At the beginning of the season, I partnered with a group of Per Sources writers to create the “Slept On Roundtable“. We tried to predict who would be Slept On during the 2018-2019 season. Now that the season has ended, I gathered together the troops to analyze who was actually the most Slept On. Welcome to the PerSources Roundtable 2019. We’re happy to have you.
Matt Spirio (@ms_persources) – Monte Morris, Denver Nuggets
Monte Morris is of the most efficient players in the NBA. He’s found a way to make his mark on a deep Nuggets team, without ever being a regular starter. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.7 (second in the league) has been a staple of his game since his college days. Through four years, he never dropped lower than sixth in the country. Not only did Morris offer efficiency as a playmaker off the bench, but he was an efficient shooter as well. His 10.4 PPG was modest, but his 49% FG% and 41% 3P% indicate just how productive he was. Where Morris showed the most maturity, though, was in his six starts.
Not only did the Nuggets fair well as a team (4-2 in those games), but Morris shined as a true PG. His averages obviously jumped with minute increases, but his percentages spiked to 55% and 43% respectively as well. Not to mention that his assist-to-turnover ratio skyrocketed from his normal 5.7 all the way to 16. Yeah, 16, as in 32 assists to 2 turnovers. Let that sink in while you admire the fact that Morris is a second-year player, making leaps that many of last year’s top picks have yet to.
Michael Myrdala (@mm_persources) – Jerami Grant, Oklahoma City Thunder
The 2018-19 Thunder were a fundamentally flawed team. They relied on Russell Westbrook and Paul George collapsing defenses and kicking out to theoretically open shooters. The only problem – only Paul George, Terrance Ferguson, and Jerami Grant shot above league average from beyond the arc. Jerami Grant posted the highest percentage of those three, with career highs of 39.2% on 3.7 threes per game. However, his value to the Thunder goes way beyond a much-needed floor spacer. At 6’9″ with a 7’3″ wingspan, Jerami Grant provides stifling defense to all five positions, if needed. He’s athletic enough to stay with smaller guards and is long and physical enough to hold his ground against centers.
Grant’s athleticism comes in handy on the offensive end, as he’s usually on the finishing end of an electrifying alley-oop or getting around defenders for a seemingly impossible “and-1”. Signed to a very team-friendly three-year/$27-million contract, Jerami Grant should play a large role on the Thunder these next few years. He didn’t get the same attention this past year as Raptors’ Pascal Siakam, but Grant could very well develop into a similar player. He’s already a valuable role player on a Thunder team in need of talent behind superstars Russell Westbrook and Paul George. And, he’s most certainly SLEPT ON.
Mason McFee (@_Mason_Jar) – Alex Len, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks finished the season 29-53. So, unless you’re a Hawks, John Collins, or Trae Young fan, you weren’t paying much attention to their season. One player that got lost in the Hawks’ lackluster season was former lottery selection, Alex Len. Coming out of Maryland, Len was touted as one of the better big man talents in a relatively weak class. However, when the Phoenix Suns selected him fifth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, many were not high on the pick. Expectations mixed with injuries led to a poor showing in Phoenix. The Suns let Len sign in Atlanta this past free agency period. Atlanta is thanking them.
This past season Len averaged a solid 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on .494/.363/.648 shooting splits. Len only made 31 starts (“splitting starts” with Dewayne Dedmon) but appeared in 77 games (one shy of his career-best). His FT% and FG% have fluctuated a bit in his young career, but his willingness to expand his range and show he can hit 3PTs at a consistent rate is a good sign moving forward. It remains to be seen whether Len remains in Atlanta past this upcoming season, but he’s revived and likely extended his stay in the NBA.
Oisín Browne (@OB_Persources) – The Entire Los Angeles Clippers Team
The premise of this segment is to discuss a player who’s slept on, but I think we need to talk about the Clippers as a whole. From top to bottom, they’re one of the most well run and attractive franchises in the nation. People have been projecting their demise since the early days of the “Lob City Big 3,” yet looking towards this summer, they’re one of the favorited landing spots for top free agents.
They might look nice off the court with owner Steve Ballmer, basketball executive Jerry West, and coach Doc Rivers, but they have some quality talent on their roster. Danilo Gallinari has finally found himself some consistency after years of unfilled potential. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet are two of the most exciting young guns around, and they have two top-of-the-line veterans in Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley. Add Montrezl Harrell into the mix, and you have a damn good team.
Nobody expected anything from them from day-one this season. Many actually expected their demise after trading Tobias Harris. They arguably gave the Warriors the best run for their money in the Western Conference playoffs this year. Don’t fool yourself, the Los Angeles Clippers are a force to be reckoned with and will remain to be for years to come.
Jordan Davidsen (@JDavidsenPS) – Paul Millsap, Denver Nuggets
With the Nuggets’ spectacular season officially over, we can finally take a moment and appreciate the talent and fight we saw from such a young core this season. However, it wasn’t only the young fellas putting in work in Denver this year. Paul Millsap was one of the most important cogs in their system. While most of the credit went to NBA First-Team selection Nikola Jokic and All-Star Jamal Murray, Millsap did his job incredibly effectively despite being a member of one of the NBA’s most crowded frontcourts (and being 33 years old).
Millsap’s scoring methods have matured with age, scoring 12.6 PPG even as the fourth option and shooting 36.5% from 3PT range. On the defensive side, Millsap offered another strong post defender to make up for Jokic’s defensive woes at times. With the future looking bright, the Nuggets will be smart to retain Millsap to continue adding an additional punch to their scoring and defensive efforts.
Make sure to follow the contributors on Twitter and click their name to see their other work! You can see the original Slept On series here.