The NBA Playoffs are a tremendous place to either prove yourself as a player, or get exposed. While we often talk about this in regard to stars, it is arguably more important for role players to establish themselves as playoff performers. Doing so will open up a lot more doors and get them a lot more money if teams, because as crucial as it is to have star power to win, every championship team also has a trusted supporting cast.
Rather than take a risk on hoping a player can be one of those trusted in the postseason rotation, contenders prefer to bring in players that have a track record of playoff success. Maybe the best recent example of a player that was able to cash in on that was Bruce Brown last year, as he got a 2-year, $45 million deal in free agency thanks to his brilliance in Denver’s championship run. You also could add Max Strus and Gabe Vincent to that list, as they cashed in this past summer as well thanks to their efforts getting Miami to the Finals.
With those players in mind, I wanted to look at the players that have done the most to start these playoffs to either change the perception of who they are as players or cemented themselves as a trusted 16-game player this postseason. To be eligible for this list, you cannot make more than $20 million per year (sorry, Josh Hart), be on a past All-Star/All-NBA/All-Defense team (sorry, Derrick White), have won an NBA award (sorry, Naz Reid), or be older than 30. When I say role player, I mean just that. We’re talking about someone who isn’t typically tasked with a heavy workload offensively but is taking on a vital role in their team’s success this postseason. Most of these players will be on teams still alive, but not all of them, because even in a first round loss, you can show your value.
Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein (New York)
The Knicks have a bunch of guys you can pick from during their rather incredible run, but with Josh Hart just inking an $81 million extension and OG Anunoby on his way to an even larger one, we’ll focus on Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein. DiVincenzo has changed his perception in a major way, as he was never close to this productive in his two real previous playoff visits with Milwaukee and Golden State (he got hurt three games into the Bucks title run). With the Knicks, he’s been their second-best offensive weapon, which was not the expectation of him coming into this year, but he has confirmed that his improvement as a three-point shooter the last two years does indeed carry over to the playoffs. His defensive chops have always gotten him looks in playoff rotations, but being able to couple that with being a legitimate three-point threat is huge.
For Hartenstein, he’s stepped into the void left by Mitchell Robinson’s injury and been terrific in the middle. He has confirmed what we saw last year when he and Robinson tag-teamed Cleveland on the glass to knock them out in five games, doing the same to Philly in the first round and providing some problems for Indiana in the paint. His double-doubles in Game 6 against Philly and Game 2 against Indiana were both pivotal in getting New York wins, and his ability to hit that unique push shot of his from just outside the restricted area has bailed the Knicks out of more than a few possessions. Defensively, he’s provided much-needed rim protection and is logging major minutes with all the injuries, like just about everyone in the New York rotation.
PJ Washington (Dallas)
Washington is averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, but has three times stepped up to produce in a massive way to help Dallas get critical wins. The first was in Game 2 against the Clippers, scoring 18 on 5-of-10 shooting, including three makes from three-point range in what became a three-point win. The last two games against Oklahoma City he has scored 29 and 27, going 12-of-23 from three in those two Mavs wins and forcing the Thunder to reconsider their defensive strategy of trying to force the ball out of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s hands by sending help. The only way for the Mavs to make a deep playoff run is for someone to step up and be a reliable threat outside their two stars, and Washington has done so in a few key spots already. If he can do that a few more times, he’ll become viewed as a cornerstone piece in Dallas.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Minnesota)
The Wolves have gotten some tremendous efforts from their roster so far in the playoffs, but Alexander-Walker has really stamped himself as a 16-game player. The Wolves have been able to throw NAW and Jaden McDaniels (who doesn’t make this list because he just got a very handsome payday) at opposing wings and guards and simply put them in hell. Alexander-Walker has been impactful on offense as well, staying active and providing Minnesota with another cutting and slashing threat around Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. A year ago, Alexander-Walker acquitted himself nicely in Minnesota’s brief playoff appearance in place of McDaniels, and he’s confirmed that this year and will eventually be able to cash in on that next summer.
Kelly Oubre Jr (Philadelphia)
In the category of guys that have changed the perception about them, I think Oubre might be the one that can cash in the most this summer. After years of struggling to find his place, he was very good for the Sixers all year and continued that in their first round series as one of the only players outside of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to give anything close to a consistently positive performance. He averaged 13.2 points per game in the postseason and played some good defense, and he should be able to seek out more than another minimum deal this summer.
Andrew Nembhard (Indiana)
It hasn’t been the best defensive series in the second round for Nembhard, who has struggled with the Jalen Brunson assignment. That said, his offensive impact has been important all postseason for Indiana, particularly given Tyrese Haliburton’s struggles to consistently be a scoring threat. Nembhard is averaging 12.7 points and 4.7 assists per game over the Pacers nine contests, and while there have been some lessons to learn defensively from this particular series, he also served as the hero of Game 3, bailing out Haliburton on Indiana’s final possession with a miraculous game-winning three. An honorable mention for the Pacers goes to Aaron Nesmith, who’s worked incredibly hard defensively even in an uneven offensive run, and Ben Sheppard, who’s provided some big lifts as a shooter when they’ve needed them.
Aaron Wiggins (Oklahoma City)
The Thunder go about as deep into their rotation as any team left in the postseason, but they might have to start tightening that up soon, particularly in the backcourt. Josh Giddey minutes have not gone well, and they may soon lean even further on rookie Cason Wallace and third-year man Aaron Wiggins. In their Game 1 win over the Mavs, Wiggins was particularly vital, scoring 16 points off the bench. As that series progresses, they will probably look to redistribute those guard minutes and Wiggins (and Wallace) will have more chances to prove their value as 16-game players.