The NBA is a league of stars—there’s no denying that. However, it’s often the unsung role players who impact winning the most. Of course, NBA teams need guys who can break ankles, posterize defenders, and consistently drop 20+ points a night, but they also equally need players who hustle, play hard defense, and provide timely ball movement.
Just take the reigning Champion Boston Celtics for example. Of course, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown rightfully garner most of the attention and headlines. But there’s no way they secure the franchise’s 18th title without the consistent and steady-handed play of star role players like Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Al Horford. Below is a list of three. players who will likely never develop into full-fledged stars. However, they will make convincing cases to be spoken of in the same breath as players like Josh Hart, Alex Caruso, and Donte DiVincenzo. Players that no one would mistake for top-tier stars, but no one would question their impact on winning. Let’s dive into these three impactful NBA role players.
3 NBA Players Who Will Cement Themselves as High-Impact Role Players During the 2024-2025 Season
Dyson Daniels
Dyson Daniels was recently acquired by the Atlanta Hawks in the Dejounte Murray trade. He is perhaps the NBA’s best Swiss Army knife that no one talks about. Now expected to be featured in a prominent role, Daniels’ versatile game should be much more widely recognized. Daniels struggled with health and a less-than-deadly perimeter shot (career 31.2% 3pt shooter) during his brief tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans. However, he consistently brought high-level defense and extra effort plays when he found his way onto the court. Daniels is also an adept playmaker, capable of making accurate and timely passes.
Add his playmaking ability to his 6-foot-7, 200-pound frame, and his upside in the transition game is apparent as well. At 21-years-old Daniels has a lot of potential and will likely blossom with a bigger role. Daniels’ elite size and high-level defense make him an ideal fit next to Trae Young. If Daniels can stay healthy and carve out a role with Atlanta where he is seeing somewhere close to 30 minutes a night, his game won’t be a secret for much longer. Daniels could be the next iteration of Marcus Smart or Derrick White with the Hawks.
Moses Moody
Since the Warriors selected Moses Moody with the 14th pick back in 2021, they’ve been waiting for him to step up and become a mainstay in their rotation. Moody has flirted with being a rotation regular throughout his career. But he’s never fully carried that role throughout the duration of a season. With Golden State finally moving on from franchise legend Klay Thompson, the time is now for Moody to cement himself within Steve Kerr‘s rotation. Moody isn’t speculator but he is consistent. For a win-now veteran team like the Warriors that should be enough for Kerr to trust Moody with a full-time role. Furthermore, Moody’s 3-and-D skill set are ideal for the Warriors.
Now with that being said, the Warriors have brought in players like Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton to replace some of the production left by the departed Thompson. So Moody likely doesn’t have guaranteed minutes in a deep wing rotation that also includes players like Brandin Podziemski and franchise-favorite Gary Payton II. Nevertheless if Moody can bump last year’s three-point percentage of 36% closer to 40%, while also putting his freakishly long wingspan to work defensively, his impact on the Golden State Warriors in 2024-2025 will be consistent and apparent. Ultimately, Moody could be poised for a somewhat of a breakout season.
Deni Avdija
Deni Avdija, just finished 6th place in the Most Improved Player Award voting last year. Avdija may seem like too big a name for a list like this. However, when you’ve played the entirety of your career for the ‘hard to watch’ Washington Wizards of the past few years, your work on the basketball court can tend to go unnoticed by the general public. A move to another lowly Trail Blazers team may not seem like the career revival necessary to bring Avdija’s game to the NBA mainstream. However, the fifth-year Israeli forward is just too darn good to remain in obscurity any longer.
Additionally, while the Trail Blazers may not be great, they’re still a good deal ahead of the Wizards. Notably, boasting actual blue-chip talent on their roster in Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan. Avdija is the ideal connector piece in any NBA starting five. He is capable of playing stout defense, boasting an ideal 6-foot-9, 215-pound wing size, while continually displaying high-level basketball IQ and maturity. Additionally, Deni is coming off a career shooting year where he shot 37 percent from three. Avdija’s game carries shades of Draymond Green, Lamar Odom, and Nicolas Batum. Deni might not be elite in any one area. Regardless he does a little bit of everything and he will help you win a lot of games. Look for Advija to elevate the talent around him, and be a key cog in Portland turning around the trajectory of their franchise.
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