The 2017 NBA Finals boast an immense amount of star power. It could be argued that this year’s championship round features more talent on both sides than in any year in recent memory. With that as the backdrop, there will be plenty of attention on LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and others throughout the next couple of weeks.
There are other match-ups to watch, though, and that is where role players come in. Remember when the Warriors claimed the 2015 title with Andre Iguodala as a centerpiece? Remember when Tristan Thompson made play after play to aid Cleveland in capturing the 2016 title? Those are just a couple of examples of off-the-radar contributors coming through in a massive way and someone will make that level of impact in the 2017 edition.
In this space, we will rank the role players that are almost certainly going to be a part of the series. With apologies to James Michael McAdoo, Dahntay Jones, and others, we will only be including 13 total players in the mix, if only because they have been included in the “regular” playoff rotation for both teams. For good measure, the top end does not include any “star”-level player, removing seven players (four from GSW, three from CLE) from the mix.
Now, let’s break it down.
14) Patrick McCaw
The rookie wing was able to cook a little bit earlier in the playoffs, and the talent level is real. With that said, the 21-year-old rookie might not have the opportunity to contribute in a big-time way in this series. That isn’t to say that it won’t happen, but McCaw seems like an obvious choice to sit should the Warriors want to pair down the rotation. Experience usually triumphs in moments like these and, even with the ability he has, McCaw doesn’t have any.
13) Richard Jefferson
Based on our criteria, Jefferson almost should not be included in this ranking, but his 2016 contributions make it a necessity that he land here. Jefferson has four DNP-CD’s in the playoffs and, at the moment, it appears as if the Cavs will be rolling without him. There is a fair argument, though, that Cleveland would not have won a year ago without him and there might be something left in the tank for Jefferson. It would also be quite useful if Tyronn Lue had another body to throw at Kevin Durant, even for just a few moments at a time.
12) Channing Frye
Can Frye play in the NBA Finals? We’re about to find out. He is an incredibly useful offensive player based on the fact that players with his size and shooting range are very rare. Defensively, Frye can be a mess, though, and the Warriors can take advantage of his skill set if (and when) they go small. It will be interesting to see how Tyronn Lue uses his minutes but there is a non-zero chance that Frye is out of the rotation at some point and he lands here as a result.
11) JaVale McGee
The Warriors boast a +26.3 net rating with McGee on the floor in the playoffs, and he led the team with a +18.7 net rating during the regular season. Obviously, that isn’t all because of McGee’s individual exploits, but he brings a profile to the table as a lob-catcher and rim-runner that no one else on the roster can bring. There is a school of thought that McGee can be exploited in the series based on basketball IQ concerns but, when it works, he and the Warriors are electric.
10) David West
West’s intrinsic value is off the charts but he is averaging only 14.3 minutes per game during the playoffs for a reason. Is it possible that he could be more effective against Cleveland’s best lineups than Zaza Pachulia? Absolutely. Until we see that manifest, however, West slides in here based on the possibility that he is marginalized in something of a small-ball revolution. You still want David West on your side. I promise.
9) Ian Clark
Clark has made himself a bunch of money during the 2016-2017 season and he’ll be important in the series. The downside is that the Cavs could look to pick on him defensively, but Clark provides some backcourt stability and another shooter for the Warriors. It’s at least possible that his minutes decline as some of the stars see their playing time jump in this must-win scenario but Clark will have an opportunity to leave his mark on the series, for better or worse.
8) Kyle Korver
In 35 regular season games with Cleveland, Korver connected on an insane 48.5 percent of his threes. In the playoffs, that figure is “only” 41.5 percent but, needless to say, the veteran sharpshooter remains a big-time weapon. The concern will be if Korver can stay on the floor defensively but the long, physical wing has always been underrated on that end and his shooting should be enough to make up for his shortcomings elsewhere. The Cavs might need to win a shootout or two and they’ll want Korver on their side.
7) Deron Williams
At this point in his career, there is a case to be made that Williams isn’t actually “better” than several players behind him on this list. However, the former All-Star will almost certainly play a prominent role given the position that he plays. Having a backup point guard isn’t quite as necessary with LeBron James around but Williams provides a steady hand in Kyrie Irving’s stead and, if anything, he has become underrated.
6) Zaza Pachulia
There are some series in which Pachulia might be borderline unplayable and, as a result, receive only the playing time afforded to a player that starts the first and third quarters. When dealing with Tristan Thompson, though, Pachulia’s rebounding instincts and basketball IQ should be highly useful and he has provided real value to the Warriors at a bargain-basement salary all season.
5) Iman Shumpert
This might be too high for Shumpert but he remains a key cog for the Cavaliers. Moreover, the value of the former Georgia Tech and Knicks wing shoots up given the way that Cleveland must defend the Warriors in this spot. Shumpert is often a maddening player but he is knocking down 47.1 percent of his threes in this year’s playoffs and that would be a (very) nice trend if it continues for the Cavs.
4) Shaun Livingston
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for Shaun Livingston. He’s a highly useful player with off-the-charts basketball IQ and defensive versatility. Throw in the fact that Livingston adds value as a post-up option while taking very little off the table and you can see why the Warriors enjoy his work so much. Golden State could shorten its rotation but it’s a safe bet that Livingston won’t be on the cutting block.
3) J.R. Smith
Smith is a 40.4 percent three-point shooter across three postseasons with the Cavs and that number sits at 44.9 percent this year. In short, he’s a fantastically valuable piece on the wing for Cleveland. Smith’s hot-and-cold playing style can be tantalizing because, well, he’s often unplayable when things aren’t going well. In the same breath, the Cavaliers are the underdog in the series and it will likely take one or two “J.R. games” in order to steal the title.
2) Andre Iguodala
There is only one NBA Finals MVP on this list, and he lands here. Iguodala is well past his prime at this point but he’ll have a massive task in trying to defend LeBron James. That is about as obvious of an impact as a role player can make on the grand stage. It should be noted that Iguodala is really struggling (11 percent from three) right now, to the point where injury concerns are appearing real. If he’s “right” when the bell rings, though, the Warriors have an ace in the hole that will be crucial in the series.
1) Tristan Thompson
If Iguodala appeared healthier, he might be in the top spot, but Thompson is a worthy player for this perch. The versatile big man is a tremendous rebounder and, more importantly, a switchable defender provides a ton of utility against this particular Warriors team. Thompson is always tremendous but, in a playoff setting, he always seems to take things to another level and Cleveland will need a dominant performance from him to offset some of Golden State’s strengths in the series.
