NBA Power Rankings: Rating Each Team's Sixth Man
The sixth man off of any team plays a pivotal role.
They're expected to enter the game and provide a boost to the second unit, particularly as a scoring option.
Some players see extended time in the game, practically playing starter's minutes, while most find themselves playing in the 20-25 minute range, doing the most they can with the playing time afforded to them.
However, not all sixth men are created equal. Some may be putting up better numbers than others, but playing time is likely a factor.
So, who are the most talented and explosive players to come off the bench for each team?
30. Rasual Butler, Los Angeles Clippers
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With Vinny Del Negro running the team, the Clippers rotation appears to be in shambles.
Rasual Butler appears to be the Clippers sixth man, but that could change at any time. Baron Davis is being slowly reintegrated back into the offense and should find himself back in the starting five soon enough, where Butler will then have a more defined role as the team's sixth man.
Butler comes off the bench and can drill threes for the team providing a boost.
However, he's far from consistent and he's a liability on defense.
29. Chase Budinger, Houston Rockets
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Chase Budinger may not look like it, but he's extremely athletic.
While he doesn't use his athletic gifts to his advantage quite often, he can really throw it down.
In his second year in the league, Budinger has taken some nice strides and appears to be a far more confident player.
His shooting stroke may be inconsistent, but it will only get better with time.
Budinger works hard and hustles every night. A trait any coach would appreciate.
28. James Jones, Miami Heat
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James Jones has one job with the Heat—which is to knock down threes—and he does it quite well.
Jones takes 5.6 shots per game, and 4.8 of those are three points attempts.
He knocks down long range jumpers at an impressive 44.3 percent rate. However, he's completely one-dimensional and really doesn't contribute much else.
Then again—with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the team—there isn't much else you need to do.
27. J.J. Reddick, Orlando Magic
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J.J. Reddick was a prolific scorer in college, but he hasn't found the same sort of success in the NBA.
He has been relatively successful coming off the bench for the Orlando Magic and was awarded a nice contract extension in the offseason.
More than anything else, Reddick's value lies in his shooting ability. He's not much of a defender and he's not capable of running the team's offense, but he can light it up from behind the arc. A trait that makes him valuable in Stan Van Gundy's system.
However, I will admit that he's found a place in the NBA and has managed to remain in the league far longer than I thought he would.
26. Corey Brewer, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Corey Brewer has largely been a disappointment for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He had some success last season as a starter, but has since found himself coming off the bench for the Timberwolves with the influx of wing players on the team.
Brewer has had some issues adjusting to his bench role, shooting 36.9 percent from the field after shooting a career high 43.1 percent last season.
His defensive laurels are what he got drafted for, and while he's been solid for the most part in that department, he's far from behind a lockdown defender.
25. Willie Green, New Orleans Hornets
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Willie Green has played solid through the first quarter of the season as the Hornets sixth man.
New Orleans has had some messy rotations, particularly at the guard position, but Green has been one of the few consistent players off the bench for the team.
He's had eight double-digit scoring games and he provides a lift for the Hornets when his number is called upon.
24. Reggie Williams, Golden State Warriors
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Reggie Williams was yet another surprise find in the Warriors farm system last season.
He exploded onto the scene in the final months of the season and has settled into the Warriors rotation as their sixth man.
Williams has been inconsistent and shaky in the early going, but he is a prolific scorer capable of racking up points. In other words, he's perfect for the no-defense system in place in Golden State.
23. Nick Young, Washington Wizards
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The Wizards have a messy situation in their backcourt.
John Wall has missed some time, so Gilbert Arenas has been in and out of the lineup.
Nick Young, however, seems to be the team's offensive spark plug off the bench.
He ended the month of November on a hot streak, scoring in double digit figures nine times and scoring 20-plus points in five games.
Young may not pass the ball or play great defense, but he can really hurt you from deep.
22. Louis Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
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Louis Williams has streetball handles with deep range.
He won't give you much defense, but he can turn it up and get you 30 points on any given night.
Williams' inability to consistently run the point pushed him back on the depth chart in favor of Jrue Holiday, but Williams is still a capable playmaker.
21. Corey Maggette, Milwaukee Bucks
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Corey Maggette may be all offense and no defense, but he can really score in bunches on any given night.
Maggette is one of the top slashers in the game and he has an uncanny ability to get into the paint and to the line.
He's having a down year with the Bucks because of his reduced role and minutes, but he appears to be making the most of the playing time afforded to him.
20. James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
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James Harden is gifted with vast potential and natural ability, but has yet to find any sort of consistent rhythm while with the Thunder.
He has really come on strong lately with all of the injuries the Thunder have gone through, but he does this at the expense of the team's efficiency.
Harden shoots an abysmal 36.1 percent from the field, which is particularly disturbing when you see his 40.3 percent shooting from long range.
He's a solid defender and has all the tools to become an All-Star, but is far off from that goal at this point in his career. His development has definitely been slower than expected in the NBA.
19. C.J. Miles, Utah Jazz
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C.J. Miles has settled in as the sixth man for the Utah Jazz.
Miles has reached double-digit scoring numbers on 13 different occasions and he's the exact type of offensive boost the Jazz need off the bench. He already has four 20-plus point games this season and when his number is called, he's always ready.
He is capable of playing either the off-guard position or along the wings where he thrives as a three-point shooter.
18. Leandro Barbosa, Toronto Raptors
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Leandro Barbosa—the Brazilian Blur—is a former NBA Sixth Man award winner.
He's known for his blinding speed, which he uses to cause mayhem in transition and get to the bucket in a flash.
Barbosa has an odd jump shot, but it's effective nonetheless, something he's had some trouble with this season in his first year in Toronto.
He has been battling various injuries early in the season, but finally appears to be healthy and should start paying dividends for the Raptors.
17. O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies
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O.J Mayo came into the league as a highly-touted combo guard. He had a great rookie season and made a legitimate challenge for Rookie of the Year.
However, since then, he appears to have regressed.
Mayo was yanked out of the starting lineup in favor of rookie Xavier Henry and his production has taken a hit as a result.
His scoring average has dropped over six full points since his rookie season and he may very well be traded before the deadline.
Mayo—like many players in the NBA—has all the natural gifts to be a prolific scorer and all-around player, but hasn't found his place just yet.
16. Hakim Warrick, Phoenix Suns
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Hakim Warrick has bounced around the league, but seems to have settled in Phoenix quite nicely.
With Steve Nash running the point, Warrick is often the beneficiary of pinpoint passes on the pick-and-roll.
Warrick is an extremely efficient scorer, averaging 55.5 percent from the field. If given full starter's minutes, he's capable of scoring close to 20 points per game.
His defense and rebounding could use some work, but in Phoenix that's mostly an afterthought.
15. Jordan Farmar, New Jersey Nets
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Finally out of the bright lights of Los Angeles, Jordan Farmar signed a contract with the New Jersey Nets in the offseason and is backing up Devin Harris.
Farmar has shown the ability to run the team's offense with great success. In two starts in place of Devin Harris, he averaged 22 points and 9.5 assists.
He shows no fear in clutch situations and he can drill shots from long range with the best in the game today.
14. Brandon Rush, Indiana Pacers
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Brandon Rush may be subjected to the mad rotations of Jim O'Brien, but regardless of whether or not he starts or comes off the bench, Rush is a talented player capable of lighting it up on any given night.
Rush is a deadly shooter, as evidenced by his 43.4 percent shooting from behind the arc.
He may not be a lockdown defender, but he has good instincts and works hard on both ends of the court.
After two sub-par years, he seems to be finally putting it all together.
13. George Hill, San Antonio Spurs
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Manu Ginobili has been the Spurs' sixth man for quite some time, but George Hill has taken over that role.
Hill started the season slow, but has since picked up the pace and is currently riding the hot hand.
San Antonio is playing incredibly well right now, but it's only a matter of time before father time catches up to them and they begin to see a serious decline.
When the Big Three start to slow down, Hill will have every opportunity to step forward and stake his claim on the team. He is the Spurs' prized young possession and they seem determined to make him their franchise guard of the future.
Hill is an ultra-talented combo guard that really broke out last season when Tony Parker went down to injury. When he learns to truly run the team's offense, he'll be a very special player.
12. Charlie Villanueva, Detroit Pistons
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The Detroit Pistons may have to put Kevin Garnett on the pay roll after his inappropriate comments appear to have sparked something inside of Charlie Villanueva.
Villanueva may not be much of a defensive force, but he can kick it up on offense and really light teams up from anywhere on the court.
He's a serious deep threat, currently averaging 2.0 three-pointers per game on 40 percent shooting.
Villanueva has had some big games in his career and has the ability to be a prolific scorer, but has settled for mediocrity throughout his career.
11. Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls
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Taj Gibson began the season as the Bulls' starting power forward, but has since been relegated to the bench with the return of Carlos Boozer.
As expected, Gibson has been inconsistent since coming off the bench, but he's capable of putting up a double-double on any given night.
Gibson is more of a defensive minded forward, but he's more than capable on the offensive side of the ball too.
He hustles and brings a lot of energy to the game any time he's on the floor.
10. Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers
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Nicolas Batum started the season as the Trail Blazers' starting small forward, but has recently been demoted to the bench with Wesley Matthews taking his place.
Batum is a do-it-all type of player. He can contribute in nearly all areas and his strong perimeter defense gives him an edge.
He has immense potential lurking inside of him, but hasn't quite reached that stage of truly breaking out.
9. Glen Davis, Boston Celtics
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Glen Davis has the body of a NFL player, but has carved out a niche for himself in the NBA. He's surprisingly agile and quick for a player of his build and he uses his deceptive athleticism to his advantage.
Davis practically defines the term hustle and he works his tail off every minute he's out on the court. He has played a pivotal role coming off the bench for the Boston Celtics.
His jumper is consistent and he's able to knock down shots at a high rate. He shoots 50.3 percent from the field and is an extremely productive player when given the minutes.
8. Carl Landry, Sacramento Kings
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Carl Landry is forced to play under the mercurial coach, Paul Westphal.
Landry is deserving of the starting position, but due to Westphal's inability to figure out what a rotation is, he finds himself coming off the bench.
He began the season as their starting power forward, but has since watched his minutes and production go down with drastically reduced playing time.
Landry is slightly undersized for the power forward position, but he makes up for that with hustle. While his rebounding could use some work, he makes up for that with his efficient scoring prowess.
7. J.R. Smith, Denver Nuggets
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When he's not in George Karl's doghouse, J.R. Smith is easily one of the most explosive players off the bench.
Smith won't play much defense, but when you need buckets he's your man.
If his shot is on, he's capable of putting up 30-plus points with ease. He has the athleticism to leap over you and the range to knock down jumpers well behind the arc.
He has the natural gifts and ability to be a perennial All-Star in this league, but he can never quite seem to put it all together.
6. Tyrus Thomas, Charlotte Bobcats
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Larry Brown must hold some sort of grudge against Tyrus Thomas.
When Thomas is given extensive playing time and touches, he's one of the more productive forwards in this league. However, Tyrus rides the pine with his minutes fluctuating up and down.
If Thomas were to find any sort of consistency in Brown's rotation—getting well beyond the measly 21 minutes a game he averages—he would be an absolute monster.
Thomas is an athletic freak capable of posterizing just about anybody in the NBA with a shot-blocking prowess that is nearly unmatched.
Let the Free Tyrus Thomas movement begin.
5. Shannon Brown, Los Angeles Lakers
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Shannon Brown has been a revelation this season.
After signing a contract with the Lakers in the offseason, Brown has come on strong as their sixth man.
He seems to have found his stroke from downtown as he averages 1.6 three-pointers per game, which doubles his previous career high from last season.
Brown is one of the five most athletic players in this league, and you can see him display his freakish leaping ability on a nightly basis.
If there was a most exciting bench player award, he would most definitely win it with all the absurd lobs and dunks he throws down.
4. Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Antawn Jamison is arguably the most talented player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he finds himself coming off the bench.
Jamison has been extremely consistent over the course of his long career, but has seen his minutes drop and subsequently his production since joining Cleveland.
Jamison deserves to start in the power forward role over J.J. Hickson, but appears to be entrenched as the team's sixth man for the foreseeable future.
He has struggled a bit adjusting to his new role—shooting a career low 40.9 percent from the field—but he's more talented than his numbers indicate.
3. Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks
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Jamal Crawford is the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year and he played an extremely important role in helping the Hawks to reach a 53-win season last year.
Crawford is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. He has multiple 50-plus point games throughout his career and he's capable of going berserk and racking up points practically at will.
His shake and bake move is a thing of beauty and one of the most deadly signature moves in the NBA today.
Crawford is off to a relatively slow start, but will see a greatly expanded role with Joe Johnson out.
2. Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks
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Jason Terry has been Mr. Consistent throughout his career and has paired well with Dirk Nowitzki since joining the Mavericks.
He gets starter's minutes, but comes off the bench giving the team near-instant offense. Terry is also one of the team's go-to players in the clutch.
Terry already has a NBA Sixth Man award to his name and he could very well win one more this season.
The Mavericks are playing extremely well and they would not be able to have this sort of success without Terry coming off the bench.
1. Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks
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Wilson Chandler is the glue guy for the New York Knicks.
He usually finds himself coming off the bench with spot starts at the power forward position, but Wilson is productive no matter where he is in the rotation.
Chandler owes a lot of his success to his versatility. He can play anywhere from the two to the four and can defend nearly every position on the floor.
He's one of the premier shot blockers at his position, averaging nearly two blocks per game and he's often matched up against the opposing team's best perimeter player.
Chandler is essentially getting starter's minutes, and he's performing like one too. He's scored 21-plus points in nine different contests and he's averaging 17.1 points per game for the year.
