As we reach the middle of the 2024-25 NBA season, it’s a good moment to review the current state of the league.
Halfway through the season, we can better assess which players have performed better or worse than expected. We reached out to coaches, scouts, and executives across the NBA to hear their opinions, and they quickly pointed out players who have both impressed and disappointed.
Here’s a summary of the players who made the list, why they stood out, what the surprising Detroit Pistons might do at the trade deadline, an update on a promising rookie in Philadelphia, and what lies ahead for Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns as we check in on the NBA.
Surprising Players of the First Half
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Towns, after being traded to New York right before training camp, has exceeded expectations. He’s averaging over 25 points on a career-high 55% shooting and is leading the league in rebounds, contributing to the Knicks’ No. 3-ranked offense. His absence from the Timberwolves has also been noticeable. “He’s been everything the Knicks were hoping for and more,” one scout said. “That’s how to win a trade.”
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Cunningham, in his fourth season, faced many questions about his potential, even after signing a max rookie extension with Detroit. He’s been excellent, setting career highs across the board and leading the Pistons, who are above .500, and just a half-game out of sixth place in the East. “When the Pistons gave him the max, there were quite a few people who thought it was a risk,” one GM said. “And he’s been very strong.”
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Even with all the hype around him, Wembanyama continues to impress. He’s leading the league in blocks and has the Spurs in the mix for a play-in spot in the competitive Western Conference. “What he’s doing is just ridiculous,” said one executive. “If he gets that roster to the playoffs, he should get MVP votes. And he might.”
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
Daniels is playing a career-high 33 minutes per game for Atlanta, after being on the bench for most of the past two seasons with New Orleans. His offensive confidence has grown with more shooting around him, even though his shooting still needs improvement. He’s also leading the league in steals with 3.1 per game and has 90 more deflections than De’Aaron Fox, who ranks second. “He’s in a much better fit than he was in New Orleans,” said a scout. “He never got the opportunity to play there, and the fit was always bad. Now, he’s playing with much more confidence.”
Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls
It’s surprising that Ball is even playing at all after missing 2½ years due to knee issues. Even more surprising is that he’s been contributing to winning right away, just like he did before his injuries. Though his numbers aren’t impressive, Chicago is 10 points per 100 possessions better with Ball on the court. “When he plays, he’s very impactful,” an executive said. “Someone is going to get him next year and look smart.”
James Harden and Norman Powell, LA Clippers
After losing Paul George in free agency and seeing Kawhi Leonard miss almost the entire season due to injuries, the Clippers being 20-17 is a surprise. Their solid performance can be attributed to the strong play of their starting backcourt: Harden and Powell.
Harden is averaging 21.4 points and 7.9 assists. While his shooting percentages are down, he’s been praised for helping keep the Clippers competitive. “They’re pretty good, and he’s the reason,” said a scout. “I know he’s a household name. But he was trending to a pretty bad place, and that’s not true anymore.”
Powell, meanwhile, has a strong chance to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award this season, as he’s averaging 23.4 points on 48.7% shooting, which is a career-high.
“He’s gotten more minutes and shots,” said an executive, “but no one would’ve believed he’d take this leap at this stage of his career.”
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
As Brooklyn begins its rebuild, Johnson is becoming one of the key players to watch in the trade market. His contract is attractive, especially considering the salary cap rules this season. He’s also setting career highs in points (19.6), 3-point shooting (44%), and assists (3.0).
“He has good synergy with [coach Jordi Fernandez] and he’s really turned him loose,” said a scout.
“He’s playing with no pressure on a bad team,” said an executive. “But he’s not young, and I wasn’t sure he’d be able to fully take advantage of this opportunity.”
Seven Disappointing Players of the First Half
Paul George and Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
The season for both George and Embiid has been disappointing. Embiid’s preseason injuries have carried into the regular season, limiting him to 13 games so far. George has struggled with his knee injuries and is having one of his worst seasons in a decade. Tyrese Maxey, under increased pressure, has also seen a drop in his performance.
Despite a tough start with a 3-14 record, the Sixers are now 15-20 and just two games out of the play-in spot. Still, George and Embiid have been the main focus of the disappointment. “Philly probably knew there was a chance they’d have a rough PG year on this contract but they probably thought it would be year four — not year one,” said an executive.
“Embiid has a lot of bad injury luck and plays through pain, so you feel sympathy for him for that. But sometimes he acts so entitled that it goes away,” another executive added.
Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards
A year ago, the rebuilding Wizards could’ve traded Kuzma at the deadline, but after consulting with him, they decided against it. Now, it might be tough for the Wizards to find another chance to deal him. Kuzma, who will turn 30 this summer, is averaging just 15.6 points and shooting a disappointing 26.6% from 3-point range on one of the league’s worst teams.
“I know he’s dealt with an injury,” said a scout, “but I think this has been the most disappointing season of his career.”
Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
The Heat have struggled this season partly due to the poor performances of Rozier and Jaquez.
Rozier, acquired a year ago in a deal involving a first-round pick and Kyle Lowry, was expected to be a multi-year difference-maker. However, this season, Rozier has lost his starting spot and is shooting his lowest percentages since his early years in Boston.
“He’s nowhere near the player the Heat thought they traded for,” said an executive. “His poor play has [played] a bigger role than gets noticed for their season.”
Jaquez, meanwhile, has not played like the first-team All-Rookie selection he was last year.
“Maybe a sophomore slump, maybe he played a bit over his head as a rookie,” said a scout. “He’s backslid compared to where he was last year.”
Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
Henderson, who was picked third in last year’s draft, was expected to make a big improvement in his second season, as many young guards do after getting used to the NBA.
However, his minutes have gone down, and his stats have either stayed the same or dropped. This is concerning for a team like Portland, which is trying to build a strong future.
“I thought it was a guarantee he’d play much better this year than last and show some things,” an executive said. “I’ve been wrong. His numbers are down, and the eye [test] confirms it.”
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
The Jazz are working hard to make sure they get a top pick in this year’s draft, but they have been helped by the fact that their best player, Markkanen, has not been performing as well.
After being an All-Star in 2023 and playing some of the best basketball of his career, Markkanen’s points, rebounds, and shooting percentages have all dropped this season.
“He’s probably not super motivated because the team is tanking,” an executive said. “But his numbers and his overall level are down across the board.”
What’s next for Bradley Beal and the Suns?
Bontemps: Two important details were mentioned in Windhorst’s story about Beal’s situation. First, Beal and his agent Mark Bartelstein have not discussed Beal waiving his no-trade clause.
Second, Bartelstein made it clear that Beal will never give up the no-trade clause, and it will stay with him until his contract ends. He didn’t rule out Beal approving a trade, but the clause would still apply.
Despite Phoenix’s current issues, Beal’s no-trade clause is a big problem. He’s owed $110 million over the next two years, and without the no-trade clause, his contract could be easier to move.
“He’s a bad contract,” the executive said, “but not immovable, if the team that’s getting him knows they could also trade him later.”
However, for that to happen, Beal would need to give up the clause, but he has no reason to do so.
This situation makes it hard to see a trade for Beal happening anytime soon.
Windhorst: Beal stayed in Washington through some tough seasons, then had long talks with teams when he was allowing a trade to Phoenix. His time with the Suns hasn’t gone well, but Beal is not someone who looks to move around.
Even if there was strong demand for Beal, which many league executives think there isn’t (mainly because of his contract), Beal would want to be comfortable with where he was going. And with the season already in progress, the trade process would be complicated. The more you know about Beal and his situation, the more you understand why a trade is so difficult.
What are the surging Pistons up to?
The Pistons moved to a winning record of 19-18 after their victory in Brooklyn on Wednesday night. This marked their 10th road win of the season, which they had only achieved once in the past six years.
Around the league, other teams have been looking at Detroit’s $14 million in salary cap space and $44 million under the luxury tax as something that could be used at the trade deadline. With trades becoming more complicated now, the Pistons had left that space open to possibly acquire draft picks by taking on unwanted salaries to help other teams with larger deals.
However, after seeing a big improvement under their new coach J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit had a 14-68 record last season, including a record-tying 28 straight losses), the Pistons may not be as eager to use that cap space.
After winning eight of their last nine games, sources say the Pistons are rethinking their strategy and may hold on to their cap space more carefully as they look to upgrade their roster and keep flexibility for next season.
Two more reasons Cavs-Thunder was the game of the year
The Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game on Wednesday night, which many considered the best of the regular season, lived up to all the excitement.
One key reason the game was so great was that both teams had two full days to prepare for it. The Cavaliers and Thunder last played on Sunday, which gave them the opportunity to practice and focus on the game, something teams usually can’t do in the busy schedule of an 82-game season.
The result was a thrilling game that showed off the best aspects of NBA basketball.
“It was great,” said Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson after Cleveland’s 129-122 win. “Great for the league.”
“We all enjoy competition. But to see the talent out there tonight, these were the heavy hitters of our league. The quality of the basketball was super high.”
