The NBA playoffs are finally starting this weekend, which means we can look forward to plenty of excitement from some of the league’s best players — Steph Curry draining threes, Russell Westbrook throwing down ferocious dunks when he appears to be angry at the rim, and of course, the one-man wrecking crew that is LeBron James. With that said, there are a lot of incredibly entertaining players whose teams did not qualify for the postseason. So, let’s look at 10 players we really wish we could watch in the playoffs.
10. Kobe Bryant
Consider this something of an honorary pick. Kobe was pretty bad this year, and the hype surrounding his farewell was pretty overwhelming, but as his 60-point, 50-shot performance against the Jazz in his final game demonstrated, the Kobe Show can be pretty entertaining. With that in mind, it would’ve been fun to watch him shoot the lights out in the playoffs just one more time. Oh well, at least he went out on a rare high note in an otherwise depressing season.
9. Marc Gasol
Every other player on this list is from a team who missed the playoffs, but poor Marc’s Grizz managed to claw their way in despite having so many injuries that they set a record for most players used in a season with 28. Gasol was the most essential player Memphis lost, and as they prepare for a brutal first round matchup with the Spurs, you can bet they are sorely missing Big Spain right now. With him in the lineup, the series might have been at least somewhat competitive. As it stands, this one could get ugly.
8. Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins is the first of two young Wolves on the list. While he’s not quite as earth-shatteringly exciting as Karl-Anthony Towns, he still put together a strong sophomore season, averaging 20 points a game and making strides defensively. It feels like KAT will ultimately be the leader of the Wolves going forward, but Wiggins feels like he could be an elite sidekick, and it certainly will be fun to see what he brings to the table if/when the Wolves finally make it into the postseason.
7. DeMarcus Cousins
Ugh, it’s the same old story, isn’t it? Okay, it’s a little bit different because the Kings finally won more than 30 games, but yet again, Boogie put up impressive numbers on a team that went nowhere. He also clashed with yet another coach — this time George Karl — who ended up getting fired at the end of the season. It’s a cycle that keeps on going. And yet, when we consider just how thrilling of a player Boogie can be when he’s focused, it’s hard not to wish we could watch him in the playoffs. One can only hope that next year, the Kings will have a coach who can get through to him, and he’ll finally carry them into the postseason.
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Going into the season, fans wondered if the Greek Freak would ever live up to the massive hype that basketball nerds built up for him. Well, he proved the doubters wrong by making strides in just about every aspect of his game. Additionally, the Bucks have — for the time being — made him their point guard of the future. There’s no way of knowing how this experiment will work (though early indications are good), but putting it to the test in the playoffs would have certainly been interesting. If Giannis can make yet another leap next year, he should be able to take the Bucks back to the postseason.
5. Gordon Hayward
This spot was going to either Hayward or James Harden depending on how the West playoff picture worked out. As it stands, Hayward’s lone playoff appearance came in 2012, when he was far less along in his development than he is now. Today, he’s a borderline All-Star who is an excellent scorer and an adept passer, which served the Jazz well as they struggled to find an answer at the point guard position in the absence of Dante Exum. Due to the lack of hype surrounding the Jazz, casual NBA fans might not think about Hayward too much, which is a shame. If the Jazz get over the hump next season, look for Hayward’s profile to increase considerably.
4. Kristaps Porzingis
Early in the season, it looked like the Knicks would contend for a playoff spot, but as they entered 2016, they fell off big time, leading to the firing of head coach Derek Fisher. As for Kristaps, his play tapered off in the second half as well, as he likely hit the dreaded “rookie wall.” Still, he did more than enough to show that he has an extremely bright future. From his range from downtown to his thunderous dunks to his incredible blocks, the potential for Porzingis is through the roof. That’s why it would have been quite fun to see what he could do in a playoff setting. Hopefully, the Knicks will be able to make a run next year, but with the possibility of a Carmelo trade looming, and the lack of a first round pick, it might be a couple of years before we see Porzingis’ presence in the postseason.
3. John Wall
After two straight trips to the second round, the Wizards faltered this year and missed the playoffs, leading to the firing of coach Randy Wittman. While the Wiz have some work to do, you certainly can’t pin their problems on Wall, who put together another All-Star season. Wall is one of the most entertaining point guards in the league to watch, flying around the court at a speed surpassed only by Russell Westbrook. Hopefully, with a new coach, the Wizards will get their act together, and we’ll be able to watch Wall’s stunning speed next postseason.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns had a stunning rookie season, not only justifying the incredible hype around him, but establishing himself as the most exciting young player in the game. When the Wolves pulled off their stunning upset of the Warriors, we saw exactly what Towns was capable of. In overtime, he drove to the basket, drawing foul after foul, ultimately outperforming the likes of Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Towns has an incredible future ahead of him, and in the long run should be a fixture in the playoffs. Actually, considering how strong the Wolves looked at the end of the season, that might start as early as next year.
1. Anthony Davis
It was an incredibly disappointing season for the Pelicans, and one that left many people wondering when Davis would make The Leap into the type of player who could carry a team in the postseason by himself (Ed. note: No one can; he still needs teammates). Still, it’s not like the Brow was bad this year. He still put up great numbers, and ranks as one of the most electrifying players in the league. Next year, the pressure on him to carry the Pellies into the playoffs will be extremely high. In the meantime, it’s certainly a shame we don’t get to watch him work his magic this year.
