After looking at each team’s projected starting backcourt and frontcourt, let’s move on to each team’s second unit.
As seen, some teams that can be considered contenders do not necessarily have productive benches. Expect to see movement on the trade front during the season to help them improve.
Depth charts from RotoWorld and ESPN were used as guidelines, but I projected the five-best players on each team’s bench. Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Clippers - Mo Harkless / Montrezl Harrell / Rodney McGruder / Jerome Robinson / Lou Williams
Led the NBA in bench scoring last season and have the reigning (and three-time) Sixth Man of the Year winner Williams.
Nuggets - Malik Beasley / Jerami Grant / Monte Morris / Miles Plumlee / Michael Porter Jr.
After being selected 14th overall in 2018, can Porter Jr. make an impact after missing all of last season?
Kings - Trevor Ariza / Nemanja Bjelica / Bogan Bogdanovic / Harry Giles / Cory Joseph
Adding Ariza and Joseph (and Richaun Holmes) to an already solid bench makes this reserve unit now one of the best in the league.
Bucks - Pat Connaughton / George Hill / Ersan Ilyasova / Kyle Korver / Robin Lopez
Even at his advanced age (38), adding Korver to the bench brings a sharpshooter to the second unit that the team did not previously have.
Nets - Jarrett Allen / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dzanan Musa / Taurean Prince / Garrett Temple
Musa is ready for a larger role after appearing in just nine games for Brooklyn after being selected 27th overall in 2018.
Spurs - Marco Belinelli / DeMarre Carroll / Bryn Forbes / Patty Mills / Jakob Poetl
Forbes will likely return to a reserve role with Dejounte Murray coming back for the Spurs this season.
Magic - Al-Farouq Aminu / Mo Bamba / Khem Birch / Markelle Fultz / Terrance Ross
The x-factor here is clearly Fultz, who hasn’t had his career get on track after being taken with the first overall pick in 2017.
Pelicans - Josh Hart / Jaxson Hayes / E’Twaun Moore / Jahlil Okafor / J.J. Redick
The outside shooting of Redick and Moore (and to a lesser extent Hart) makes this a potent second unit.
Cavaliers - Jordan Clarkson / John Henson / Brandon Knight / Larry Nance Jr. / Ante Zizic
Clarkson is one of the league’s best scorers off the bench.
Lakers - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope / Quinn Cook / Troy Daniels / Dwight Howard / Rajon Rondo
This ranking can go up a few slots if we see a motivated Howard (if he remains on the bench and Javale McGee starts at center).
Knicks - Damyean Dotson / Taj Gibson / Marcus Morris / Elfrid Payton / Bobby Portis
While the Knicks lack star power, they do have a bunch of quality, NBA-caliber players.
Pacers - Aaron Holiday / Justin Holiday / Jeremy Lamb / T.J. McConnell / Doug McDermott
Lamb will likely be a starter when the season begins until Victor Oladipo is ready to come back from injury.
Mavericks - J.J. Barea / Jalen Brunson / Seth Curry / Maxi Kleber / Boban Marjanovic
Marjanovic has proven he can put up numbers in limited minutes, but can he finally be counted on to play 15-20 a game?
Hawks - Allen Crabbe / Jabari Parker / Chandler Parsons / Cam Reddish / Evan Turner
A completely new second unit as none of these players were on Atlanta last season.
Pistons - Langston Galloway / Luke Kennard / Thon Maker / Markieff Morris / Derrick Rose
If Rose can stay healthy, not only will he be one of the best playmakers in the league off the bench, but he also could unseat Reggie Jackson as Detroit’s starting point guard.
Jazz - Dante Exum / Ed Davis / Jeff Green / Emmanuel Mudiay / Royce O’Neale
Nothing flashy on the second unit, but there are a couple hard-nosed players in Davis and O’Neale.
Suns - Aron Baynes / Cameron Johnson / Tyler Johnson / Frank Kaminsky / Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre Jr. was impressive after being traded to Phoenix as he averaged 16.9 points in 40 contests.
Rockets - Tyson Chandler / Gerald Green / Danuel House / Ben McLemore / Austin Rivers
On a team that lives for shooting beyond the arc, their bench provides a lot of guys who can get hot from there.
Heat - Tyler Herro / James Johnson / Derrick Jones Jr. / Meyers Leonard / Dion Waiters
Miami hopes that Herro can help improve their 21st-place showing from behind the arc as a team in 2018-19 as they made 34.9 percent of their tries.
Timberwolves - Jordan Bell / Jarrett Culver / Gorgui Dieng / Jake Layman / Noah Vonleh
Culver, the sixth overall pick in 2019, could find his way into the starting lineup, perhaps in place of Josh Okogie.
Bulls - Kris Dunn / Chandler Hutchison / Denzel Valentine / Coby White / Thaddeus Young
Chicago ranked just 23rd in bench scoring last season, but they hope the addition of Young and rookie White can improve their standing.
Thunder - Terrance Ferguson / Mike Muscala / Abdel Nader / Nerlens Noel / Dennis Schroder
Schroder and Noel are definitely quality pieces to have on your bench, but there isn’t much after that.
Raptors - OG Anunoby / Rondae Hollis-Jefferson / Stanley Johnson / Patrick McCaw / Fred VanVleet
The Raptors hope a change of scenery is what was needed for Johnson who has failed to impress since being taken eighth overall by the Pistons in 2015.
Grizzlies - Bruno Caboclo / Jae Crowder / Andre Iguodala / Josh Jackson / Tyus Jones
While many believed the rebuilding Grizzlies would buy out Iguodala, recent reports state that they have no interest in doing so.
Celtics - Jaylen Brown / Carsen Edwards / Semi Ojeleye / Daniel Theis / Grant Williams
After Brown, this isn’t a deep bench which is far different than the past few seasons for Boston.
Hornets - Devonte’ Graham / Willy Hernangomez / Michael Kidd-Gilchrist / Malik Monk / P.J. Washington
The Hornets would love to see a whole lot more from former lottery picks Kidd-Gilchrist and Monk.
Warriors - Alec Burks / Kevon Looney / Jordan Poole / Glenn Robinson III / Omari Spellman
The bench looks far different without mainstays Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
Trail Blazers - Kent Bazemore / Mario Hezonja / Nassir Little / Anfernee Simons / Anthony Tolliver
Simons will receive a much-larger role after a rookie season that saw him play in just 20 games.
76ers - Trey Burke / James Ennis / Kyle O’Quinn / Mike Scott / Zhaire Smith
The 76ers easily have one of the best starting lineups in the game so expect an in-season trade to bolster a somewhat barren bench.
Wizards - Davis Bertans / Ian Mahinmi / C.J. Miles / Isaiah Thomas / Moritz Wagner
Bertans is solid, but the Wizards really need to hope Thomas resembles something closer to the 2016-17 version of him rather than the past two seasons.