G League Breakouts: Hawks' Toppin, KJ Simpson

Every NBA club now has a G League pipeline and the article peels back the map, naming one prospect from each affiliate most likely to become an NBA rotation piece. It highlights why: specialists like Taelon Peter (elite spot-up shooting), scorers like Jacob Toppin (37.1% on 5.7 threes) and Trey Alexander, stretch bigs such as Tristan Vukčević, and playmakers like Ryan Nembhard and KJ Simpson all offer clear roles—floor spacing, defense, or play creation—that teams will covet when minutes open. Merlin sees a league where opportunity matters more than draft pedigree. Two-way deals, injuries, and fit will be the gates these players walk through; shooters and versatile defenders have the shortest road, bigs who can stretch or finish will be in demand, and high-IQ playmakers will be the sneaky long-term winners.