Bench Mob Power Rankings
Bench Mob Power Rankings
Some people love building depth, some people hate it entirely, but it's a very fun part of basketball both fake and real and we are gonna take a look around the league. I'm gonna do some DC diving and rank the benches of all the teams that are currently trying to make the playoffs (more or less), focusing on guys who actually play and how they fit together. MORE CONTENT!
1. Orlando Magic: Kris Clack, Isolation Joseph, Adonal Foyle, George Hill
Clack and Iso Joe are maybe the best bench duo in the league and they cover most of Orlando's key minutes. Foyle is still kicking it, what a legend. I am convinced George Hill will eventually one day be good somewhere. I think the depth is a big piece of why the Magic are a sneaky-good team, and Clack at this advanced age is still excellent in this capacity. I was surprised more people didn't come after Joe Johnson when I shopped him - he is pretty legit now.
2. Phoenix Suns: JJ Redick, Joakim Noah, ButtMan, Darren Collison
A huge part of the Suns' renaissance has been this bench - Redick is awesome (I've come around), Noah is one of the league's best third bigs, ButtMan gets Butts. A very strong bench, maybe the best in the West.
3. Chicago Bulls: Brendan Haywood, Corey Maggette, Raul Lopez, Jonathan Bender
Matt has only run one DC all season, which speaks to how solid the bench is: Haywood is a great third big, Maggette is very solid as the sixth man, Lopez is low key a really good backup PG, and Bender is washed but fine. Dajuan Wagner is here for emergencies. I think Chicago's depth is better than most, simply because Haywood and Spaghetti essentially function like sixth and seventh starters.
4. Dallas Mavericks: Mehmet Okur, Jrue Holiday
The Mavs really only have two bench players, but they're two very nice bench players. More depth would help a lot, but he's leaning on rookies for the extra minutes, which isn't always the best. Okur and Jrue could start on a lot of teams, though.
5. Denver Nuggets: Tony Allen, Boris Diaw, DeMarcus Cousins, TJ Ford
Three players I love playing a lot of the bench mins here. Nugs looking dangerous. This bench may not win Kipke games but I don't think they will lose him games either. Tony is a sick supersub and I personally like defensive-oriented bench guys, so this is my cup of tea.
6. Vancouver Grizzlies: Andres El Chapu Nocioni, Chris Kaman, Nick Collison, Mo Pete
Josh has done a good job with this bench - Noce and Kaman are really solid and he has a few guys on min deals that are really nice to have around. Grizz are really well constructed and the bench definitely plays a role here, I like it.
7. Seattle Sonics: Jamal Sampson, Courtney Alexander, Andris Biedrins, Kyle Lowry
Sampson is one of the best third bigs in the league. Alexander gets buckets. Biedrins is fine. Lowry, idk. It's a weird bench but Nick has a good handle on his roster and has gotten the most out of the bench. Lest we forget, Ratko Varda is here trying to get his fourth ring and supplying vibes.
8. Portland Trail Blazers: David Lee, Mo Williams, Leon Powe, Peja Stojakovic
It's not super sexy but these guys are all pretty useful. Mo Williams is low key really nice. Lee and Powe are good. They're probably a wing short — perimeter defense off the bench is not the strength of the Blazers. But their bigs do give them an advantage in theory and Mo is a sniper.
9. Washington Bullets: OJ Mayo, Nazr Mohammed, Luke Ridnour, I guess Jeff Green
This bench has some talent but I worry that OJ is overtaxed as a 1-3 backup due to his poor defense and rebounding - he's probably giving up quite a bit despite being one of the league's better bench scorers. Nazr is solid, Ridnour is a solid backup, but I wouldn't call this bench a strength.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Ryan Gomes, Reece Gaines, Fab Oberto, Jarvis Hayes
The Bucks play a pretty short bench, and it's not necessarily the strength of their roster: Oberto has been very solid but the bigs behind him don't play much by design. With Anthony Morrow back, Ryan Gomes is the current bench headliner, and Reece Gaines is just OK. Milwaukee is a well-rounded team with an excellent starting five, which makes it a lot easier to kind of fill the gaps in here. The Bucks have other serviceable guys lying around to where one injury won't totally screw them for the most part.
11. Philadelphia 76ers: Carlos Boozer, Andre Iguodala, Nate Robinson, Pops Mensah Bonsu
Not sure if DMo has settled on whether or not Boozer is a starter, but there is a solid bench here despite the fact "Zoran Dragic" is his third string small forward right now. Philly's bench is more about talent than fit — there are some weird pieces here — but Boozer is having a career year and Iggy is solid (just overpaid). However, an injury to any key player could throw the Sixers deeply out of whack, and I don't love the deep bench options at all.
12. Detroit Pistons: Lamar Odom, Carlos Arroyo, David West
Odom and Carlos are still good, but they don't necessarily complement what's on the roster around them - Arroyo is an all-offense third guard behind two offense-heavy guards, and Odom is fine but probably trending down. Detroit could use another big probably for the future.
13. Charlotte Hornets: Randy Foye, Olumide Oyedeji, Sasha Paxlovid, Vince Carter
The Hornets only have one legitimate big and it's OO — otherwise they have a lot of wings and don't really play Vince Carter. Foye is kind of nice. But feels like this needs some massaging for the playoffs — one of the problems with that Sasha contract.
14. Cleveland Cavs: Lou Amundson, Thad Young, Adam Morrison
BORING! Idk. Maybe Thad finally gets good somewhere. It's a thin bench.
15. New York Knicks: JR Smith, Michael Olowokandi, Scot Pollard's corpse, Juan Dixon?
JR Smith was a great pickup for Nav because New York's bench otherwise sucks. The Knicks have elite star talent which covers for it, but god forbid Nav has to dust off Mike Pietrus or Norris Cole. I'd say the Knicks are probably the thinnest contender and also the most top heavy, which, to be fair, makes them very sexually appealing in some cultures.
16. Houston Rockets: Z-Bo, Ish Smith, idk Drew Gooden?
Bench: not a strength of the Rockets, although the ZBo pickup was pretty nice.
17. Utah Jazz: Jason Thompson, Yaroslav Korolev, Michael Sweetney
Yeah I do not love Utah's bench, which says a lot about how nice their starting five is.
1. Orlando Magic: Kris Clack, Isolation Joseph, Adonal Foyle, George Hill
Clack and Iso Joe are maybe the best bench duo in the league and they cover most of Orlando's key minutes. Foyle is still kicking it, what a legend. I am convinced George Hill will eventually one day be good somewhere. I think the depth is a big piece of why the Magic are a sneaky-good team, and Clack at this advanced age is still excellent in this capacity. I was surprised more people didn't come after Joe Johnson when I shopped him - he is pretty legit now.
2. Phoenix Suns: JJ Redick, Joakim Noah, ButtMan, Darren Collison
A huge part of the Suns' renaissance has been this bench - Redick is awesome (I've come around), Noah is one of the league's best third bigs, ButtMan gets Butts. A very strong bench, maybe the best in the West.
3. Chicago Bulls: Brendan Haywood, Corey Maggette, Raul Lopez, Jonathan Bender
Matt has only run one DC all season, which speaks to how solid the bench is: Haywood is a great third big, Maggette is very solid as the sixth man, Lopez is low key a really good backup PG, and Bender is washed but fine. Dajuan Wagner is here for emergencies. I think Chicago's depth is better than most, simply because Haywood and Spaghetti essentially function like sixth and seventh starters.
4. Dallas Mavericks: Mehmet Okur, Jrue Holiday
The Mavs really only have two bench players, but they're two very nice bench players. More depth would help a lot, but he's leaning on rookies for the extra minutes, which isn't always the best. Okur and Jrue could start on a lot of teams, though.
5. Denver Nuggets: Tony Allen, Boris Diaw, DeMarcus Cousins, TJ Ford
Three players I love playing a lot of the bench mins here. Nugs looking dangerous. This bench may not win Kipke games but I don't think they will lose him games either. Tony is a sick supersub and I personally like defensive-oriented bench guys, so this is my cup of tea.
6. Vancouver Grizzlies: Andres El Chapu Nocioni, Chris Kaman, Nick Collison, Mo Pete
Josh has done a good job with this bench - Noce and Kaman are really solid and he has a few guys on min deals that are really nice to have around. Grizz are really well constructed and the bench definitely plays a role here, I like it.
7. Seattle Sonics: Jamal Sampson, Courtney Alexander, Andris Biedrins, Kyle Lowry
Sampson is one of the best third bigs in the league. Alexander gets buckets. Biedrins is fine. Lowry, idk. It's a weird bench but Nick has a good handle on his roster and has gotten the most out of the bench. Lest we forget, Ratko Varda is here trying to get his fourth ring and supplying vibes.
8. Portland Trail Blazers: David Lee, Mo Williams, Leon Powe, Peja Stojakovic
It's not super sexy but these guys are all pretty useful. Mo Williams is low key really nice. Lee and Powe are good. They're probably a wing short — perimeter defense off the bench is not the strength of the Blazers. But their bigs do give them an advantage in theory and Mo is a sniper.
9. Washington Bullets: OJ Mayo, Nazr Mohammed, Luke Ridnour, I guess Jeff Green
This bench has some talent but I worry that OJ is overtaxed as a 1-3 backup due to his poor defense and rebounding - he's probably giving up quite a bit despite being one of the league's better bench scorers. Nazr is solid, Ridnour is a solid backup, but I wouldn't call this bench a strength.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Ryan Gomes, Reece Gaines, Fab Oberto, Jarvis Hayes
The Bucks play a pretty short bench, and it's not necessarily the strength of their roster: Oberto has been very solid but the bigs behind him don't play much by design. With Anthony Morrow back, Ryan Gomes is the current bench headliner, and Reece Gaines is just OK. Milwaukee is a well-rounded team with an excellent starting five, which makes it a lot easier to kind of fill the gaps in here. The Bucks have other serviceable guys lying around to where one injury won't totally screw them for the most part.
11. Philadelphia 76ers: Carlos Boozer, Andre Iguodala, Nate Robinson, Pops Mensah Bonsu
Not sure if DMo has settled on whether or not Boozer is a starter, but there is a solid bench here despite the fact "Zoran Dragic" is his third string small forward right now. Philly's bench is more about talent than fit — there are some weird pieces here — but Boozer is having a career year and Iggy is solid (just overpaid). However, an injury to any key player could throw the Sixers deeply out of whack, and I don't love the deep bench options at all.
12. Detroit Pistons: Lamar Odom, Carlos Arroyo, David West
Odom and Carlos are still good, but they don't necessarily complement what's on the roster around them - Arroyo is an all-offense third guard behind two offense-heavy guards, and Odom is fine but probably trending down. Detroit could use another big probably for the future.
13. Charlotte Hornets: Randy Foye, Olumide Oyedeji, Sasha Paxlovid, Vince Carter
The Hornets only have one legitimate big and it's OO — otherwise they have a lot of wings and don't really play Vince Carter. Foye is kind of nice. But feels like this needs some massaging for the playoffs — one of the problems with that Sasha contract.
14. Cleveland Cavs: Lou Amundson, Thad Young, Adam Morrison
BORING! Idk. Maybe Thad finally gets good somewhere. It's a thin bench.
15. New York Knicks: JR Smith, Michael Olowokandi, Scot Pollard's corpse, Juan Dixon?
JR Smith was a great pickup for Nav because New York's bench otherwise sucks. The Knicks have elite star talent which covers for it, but god forbid Nav has to dust off Mike Pietrus or Norris Cole. I'd say the Knicks are probably the thinnest contender and also the most top heavy, which, to be fair, makes them very sexually appealing in some cultures.
16. Houston Rockets: Z-Bo, Ish Smith, idk Drew Gooden?
Bench: not a strength of the Rockets, although the ZBo pickup was pretty nice.
17. Utah Jazz: Jason Thompson, Yaroslav Korolev, Michael Sweetney
Yeah I do not love Utah's bench, which says a lot about how nice their starting five is.
-
mantypas/CavsCzar
- General Manager
- Posts: 742
- Joined: December 20th, 2023, 12:06 pm
Adam Morrison demands a sentence about him being a fantastic and efficient 19.5 PPG scorer in only 26 minutes
Derrick Williams and his 1.7 PPG agree
-
- Newest Posts
- Top Active Users
- Newest Users
