Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome are spearheading one of the best reserve units in the NBA in Cleveland.
While most bench units are lucky to have one Sixth Man of the Year candidate, there is an argument to be made that Cleveland has two. The Cavaliers' bench ranks second in the league in net rating (4.8) and fifth in points per game (38.8), due in large part to the efforts of LeVert and Jerome.
Caris LeVert has been one of the best bench players in the league throughout his four seasons donning the Wine and Gold, but Ty Jerome has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. 27 games into his season with the Cavs, Jerome is averaging 10.7 points, 3.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, shooting 53.7% from the field and 44.7% from 3-point range, both of which are career-high marks.
LeVert has been equally impressive this season, notching 12.3 points, 4.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. Like Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert has posted career-high shooting percentages so far this season, shooting 53% from the field and 48.8% from beyond the arc.
There's no doubt the pair have been among the best reserve players in the league to start the year, but where do they rank stacked up against some of the other top bench players in the NBA? Here are our NBA Sixth Man power rankings two months into the season.
1. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
As big of a surprise as Ty Jerome has been to start the season, Boston's Payton Pritchard has shocked the NBA world through the Celtics' first 26 games of the season. Pritchard is the only bench player in the league to appear in at least 20 games and average 15-plus points per game, giving him the lead in our sixth man power rankings.
So far this season, Prichard is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, steals, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage, notching 16.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting an impressive 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep. The former Oregon Duck is the odds-on favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award (all odds in this piece courtesy of DraftKings) and has helped Boston win 21 of their first 26 games. Pritchard is emerging as a star in his largest role as a pro.
2. Caris LeVert, Cleveland Cavaliers
While he may not have the eye-popping scoring numbers of Payton Pritchard, no reserve player in the NBA has been as efficient as Caris LeVert to start the season. We've touched on his numbers at a glance, but LeVert's advanced numbers have been just as notable. He leads all bench players in plus-minus and is eighth in defensive win shares (minimum 20 games).
Caris LeVert's contributions have helped the Cavaliers to a league-best 23-4 record, which lands him second in our power rankings and gives him the fifth-best odds to win the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year award.
3. Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors
While he has cooled off over Golden State's last six games, Buddy Hield got out to the best start of any reserve player in the NBA. Hield opened the season with six 20-point performances in the first seven games of the season. His consistency has waivered slightly, but the 32-year-old sharpshooter remains in the conversation for the best sixth man in the league in his first full season coming off the bench.
Through 25 games, Hield is averaging 14.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 1.4 apg, shooting 44.8% from the field and 42.4% from beyond the arc, which is second on Golden State's roster. As Hield continues to navigate his new role out west, the veteran guard could improve on the fourth-best Sixth Man of the Year.
4. De'Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks
Despite dealing with some nagging injuries to start the season, which has cause him to miss some time, one thing has been consistent with De'Andre Hunter: His play on the court. In 16 games this season, Hunter is leading all bench players in points per game, averaging a career-high 19.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.3 apg, shooting an eye-popping 45% from 3-point territory.
A combination of team success and injury troubles drop Hunter down our list, but if the veteran forward sustains his high level of play down the stretch of the season, he will likely take home some hardware at the end of the year. Accoring to most sportsbooks, Hunter is second in the Sixth Man of the Year odds behind Payton Pritchard.
5. Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic
The final spot in these power rankings could go to several players, including Ty Jerome, but if we're playing the odds, the fifth and final spot in the rankings will have to go to Mortiz Wagner. Wagner is in the midst of a career year in Orlando, notching career-highs in points, rebounds, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage per game. In 28 games, the German big man is averaging 13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 1.4 apg connecting on 56.2% of shots from the field and 36.5% of shots from deep.
Wagner is currently tied with Caris LeVert for the fifth-best odds to win the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year award and dropped a season-high 32-point performance versus the New York Knicks on Sunday.