of seasons, Nicolas Batum seems to have rediscover his game with the Clippers. Batum has added much needed playmaking & veteran leadership on and off the court. Batum who’s currently veteran’s minimum, is playing a vital role for the Clippers, as he’s operating as the starting point forward and is averaging 10.2 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. He’s also doing all of the little things that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet as his presence has been nothing but positive for this Clippers team. How long will this hold up, that remains to be seen. However; it’s fair to say, that this good start owes in part to Batum’s ability to make major contributions without needing to take a significant share of the offense away from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Jarrett Allen, Center, Cleveland Cavaliers:

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First off, what a get for Cleveland in the James Harden deal. The fact that Cleveland got their center of the future for pretty much nothing is an easy reason to put him on here. I was personally frustrated with the Brooklyn center rotation; Jarrett Allen was undoubtably a better player than DeAndre Jordan and has been for two years now. He’s a very good shot blocker, mobile on the perimeter, and doesn’t try to play outside his strengths. While he doesn’t space the floor, his vertical threat and ability as a screen and roll player is already good and will likely continue to get better. Especially with him now getting a bigger opportunity to showcase his talents once Andre Drummond is gone after the season. So far, with Cleveland, he’s averaging 11.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 66% from the field in only 25.6 minutes a game. With Jarrett Allen, Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro leading the team, the future’s looking bright for this Cleveland team.

Christian Wood, Forward/Center, Houston Rockets:

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Talk about someone overcoming obstacles and beating the odds. Undrafted. Waived by multiple NBA teams. Cut by a team in China before even playing in a game. Numerous stints in the G League. Going through all of that, he believed in himself and was finally rewarded for it this offseason. However; I believe that he’s currently on the best contract in the league. He signed a three-year, $41 million deal. I believe he’s worth a lot more than that. He’s currently averaging 22 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 56% from the field and 42% from three. He’s certainly the frontrunner for Most Improved Player and at this point in the season I believe he’s an All-Star as well. Ever since James Harden was traded, Houston been playing a lot better as a team on both ends and Christian Wood been at the forefront. Christian Wood is the perfect example of never giving up and making the most of an open opportunity.

Malik Beasley, Shooting Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves:

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When the Timberwolves re-signed Beasley, to a four-year, $60 million deal, a lot of people were questioning that deal and for good reason. Obviously, he’s dealing with a lot of off the court issues but he’s been the best player and the most consistent player on this Minnesota team so far this season. He’s having the best season of his career, he’s currently averaging 20.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from three and 84% from the free-throw-line. The Timberwolves are currently last in the West with a record of 6-18, but Karl-Anthony Towns has only played in four games to start the season. Malik Beasley has been one of the few bright spots on the court for Minnesota so far this season and been showcasing that he’s one of the better young two-guards in the league.