Mid-Season Primer: Sixth Man of the Year

[emplep7]

Since I feel like end of season awards time is always tough to see how all of the players on all of the teams have done throughout the year, I thought I would start a little mid-season recap of some of these awards and how I (and only I) feel like some players are stacking up. Essentially if your guy isn't on this list, he should be an 8th to 10th man IMO.

The first edition will focus on some of the best Sixth Men (criteria is more than 30 games players and less than 12 games started so far) who have hot a hot go mid-way through the year so far...

The "True" Sixth Men - (Zero Starts all Season to Date)

Nik Stauskas - Brooklyn Nets



Season Stats:
Minutes: 25.4
Points: 17.3
Rebounds: 2.3
FG: 48%
3PT: 49%

Comments: Nik has been lights out and has been at his best under GM RIzzo. He is finally being used the way he always should and its no coincidence that the Nets are a borderline playoff team because of it. If they were in the West, the Nets would probably find themselves easily in the playoffs, but they're in the way deeper East and it might cost them.

Jabari Brown - Philadelphia 76ers



Season Stats:
Minutes: 24.5
Points: 12.9
Rebounds: 3.4
FG: 44%

Comments: The better Jabari is as consistent as can be. Always reliable off the bench to provide points and adequate defense and he does them both pretty efficiently. Can't ask for more from a 6th MOTY candidate year in and year out.

Montrezl Harrell - Detroit Pistons



Season Stats:
Minutes: 23.1
Points: 11.8
Rebounds: 5.6
Blocks: 0.9
FG: 58%

Comments: One of the few big men on this list and by far the most efficient. Harrell has to compete for time with TT and Whiteside, but makes the most of it in his new role. Is a top defender at his position and could easily be a starter on most teams and that contract is oh so sexy to boot.

The "I'm actually a starter since I play over 32 minutes a game, but never official start" Guys

Cody Zeller - Memphis Grizzlies



Season Stats:
Minutes: 33.0
Starts: 7
Points: 20.6
Rebounds: 8.5
Steals: 1.2
FG: 45%

Comments: Zeller is having a crazy year and even though he is playing A LOT of minutes for a 6th man, you can't look away from those numbers. Him and Middleton are leading the Grizzlies to a surprisingly successful year so far and the scary part is both are very young. If he had slightly better defense and was more efficient for a big, he would be a stud 2 way player.

Bruno Cabolco - Miami Heat



Season Stats:
Minutes: 32.6
Starts: 5
Points: 17.3
Rebounds: 5.2
FG: 41%
3PT: 34%

Comments: Another player who is getting a ton of minutes from the bench is Bruno. He's a talented young player, although he will never turn into the player that many envisioned when he came into this league. Putting up very decent numbers on average defense, but his percentages definitely hurt him the most in this category and will likely be the reason he doesn't place in this award.

The Rest of the Pack

Brook Lopez - Orlando Magic



Season Stats:
Minutes: 24.1
Starts: 3
Points: 12.5
Rebounds: 5.7
Blocks: 0.9
FG: 50%

Comments: Brook is getting older, but he continues to be a great 6th man. He is helping Orlando have a solid season and he will be key down the stretch. Always a solid player who can do a little bit of everything. With only 3 starts under his belt, I imagine he will be in consideration again for the award, but his shooting percentages might hold him back this season.

Travis Wear - Toronto Raptors



Season Stats:
Minutes: 23.8
Starts: 11
Points: 12.2
Rebounds: 5.1
Blocks: 1.1
FG: 53%

Comments: Wear and Brook have almost identical numbers except that Wear has 8 more starts than Brook and is slightly more efficient. A good 6th man to have, but with all of the other players on this list its going to be hard for him to overcome some of those numbers.

Larry Sanders - Phoenix Suns



Season Stats:
Minutes: 25.2
Starts: 5
Points: 12.4
Rebounds: 8.0
Blocks: 2.3
FG: 48%

Comments: Big men come in threes. Sanders is a solid defensive big man off the bench who can score (although not as efficient as one would hope). His rim protection is as good as they come, but his intangibles have been holding him back his whole CSL career. His numbers should put him in consideration, but those FG%s need to rise up if he wants to be truly in the conversation.

James Young - Oklahoma City Thunder



Season Stats:
Minutes: 27.4
Starts: 8
Points: 14.9
Assists: 4.2
FG: 41%
3PT: 27%

Comments: James Young has always been a great 6th man due to his crazy efficiency, but this year something happened. He is still putting up solid numbers, but those shooting percentages are pretty ugly for someone who has been a solid contributor his entire career. He has either been broken due to preference work or its time for a change of scenery.

Bojan Bogdanovic - Utah Jazz



Season Stats:
Minutes: 23.5
Starts: 8
Points: 12.4
Rebounds: 3.5
FG: 44%
3PT: 42%

Comments: Bojan is having another solid year and is proving to be a sniper off the bench. He is still very young and should only get better from here, but you can't ask for much more from your 6th man. The Jazz will be hoping he stays around a while to help their playoff run in their division and Bojan should get paid well someday because of it.

What are your thoughts on the players above?

[OneNole]

Dang I didn't realize curry started as many games as he has

[Ocons]

Nice, glad to see Bojan on here a he certainly deserves it with his efficiency and production off the bench. Hard to say guys that have started a few games are not true 6th men. A true 6th man will almost certainly have a handful or two of starts because they're the next man up in the event of injuries (hence BB's 8 starts with Parsons out). I see what you mean though.

Good work.

[andrei]

Good overview. I won't be pushing for Zeller to win the award since he is playing heavy minutes. But there is a reason why he is coming off the bench and I like the impact he is making in that role. I'd say he is likelier to win Most Improved than 6th Man.

[Ocons]

Good overview. I won't be pushing for Zeller to win the award since he is playing heavy minutes. But there is a reason why he is coming off the bench and I like the impact he is making in that role. I'd say he is likelier to win Most Improved than 6th Man.

I think he's best suited for Most Ridiculous. His numbers make no sense but good on you to get that production from him. It's probably because he is playing 2nd units but still, that's awesome.

You'd think his value increased but it might be even worse because nobody thinks he can replicate those numbers anywhere else.

[StOfTheStep]

Didn't realize Young and Bogdanovic were twins...

[8time]

Good list. If I had to pick one right now, definitely Nik Stauskas. Perfect 6th man and big reason why Nets have been doing so well this year.

Regarding my guy James Young, he has been picking it up lately the past few games but ugly start to the year. Only preference work that was done was to shoot more mid range jumpers, since he was crazy good at it to begin with. Idk


Edit: missed Cody Zeller. Another guy that is neck and neck with Stauskas

[Rizzo]

We definitely wouldn't be where we are if it weren't for Nik Stauskas. Playing him as a full time starter is a disaster due to his inability to defend and lack of offensive ability outside of shooting the ball but to be the go-to guy for the bench squad and jacking up as many threes as he can, he's been instant offense for us night in and night out.

[andrei]

Good overview. I won't be pushing for Zeller to win the award since he is playing heavy minutes. But there is a reason why he is coming off the bench and I like the impact he is making in that role. I'd say he is likelier to win Most Improved than 6th Man.

I think he's best suited for Most Ridiculous. His numbers make no sense but good on you to get that production from him. It's probably because he is playing 2nd units but still, that's awesome.

You'd think his value increased but it might be even worse because nobody thinks he can replicate those numbers anywhere else.

Why they make no sense?

[WillyJakkz]

Good read, gotta get Lopez different looks

[Cleasby]

#freelopez

But seriously a competitive award this year.

[GreenBear]

I think 49% is a pretty solid number considering Sanders' other talents. I can live with that, especially given that not a single guy on this list can rebound or defend on his level.

[hardenwithnod]

Right now Staukus has my vote, as that dude is killing it off the bench, and has single handily won games for the Nets coming off the bench this year. I do think guys like Sanders, Harrell, and Bogdan do have a chance if Stauskus falls off.

[Marcos_Beck]

Right now Staukus has my vote, as that dude is killing it off the bench, and has single handily won games for the Nets coming off the bench this year. I do think guys like Sanders, Harrell, and Bogdan do have a chance if Stauskus falls off.

He beat me alone so I'm voting on him as well so far.

[KW]

+1 on Nik

[Myles]

Damn I freaking called it last year doing my FA previews, Caboclo was going to be a productive player once he finally was able to get consistent minutes after recovering from his injury. His percentages aren't great to be sure, but he's better than what his contract ended up being. 3.7M per year for 5 years wtf... I should have offered a bigger contract.

[Dennis]

Damn I freaking called it last year doing my FA previews, Caboclo was going to be a productive player once he finally was able to get consistent minutes after recovering from his injury. His percentages aren't great to be sure, but he's better than what his contract ended up being. 3.7M per year for 5 years wtf... I should have offered a bigger contract.

Yeah, he definitely came alive lately. I think his percentages could even get up. Maybe he needs to get more comfortable again as this is his first real season EVER. His ratings took a good hit though I think.

So far I do think Nik Stauskas is the sixth man of the season. Dude is unbelievable off the bench for Brooklyn.

[GreenBear]

Yeah, I did a little digging and Stauskas has a TS% of 67.0%, which is the best in the entire league for any player averaging at least 20 mins per game. He may be a one trick pony but he is basically the perfect 2nd unit guy. He can carry the scoring load for the second unit (which typically is full of low usage defenders or such) and do it with incredible efficiency.

[hardenwithnod]

Wow, that's an ins ane TS percentage lol!!

[emplep7]

Good job by Adam for being the first GM to use him effectively.