NBA Rookie Rankings: Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner have big weeks; Herb Jones impresses on defense

The NBA is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak that has impacted almost each workforce within the league inside the previous two weeks. The league has postponed a complete of seven video games in December, with a number of stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and James Harden all sidelined in well being and security protocols. Amongst rookies, Evan Mobley, Ayo Dosunmu and Davion Mitchell have all entered protocols. The variety of gamers out throughout the league has resulted in some first-year guys who do not usually see a lot motion getting their quantity known as, and we have seen some promising performances from that group.

Transferring on to this week’s rankings, do not forget that these will mirror a rookie’s efficiency on a week-to-week foundation solely, and never the collective season. These aren’t Rookie of the 12 months standings. With that straightened out, here’s a have a look at the top-performing rookies across the league. 

Barnes had a reasonably cool begin to his week, when he grew to become the youngest Raptors participant since Tracy McGrady to file a 20-point, 10-rebound, five-assist sport when he completed with 23 factors, 12 rebounds and 5 assists in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets. He stored that momentum getting into a win over a Golden State Warriors workforce with out its key gamers, ending that sport a plus-26. 

What’s been actually thrilling to observe is Barnes’ improvement as a scorer off the bounce. It is not one thing he is doing typically this season, as most of his factors are available in transition, however when he’s given the prospect to take a defender one-on-one, he is displaying some flashes.

That is a facet of Barnes’ sport that if he actually focuses on it and improves even additional, he will be much more versatile on offense. 

Wagner’s boxscores from this previous week, you may suppose that the sport by which he put up 27 factors was his most spectacular efficiency. However it was truly the 14-point, 11-rebound, six-assist outing he had in a win over a depleted Brooklyn Nets workforce that stands out much more. Sure, he struggled mightily in taking pictures the ball that evening (4 of 14 from the sphere), however whereas his shot wasn’t falling he was impacting the sport in different methods for the Magic. His six assists have been a team-high, and tied his career-high, displaying that Wagner could be a playmaker for his teammates as nicely.  

Although Cunningham solely put up 4 factors in Detroit’s win over the Miami Heat this previous week, his scoring wasn’t indicative of how nicely he performed in that sport. The No. 1 total choose assisted on 10 of Saddiq Bey’s 26 factors, because the rookie did an amazing job of getting the ball to Bey on the proper time and within the excellent place to rack up factors. It is Cunningham’s potential to not simply rating, however facilitate the ball, seize rebounds and play above common protection that make him so particular. He is been showcasing all these aspects of his sport over the previous month, and has pushed himself additional into the Rookie of the 12 months dialog due to it. 

This is a wild quantity that jumps out from Giddey’s efficiency final week: he grabbed 18 rebounds in Oklahoma Metropolis’s win over the Clippers. No, that is not a typo, and to make it even crazier he completed with a double-double, however not with factors, with 10 assists to go along with that ridiculous variety of rebounds. 

To be trustworthy, Giddey placing up nice assists and rebounding numbers whereas not racking up a ton of factors has been par for the course this season for him. In truth, he is struggling closely taking pictures the ball, particularly from 3-point territory the place he is taking pictures at a lowly 19 % clip over the month of December on 3.5 makes an attempt a sport. Giddey’s an outstanding facilitator, and his court docket imaginative and prescient is already leaps and bounds the place it must be for a rookie, however he additionally must develop into a extra constant menace when he is taking pictures the ball, whether or not it is from lengthy vary or contained in the arc, the place he is taking pictures simply 39 % in December.

OK so the Pelicans‘ season has been disappointing to say the least, primarily due to Zion Williamson’s persistently delayed timeline for a debut this season. However whereas that scenario remains to be murky in New Orleans, what’s been one of many brighter — if not the brightest — spots of this season for the Pelicans has been Jones’ play. All season lengthy he is been a tenacious defender, and though he is getting used as a small-ball heart in New Orleans, he is largely out on the wing defending guards, the place he is doing an unbelievable job. 

His size makes it tough for guards to get previous him with ease, and his lateral quickness does not make it simple on guys seeking to get downhill to the rim. The listing of All-Stars he is been tasked with guarding this season — Luka Doncic, Paul George, James Harden — exhibits that the Pelicans already see how robust of a defender he’s this early in his profession, and he is solely going to get higher. 

Duarte’s taking pictures has been in flux over the previous few weeks, however he is remained an necessary piece within the Pacers rotation. He is continued to point out promise on the defensive aspect of the ball, and although he does not have the ball in his fingers sufficient to point out of his potential as a playmaker in that regard, he is nonetheless making an impression as a stable cutter, and spot-up shooter. If the Pacers do resolve to interrupt up their roster and focus extra on younger guys like Duarte, we might see extra of his playmaking talents in a while within the season.   

The Rockets are one of many few groups within the league that hasn’t been impacted by the league’s latest COVID-19 outbreak this season, however they’ve handled accidents to key gamers like Kevin Porter Jr. and No. 2 total choose Jalen Green. Of their absence, guys like Christopher are seeing extra constant minutes, and he is making probably the most out of it together with his high-flying athleticism and 3-point taking pictures. 

Duke did not see any motion till Dec. 8, however with Brooklyn coping with the league’s worst COVID-19 outbreak with 10 guys at present sidelined, he isn’t solely seeing extra minutes, however has began within the Nets’ final three video games. Most just lately he put up 18 factors and a whopping 14 rebounds in a loss in opposition to the Magic. Take note he is a 6-foot-5 guard, so the truth that he is out right here grabbing that many boards is simply absurd, whatever the opponent. It was additionally the second sport final week the place he put up over 10 rebounds, after he completed with 13 boards in opposition to the Toronto Raptors. As Brooklyn will get more healthy we might even see much less of Duke, however he is actually earned an opportunity at getting some important minutes as a bench participant going ahead.  

Sengun dropped a career-high 19 factors and 11 rebounds in opposition to the Cavaliers this previous week, to associate with 5 assists and and two steals to cap off a powerful efficiency. He is develop into probably the most impactful gamers for the Rockets this season, as Houston scores 10.5 factors extra when he is on the ground in comparison with when he is on the bench. 

Edwards, like Duke, has seen extra minutes on account of Brooklyn’s depleted roster, and this week he racked up a double-double (17 factors, 10 rebounds) within the Nets’ win over the Raptors. Even earlier within the season when he would get put within the sport for 10 minutes, he would nonetheless be sure that he was making a optimistic impression, and now that he is briefly getting starter-level minutes, we’re seeing simply how a lot he is able to with an even bigger alternative.