Post by naterade on Sept 5, 2015 4:10:03 GMT
Rookie Ladder, Top 15
Judge, comment, compare. This is my analyzation after looking at all of the rookie stats so far, from this past draft. I valued draft position, statistical production, and potential in my rankings, although I'm sure others have different opinions thus far. Lets hear them!
Jazz - Kevin Durant 31.8 ppg 7rpg 4.2 apg 1.6 spg
Well.. Anyone other than the Durantula at #1 would be blasphemy. putting up All NBN 1st team numbers as a rookie stands for itself. Dude is straight ballin; right now and no one has shown the ability to slow him down. Get a few camps under his belt, and Durant could have a few MVP’s in a short time. Watch out.
Trailblazers - Al Jefferson 17.6 ppg 11.3 rpg 2.5 apg 1.8 bpg
Widely considered to be the best big man in the draft from the start, Al Jeff hasn’t let the people down. Averaging 17 and 11 as a rookie, while flexing his defensive muscles with over 2 blocks per game, Jefferson would be a heavy consideration for ROTY any other year. Its too bad he didn’t declare next season when the rookie class doesn’t look quite as ridiculous, because this man is KILLIN it, out of the gates.
Mavericks - Glen Davis 18.0 ppg 7.8 rpg 1.4 apg 0.9 spg
Big Baby Davis had “steal of the draft” written all over him since he dominated the pre-draft camps. The Mavericks knew they were getting a great player when they drafted him at #15, and I’m sure they are even more excited now. Granted, he is on a team with little talent, but the numbers do not lie. Davis can score the ball, and with a little defensive camping, he could potentially be one of the better big men in the league one day.
Raptors - Rudy Gay 17.9 ppg 5.4 rpg 2.0 apg 1.1 spg
Rudy Gay is another candidate guy who declared a season too early if he wanted accolades for his success. Much like Jefferson and Davis, he is putting up ROTY numbers for most draft classes, but still lives in KD’s shadow. We knew he was the #2 SF in the draft, and he is holding that spot easily ahead of other prospects. Averaging close to 18 and 5 is nothing to scoff at though, as Gay is helping keep the Raptors future bright with his scoring ability. We’ll see if a few camps and TC’s help push Gay to All Star level in a few seasons.
Lakers - Rashad McCants 14.6 ppg 4.3 rpg 2.6 apg 1.3 spg
Possibly one of the more surprising success stories of the draft class, Rashad McCants is making every GM (except for one) look foolish with his performance thus far. McCants is averaging close to 15 and 5 as a rookie this year after being drafted 47th overall in the draft. The Lakers organization is pointing and laughing at everyone else who skipped on this guy through 75% of the draft. He is on a rebuilding team as well, but its hard to argue with the numbers, as he has filled up the stat sheets since day 1. I wanted him in the draft, but I definitely missed out on a steal.
Kings - Marcin Gortat 11.4 ppg 10.3 rpg 0.7 apg 1.3 bpg
Gortat was one of those guys who could have gone anywhere from 5 to 25 in the draft in the mocks. The Kings took a flyer on him at #9 despite having Kristic on the roster. It didn’t take long for the Kings GM to realize what a good pick that was, and he has not disappointed since given the minutes he deserves. One of two rookies averaging double double, Gortat has been a beast out of the gates, and will only get better with experience and development.
Heat - Josh Smith 11.4 ppg 7.3 rpg 3.1 apg 1.7 spg 1.8 bpg
J-Smoove has been up and down this season but has absolutely shown why he was a top 10 pick with flashes of brilliance. We’ve seen near triple doubles and monster games, but we have also seen some atrocious shooting percentages and high turnover numbers at times. This guy is definitely versatile and can play lockdown D, but has some opportunity for growth on the offensive end. His potential remains high, and the loyal Miami fans are very excited to have this guy on board for the near future.
Suns - Joakim Noah 9 ppg 10.2 rpg 2.4 apg 1.3 bpg
Noah is doing exactly what we expected of him from the time of his declaration into the draft. He’s a well rounded big man who rebounds, passes, and defends very well. He is still a little raw offensively and hasn’t been quite enough of a factor to make the Suns relevant this season, but he has shown enough talent to prove he deserves to be the starter for Phoenix long term.
Celtics - Monta Ellis 12.5 ppg 4.2 rpg 6.5 apg 0.7 spg
Monta Ellis was another top 10 pick, who seemed like a can’t miss prospect, and he has not disappointed in Boston. The Celtics didn’t necessarily need another scoring guard, but they took the best available talent at the #8 spot, and decided to play Monta at the 1 next to Ben Gordon. He has done a solid job at the 1 this season, averaging more assists than most expected him to, being a shoot-first type of player. He has also rebounded fairly well this season, making him one of the more well rounded rookies in the class. If the Celts can camp him into a better distributor, or figure out who is the permanent 2 for them, things will smooth out over time. For now though, they are just enjoying the ride. Nothing wrong with that.
Heat - Roy Hibbert 7.8 ppg 10.1 rpg 1.4 apg 2.2 bpg
Hibbert was another candidate for “steal of the draft” since he fell to #18, despite some talk of a top 10 talent. He has been a very solid defensive and rebounding Center this season, as most people expected. His only real flaws seem to lie on the offensive end, since he absolutely has room to develop there. The Heat fanatics are raving about his 10 boards and 2 blocks per game though, and are excited to see if he can fill out nicely once he gets some camping done on the offensive end.
Bucks - Kyle Lowry 9.1 ppg 4.5 rpg 5.8 apg 1.2 spg
Lowry was another player considered to have been a steal at #14 by the Nets, who couldn’t pass up on his talent despite their depth at the PG position. They did the smart thing, and dealt him to the Bucks for a more established star (Iverson) to help them get back on track after a slow start. Lowry has been a quiet stud in the league and put up solid numbers, despite not playing extended minutes for the Nets early on. This guy could turn out to be a real steal next season, after a TC and larger role in Milwaukee.
Pacers - Dominic McGuire 7.1 ppg 8.7 rpg 2.4 apg 0.7 spg 0.8 bpg
McGuire was the surprise pick of the draft, going at #16 to Indiana, despite not being on anyones radar with all of the draft hype. The Pacers GM is definitely experiencing some growing pains early on, but they have to be ecstatic about his performance thus far. He is one of the best rebounding perimeter players of the draft while boasting some well rounded stats across the board. With a few camps and productive TC’s he could shed the “poor man’s Josh Smith” title, and make the Pacer’s GM look like a genius for snagging him in the draft before anyone else has a chance to realize the talent he carries with him.
Blazers - Kris Humphries 8.5 ppg 8.1 rpg 0.9 apg 0.7 bpg
Humph has played very well thus far this season, especially considering he was a 2nd round selection for Portland. He is playing a reserve role for the Blazers behind vet legend Antonion McDyess, but is a making a serious case for the starting position next year with his ability to rebound the ball. He could easily average a double double as a started next season if he keeps up his production, and could end up being another steal in the draft long term. Damn, Portland had a sneaky good draft!
Clippers - Spencer Hawes 6.5 ppg 5.2 rpg 0.9 apg 1.1 bpg
Spencer Hawes was snagged at #13 in the draft, and has been solid since day 1 for LAC. The Clippers have assembled a very talented team oriented around outside scoring, and really had some question marks with their big men. The Clippers selected the best available big with Hawes at #13, and he has definitely done what they had hoped he would. With his current production, he would average about 13 and 10 with starter minutes, which is nothing to complain about at all. Im sure he is chomping at the bit to steal the starting spot from Jason Collins, which should be a reality sooner than later.
Clippers - Carl Landry 7.1 ppg 4.6 rpg 0.4 apg 0.4 spg
My final accolade goes to Carl Landry, another Clippers pickup in the recent draft. Landry has been solid. Not great, but definitely better than most of the rookie class, especially when you rememeber he’s on a playoff team, and only averaging about 13 minutes per contest. If you look at his production and estimate that to starter minutes, he would be closing to 15 and 10, which is a scary proposition for a guy taken at #40 in the draft. Jesus…. The Clippers definitely had a hole down low with their perimeter oriented team, and they may have found an answer already with Landry (and Hawes). Can’t wait to see how he turns up after a few seasons of experience.
Judge, comment, compare. This is my analyzation after looking at all of the rookie stats so far, from this past draft. I valued draft position, statistical production, and potential in my rankings, although I'm sure others have different opinions thus far. Lets hear them!
Jazz - Kevin Durant 31.8 ppg 7rpg 4.2 apg 1.6 spg
Well.. Anyone other than the Durantula at #1 would be blasphemy. putting up All NBN 1st team numbers as a rookie stands for itself. Dude is straight ballin; right now and no one has shown the ability to slow him down. Get a few camps under his belt, and Durant could have a few MVP’s in a short time. Watch out.
Trailblazers - Al Jefferson 17.6 ppg 11.3 rpg 2.5 apg 1.8 bpg
Widely considered to be the best big man in the draft from the start, Al Jeff hasn’t let the people down. Averaging 17 and 11 as a rookie, while flexing his defensive muscles with over 2 blocks per game, Jefferson would be a heavy consideration for ROTY any other year. Its too bad he didn’t declare next season when the rookie class doesn’t look quite as ridiculous, because this man is KILLIN it, out of the gates.
Mavericks - Glen Davis 18.0 ppg 7.8 rpg 1.4 apg 0.9 spg
Big Baby Davis had “steal of the draft” written all over him since he dominated the pre-draft camps. The Mavericks knew they were getting a great player when they drafted him at #15, and I’m sure they are even more excited now. Granted, he is on a team with little talent, but the numbers do not lie. Davis can score the ball, and with a little defensive camping, he could potentially be one of the better big men in the league one day.
Raptors - Rudy Gay 17.9 ppg 5.4 rpg 2.0 apg 1.1 spg
Rudy Gay is another candidate guy who declared a season too early if he wanted accolades for his success. Much like Jefferson and Davis, he is putting up ROTY numbers for most draft classes, but still lives in KD’s shadow. We knew he was the #2 SF in the draft, and he is holding that spot easily ahead of other prospects. Averaging close to 18 and 5 is nothing to scoff at though, as Gay is helping keep the Raptors future bright with his scoring ability. We’ll see if a few camps and TC’s help push Gay to All Star level in a few seasons.
Lakers - Rashad McCants 14.6 ppg 4.3 rpg 2.6 apg 1.3 spg
Possibly one of the more surprising success stories of the draft class, Rashad McCants is making every GM (except for one) look foolish with his performance thus far. McCants is averaging close to 15 and 5 as a rookie this year after being drafted 47th overall in the draft. The Lakers organization is pointing and laughing at everyone else who skipped on this guy through 75% of the draft. He is on a rebuilding team as well, but its hard to argue with the numbers, as he has filled up the stat sheets since day 1. I wanted him in the draft, but I definitely missed out on a steal.
Kings - Marcin Gortat 11.4 ppg 10.3 rpg 0.7 apg 1.3 bpg
Gortat was one of those guys who could have gone anywhere from 5 to 25 in the draft in the mocks. The Kings took a flyer on him at #9 despite having Kristic on the roster. It didn’t take long for the Kings GM to realize what a good pick that was, and he has not disappointed since given the minutes he deserves. One of two rookies averaging double double, Gortat has been a beast out of the gates, and will only get better with experience and development.
Heat - Josh Smith 11.4 ppg 7.3 rpg 3.1 apg 1.7 spg 1.8 bpg
J-Smoove has been up and down this season but has absolutely shown why he was a top 10 pick with flashes of brilliance. We’ve seen near triple doubles and monster games, but we have also seen some atrocious shooting percentages and high turnover numbers at times. This guy is definitely versatile and can play lockdown D, but has some opportunity for growth on the offensive end. His potential remains high, and the loyal Miami fans are very excited to have this guy on board for the near future.
Suns - Joakim Noah 9 ppg 10.2 rpg 2.4 apg 1.3 bpg
Noah is doing exactly what we expected of him from the time of his declaration into the draft. He’s a well rounded big man who rebounds, passes, and defends very well. He is still a little raw offensively and hasn’t been quite enough of a factor to make the Suns relevant this season, but he has shown enough talent to prove he deserves to be the starter for Phoenix long term.
Celtics - Monta Ellis 12.5 ppg 4.2 rpg 6.5 apg 0.7 spg
Monta Ellis was another top 10 pick, who seemed like a can’t miss prospect, and he has not disappointed in Boston. The Celtics didn’t necessarily need another scoring guard, but they took the best available talent at the #8 spot, and decided to play Monta at the 1 next to Ben Gordon. He has done a solid job at the 1 this season, averaging more assists than most expected him to, being a shoot-first type of player. He has also rebounded fairly well this season, making him one of the more well rounded rookies in the class. If the Celts can camp him into a better distributor, or figure out who is the permanent 2 for them, things will smooth out over time. For now though, they are just enjoying the ride. Nothing wrong with that.
Heat - Roy Hibbert 7.8 ppg 10.1 rpg 1.4 apg 2.2 bpg
Hibbert was another candidate for “steal of the draft” since he fell to #18, despite some talk of a top 10 talent. He has been a very solid defensive and rebounding Center this season, as most people expected. His only real flaws seem to lie on the offensive end, since he absolutely has room to develop there. The Heat fanatics are raving about his 10 boards and 2 blocks per game though, and are excited to see if he can fill out nicely once he gets some camping done on the offensive end.
Bucks - Kyle Lowry 9.1 ppg 4.5 rpg 5.8 apg 1.2 spg
Lowry was another player considered to have been a steal at #14 by the Nets, who couldn’t pass up on his talent despite their depth at the PG position. They did the smart thing, and dealt him to the Bucks for a more established star (Iverson) to help them get back on track after a slow start. Lowry has been a quiet stud in the league and put up solid numbers, despite not playing extended minutes for the Nets early on. This guy could turn out to be a real steal next season, after a TC and larger role in Milwaukee.
Pacers - Dominic McGuire 7.1 ppg 8.7 rpg 2.4 apg 0.7 spg 0.8 bpg
McGuire was the surprise pick of the draft, going at #16 to Indiana, despite not being on anyones radar with all of the draft hype. The Pacers GM is definitely experiencing some growing pains early on, but they have to be ecstatic about his performance thus far. He is one of the best rebounding perimeter players of the draft while boasting some well rounded stats across the board. With a few camps and productive TC’s he could shed the “poor man’s Josh Smith” title, and make the Pacer’s GM look like a genius for snagging him in the draft before anyone else has a chance to realize the talent he carries with him.
Blazers - Kris Humphries 8.5 ppg 8.1 rpg 0.9 apg 0.7 bpg
Humph has played very well thus far this season, especially considering he was a 2nd round selection for Portland. He is playing a reserve role for the Blazers behind vet legend Antonion McDyess, but is a making a serious case for the starting position next year with his ability to rebound the ball. He could easily average a double double as a started next season if he keeps up his production, and could end up being another steal in the draft long term. Damn, Portland had a sneaky good draft!
Clippers - Spencer Hawes 6.5 ppg 5.2 rpg 0.9 apg 1.1 bpg
Spencer Hawes was snagged at #13 in the draft, and has been solid since day 1 for LAC. The Clippers have assembled a very talented team oriented around outside scoring, and really had some question marks with their big men. The Clippers selected the best available big with Hawes at #13, and he has definitely done what they had hoped he would. With his current production, he would average about 13 and 10 with starter minutes, which is nothing to complain about at all. Im sure he is chomping at the bit to steal the starting spot from Jason Collins, which should be a reality sooner than later.
Clippers - Carl Landry 7.1 ppg 4.6 rpg 0.4 apg 0.4 spg
My final accolade goes to Carl Landry, another Clippers pickup in the recent draft. Landry has been solid. Not great, but definitely better than most of the rookie class, especially when you rememeber he’s on a playoff team, and only averaging about 13 minutes per contest. If you look at his production and estimate that to starter minutes, he would be closing to 15 and 10, which is a scary proposition for a guy taken at #40 in the draft. Jesus…. The Clippers definitely had a hole down low with their perimeter oriented team, and they may have found an answer already with Landry (and Hawes). Can’t wait to see how he turns up after a few seasons of experience.
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