Every season in the NBA, a team will have a player that surprises everyone. This is what people like to call a “secret weapon.” Here is a list of every Central Division team’s “Secret Weapon” coming into the 2023-2024 NBA season.
Milwaukee Bucks: Malik Beasley
Malik Beasley has been in the league for a bit now, getting drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2016. Beasley has been a fantastic backup guard for every team he has played for. After his time in Denver, he spent some time with the Timberwolves, Lakers, and then the Jazz. Beasley finds himself in another situation where he won’t start but can be a sneaky option off the bench.
Coming off of a great season with averages of just under 13 points, four rebounds, and a couple of assists per game, Malik Beasley can be the Bucks’ secret weapon as they continue their quest to become Champions once again.
Chicago Bulls: Torey Craig
Another player that started in Denver is Torey Craig. After some time with the Bucks and the Suns, this summer, Craig signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. Looking back on Craig’s time in the league, it is easy to see that he is a great defensive player.
There were some games where he would hold All-Stars like LeBron James to stat lines that were only impressive because of how low the numbers were. Craig can also shoot the ball well, shooting just under 40% from three last season. The Bulls picked up a great defender to put on their bench for the upcoming season.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Max Strus
Max Strus has had quite the career for an undrafted 4th-year player. Strus has been a big contributor to the Miami Heat’s success in the Bubble as well as their playoff run from this past season. Strus is a fantastic addition to the young Cavaliers team.
The reason I am calling him a “secret weapon” is because of what happened in the NBA Finals this year when the Heat faced off against the Denver Nuggets. Strus completely fell apart. His shooting percentage dropped drastically and he started to get hate from many NBA fans. I think that a fresh start will be just what Strus needs to get back into form and a young team with hungry All-Star level players like Cleveland is the perfect situation.
Indiana Pacers: Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin was traded by the New York Knicks after only playing with them for a three years. Now, a member of the Indiana Pacers, Toppin is yet another player that is looking for a fresh start. Toppin’s career was off to a bit of a rough start with some even calling him a bust.
Now that he has his fresh start lined up with the Pacers, Toppin has the chance to prove them all wrong. I think that if he can develop his game, Toppin could become a great option for the Pacers.
Detroit Pistons: Monte Morris
Monte Morris is one of the most slept-on point guards in the NBA today. His rise began in Denver when their star guard, Jamal Murray, suffered a torn ACL. Morris was given the starting role and used it to show people what he could do. Morris would later be traded to Washington.
Here, Morris would show that he is able to be a consistent player in a starting role. Morris was traded again this summer to the Pistons in Detroit. With the Wizards going through a rebuild now, I feel that Morris being a Piston is good. This team has its young stars, and Morris can be a great veteran presence as well as a reliable weapon off the bench behind Cade Cunningham.
