Day 40: SLN's Early "Surprise Standouts"

[SourKittles]

I thought Day 40 would be a good time to run down some positive surprise players from the first-third of the 2029 season. There are different tiers of surprises here: good players making the leap, young phenoms, and interesting prospects.

Wrote this in an hour and am certain I forgot some, so, as a BONUS, if you note down someone I missed below, they will get a supplementary writeup (within reason).

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Justise Winslow, SF, Celtics

Winslow is typically very good, but it's nonetheless impressive to see this level of stamina at age 33. He remains in the exalted 3-to-1 stock-to-turnover range, and has posted his highest minutes (34.1) & points (19.3) totals since 2024.

Anthony Edwards, SG, Bullets

"Ant" is not exactly a sleeper. Still, he's (finally?) looking like a 1-A caliber superstar with an obscene 32.0 points and 3.4 steals per game. Despite re-tooling with AD and Michael Porter trades, the Bullets look solid in the present, and it'll be interesting to see how Wes works from here.

Bruce Branch III, SF, Knicks

Branch clearly has gobs of potential. He's still finding his range (will he get a three-point camp next? Scary!), but has the inside scoring, stockiness (and A-pot) that scream "future superstar" and could anchor a Knicks rebuild.

Precious Achiuwa, C, Cavaliers

It's been "next man up!" for the plucky Cavs, who have dealt with significant frontcourt injuries. This quick move with the Warriors looks like a good one: Achiuwa sits at a career-high 11.7 rebounds per game and we'll see if he can keep up his solid 46.5% clip from the field.

Bronny James, SF, Pistons

Bronny looked so good that he became the focal point of a major trade! He flashed some shooting skills last year, and these fully came to fruition in 2029. He's 5th in the league in 3-point percentage with a 52.5% mark. It'll be exciting to follow the James' family progress in Detroit.

Bamba Touray, C, Hornets

I'm very impressed by the 20-year-old and No. 2 overall pick. He's been helpful to Charlotte - which has righted the ship somewhat after a very slow start - and has a jump shot as well? If he rounds out his game in future TCs, he'll be an excellent contributor in the Central.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser, C, Bucks

Penn State's finest had a quiet-ish 2.3 blocks per game in 2028, but raised that mark to 3.1 in 2029 (in just 26.6 minutes)! He probably shoots a little too much, though this is a guy I'm sure we'll be talking about for the next decade as a post-defense contributor.

Kevon Looney, C, Mavericks

I dunno, shouts Kevon Looney for doing this on a $1 million deal every year. Most people aren't "surprised," but it's worth noting he's over 13 rebounds and 4 blocks per 36 minutes. He's helped guide the Mavericks to another very strong start and 22-8 overall record. Respect!

Peter Julius, C, Rockets

The Rockets went for a Rockets-y guy and were unsurprisingly rewarded. As a rookie (one with B-plus inside), Julius has thrived in a balanced offense, shooting 47% with impressively low turnovers while playing an important role for Houston.

Meleek Thomas, PG, Lakers

The Lakers, in my opinion, made a very good bet on Meleek even with pressure to win. I thought he might be on the move, but instead, he's blossomed into a great shooter (49/90/38 splits) and defender (2.2 steals). Not bad for the No. 9 overall pick.

Tounde Yessofou, SF, Suns

He's a rookie-max-level player who's probably not getting enough credit. Tyler would go crazy if he offered to re-sign and kept that RFA free. The turnovers are a little high, but regardless, he's a worthy centerpiece of the Fultz trade, which paid dividends for Jwoo, and then Nolan, and Tyler. Definitely a win-win cycle.

Miikka Muurinen, PF, Sonics

Went back-and-forth about Pick 1.1 and Pick 1.2 with SoNicks for 72 hours on the 4th of July weekend… because Stokes and Miikka were truly neck-and-neck. Miikka needed some love and got it through freebies and camps, which have him poised to explode in the next few years. His best is yet to come, but he's worth shouting out due to his increased productivity and efficiency.

Boogie Fland, PG, Warriors

Boogie has paid off Clint's investment. The scoring, rebounding and steals have exploded in 2029, leading to some fun box scores and overall great contributions. The Warriors will be one of the most fun teams to monitor heading into the next offseason, as they usher in a new era with Boogie & Damp.

Cedric Coward, SF, Kings

After years of NDL dominance, Cedric's 1st sim caught Jesse's eye and led to an early trade. He hasn't disappointed during his run in Sacramento, flashing B-defense as a small forward with great scoring, rebounding, and stockiness. As the Kings "consolidate," he could continue to feature as an above-average starter.

[GX.]

Leekkkkkkk!

[jwoo]

Love a good list

[SWAMP STEVEN]

Debate me in Sacramento, you COWARD