One Random NBA Role Player to Watch on Every Eastern Conference Team ...Middle East

Stars dominate the headlines in the NBA, but basketball is a team sport for a reason. Whether it be the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Indiana Pacers, multiple teams have demonstrated how important roster depth is over the last few seasons. You simply will not go far in today’s NBA without a suitable supporting cast, which is why I thought it was about time we paid some extra attention to the role players!

Starting with the NBA’s Eastern Conference, I went through every team and picked out one role player who could be worth keeping an eye on this season. You might not have even realized that a handful of the players below switched squads this summer!

NBA Role Players to Watch in 2025-26

Cleveland Cavaliers – Lonzo Ball

The Cleveland Cavaliers added one of the biggest wild cards in the Eastern Conference. Lonzo Ball finally returned to the court last season after missing two full seasons due to a severe knee injury. Serving in a new reserve role, the Chicago Bulls were incredibly careful with his usage, limiting him to about 22 minutes a night. Nevertheless, Ball looked A LOT like his former self. He helped push the tempo offensively, set up teammates with open looks, and hounded opposing ball-handlers in the halfcourt.

For a Cavaliers team that is already among the best two-way squads in the NBA, Ball could slide right into the mix perfectly. He could also add a new layer to their transition game, as the team averaged only the 19th-most fastbreak points a night last season. To be sure, he may not offer the consistent scoring that Ty Jerome did a season ago, but he will be a stout defender and reliable ball-handler who can take some pressure off both Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Of course … if he can stay healthy.

Boston Celtics – Jordan Walsh

The Boston Celtics find themselves in a transitional phase. Not only is Jayson Tatum sidelined indefinitely with an Achilles tear, but the organization has moved on from multiple key contributors this offseason. And that means there will be some serious minutes available for some fresh faces.

I’ll have a close eye on Jordan Walsh. Selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, Walsh has seen very limited action over his first two seasons in Boston. He is a six-foot-seven forward with great length and athletic pop. The defensive potential, in particular, is what had many scouts attracted to the 21-year-old during the pre-draft process. It’s still unclear exactly what he can be on the offensive end, but Walsh can handle the ball a little and should be a useful off-ball mover. To be honest, he feels like the kind of player that Boston typically has success developing into a go-to role player.

New York Knicks – Jordan Clarkson

Signing a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Knicks, Jordan Clarkson is finally in a winning environment. The former Sixth Man of the Year has spent the last five and a half seasons with Utah, averaging 17.8 points and 3.5 assists. As far as sparkplug scorers go, there haven’t been many players better than Clarkson in recent years. He is a shifty ballhandler who will pull up from deep just as often as he will bulldoze his way through defenders to the paint.

Clarkson may not be the most efficient scorer, but he can take over games in the blink of an eye. The Knicks needed to find a way to alleviate some of the scoring burden on Brunson, especially come playoff time. Clarkson can help make that happen.

Indiana Pacers – Kam Jones

With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for likely the entire season, a door has swung wide open in the backcourt. The Pacers selected Kam Jones with the 38th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he is fresh off an extremely impressive four-year career at Marquette. Jones averaged 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds over his 34 games last season with the Golden Eagles, and he did so while shooting 48.3 percent from the field.

Yes, we all know college stats mean nothing in the pros, but the performance does speak to Jones’ potential. He has plenty of experience serving as a lead ballhandler, and his methodical ability to get into the teeth of the defense could prove especially important for a Pacers offense that loves to move the ball. Is it possible he rides the bench for most of the year? Sure, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him as a mainstay in the rotation as soon as late-November.

Milwaukee Bucks – Cole Anthony

The former Orlando Magic guard surprised many when he decided to take a minimum deal to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, with Damian Lillard out the door and few proven assets in the backcourt, Anthony has a huge opportunity to boost his stock alongside one of the NBA’s best players.

Anthony plays with an extremely high motor. Despite his smaller six-foot-two frame, he has averaged over 4.0 rebounds per game over his career and consistently plays hard on defense. Anthony is also a respectable decision-maker who once averaged close to 6.0 assists a night during the 2021-22 campaign. At the end of the day, Anthony feels like the kind of player who should bring the level of intensity and shotmaking that this rotation needs following the departure of Lillard.

Detroit Pistons – Duncan Robinson

With Malik Beasley falling into some hot water this offseason, the Detroit Pistons promptly pivoted to another sharpshooter. The team signed Duncan Robinson in free agency to a three-year, $48.0 million deal.

It’s hard to underestimate just how important Beasley’s shotmaking was to the Pistons’ success last season. He played in all 82 games and averaged 16.3 points off the bench while draining 41.6 percent of his 9.1 attempts a night. Particularly when we consider how few dependable outside shooters are on the Pistons’ roster, Beasley’s consistency was remarkably important. So … can Robinson fill those shoes for a team that hopes to climb even higher up the East standings? For what it’s worth, Robinson has shot a combined 39.4 percent over the last two seasons on high volume.

Orlando Magic – Tyus Jones

The Orlando Magic turned heads this summer with an aggressive move to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. But the backcourt upgrades didn’t stop there. Tyus Jones was added to the roster on a one-year, $7.0 million deal. What has plagued the Magic the most in recent years has been their lack of a true distributor and shotmaker in the backcourt. If Bane helps satisfy the latter, Jones can certainly help fix the former.

Jones has long been one of the most respected facilitators in the NBA. His assist-to-turnover ratio has ranked among the league’s best over the last handful of years, averaging nearly 6.0 assists on 1.0 turnover during the past three seasons. Throw in the fact that he has also been a near-40.0 percent three-point shooter since 2021-22, and Jones could become a critical part of helping the Magic take the next competitive step.

Atlanta Hawks – Nickeil Alexander-Walker

The Atlanta Hawks were one of the biggest winners of the NBA offseason. Along with acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics, the team bolstered its roster by signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year deal.

While the guard struggled to find his footing over his first few years in the league, NAW finally found his way in Minnesota. He became a key bench piece for the contending T-Wolves thanks to his strong 3-and-D play. NAW has now shot at least 38.0 percent from long range in each of the past two seasons, and he did so while taking on some of the toughest defensive assignments. All in all, the Hawks have the makings of a very scary defensive duo with Daniels and NAW.

Chicago Bulls – Isaac Okoro

The Chicago Bulls clearly have plans for Isaac Okoro. After signing Lonzo Ball to an extremely team-friendly deal, they promptly flipped him into the former lottery pick from Cleveland. While the deal ruffled the feathers of many, the move does make some sense for a team that has struggled so much defensively in recent years.

Okoro could immediately become the best defender on the Bulls’ roster. He is a strong six-foot-five with good length and even better instincts. For all his offensive shortcomings, Cleveland still had a hard time keeping him off the floor because of the versatility he provided on the defensive side of the ball. Especially when we factor in what the Bulls saw from Matas Buzelis last season, there is reason to be encouraged about what a lineup that features both him and Okoro can do.

Plus, Okoro has shown signs of improvement as a long-range threat. The volume may be rather low, but Okoro shot 39.1 percent in 2023-24 before shooting 37.1 percent in 2024-25 from downtown. If he can stay in the high 30s with a slight uptick in attempts, the Bulls could begin to feel very good about this move.

Miami Heat – Davion Mitchell

Another player who had a hard time finding a home to begin his career, Davion Mitchell has seemingly landed in the perfect spot. The former Baylor standout impressed during his 30 games with the Heat last season after coming over from the Raptors. He averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field. The performance earned him a fresh two-year deal with the franchise worth $24.0 million.

Mitchell feels like a prototypical “Heat Culture” player. He is a no-nonsense guard who plays every possession like it’s his last. Even with his six-foot frame, Mitchell is a ball hawk who shuts down opposing guards and easily forces turnovers. Offensively, he is a solid shooter and lightning-quick player in transition. For a Heat team that is in an odd transitional phase, it’s a player like Mitchell who will help them hold onto their identity.

Toronto Raptors – Gradey Dick

Will Gradey Dick become more than a role player this season? The former 13th pick in the draft, Toronto already trusted Dick with a lot more responsibility in Year 2. He played nearly 30 minutes per game and boosted his scoring average from 8.4 points to 14.4 points a night. Along with shooting a solid 35.0 percent from three, he also doubled his free throw attempts and converted at an 85.8 percent clip.

Still only 21 years old, there is a very good chance that Dick’s three-level scoring ability can be a significant part of the solution in Toronto. The only problem is that players like Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Immanuel Quickley are still there to get in the young forward’s way.

Brooklyn Nets – Ziaire Williams

A Top 10 player in the 2021 NBA Draft, it’s been a long and complicated road for Ziaire Williams. The forward spent three underwhelming years in Memphis before landing with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2024-25 season. With expectations now tempered, he finally started to show some more consistent signs of life.

Williams had easily his best season yet, averaging double-digit points in Brooklyn with 4.6 rebounds per game. It still may not have been the kind of play you want to see from a former lottery pick, but it was enough to convince Brooklyn to give him a new two-year deal. So can Williams now continue to take advantage of the opportunity and get his career back on track? If so, might he become an interesting trade chip for the rebuilding Nets?

Philadelphia 76ers – Jared McCain

The young guard from Duke took the league by storm to begin the 2024-25 season. Jared McCain averaged 15.3 points and shot 38.3 percent from deep over his first 23 games. No rookie looked more comfortable in his role, making some start to seriously wonder if he could give Maxey a run for his money as the go-to option in the backcourt.

Nonetheless, McCain’s season came to a quick end with a torn meniscus. All eyes are now on whether or not he can pick up where he left off, especially with new guard VJ Edgecombe also in the mix. Expectations for the 76ers remain high with Joel Embiid and Paul George on the roster. If McCain can come back and look like his former dynamic self, Philly could quickly prove to have one of the East’s best and deepest rosters.

Charlotte Hornets – Collin Sexton

Did you even know he was in Charlotte? To seemingly open up some extra playing time for their slew of young players, the Jazz sent Collin Sexton and his expiring deal to the Hornets this summer. The guard spent the past three seasons in Utah and showed some genuinely encouraging signs of growth. Whether it be his shot selection, facilitating, or defensive awareness, Sexton looked like a more mature version of what we watched early on in Cleveland.

With that said, how the heck does he fit into what the Hornets are doing? With LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and rookie Kon Knueppel in the mix, it’s hard to have a sense for exactly how big a role Sexton will have. At the same time, I guess the Hornets need all the help they can get! The team ranked dead last in points per game and field goal percentage last season. Sexton at least gives them a proven bucket-getter.

Washington Wizards – Khris Middleton

Most of the focus will be on the young talent in Washington (and rightfully so), but Khris Middleton will be a fascinating player to follow. The veteran has struggled immensely to stay healthy the past few years, so much so that the Bucks moved him to Washington in exchange for Kyle Kuzma at last season’s deadline.

Nonetheless, Middleton is a three-time All-Star and one-time NBA Champion. He was an extremely valuable piece to the Milwaukee Bucks for years, offering three-level scoring, smart playmaking, and dependable defense. Are his best years behind him? Sure, but it’s hard to imagine his story doesn’t have another chapter. I’m sure many contending teams will be watching whether or not he can restore his health and value with the Wizards this season.

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