NBA SIMS LEAGUE SIXTH MAN WATCH - Week 1
| PLAYER | TEAM | WHY | STATS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | PER 29.39 |  Eastern 8-11 | Jordan Clarkson has been a perennial guy for this award and this year looks like it might be no different with the offensive starved 76ers deploying him just as you would imagine from the day dot, even with other options out. 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists on typical volume percentages but he's finally the guy Philly have been hunting for, for years. | 20.5 PTS 3.6 REB 3.8 AST 0.5 STL 0.0 BLK |
 | PER 28.71 |  Western 8-13 | Poole has always been better suited to that bench role where the team doesn't have to operate through him and he has more free reign to be himself, and not with any expectations. Week 1 saw him splash 25 points a game in only 22 minutes a game, with little else to his name, but what else does he need? Any team can use that kind of boost off the bench! | 20.4 PTS 2.2 REB 1.8 AST 0.6 STL 0.1 BLK |
 | PER 27.11 |  Eastern 3-17 | We're only 1 week into the season but it's shaping up already to be an award all for the guards who love to handle the rock and create this year. Giddey did exactly that off the bench for the Knicks week 1, going for more than 1 point per minute on the court...which is phenomenal when you're playing 25 minutes a game! 26 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists is a really nice starters line let alone a 6th man. He might just be paving the way for an award win end of year! | 21.8 PTS 6.3 REB 2.9 AST 0.9 STL 0.3 BLK |
 | PER 21.55 |  Eastern 13-6 | Back to the explosive combo guard of the year award watch, and Sexton stepped straight up as you knew he would. Funnily enough, he poured in those points off the bench like he always does with 18 points, 2 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 58/50/83 splits in week 1, announcing he will again be running for this award with the other familiar faces. The Bulls held on tightly to their guy knowing he'd have this role and he's going to push those limits all year. | 15.3 PTS 1.8 REB 2.4 AST 0.6 STL 0.1 BLK |
 | PER 19.81 |  Eastern 15-4 | Every year Beasley has tantelised teams with his offensive potential but he hasn't managed to land/stick with a team over the journey. He's now in Cleveland and he's come out firing just as you would imagine with 17 points in 19 minutes for a deep Cavs team, awaiting the return of their star. He's going to be an import piece off the bench for the Cavs playoff run. | 14.5 PTS 2.5 REB 1.6 AST 0.4 STL 0.0 BLK |
 | PER 18.23 |  Western 13-5 | Keyonte had a nice rookie year and looks like he could follow that Tyrese Maxey path in Houston. He's going to get all that type of play next to the superstar big man, and filling in off the bench behind Maxey and the other Tyrese, and it should help him do what he did in week 1, all year. 15 points and 2 assists in 20 minutes is nice return. | 10.3 PTS 1.2 REB 1.5 AST 0.3 STL 0.2 BLK |
 | PER 18.06 |  Western 1-17 | Miles has been much maligned over the course of his career so far, but this year he was set to start to do something in a Dallas squad that needs all the help it can get. He came off the bench in mid 20s minutes like all the other scoring guards and has announced himself for this award early with sexton like 18 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4 assists, with a steal too. His shooting wasn't as good as Collin, but it's probably more realistic as a season number, meaning he's going to be close to this for most of the year you'd imagine. | 18.0 PTS 3.5 REB 3.8 AST 1.3 STL 0.3 BLK |
 | PER 17.93 |  Eastern 13-7 | Jock did the rounds in the offseason but he landed on his feet for the size deprived Charlotte Hornets and moved straight into a reserve role where he put up 8 points, 6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 65% shooting. The perfect bench big role and production. Bigs are going to get swamped for this award, but it's nice to know some are on that radar! | 5.8 PTS 4.9 REB 0.5 AST 0.0 STL 1.1 BLK |
 | PER 17.49 |  Eastern 6-13 | Only the 2nd big man to make this watch list, rookie Donovan Clingan did everything and more you would hope for off the bench in a big man role in week 1 and would hope it was all within his regular role, too. 9 points, 7 rebounds, a steal and a block on super efficient 79% shooting, is all season long achievable you might imagine and maybe only injury (announced today) might be the thing that keeps him from featuring here regularly. | 8.8 PTS 8.0 REB 2.1 AST 1.5 STL 0.9 BLK |
 | PER 16.69 |  Eastern 9-11 | Finally, someone breaking the mold! Vucevic came off the bench week 1 which was always going to happen with Jalen Duran on the team, and he needs to get used to this spot in Miami. 9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal on 58/100/100 splits might mean he's short lived in this race as he starts to miss shots, but for now, he's the perfect offensive big man to come in and space the floor. | 10.8 PTS 9.3 REB 2.6 AST 1.3 STL 0.3 BLK |