Biggest Early Surprises of the 2015-16 NBA Season
There's a clockwork regularity to some of the NBA's best action, with new entries being made in year-to-year individual and team rivalries.
But some of the league's best drama stems from its surprises. Not all of them are good, but the ones that are can birth new contenders and stars right before our eyes.
In the spirit of the holiday season, we'll embrace the joy and focus solely on the most pleasant surprises of the 2015-16 campaign's early portion (you're welcome, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers). To tighten the focus, we're restricting our list to individuals, highlighting five surprisingly fast starters, plus a bonus group of head-turners.
Qualifying for the list is simple: doing the unexpected. For many, that means simply playing above the levels they've previously reached. For one, it's reopening a door to greatness that many had presumed to be permanently closed.
Regardless of the reason, all are excellent reminders that the consistent world of big league ball still has some unpredictability to it.
Rookie Readiness
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In the span of a few months, college hoopers and overseas stars go from battling their peers to holding court with seasoned professionals at the sport's highest level. Growing pains should be unavoidable.
But the 2015-16 freshmen have looked like they belong since the campaign first tipped off.
"I think this rookie class in general has shown skill level, but also poise beyond their years," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press.
Top pick Karl-Anthony Towns, who just celebrated his 20th birthday, is one of only three players averaging at least 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. No. 3 selection Jahlil Okafor, who turns 20 in December, is already a top-35 scorer with 18.4 points per game (No. 27) and rebounder (8.1, No. 35).
New York Knicks 7'3", 20-year-old sensation Kristaps Porzingis has played 16 games and already posted three 20-point, 10-board stat lines (including one with seven blocks). European bigs Nemanja Bjelica and Nikola Jokic are both shining with their shooting, Bjelica for his three-point touch (35.6 percent) and Jokic for his finishing ability (53.1 field-goal percentage).
Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow, who don't turn 20 until 2016, have routinely handled their clubs' toughest defensive assignments. First-year playmakers Emmanuel Mudiay and T.J. McConnell both rank among the league's top distributors, ranking tied for No. 14 and No. 17, respectively, in assists per game.
Time ultimately determines the value of a rookie class, but the early returns suggest this group could be the best one seen in years.
Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks
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The Atlanta Hawks seemed in jeopardy of taking a sizable step back when DeMarre Carroll flew the coop this summer. He looked like their top two-way player at times during last season's Eastern Conference Finals run, erupting for 20-plus points in six straight games and defending the opponent's top scorer.
His exit should have left a glaring void on Atlanta's perimeter. Fourth-year forward Kent Bazemore ensured it didn't.
Perhaps best known to casual fans as the Golden State Warriors' old sideline energizer, the 6'5" swingman is now making his biggest mark inside the lines.
As with his predecessor, it starts with defense for Bazemore. Armed with a 6'11.5" wingspan and relentless motor, he's a disruptive presence on that side of the ball. He's holding opponents 3.9 percentage points below their field-goal average, and he's generating 1.7 steals per game.
Seeing the 26-year-old provide ample servings of defense and energy is far from shocking, but his impact in other areas is opening plenty of eyes.
"His energy is No. 1, his defensive presence is No. 1, but as an added bonus, he's making shots at a pretty high level," Hawks assistant Kenny Atkinson said, per NESN's Darren Hartwell. "But really, we like him doing all the dirty work and defending and rebounding, so he's been a pleasant surprise."
Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic
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In June 2014, the Orlando Magic sent Arron Afflalo to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Evan Fournier and a second-round pick. ESPN insider Kevin Pelton, who graded the trade as a "C" for Orlando, wrote the biggest incoming asset for the Magic was "cap space."
There was no fanfare celebrating Fournier's arrival in Orlando. While he had a solid debut season for the Magic in 2014-15 (12.0 points, 2.1 assists), his name was rarely—if ever—mentioned among the franchise's collection of intriguing young prospects.
He might start leading some of those conversations if he maintains his current pace. He's leading the club in scoring at 17.7 points per game, while converting 44.7 percent of his field goals and 39.6 percent from long range. He's slippery enough off the dribble to work his way to the rim and strong enough to finish his drives. The rest of his stat sheet is sufficiently stuffed with 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals.
During each of the last three seasons, he has seen exponential growth in both playing time and production. Now masterfully handling 36.0 minutes a night, he's forcing everyone to rethink the expectations they had for him.
"I have to keep working on this challenge of being a top option, one I have to accept to try to lead the team and go back to the playoffs," Fournier told Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania. "... I don't have any limits. Whatever happens, I want to give my best."
Fournier has the size to man either wing spot (6'7", 205 lbs), and he's crafty enough as a playmaker to spend significant time on the ball. He also just celebrated his 23rd birthday in October, so he could be climbing toward a rising ceiling for the next several seasons.
Gary Harris, Denver Nuggets
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Gary Harris had a rookie year to forget last season for the Denver Nuggets—for those who actually remember it.
He disappeared more than disappointed during his debut run. He only made 55 appearances and logged just 13.1 minutes when his name did get called. Unable to find a rhythm, he posted ghastly conversion rates from the field (30.4) and three (20.4). Ultimately, he produced the second-lowest player efficiency rating of anyone who saw 500 minutes of action (4.9).
New head coach Michael Malone ensured this season wouldn't be a repeat. Harris was part of the Nuggets starting lineup for opening night and has yet to move out of it. With more than twice as many minutes (26.7), his stats have erupted. Not only is he averaging 10.1 points, but he's also shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 44.4 percent outside.
He's currently riding a streak of five consecutive double-digit outings, during which his scoring average is 15.4 and his shooting marks are 54.7 and 50.0, respectively.
"He's been one of our most consistent players and shooters," Malone said, per Examiner's Kevin Henry. "He's been shooting the ball very well for us, which has been a sore spot for us. On the other end, he's guarding Tony Parker or Steph Curry or Klay Thompson or whoever it might be that night. Gary loves that challenge."
A steady scorer and disruptive defender, Harris is finally resembling the two-way contributor the Nuggets thought he could be. Outside of perhaps some optimistic family members, it's hard to imagine too many people saw this coming after last season's disaster.
Jeremy Lamb, Charlotte Hornets
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The Oklahoma City Thunder liked Jeremy Lamb enough coming out of UConn to make him one of the central figures in the 2012 James Harden deal. For some reason, that initial belief never blossomed into anything greater.
He was kept on an extremely short leash as a rookie (23 games, 6.4 minutes a night), then extended some breathing room as a sophomore (78 and 19.7). But OKC again put the clamps on him last season, then cut its losses over the summer, sending him to the Charlotte Hornets for a future second-round pick and Luke Ridnour's non-guaranteed contract.
It seemed like it might be one of the final chapters in Lamb's what-could-have-been story. Instead, that trade—plus a subsequent agreement on a three-year, $21 million pact—has been an overdue introduction to his true big league identity.
This Jeremy Lamb pops off for 12.9 points a night and finishes 53.3 percent of his field-goal attempts. This Lamb easily handles 24.6 minutes per game, posting a brilliant 20.0 PER and making the Hornets 3.9 points better per 100 possessions by taking the floor.
"It's a great place for me," Lamb told NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. "Great coach, great team. It's close to my home city, Atlanta. I just felt like this contract would give me some time to grow as a player. ... But it was a blessing and I was really excited."
Lamb, who's still only 23, has a new lease on his NBA life and perhaps his first real chance to match massive potential with equally impressive production.
Rajon Rondo, Sacramento Kings
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It was fair to wonder whether four-time All-Star Rajon Rondo might have played his way out of the NBA last season. That's how disastrous his five-odd months with the Dallas Mavericks were.
But the Sacramento Kings never lost faith. At least, they were intrigued enough to take a one-year, $9.5 million flier on the enigmatic floor general. What appeared as a risky investment just a few months back now seems like one of the summer's best bargains.
He's rebounding more than ever (7.7), while his points (12.6), assists (10.9) and field-goal percentage (45.0) have all climbed to levels unseen since his January 2013 ACL tear. He leads the entire league in assists and points created by assists (26.0 per game). He has four triple-doubles—Russell Westbrook (two) is the only other player with more than one—and he's averaging an absurd 14.0 dimes over his last 10 outings.
"We've witnessed the return of Rondo and—dare we say it—a new and improved version," USA Today's AJ Neuharth-Keusch wrote. "... While on the court, he accounts for 58.5 percent of the Kings' assists, 32 percent of their steals and 22.5 percent of their rebounds."
Rondo is doing whatever it takes to help Sacramento. He's already cleared the 40-minute mark eight different times, twice staying on the floor for the full 48. His fingerprints are seen all across the box score, and he has embraced a sizable offensive role by launching a career-high 12.5 field-goal attempts per game.
He's playing like a leader. Who thought we'd be saying that again at any point, let alone this quickly?
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
