2026 NBA Playoffs: Top Young Player To Watch On Each Playoff Team
Our own Nathan Grubel previews the 2026 NBA Playoff picture by focusing on which young talents to watch over the course of April, May, and June.
The NBA Playoffs are determined by veteran leaders and the game’s brightest superstars; everyone knows that.
But that doesn’t mean this setting is useless for evaluating young talent. Players who haven’t been involved in postseason action or are still within their first few playoff outings have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and developmental feedback in games that have much higher stakes than the regular season.
Looking back on the league’s best role players today, everyone had to start somewhere, and not all of them were number one options expected to do everything in their first playoff game.
So this is always an excellent exercise for those paying attention to playoff basketball: who are the top young players that could see extended roles in the playoffs, or are deeper bench options that could still contribute in a meaningful way to swing some minutes or even a game?
Let’s dig into every playoff team’s best OR biggest dark horse young player, starting in the Eastern Conference!
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons
Top Young Player: Daniss Jenkins
Daniss Jenkins went from deep sleeper as an NBA Draft prospect to key contributor off the bench for the best team in the Eastern Conference in a matter of two seasons—an impressive accomplishment for the backup guard who has had to spot start for Cade Cunningham quite a bit to help keep the Detroit Pistons on a winning pace.
Jenkins’s creativity as a passer, not just as a scorer, has been what’s helped him keep a lot of the offense the same in Detroit. Jenkins is a well-versed pick-and-roll point guard who has done a great job creating off the dribble in tandem with Jalen Duren.
Even though his overall efficiency isn’t as superb as some other guards on this list, his quickness and ball-handling allow him to cut through defenses all the same. Once he’s generated the paint touch, Jenkins knows where to get the ball next. His style of play, in terms of mixing speeds and catching defenders off balance, is what creates easier shots for his teammates.
For the Pistons to make it to the NBA Finals, it will require the second unit to contribute in a big way offensively, and a large part of that falls on Jenkins’s shoulders.
Keep an eye on Jenkins as a shooter in any minutes he shares with Cade Cunningham. Jenkins shot 37% from deep on respectable volume this season, including a blistering 45% off the catch. That shot is what makes Jenkins a real threat in lineups both with or without the ball in his hands.
Boston Celtics
Top Young Player: Baylor Scheierman
Baylor Scheierman saw extended run during his sophomore NBA season for the Boston Celtics, and it’s benefited the rotation in a big way as he’s shown just how valuable he is on offense.
Scheierman has been more than just a shooter for the Celtics this season. Yes, a lot of his value comes from the fact that he’s a plus-sized guard who shoots 40% from deep. But per Synergy Sports, Scheierman rated in the 90th percentile in possessions plus assists. If Scheierman is run off his spot, he can still attack the defense and swing the ball to the next shooter, something Boston values out of every position but its center.
And even though Scheierman didn’t get a ton of reps in pick-and-roll, he was a legitimate weapon in ball-screen offense in college at Creighton, which is where he further developed a lot of his passing chops—not to mention that he’s a great positional rebounder on both ends of the floor.
Playoff teams require shooters who are more dynamic nowadays, given the flow and creativity of modern offensive schemes. Boston keeps the ball moving at all times, and part of that is recognizing what’s a good shot and what’s a great shot that one can create. It wouldn’t shock me to see Baylor have a signature playoff moment at some point this season, as he can get scorching hot from deep while competing on defense and contributing in all of the little ways required by Joe Mazzula.
New York Knicks
Top Young Player: Miles McBride
The New York Knicks still don’t have a particularly deep team rife with playoff experience past its core six players at the top of the rotation. But Miles McBride has stepped up in some big games throughout his career, and will be required to do the same if the Knicks want to get to the NBA Finals.
The 6’2” guard from West Virginia has been one of the more underrated two-way guards in the league off the bench for multiple seasons now, as he is capable of slotting into either backcourt position and providing immediate value.
McBride’s length is his superpower, as he can fill gaps, play passing lanes, and cover wing positions as he scales up the lineup. McBride is also strong for his size; because of that strength, teams can’t pick on him in the same way as they can with traditional lead guards.
Even if McBride isn’t as dynamic as someone like Jalen Brunson in getting into the paint and attacking the rim, he makes great decisions with the ball, limits mistakes, and is a knockdown three-point shooter off the catch. Those qualities, combined with his defensive value, are exactly what a playoff team needs off the bench to contend for a championship.
New York won’t ask the world of McBride during the playoffs, but he needs to remain ready (as he always is) to knock down open shots and guard the toughest backcourt opponent in front of him. McBride has done it before, so I have full confidence he’ll continue contributing in a big way for the Knicks.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Top Young Player: Jaylon Tyson
The Cleveland Cavaliers franchise has found comfort in starting Dean Wade at the small forward position in recent weeks. Wade gives the team another jumbo shooter who can really hold his ground as a bigger forward, making Cleveland’s front line absolutely massive.
Even if he’s coming off the bench, Jaylon Tyson remains a true wild card for the Cavs as the type of wing this team needs on offense. Tyson can get stupid hot from distance, as one of the team’s best catch-and-shoot three-point options. Not only that, but he can actually handle the ball, run second-side actions, and create for others off the dribble.
So much of Cleveland’s offense is run through James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, with catch-and-shoot players and bigs around them. But what happens when defenses get to go up against one of them while the other rests? Immediately, it becomes an opportunity to throw two at the ball and force someone else to make a play. Tyson can be that outlet and attack a collapsing defense, forcing another shift with a key pass off the dribble.
Max Strus and Sam Merrill have those same qualities, but Tyson has the frame to hold up defensively next to those guys, so that Cleveland doesn’t lose too much defensively on the wing. If Tyson can hold his own on defense and continue to knock down shots at an efficient clip, he gives Kenny Atkinson lineup flexibility for this Cavaliers squad.
Toronto Raptors
Top Young Player: Jamal Shead
Many would’ve expected me to say Collin Murray-Boyles here for the Toronto Raptors, but Jamal Shead has emerged as a quality NBA backup guard this season.
Even more than that, this Raptors team is desperate for Shead to contribute if it has any chance of upsetting the Cleveland Cavaliers. Immanuel Quickley has been out with an injury, meaning Shead is not only playing extended minutes but starting at point guard.
Shead isn’t a dynamic driver/scorer like the speedster Quickley, but he is a great passer in pick-and-roll actions, and has made significant improvements as a catch-and-shoot player.
Offense wasn’t Shead’s calling card coming out of Houston, but he’s put in the work to make himself a viable option on that end of the floor. With guys like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram doing most of the heavy lifting handling the ball, someone like Shead just has to be ready on the catch to shoot or drive and kick to the next man. He can serve in that role on offense while providing real value defensively at the point of attack.
Shead loves to guard all 94 feet, and he is excellent at forcing steals and creating deflections in passing lanes to get his team out in transition with his plus wingspan and impressive instincts. He’s a tough matchup to go up against because of his low center of gravity and quick reflexes.
For Toronto to make any noise with Quickley out, Shead has to be a meaningful contributor at point guard. There’s just no other option for the Raptors. His consistency is everything against the lethal backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden for the Cavaliers.
Atlanta Hawks
Top Young Player: Zaccharie Risacher
Look, there’s no easy way to navigate through conversations about Zaccharie Risacher. Through two seasons, he hasn’t lived up to his potential as the top pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
What matters, though, is his path moving forward as a contributor to an Atlanta Hawks franchise looking to upset the New York Knicks in the first round. While he hasn’t been anything this side of consistent on offense, Atlanta has a short bench as it is, meaning he HAS to find a way to make shots in the halfcourt and get out in transition when opportunities come his way.
Risacher has the size, length, and athleticism to make an impact from the wing. He’s great in the open court, and he can finish plays or find an open man when he’s handling on the break. In the halfcourt, though, Risacher hasn’t looked comfortable on the ball, navigating through traffic or creating out of second-side actions.
If Risacher is to remain effective as an off-ball player, he has to knock down catch-and-shoot triples from the corners. Atlanta doesn’t have a ton of players who can break down a defense at the drop of a hat, but Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are quick enough to break through that first layer and draw attention to the paint. Those two, along with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum, have to kick the ball out to someone off those paint touches where the Knicks are likely to show two with both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson patrolling down low. In those situations, it’s up to Risacher to at least earn his keep by hitting those open looks.
If Risacher isn’t able to show anything on offense, or if he gets toasted on defense by matchups like Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, then he may be moving on to a new team this offseason, given how he’s been yanked from the starting rotation as it stands. This is his chance to prove that he’s a valuable contributor moving forward, regardless of whether he’s starting or not.
Philadelphia 76ers
Top Young Player: VJ Edgecombe
VJ Edgecombe has had a tremendous rookie season in the NBA, and that special season has a chance to grow even more impressive with some meaningful contributions against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Edgecombe doesn’t have to be as ball-dominant as someone like Tyrese Maxey, but he’s going to get his fair share of touches on offense. Over the course of the season, Edgecombe grew into a role as a secondary creator and backup point guard, splitting touches with Quentin Grimes when Maxey got some rest. In that time, VJ got much more comfortable in pick-and-roll, and taking advantage of space created off those actions by stepping into some pull-up jumpers from the free-throw line extended.
He’s going to get plenty of catch-and-shoot threes off the penetration of Maxey and Paul George, and even by Kelly Oubre to an extent. While Edgecombe has to knock those down, I’m more interested in how much more he can grow as an on-ball player during this postseason. With Joel Embiid out for the foreseeable future, someone is going to have to help Maxey and George on offense. Edgecombe will get chances to create off secondary actions, not to mention his usual brand of basketball in terms of getting deflections and using his defense to create his own transition offense.
Keep an eye on what VJ can do as a passer and pull-up shooter in halfcourt sets, as well as how many positions he guards defensively. Boston loves to throw out looks with four perimeter players around one big, meaning Philadelphia may be put in a position to switch a lot in minutes where Adem Bona is manning the middle of the floor at center. VJ will have to be able to hold his own against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in those spots defensively if Philly has any chance of making this a competitive series.
Orlando Magic
Top Young Player: Anthony Black
The Orlando Magic found a ton of success midseason through lineups with Anthony Black operating more as an off-ball wing than a ball-dominant point guard.
Some of my favorite lineups this season saw Jalen Suggs-Desmond Bane-Anthony Black-Franz Wagner all sharing the floor together, creating chaos on both ends of the floor. That chaos led to a ton of transition offense, which is exactly what a poor halfcourt team on that end of the floor needs from him.
When Black hasn’t been primarily off the ball, he’s operated a lot from the corners, either in a catch-and-shoot capacity or attacking closeouts and getting finishing opportunities at the basket. Black is very athletic as a wing-sized option for Orlando, as he has one of the better first-step attacks on the Magic.
Finding ways to get Black out on the break or coming off screens in the halfcourt is a great way to jump-start a mediocre half-court offense, as he has all of the vision and passing tools to make everyone else around him better—not to mention that he can cover multiple positions defensively because of his size and length.
Orlando has to find a way to manufacture easy buckets on offense, and Black is exactly the type of player that can help when things get murky regarding Paolo Banchero or Wagner getting cold from the field. Black is one of the best off-the-bench spark plugs in the playoffs when he’s locked in, and Orlando is committed to finding ways to get him opportunities in the open floor.
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder
Top Young Player: Ajay Mitchell
Arguably the best sixth man in all of basketball, Ajay Mitchell has a real chance to establish himself as even more of a household name during this run in the NBA Playoffs for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last season, Mitchell wasn’t relied upon too much by the Thunder in the postseason. However, he’s broken out this year in such a big way that he’s been the best option off the bench in Oklahoma City.
Mitchell is a dynamic 6’5” guard who has a complete offensive game as a second-year player out of UCSB. Billed more as a driver and scorer at the rim coming out of college, Mitchell has taken drastic improvements as a jump shooter each of the last few seasons, to the point where he’s knocking down threes off the dribble with regularity.
In terms of passing, Mitchell has always had great vision, dating back to his college days. Mitchell plays a great brand of basketball in terms of high efficiency, creating in pick-and-roll while limiting turnovers. His blend of size, short-area quickness, and strength is tough for opposing backcourts to contain, which is what makes him the perfect OKC guard.
The Thunder relies heavily on players who can cover multiple positions, including holding their own, switching onto opposing forwards and bigs depending on the scheme. Mitchell is by no means a target, and he can battle if larger matchups try to post him up. That type of effort on defense is what got him playing time early in his career, not just his offensive creativity.
There’s no question Mitchell is poised to serve as a real difference maker for OKC in the playoffs. If this team is going to repeat as champions, it will certainly be from not just the team’s leaders in the starting lineup stepping up, but from Mitchell putting his best foot forward off the bench and even in some late-game rotations.
San Antonio Spurs
Top Young Player: Stephon Castle
Stephon Castle has played so well this season that he’s found himself in conversations for All-NBA Third Team, an accomplishment even I didn’t expect this early after he was taken fourth in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Castle has been a winner in his playing career up to this point, winning championships in both high school and in college at UConn. That’s because his style of play is intense on defense, serving as one of the most physical point-of-attack defenders in basketball.
It’s difficult to get a step on Castle because of his brute-force approach when defending one-on-one. He is excellent at using his feet and body to defend rather than relying on his hands to make plays. Castle walls up his opponents and forces players to pass out of scoring opportunities, which is just as valuable as creating deflections or blocking a shot off a timely rotation (which he does plenty of that too).
But offensively, Castle has been arguably this team’s best assist man and overall playmaker alongside Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. Castle has improved his turnovers as the season has gone on, but still has commanded an excellent assist rate in pick-and-roll offense. Castle sees the floor well, and can make every pass in the book needed. And when he’s played off the ball, his catch-and-shoot game has taken a noticeable leap over the last few months, shooting above average from deep on those looks since the All-Star Break.
Castle is the ideal type of two-way wing that NBA teams covet, and he’s arguably the second-best player on the San Antonio Spurs alongside Wembanyama. Fox is a much more veteran scorer and one-on-one creator who is also incredibly important for a deep playoff run. But outside of Wemby, no one else has higher upside in this postseason on both sides of the ball than Castle. He has to step up as a two-way star for the Spurs to go deep in the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets
Top Young Player: Spencer Jones
The Denver Nuggets have as deep a rotation as any other team in the league, with veteran players, meaning there’s not a lot of room for young guys like Julian Strawther and Jalen Pickett to get run in the postseason.
Spencer Jones could be an exception to the rule as the type of forward Denver needs to make a run in the playoffs.
Jones is rugged and strong with a great frame and competitiveness on defense. In terms of players who can scale up and down the lineup, it’s Aaron Gordon and not much else for the Nuggets. Defensively, this team employs a lot of one-or two-position defenders at best, but Jones can cover every spot in the frontcourt, even centers in a pinch, depending on the matchup.
He’s not going to offer this team a ton on offense, but he’s shown the ability to get hot from deep before, and he can finish at the basket in transition and off cuts from the usual assortment of Nikola Jokic passes.
Jones’s role on the floor is simple, but important. I don’t expect him to get a ton of playoff minutes, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Denver go to him early in the playoffs, depending on what’s needed defensively.
Los Angeles Lakers
Top Young Player: Jake LaRavia
Jake LaRavia is the sole candidate to get minutes on the Los Angeles Lakers as a young(ish) player. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t factor in when it comes to winning against the Houston Rockets in a first-round clash.
LaRavia is a 6’7” strong forward who can really shoot off the catch. His offense is primarily just that, although he’s shown connective passing qualities dating back to his college days at Wake Forest. Still, this Lakers squad needs guys who are ready to catch and shoot off drives from LeBron James and company. LaRavia can get hot from deep and turn the tide of a playoff game.
Where I’m most interested to see LaRavia is on defense, as he has the size and strength to cover multiple wing positions as needed. He’s not the quickest player laterally, but he’s very sturdy and is difficult to move off a spot if he beats his man there. So long as LaRavia competes, boxes out, and rebounds well for Los Angeles, this Lakers team can win the minutes he’s on the floor.
If James needs to rest, it’s up to guys like LaRavia to show they can do a bit more on both ends of the floor than they’ve shown during the regular season to stay afloat. With no Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, the non-James minutes are the biggest factor in the Lakers winning a playoff series. LaRavia is one of the players who needs to contribute on both ends of the floor to make that a reality.
Houston Rockets
Top Young Player: Reed Sheppard
This is the opportunity the Houston Rockets have been waiting for with Reed Sheppard.
It’s postseason time now, and Fred VanVleet is not walking through the door to man the team’s point guard position, meaning it’s up to Sheppard to deliver in a big way.
And for the most part, Sheppard has had a great sophomore season as the team’s sixth man and spot starter at lead guard.
It does appear that Sheppard will get a good crack at a starting role with Kevin Durant’s health in flux as well, meaning that Reed has to step up offensively for this team to compete against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sheppard’s value comes from outside shooting, but he’s done a better job this year of attacking a set defense in ball-screen actions and making plays for others. Sheppard has the ability to relocate and move as a shooter, but anything he can create from his passing is icing on the cake for the offense because of the gravity he commands as an off-ball player.
Defensively, Reed is still a bit of a target, but his excellent hands and toughness crashing for defensive rebounds are where he can contribute on that end of the floor. Some matchups can take advantage of Sheppard’s lack of plus size as a guard, but he does play bigger than he looks more often than not.
Taking care of the ball, knocking down movement threes, and forcing turnovers are the most important areas for Reed to provide value in the playoffs for the Rockets. Any offense he’s able to create for others from that lead guard position is a massive bonus—and something Houston might need more of, given the lack of exceptional half-court offense without someone like Durant on the floor.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Top Young Player: Terrence Shannon Jr.
Terrence Shannon Jr. has battled several nagging injuries this season, which have resulted in limited opportunities to build off the season he had last year for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
At the end of the regular season, when he was finally healthy, Shannon reminded those watching why he was on a ton of breakout lists to start this season. Shannon is electric with the ball in his hands. He can break through defensive gaps and accelerate all the way to the rim. He can knock down tough pull-up shots like some of the best wing scorers in the game when he really gets rolling. And forget about containing Shannon in the open floor.
When Shannon is at the top of his game, he’s an incredible athlete who can really fill it up as a scorer and go cover the other team’s top perimeter option. Unfortunately, Shannon hasn’t gotten to show a lot of that ability this season, but never say never in terms of him writing his own story in the playoffs.
I have a feeling Minnesota will have to turn to Shannon down the bench at some point, even if this team has a group of veteran contributors in front of him in secondary roles like Bones Hyland and newly acquired Ayo Dosunmu. Shannon shares a lot of qualities with Dosunmu, and having more of a good thing is never a bad thing.
In the playoffs, every team needs irrational scorers off the bench. Shannon fits that mold perfectly, and he should be ready to follow up on some great moments in last year’s postseason stretch.
Portland Trail Blazers
Top Young Player: Donovan Clingan
Donovan Clingan has quietly been one of the best centers in the NBA this season as a dominant defensive force.
Clingan changes games on that end of the floor through his sheer size, length, and strength. Few players can challenge Clingan at the rim and get the best of him without drawing a foul. Clingan is a tower in the lane who has the timing and instincts to block shots with the best of them. And when the opposing team is firing up looks from the perimeter, few big men are better at boxing out on the defensive glass and snaring the rebound.
The Portland Trail Blazers have several awesome defensive options, including Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija, but this group is at its best with Clingan in the middle of the floor. It’s one thing to have a player who can protect the rim and block shots from the weak side. It’s another to have someone so imposing that they deter drivers altogether and change the offensive game plan of the opposing team.
On offense, Clingan has started to get some threes up on pick-and-pop and trailer opportunities, which is a fun wrinkle for a player who has largely been a garbage finisher. Clingan can catch lobs, loves feasting on the offensive glass, and cuts to the rim. But he’s not the greatest player scoring one-on-one in the post, so any dimensions he can add away from the rim that play into his above-average passing at his position are a welcome addition to his arsenal. It’s not about him hitting a certain number of threes as much as it is putting him in that position at the top of the floor to operate in handoffs and passing actions from a standstill. Having him as a shooting threat above the break when defenses choose to play off him is a real boon in Portland’s offense.
For Portland to have any chance against the San Antonio Spurs, Clingan will need to be able to cover Victor Wembanyama all over the floor. Denying post touches, while also proving he can body him off spots in roll actions and come out to contest his jumpers are all ways in which Clingan needs to operate defensively. It’s a tall task for the 7-footer from UConn, but this is a great chance for Clingan to get valuable playoff experience against one of the best players in the entire league in Wemby.
Phoenix Suns
Top Young Player: Ryan Dunn
I could’ve easily put Khaman Maluach or Rasheer Fleming in this spot for the Phoenix Suns, but I’m not confident they’re going to get much playing time from head coach Jordan Ott, given how much they didn’t see the floor for most of the regular season.
One player I am confident will get time off the bench is Ryan Dunn, the young forward out of Virginia. Dunn is one of the league’s most versatile defenders, having an argument as a guy who can cover 1-5 depending on the matchup. That’s a rare skill set to have, but not many players can match his combination of length, anticipation, and lateral mobility.
For Phoenix to compete against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, it means several guys are going to have to step up and switch across numerous positions. The Thunder has a dynamic perimeter attack, so Dunn has to be ready to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander one possession, and Jalen Williams the next. Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker are very capable defenders in their own right, but Dunn off the bench is another great weapon to have should this team need to go to a lockdown lineup of sorts.
But for Dunn to get playing time in the playoffs, he has to prove he can knock down shots when he’s left open. Dunn has been an improved shooter in the NBA compared to his college career, but he’s still been pretty inconsistent from three-point range without the handle to create for others off the bounce in a postseason type of environment.
If Dunn isn’t a threat as a tertiary creator in the halfcourt, then he has to be a great shooter and stand-still passer if the ball is swung to him. If Dunn can’t connect on those looks and make the most of his touches on offense, then he won’t exactly be able to see much of the floor despite how valuable he is on defense. This isn’t a series where Phoenix can afford to play 4v5 on offense.