Elite: the top-5 benches in the NBA
1. Utah Jazz
Projected Bench:
G – Jordan Clarkson
G – Joe Ingles
F – Rudy Gay
F – Eric Paschall
C – Hassan Whiteside
The Utah Jazz have a ridiculous top-10. This five-man squad could probably compete for a 10th seed and play-in spot in the Eastern Conference. The only concern here is a lack of outside shooting, as Clarkson and Ingles are the only above average deep shooters — though Gay has shown a nice outside touch the last few seasons. Their 2-4 slots can switch comfortably on defense and Hassan Whiteside is a great shot blocker, even if he’s not the smartest positional stopper. Clarkson has been a flamethrower off the pine recently and should have plenty of opportunities to focus on his offense and cook.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
Projected Bench:
G – George Hill
G – Grayson Allen
F – Pat Connaughton
F – Semi Ojeleye
C – Bobby Portis
The Milwaukee Bucks bench last year was a great buoy for their championship run and they’re returning all of their key reserves. Plus, they add a high-upside shot creator in Grayson Allen.
This squad has ample shooting and can play five-out when needed. This unit could win some games on their own if Coach Mike Budenholzer wants to sit all of the starters during the stretch run in preparation for the playoffs.
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Projected Bench:
G – Tyrese Maxey
G – Shake Milton
F – Matisse Thybulle
F – Georges Niang
C – Andre Drummond
As easy as it is to rag on Andre Drummond, he’s certainly one of the best backup centers in the league. Adding Georges Niang in free agency gives the Sixers another versatile defender who can also space the floor. Maxey and Milton offer plenty of shot creation in the backcourt, while Thybulle provides elite wing defense. This second unit is as solid as it gets.
4. Phoenix Suns
Projected Bench:
G – Cameron Payne
G – Landry Shamet
F – Cameron Johnson
F – Frank Kaminsky
C – JaVale McGee
The Phoenix Suns big man rotation was exposed when Dario Saric came down with a torn ACL in the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. With Saric likely to miss the entirety of next season, the Suns addressed their hole in the middle with the “Shaqtin’ A Fool MVP” himself, JaVale McGee.
McGee has since become one of the most solid two-way bigs in the league, capable of defending the rim and throwing down lobs on the other end. Add he and Landry Shamet to an already strong reserve unit from last season and the Suns have a bench ready to go 10-deep throughout the playoffs.
5. Atlanta Hawks
Projected Bench:
G – Delon Wright
G – Kevin Huerter
F – Cam Reddish
F – Danilo Gallinari
C – Gorgui Dieng
Since the fateful Atlanta Hawks – Dallas Mavericks draft day trade that landed each respective team their future superstars in Trae Young and Luka Doncic, Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenke has put together a flawless run of team building around the cornerstone he traded for.
Initially thought to be a fleece by Dallas, Schlenke and Young have come a long way in making pundits question their initial opinions and dissents. Going out and adding Delon Wright and Gorgui Dieng gives the Hawks two defensive minded veterans that are, on paper, perfect fits in the system Atlanta has orbited around their star. Schlenke has absolutely earned a top-five ranking for the bench he’s handcrafted.