NBA Players Primed For Breakout 2022-23 Season

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NBA Analysis Network

The 2022-23 NBA regular season is officially upon us. Things will get started with a monster doubleheader as the Philadelphia 76ers will travel to take on the Boston Celtics before the nightcap of the Los Angeles Lakers traveling to take on the Golden State Warriors.

There is plenty of star power in those two games as both rosters are littered with established players.

Players who have earned All-Star nominations and spots on the All-NBA Team members or have even won the MVP before.

Around the league, some players are vying to reach those heights as soon as possible. There are a lot of young players with bright futures around the NBA and there are going to be some that really take off in the coming months.

Who should we keep an eye on for that? Here are eight players primed for breakout performances in the 2022-23 season.

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers acquired Tyrese Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings last season ahead of the trade deadline in the Domantas Sabonis deal.

Entering his third season in the NBA, he will be the focal point for a rebuilding Pacers team that could surprise some people with its offensive production. We could see some eye-popping numbers from Haliburton, who will have the ball in his hands a ton.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Tyrese Haliburton & Indiana Pacers Updates

In 26 games with Indiana, Haliburton averaged 17.5 points and 9.6 assists per game. He could easily push for 20/10 this season, which would put him on track for his first All-Star game appearance.

Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are not hiding the fact that the 2022-23 season will be a rebuilding one. The light at the end of the tunnel for them is the chance to select Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

But, there are some players to keep an eye on as breakout candidates, led by Keldon Johnson. He had a semi-breakout last season, averaging 17 points per game and knocking down 39.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Keldon Johnson & San Antonio Spurs Updates

With Dejounte Murray gone, the ball will be in his hands more. He will be tasked with more playmaking duties, which he should be able to succeed with given his scoring ability. An ascending player with an expanded role is the perfect formula for a breakout.

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets traded starting center Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason. That opened the door for 2021 first-round pick Alperen Sengun to step into the starting lineup, which should result in a breakout season. Sengun was dominant on a per-minute basis and will now have an expanded role to showcase that talent.

For the season, he averaged 9.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. That came in only 20.7 minutes per game, as his per-36 stats were 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.6 blocks.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Alperen Sengun & Houston Rockets Updates

As a starter, he put up 12.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. The talent is there, and now the role awaits him alongside an exciting group of young players in Houston.

Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets

As the 2021-22 season moved along, Bones Hyland saw his role with the Denver Nuggets expand. The team was without starting point guard Jamal Murray, thrusting the rookie into a rotation role once he began getting more comfortable at the next level. It resulted in him earning a spot in the All-Rookie Second Team.

Heading into Year 2, Hyland is locked into a rotation role with Monte Morris and Will Barton being traded to the Washington Wizards. He will be the go-to option off the bench and could step into the starting lineup whenever Jamal Murray needs a rest night.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Bones Hyland & Denver Nuggets Updates

An explosive, high-scoring combo guard, Hyland will find himself on plenty of highlight reels with consistent playing time this season.

Quentin Grimes, New York Knicks

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has shown that he doesn’t have an affinity for young players. The fans would love to see their young guys play, but that hasn’t consistently happened with Thibodeau at the helm. What they can all agree on is loving a hard-nosed, defensive-minded player, which is what they have in Quentin Grimes.

Grimes forced his way into the rotation last season with his smooth 3-point shooting stroke and stout defense. He epitomizes everything that Thibodeau wants in a basketball player and quickly endeared himself to the New York fans.

While Evan Fournier looks locked into the starting shooting guard spot right now, that is a position Grimes will push for as the season moves along.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Quentin Grimes & New York Knicks Updates

There is only so long a 3-and-D player with the capability of being more than just a spot-up shooter on offense can be held back. Grimes and Immanuel Quickley have a chance to become the best bench guard duo in the NBA.

Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs used the first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft on Devin Vassell. The combo forward, just like Keldon Johnson mentioned previously, will see his role expand a ton with the team transitioning into their rebuild.

Also like Johnson, Vassell is in a position to break out and prove why he is a cornerstone piece for the Spurs.

He upped his production across the board in his second season and a third-year jump looks very likely as well. Vassell gets after it on both ends of the court and could be a matchup nightmare given his size and athleticism.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Devin Vassell & San Antonio Spurs Updates

The steady point guard play of Tre Jones should be a boon for his production as he will be put into positions to score the ball and have plenty of them.

Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic have done an excellent job reshaping their roster with some high-upside young players in recent years. One of those players is Wendell Carter Jr., who started his breakout last season and will continue it this season. Carter averaged 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season and should continue reaching new heights this season.

Carter will be playing the center spot full-time this season with the addition of Paolo Banchero. Having another elite offensive player in Banchero in the mix will only make life easier for Carter as their offense should creep closer to becoming league average.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Wendell Carter Jr. & Orlando Magic Updates

With an improving jump shot, Carter should push his scoring average into the high teens and be recognized as one of the better young big men in the NBA.

P.J. Washington, Charlotte Hornets

The 2022 offseason has been a rough one for the Charlotte Hornets. They have had more players arrested than added to the roster as things have gone about as poorly as possible. But, among all of the negativity, there are some bright spots.

One of them is P.J. Washington. Washington lost his starting spot to Miles Bridges last season, and Bridges broke out. Now back in the starting five, it is time for Washington to have his breakout.

There is a huge scoring void to fill with Bridges’ NBA career in jeopardy and Washington will have a chance to take some of those opportunities. He is a capable 3-point shooter, making him a nice pick-and-pop partner for LaMelo Ball or to play off of his teammates attacking the basket. He is also an improving defender, which should help keep him on the court more.

LATEST NBA NEWS: LaMelo Ball & Charlotte Hornets Updates

Added opportunity and motivated by the fact he will be looking to cash in as a restricted free agent next season, Washington has the right mix to break out in his fourth season in the NBA.

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