Post by nets on Jun 4, 2008 11:07:27 GMT -5
Here is my annual article to track the ROY race. I will have three categories; guys in serious contention, guys who need to step it up and guys with little shot who after a while I stop following.
[glow=red,2,300]Guys in serious contention[/glow]
#4 - Houston - SF DeShaun Thomas - no surprise here as most thought he was the best guy in the draft. He is scoring 21 and grabbing 7 boards a game. All shooting percents are great (46, 84 and 47%). He could pass the rock a bit more at 2 assists but I guess he has nobody to pass to right now.
#9 - Philadelphia - SF Scotty Hopson - showing off all his tools, over a steal a game and over 20 points a game. His 4.8 boards is not great from the small forward spot but he has two big things going for him. One, he is shooting over 50% from the field which is awsome and two he is only turning the ball over once per game.
#5 - Memphis - C Derrick Favors - its tough to be a big man in your rookie year so we have to give Derrick some props. Almost 13 points and 10 boards a game. He also brings an inside defensive presence with 3.2 blocks. Two areas that he must improve, turnovers (over 3 a game) and shooting percent (36%) but otherwise he could be a dark horse in this race.
#2 - Toronto - SG Tyreke Evans - playing well but is not even close to DeShaun in the current running for ROY. Decent all around game with 14 points, 5 boards and 3 assists. Shooting over 40% which is always good. He has taken away minutes from James Harden who last year played as well or better then Evans so the Raptors look like they should move one of them.
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[glow=red,2,300]Guys who need to step up[/glow]
#8 - Chicago - PF James Johnson - starts at PF for the Bulls and is putting up respectable number. He is a double double guy and gets a block and a half a game. He is shooting well for a rookie big man at 43%. To compete for ROY he just needs to step up one more step but so far extremely solid as the Bulls draft well for the second year in a row.
#7 - New Jersey - SG Xavier Henry - lit it up when Gilbert Arenas was hurt but for now probably won't get enough playing time. In 20 minutes he is almost averaging 10 points which is up there for rookies and he is grabbing 4.5 boards but again in 20 minutes you can't win ROY.
#23 - Houston - PG Patrick Mills - playing 31 minutes of terrible basketball. His defense is awful, his assists to TO ratio is bad and really nothing good so far. But he is playing 31 minutes so he could turn it around.
#21 - Washington - SG LaceDarius Dunn - he is now in the starting lineup so he should get minutes. Right now it is tough to tell what he will do as he started on the bench at the beginning of the year. He doesn't play great D so his offense will have to carry him.
#19 - Milwaukee - PF Gani Lawal - plays good defense as shown by his 2.3 blocks a game but at 3.8 points in 18 minutes he is an offensive killer. Not sure if he will continue getting this much time if he can't contribute at all.
#15 - Golden State - C John Henson - sucking for now as he can't seem to score and is not an elite defender but Joakim Noah is playing a lot of minutes and maybe if Henson steps up he can steal some of them and improve.
#14 - San Antonio - SF Chris Wright - similar to Lawal in MIL he is just playing defense and is not doing anything on offense. His offense has to pick up or he may lose minutes.
#13 - Philadelphia - PF Michael Holmes - may get his minutes but for now he is not doing anything with them. I won't write much on him as I think he will fade from this race very quickly.
#6 - Orlando - C Kenny Kadji - playing 18 minutes and doing nothing in them. He is shooting 27% which is awful. He does rebound.
#3 - Denver - PG Kalin Lucas - not sure why he was drafted at #3 if Delonte West would play all the minutes as this team had other needs. But anyway he has been decent but in 18 minutes he wont compete for ROY.
#1 - Dallas - C John Riek - basically Derrick Favors but a bit worse, I expect him to move into contention for the ROY soon. He is playing 35 minutes and can't grab 10 boards or score 10 points but he does have 4.4 blocks per game. He shoots 42% so maybe he just needs more touches.
#10 - Boston - C Cole Aldrich - worse imitation of John Riek. Also playing over 30 minutes yet can't grab 10 boards or score 10 points. Blocking shots but only 2.7 a game which with his scoring is not great.
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[glow=red,2,300]Guys with little shot[/glow]
#29 - Portland - SG Corey Stokes - is not going to get the playing time in Portland to compete for ROY.
#27 - Cleveland- SF Scott Martin - playing zero minutes in Cleveland.
#26 - Sacramento- PG Corey Fisher - for now Bardon Davis is the man and Corey wont play enough minutes.
#25 - Seattle - SF Gary Johnson - another guy on a great club so no room for him yet.
#24 - New Jersey - C/PF Josh Southern - not yet playing as the Nets are too deep to give him a shot.
#20 - Toronto - PG DeAndre Liggins - not currently playing.
#18 - Phoenix - SG Manny Harris - not playing.
#17 - Los Angeles Clippers - PG Kemba Walker - will be behind Livingston all year and probably wont get the playing time necessary. SG is also locked up so Kemba has to wait a bit.
#16 - Minnesota - C D.J. Magley - not playing.
#11 - Philadelphia - C Kenny Frease - for now CJ Giles is the man so he won't get a chance.
#12 - New York - SF Delvon Roe - not playing.
[glow=red,2,300]Guys in serious contention[/glow]
#4 - Houston - SF DeShaun Thomas - no surprise here as most thought he was the best guy in the draft. He is scoring 21 and grabbing 7 boards a game. All shooting percents are great (46, 84 and 47%). He could pass the rock a bit more at 2 assists but I guess he has nobody to pass to right now.
#9 - Philadelphia - SF Scotty Hopson - showing off all his tools, over a steal a game and over 20 points a game. His 4.8 boards is not great from the small forward spot but he has two big things going for him. One, he is shooting over 50% from the field which is awsome and two he is only turning the ball over once per game.
#5 - Memphis - C Derrick Favors - its tough to be a big man in your rookie year so we have to give Derrick some props. Almost 13 points and 10 boards a game. He also brings an inside defensive presence with 3.2 blocks. Two areas that he must improve, turnovers (over 3 a game) and shooting percent (36%) but otherwise he could be a dark horse in this race.
#2 - Toronto - SG Tyreke Evans - playing well but is not even close to DeShaun in the current running for ROY. Decent all around game with 14 points, 5 boards and 3 assists. Shooting over 40% which is always good. He has taken away minutes from James Harden who last year played as well or better then Evans so the Raptors look like they should move one of them.
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[glow=red,2,300]Guys who need to step up[/glow]
#8 - Chicago - PF James Johnson - starts at PF for the Bulls and is putting up respectable number. He is a double double guy and gets a block and a half a game. He is shooting well for a rookie big man at 43%. To compete for ROY he just needs to step up one more step but so far extremely solid as the Bulls draft well for the second year in a row.
#7 - New Jersey - SG Xavier Henry - lit it up when Gilbert Arenas was hurt but for now probably won't get enough playing time. In 20 minutes he is almost averaging 10 points which is up there for rookies and he is grabbing 4.5 boards but again in 20 minutes you can't win ROY.
#23 - Houston - PG Patrick Mills - playing 31 minutes of terrible basketball. His defense is awful, his assists to TO ratio is bad and really nothing good so far. But he is playing 31 minutes so he could turn it around.
#21 - Washington - SG LaceDarius Dunn - he is now in the starting lineup so he should get minutes. Right now it is tough to tell what he will do as he started on the bench at the beginning of the year. He doesn't play great D so his offense will have to carry him.
#19 - Milwaukee - PF Gani Lawal - plays good defense as shown by his 2.3 blocks a game but at 3.8 points in 18 minutes he is an offensive killer. Not sure if he will continue getting this much time if he can't contribute at all.
#15 - Golden State - C John Henson - sucking for now as he can't seem to score and is not an elite defender but Joakim Noah is playing a lot of minutes and maybe if Henson steps up he can steal some of them and improve.
#14 - San Antonio - SF Chris Wright - similar to Lawal in MIL he is just playing defense and is not doing anything on offense. His offense has to pick up or he may lose minutes.
#13 - Philadelphia - PF Michael Holmes - may get his minutes but for now he is not doing anything with them. I won't write much on him as I think he will fade from this race very quickly.
#6 - Orlando - C Kenny Kadji - playing 18 minutes and doing nothing in them. He is shooting 27% which is awful. He does rebound.
#3 - Denver - PG Kalin Lucas - not sure why he was drafted at #3 if Delonte West would play all the minutes as this team had other needs. But anyway he has been decent but in 18 minutes he wont compete for ROY.
#1 - Dallas - C John Riek - basically Derrick Favors but a bit worse, I expect him to move into contention for the ROY soon. He is playing 35 minutes and can't grab 10 boards or score 10 points but he does have 4.4 blocks per game. He shoots 42% so maybe he just needs more touches.
#10 - Boston - C Cole Aldrich - worse imitation of John Riek. Also playing over 30 minutes yet can't grab 10 boards or score 10 points. Blocking shots but only 2.7 a game which with his scoring is not great.
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[glow=red,2,300]Guys with little shot[/glow]
#29 - Portland - SG Corey Stokes - is not going to get the playing time in Portland to compete for ROY.
#27 - Cleveland- SF Scott Martin - playing zero minutes in Cleveland.
#26 - Sacramento- PG Corey Fisher - for now Bardon Davis is the man and Corey wont play enough minutes.
#25 - Seattle - SF Gary Johnson - another guy on a great club so no room for him yet.
#24 - New Jersey - C/PF Josh Southern - not yet playing as the Nets are too deep to give him a shot.
#20 - Toronto - PG DeAndre Liggins - not currently playing.
#18 - Phoenix - SG Manny Harris - not playing.
#17 - Los Angeles Clippers - PG Kemba Walker - will be behind Livingston all year and probably wont get the playing time necessary. SG is also locked up so Kemba has to wait a bit.
#16 - Minnesota - C D.J. Magley - not playing.
#11 - Philadelphia - C Kenny Frease - for now CJ Giles is the man so he won't get a chance.
#12 - New York - SF Delvon Roe - not playing.
