In today’s NBA, we focus primarily on the stars: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, the list goes on and on. But one of the most important factors on a successful team is having team depth. A team that has multiple contributors off the bench is a team that is capable of striking at any time. Some of the best bench players have even cemented their legacy in the NBA that way. Take Manu Ginobili, for example: Ginobili was synonymous with “6th-man” for almost a decade, and is likely destined for the NBA Hall of Fame someday. As the league changes, we’ve seen a shift towards new lineup combinations and tactical decisions, many of which involve having a versatile bench. Let’s take a look at the best benches in the Eastern Conference for the 2015-16 NBA season:
1. Miami Heat
Last year was an interesting transition for the Miami Heat, as they moved past the LeBron James era into the unknown. This season, they will have a bench that is one of the strongest in the league, backing up one of the stronger starting lineups in the east. With newcomers Gerald Green and Justise Winslow in the fold, Miami has depth at the wing it didn’t last year. The Heat also added Amare Stoudemire to their front line, and the return of injured Josh McRoberts will boost their frontcourt as well. Add in a few young pieces at guard, and you’ve got a Miami Heat squad prepared to make noise into the playoffs once again.
2. Chicago Bulls
Following the Heat are the Chicago Bulls, who flaunt a stacked frontcourt with several pieces who can contribute if used correctly. Nikola Mirotic is an early favorite for sixth man of the year, and any combination of Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, and Pau Gasol will be a welcome sight off the bench. At guard, Aaron Brooks and Kirk Hinrich are both very capable NBA reserves, and Tony Snell is developing into a quality wing. If Doug McDermott can stay healthy and contribute, this bench might overtake Miami’s as the best in the conference.
3. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA. They made a few key improvements to their bench this offseason as well, making it one of the best in the east. Newcomers Greivis Vasquez and Miles Plumlee add depth to two previously thin positions, point guard and power forward. They join O.J. Mayo and Jerryd Bayless, who are both proven NBA players who will contribute as the sixth and seventh men. Rounding out the bench is John Henson, an improving young center who can block shots and rebound exceptionally well. All in all, the Bucks have the depth to make real noise in this conference.
4. Washington Wizards
Washington’s bench was so important for them last season, and this year it takes a hit via the departure of Paul Pierce. While Pierce wasn’t on the bench, his absence moves a key bench producer, Otto Porter, to the starting rotation. The Wizards did add depth at the wing, however, signing Gary Neal, Jared Dudley, and Alan Anderson. Ramon Sessions and Kris Humphries are adequate backups at their positions as well, and Drew Gooden can come in and play multiple positions off the bench. All things considered, the starting five will be the major factor for the Wizards, but the bench certainly won’t be bested by many others.
5. Charlotte Hornets
The Lance Stephenson experiment did not work. However, credit the Hornets for making the most out of this offseason through various free agent pickups and trades. Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Lamb will benefit from a change in scenery, and could complement each other well off the bench. By drafting Frank Kaminsky, the Hornets added NBA ready talent at the power forward spot, and he will join Tyler Hansbrough and Cody Zeller at the spot. Finally, if P.J. Hairston develops, he can provide much needed three-point shooting off the bench. There are still a few questions, but the well-rounded depth on the Hornets’ bench certainly is promising.
6. Boston Celtics
Boston’s bench should be another strength this year for Brad Stevens. Isaiah Thomas, is a point-scoring machine, and he will certainly challenge for the sixth man award as well. Evan Turner reinvented himself into a triple-double threat, and if he comes off the bench as projected, he will bolster that squad as well. The frontcourt is a quagmire of players, but the talent is there among Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, Kelly Olynyk, David Lee, Amir Johnson, and Jonas Jerebko. The key reserve will be R.J. Hunter, a rookie who many say is an NBA-ready shooting guard. We’ll see if those claims are warranted, but regardless, Boston’s bench should be strong yet again.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
One caveat here, if J.R. Smith re-signs, the Cavaliers move up several spots on this list. However, as it stands he is a free agent, and this Cleveland team still has some holes to fill. Assuming Tristan Thompson re-signs as well, he and Anderson Varejao make up a dynamite frontcourt off the bench. Mo Williams was a good pickup, and Matthew Dellavedova is out to prove his NBA Finals performance wasn’t a fluke. However, there are serious questions at the 2 and 3 spot, with no true standouts to back up Iman Shumpert and LeBron James. Overall, the depth and quality of the reserves in Cleveland was highly questioned last postseason, and many of those concerns have still not been addressed.
8. Toronto Raptors
Toronto’s bench has been filled out over the course of the offseason, but there are still questions regarding just how good many of their reserves are. Losing Lou Williams, Greivis Vasquez, Amir Johnson, and Tyler Hansbrough ensures that this second team is going to look incredibly different. Newcomers include Cory Joseph, Bismack Biyombo, and Luis Scola, who all will contribute to some extent. Questions remain about all of them, and Terrence Ross took a major step back last year. If he bounces back, the bench will surprise us for the better, but if he continues to slide, one has to question where the scoring will come from once the starters check out.
9. Indiana Pacers
Indiana will be a completely transformed team this season, and their bench took a hit in the process. After losing both Roy Hibbert and David West in free agency, the Pacers will be forced to start either Ian Mahinmi or rookie Myles Turner. Neither are ready to take on the responsibilities that Hibbert or West had, and this means the bench behind them are even thinner. The guard and wing spots are set, with Rodney Stuckey, C.J. Miles, Solomon Hill, and Chase Budinger filling the bench void. However, a major weakness still exists, and such a huge vacancy cannot be ignored.
10. Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta was the best team in the east during the regular season last year, and that was largely due to their balance and depth. This year, that depth is nonexistent. DeMarre Carroll exits, forcing Thabo Sefolosha into a starting role, while Tim Hardaway Jr. attempts to back up Kyle Korver, a larger role than he has shown he is capable of handling. The Hawks also lost Pero Antic, and while Tiago Splitter adds depth, he is not as versatile as Antic was. Dennis Schroder improved as a backup last year, and he’ll be more important this year as well. Overall, this bench is full of youth and mostly unproven players who could develop, and for that they place low on this list.
11. Orlando Magic
Orlando’s bench was a major weakness last season, and the team did enough to bump them slightly in these rankings. However, the Magic didn’t address every concern, and may have even regressed in some ways. C.J. Watson is a quality backup point guard who will be a solid presence behind Elfrid Payton. Evan Fournier and Ben Gordon will fill in behind Victor Oladipo, and rookie Mario Hezonja could be spectacular. However, the Magic opted not to bring back Kyle O’Quinn, replacing him with journeyman center Jason Smith. This questionable move, and the lack of real depth at the four spot, opens Orlando’s offseason moves up to criticism. In many ways, that criticism is justified.
12. Detroit Pistons
Is Brandon Jennings okay with coming off the bench? Who will reliably back up Andre Drummond? These are just two of the many questions about Detroit’s reserves. Aron Baynes will have to play a larger role than he ever has, while Jodie Meeks is the only real bench player with a definitive elite skill set at any one aspect of the game. Steve Blake helps solidify the point guard spot, but 2-5 are still concerning. It will take a major jump in production by more than one bench player to show that this bench has improved, but for now they have a lot to prove.
13. New York Knicks
The Knicks took steps to improve their roster for this season, and in some ways they did. However, that doesn’t mean a whole lot since the majority of their team last year were fringe NBA players at best. Jerian Grant is going to be a capable NBA point guard someday, but he isn’t ready yet. Kyle O’Quinn and Derrick Williams are newcomers to the frontcourt bench, but both have to prove their ability in New York. Behind Carmelo Anthony and Arron Afflalo are question marks as well, and it remains to be seen how any of them will adapt to the triangle offense. Overall, this team is still in transition, and their bench shows it.
14. Brooklyn Nets
Another team in transition is the one just across the East River, as the Brooklyn Nets basically sold the farm for the future this offseason. Questions persist across every bench position, as the only current bench players with any real NBA experience are Bojan Bogdanovic and Andrea Bargnani, who has had a fairly disappointing NBA career. Everyone else is young and unproven, as many of these players are simply looking to establish themselves in the league. The Nets are on a youth movement, and the lack of quality talent on the bench shows it.
15. Philadelphia 76ers
Bringing up the rear is Philadelphia, who had some bad injury luck but largely failed to fill out a capable NBA roster yet again. In fact the 76ers are still looking to spend enough money to hit the salary floor. The only true NBA veterans on this team are Gerald Wallace and Carl Landry, who are both near the end of their careers. The Joel Embiid injury is a huge blow, but that doesn’t excuse the front office for failing to assemble a true NBA roster. This is the worst bench in the NBA, and that seems unlikely to change soon.