Running all day: My NBA season preview.
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I know who I'm NOT picking for Rookie of the Year: Adam Morrison. His preseason didn't live up to the hype. Not even close.
He can't play D. He doesn't rebound or create assists. He was supposed to be this great scorer, but his 36 percent FG shooting in the preseason was horrible. What are you left with? A lot of commercial appeal, but no Rookie of the Year Award.
What does a top ROY contender need?
Minutes, for starters. That's why Marcus Williams might be the "per-48-minutes" ROY, but he won't be able to win it simply being the Nets backup PG.
Stat-stuffing helps, too. Points, rebounds, assists, the whole thing. That's why I'm on the Brandon Roy bandwagon. The Blazers NEED him to be the leader, and so far, he's shown an interest in assuming the role.
(Looking for a darkhorse? How about second-round phenom Paul Millsap? What if the Jazz forward can get enough minutes to expand on his rookie-leading 7.4 rpg (in only 17 mpg).
Comments Question: Who is YOUR prediction for NBA Rookie of the Year? Who will be in contention? Who will be this year's surprise?
-- D.S.
Posts
14 comments:
I've got to go with Rajon Rondo, even if I'm not sure how to spell his name.
You mean Morrison and Redick might be overhyped unathletic white guards drafted too high from traditionally overhyped D-I powerhouses? I'm shocked... shocked!
Randy Foye should be in contention, but Dwayne Casey is going to absolutely hand-cuff him.
i think you are too hard on morrison...his preseason was an indication of things to come..he did lead the bobcats in scoring during the preseason..morrison will be able to rebound but mostly he will score and he will score alot..with that being said...Brandon Roy will win ROY
if its ronaldo balkman i will get a knicks tattoo
don't sleep on rudy gay.
i echo your sleeper pick in millsap, dan. dude is a beast. sadly, though, i don't see sloan giving him enough minutes to get in the ROY discussion.
Don't drink the Sports Guy Kool Aid on Rondo just yet. I think he'll be decent, but look for a very low shooting percentage when the season starts.
Look for Roy, Foye or Gay to take the trophy. Probably Gay.
Roy for ROY...
i love him enough to own him in all of my fantasy leagues...
he is so NBA ready...
As a diehard Celtics fan I will say that there is no chance Rajon Rondo will be this years ROY.
I think Rajon will be a good player, and he'll help the Celtics off the bench as a spark with Delonte West in the backcourt and when you can bring DWest and Rondo off the bench you're pretty ok with the second unit (especially when Doc Rivers likes to use 10 people).
But I think guys like Brandon Roy, and Randy Foye will be asked to do more for their teams, thus they will have the appeal and the stats that Rondo won't have and thats why he wont be in the running.
Rondo can't shoot, Roy is on a bad bad bad team, Tyrus Thomas won't get enough minutes. I'm going with Foye, even though Morrison will lead all rookies in scoring. Minnesota will make a Hornet type run this year and just miss on the playoffs, and Randy Foye will be KG's new little buddy.
And solomonrex...i'm from the northwest and a gonzaga fan, and never ever in my entire life, has anyone referred to Gonzaga as a D-1 powerhouse. Typically their guys don't even get drafted.
It was only a couple weeks ago that I remembered "oh, snap, the Bulls added two high-potential rookies to the roster, too!"
I think that if either Thomas or Bargnani become legitimate options in the paint this year, they have very good chances of contending for the ROY. The Bulls are the best team I can think of that has a huge gap to fill, which means they are less likely to have to fight for those points against other players on their own team. Let's face it, "___ of the year" voters always look at points first.
Thank you, Isiah!
Thanks for the Millsap love. He has seriously surprised us all up here in the UT, especially Coach Sloan (who's notorious for ignoring rookies). I'm predicting that he gets 8 and 5 a night if he plays enough.
Ok, Gonzaga is no traditional powerhouse, but they've been the only overrated mid-major like 5 years running.
Every year Gonzaga is every analyst's "sleeper" pick to contend, and every year they pretty much underperform. To be fair, the NCAA tournament is a HUGE crapshoot. But still.
Ok, ok, Foye is the best guess right now. I'm not sure how to take summer league. LeBron took a year to improve his jumper, who knows if Morrison and Rajon will get that shot, after all?
^
When I said Bargnani, I meant Sefalosha. Damn those Euro names!
stooncer makes a good point. Why, in a level field, can't the rookie of the year be the number one pick? I think sportswriters and fans sometimes forget the obvious choice in favor of the exciting or interesting one.
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