[M.GarveyParticipant]

One of my favorite things to do at the beginning of any NBA season is to pay an eye on the season’s rookies and see how they progress 2-3 seasons down the line.

Some of my thoughts

Ricky Rubio – G – Minnesota Timberwolves

ESPN, Chad Ford, and everyone else are drolling over the first 6-7 games and some are comparing him to Steve Nash (NO!, Steve Nash is the best shooter over the last 10 years, 50-40-90). I will say from watching a few games he has great court vision, I’m not putting too much stock in the 50% FG right now. But I think there’s too much hoopla for him I’d rather have Curry, DeRozan, Harden, Lawson, Evans: so what are we really comparing him against?

Derrick Williams – F – Minnesota Timberwolves

Havent seen anything that stood out, his athleticism against NBA players are negated, 3PT % in college was obviously an outlier, not writing him off but more i’m saying "Meh"

Kyrie Irving – G – Cleveland Cavaliers

Kyrie has had 2 bad shooting games against the Raps or else his FG% would be higher, but all games are equal so we have to take that into consideration. Until last night’s 7TO he’d been doing a good job of not turning over the ball. He’s a shoot first PG that still has enough passing in him. Seems to get in the paint and his handles to do so are deceptively quick. I think he’s ahead of the rest of his Rookie Class.

Brandon Knight – G – Detroit Pistons

Only seen one game, cant get over his weird form, but he can fill up the basket when given the shots, I think he’ll continue to get better, he could be a sleeper for next season, I’m going to keep an eye on how he finishes the season.

After a rookie’s first 40 games judgements can be made, as well, it’s also good to look at the last 10 games of the season to see if there has been any improvements.

Leave your thoughts

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

Marshon Brooks is pretty good, I see him being a solid good player. 

[M.GarveyParticipant]

Marshon can score, I forgot to mention him, I havent seen any games so I didnt want to write about him just based on box scores

[llperez]

i have thought very highly of derrick williams watching him play. He is playing less then 20 minutes per, but he is getting 8 points and 4 boards and shooting over 50% from the field and his three pointer is off but that will come. His stroke is fluid and he is still over 30% from there. He has an amazing first step in iso plays and finishes well around the paint. I think he is gonna be a terriffic nba player around 20ppg annually.

[sheltwon3Participant]

A lot of this is based on box scores but I have seen a few of this people play on TV though.

Norris Cole has looked really good despite a few poor games and that he shares minutes with Chalmers.

Kemba Walker is playing pretty good despite bench minutes.

Tristan Thompson has put up some decent numbers.

Iman Shumpert has looked good in spurts.

Klay Thompson just had a pretty good game last night and has shown he can definitely shoot the ball

Markieff Morris has had a few really good games.  I wonder if he will ever get the start over Frye.

Chris Singleton put up good numbers against the Knicks.

I think I rember Marcus Morris having one good game but he doesnt seem to get minutes.

Keneth Faried looks like he will be that hustle all purpose bench player.

Issiah Thomas has looked alright in spot minutes.

I think Selby had like one good game off the bench that got my attention.

Josh Harrellson is looking like a solid pick for New York as a bench player.

Biyombo had like 2 games that I liked where he put up some decent defense and offensive numbers.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

 I watched the game him vs Boston, he has a all around good game.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

Rubio – no way I would rather have DeRozan (too one-dimensional), or even Harden (at best a third, maybe second scorer, like him though) or Evans (great basketball player but what is he?). With Rubio you know what you’re getting: someone to run your team like an elite QB. He’s already doing it when he’s in the game and he’s 3-4 years from his prime.

Williams – Game is kind of all over the place (shooting too many 3s) I’ll give you that, but he’s been just as efficient as expected I think. 

Irving – Agree. 

Knight – Not great shot selection but proving consistently that he’ll be a starter at the very least. 

[M.GarveyParticipant]

@Sammy

I think Harden on a different team is a good second option, he’s great on the pick and roll, put him on a team that has bigs that set screens and rolls and he’s almost a 20ppg, i rather have him that Rubio at this point

[sheltwon3Participant]

How about what 2nd year players are impressing you.

Paul George anyone

Greg Monroe

Cousins(despite coach incident)

Greivis Vasquez(somewhat because I thought he would be out of the league and not a solid bkup)

Dexter Pittman(the fact that he is actually playing for a potential champion caliber team and doing pretty well)

Laundry Fields is playing well but not the same as how he started last year.

Devin Ebanks look good early then lost minutes.

Wall has not started off well but let’s hope that he can continue like his game against New York.

Turner has had good games but low stats overall because he is still coming of the bench.

Favors has had a few good game and could be ahead of schedule of what many predicted him to be being that he is really young and young big men tend to take a while to develop.

Wesley Johnson is playing alright but he is out of position at the 2 spot.

Jordan Crawford had a few good game but is inconsistent.

[M.GarveyParticipant]

I dont understand why Cousins has such a low FG% and is terrible around the rim according to hoopdata. If this doesnt improve I dont see him fulfilling his potential. 

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

 The 2nd year guy’s  isnt looking well no one is standing out. It’s unimpressive.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

M. Garvey, interesting question.  Not sure if I would rather have Rubio or Harden on my team.   I really like them both.  Now, here is a good question.  Would the Thunder be better off with Russell Westbrook or a trio of Ricky Rubio, JJ Barea, and Anthony Randolph?  If Harden is a legit 2nd option then Rubio might be the ideal fit at point guard with that team.  Solid size and defense, great passing, vision, and ball handling.  He has hit some shots too so he also has that going for him.  Barea would be a great scorer off the bench and Anthony Randolph would be a good athletic big for the Thunder’s rotation.  But, I don’t think that the T-Wolves would trade Rubio.

Rubio and Harden are both good players and seem to have high basketball IQ’s.  I also think that Durant, Harden, Rubio, Perkins, Ibaka, Barea, Sefolosha, Collison, and Anthony Randolph would be one hell of a team.

Starters: 

PG:  Ricky Rubio

SG:  James Harden

SF:   Kevin Durant

PF:   Serge Ibaka

C:      Kendrick Perkins

Sixth Man:  JJ Barea

Bench:

PG:    Eric Maynor

SG:     Thabo Sefolosha

SF:     Daquan Cook

PF:     Anthony Randolph

C:       Nick Collison

Reserve Center: Nazr Mohammed

 

The T Wolves would roll out a fast breaking lineup with Russell Westbrook as the star point guard and first option on the perimeter with Kevin Love being the primary weapon inside.  Pick and rolls with Westbrook’s size, speed, and explosiveness with Love’s skill and shooting touch would be very, very nice.  They went to the Final Four together so maybe they can put together a contender in Minny.  Derrick Williams would be a great 3rd option who could score on the fast break, on alley oops and also step out and hit 3’s.  In Minny, Westbrook might get more shots and could be the go-to guy down the stretch kinda like D-Wade.  Beasley would be another big, long player who would make up an ideal 3 foward rotation along with Love and Derrick Williams (moving Randolph would help clear up the log jam).  Darko is a servicable center similar to Perkins on the defensive side with perhaps a little more offensive polish.  Ridnour would be a fantastic backup point guard who can pass, shoot, and score.  I think Ridnour is better as a bench guy who can change the tempo and still put some points on the board.  Or, the could briefly go to a small backcourt with Ridnour at the point, Westbrook at the 2 with a perhaps a smaller front line of Love, Beasley, and Derrick Williams.  Wes Johnson and Wayne Ellington are guys who can maybe hit some shots and don’t dominate the ball which will be good for Westbrook.  Westbrook can handle the ball and create and all the shooting guards will have to do is, well, shoot.

[sheltwon3Participant]

I the the lockout has hurt a lot of young player from developing but I think in time it will show where everyone stands

[nick5354Participant]

 Kyrie isn’t a shoot first PG. 

[JoeWolf1]

 sheltwon, Marcus Morris went down to the D-League after playing pretty inconsistantly ( stupid fouls) in his first couple NBA games.  He dropped 33 poings 16 boards and 5 assists in his first game, so who knows how long he’ll stay there.

[CodySLCParticipant]

Alc Burkes has shown flashes of his athletism and ball handling abilities. In his old college stomping grounds vs Denver, he went 6 of 9 for 15 points in just ten minutes. Its still early, but i think he’s shown that he probably will be the better pro of him and Klay Thompson. Klays a great shooter, but besides that Burkes has the advantage in every other aspect of the game, including age. Burkes is averaging 6.7ppg in 12mpg. Klay is averaging 6ppg in about 18mpg.

 Enes Kanter is second in rookie rebounding at 5rpg in only 14 minutes a night. He shown hes not an athlete, and that his offencive game is lacking. But hes also shown hes an out standing rebounder, and at 19 he isnt scared to bang down low with the big boys.

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