2017 NBA Rookie Ladder: New Year's Rankings for League's Next Wave
The 2016 NBA draft class has so far proved to be as underwhelming as the year itself. Of the rookies on this top-20 list, only 12 were picked this past June.
That could change over the second half of the 2016-17 season. Ben Simmons has yet to make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is only now making his presence felt in the City of Brotherly Love. Kyle Korver's departure from the Atlanta Hawks could open up a world of possibilities for Taurean Prince and DeAndre' Bembry. If Denzel Valentine can stay healthy enough to play, he could figure prominently into the Chicago Bulls' youth movement.
And, frankly, all the other first-years who tip-toed their way through the Association in 2016 should start to shine as they shake off their rookie jitters and settle into 2017.
So before we all resolve to brush this class aside and set our sights on what's supposed to be a star-studded collection of newbies this summer, let's check in with the current crop, ranked and graded based on individual production and team performance.
20. Dragan Bender, Power Forward, Phoenix Suns (No. 4 Pick in 2016)
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Dragan Bender's search for playing time has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride.
He scored 10 points in his debut for the Phoenix Suns, then he went scoreless over his next three games before logging three straight DNPs. He tallied 10 more points on Nov. 8 but returned to the back end of Earl Watson's rotation by the middle of that month.
That trend continued in December, with Bender scoring 10 more to open the month before totaling just 11 points over eight games leading into the Christmas break. He returned from the holiday with his first back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts, including his first NBA double-double, only to see his playing time slip under 13 minutes a night once the calendar turned to 2017.
Not that such inconsistency should come as a shock. Bender, the league's youngest player, has been equally spotty on the defensive end and in picking up the points, finer and primary alike, that characterize the NBA game.
Though his numbers (3.3 points on 39.0 percent shooting, 2.1 rebounds in 12.5 minutes) are nothing to write home to Croatia about, his size (7'1") and shooting stroke (33.8 percent from three on 2.1 attempts) point to bigger things to come once the Suns' boyish newbie matures.
Grade: C
19. Jamal Murray, Shooting Guard, Denver Nuggets (No. 7 Pick in 2016)
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Jamal Murray was just about the only member of the Denver Nuggets who didn't have a field day in London. The Canadian wunderkind finished with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting during the 140-112 win over the Indiana Pacers, but he missed all three of his triple tries.
That extended a string of struggles for Murray beyond the arc. Over his last 15 games, he's converted just 19.1 percent of his treys, dragging down his season-long percentages (37.6 percent from the field, 32.2 percent from three).
Despite his slide, Murray still ranks among the rookie leaders in points (sixth) and three-pointers made (third). Luckily for him, the Nuggets have ample leeway to let him play through his slump, on account of both the team's overall struggles (15-23 record) and its depth at guard, with Emmanuel Mudiay and Gary Harris starting and Jameer Nelson and Will Barton coming off the bench.
Grade: C
18. Pascal Siakam, Power Forward, Toronto Raptors (No. 27 Pick in 2016)
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Pascal Siakam is a starter no more for the Toronto Raptors. Head coach Dwane Casey replaced him with Patrick Patterson following a 28-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 3.
Since then, the first-round pick out of New Mexico State has played fewer than 15 total minutes in two games, with three DNPs in between.
Truth be told, Siakam was more a placeholder than a pure choice at power forward. He started, not because he was better than Patterson, but rather to keep the Raptors' spectacular second unit intact. Through those 34 starts, Siakam averaged a modest 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 18.5 minutes.
The 22-year-old Cameroon native played well enough to help Toronto speed out to a 23-11 start. But the Raptors have their sights set on much more than a strong regular-season record, and Siakam, for all his energy and hustle, would be a liability against the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Grade: C
17. Kay Felder, Point Guard, Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 54 Pick in 2016)
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LeBron James greeted the news of Kyle Korver's coming to Cleveland with another proclamation that the Cavaliers need another point guard.
General manager David Griffin has since acknowledged as much himself:
"It's something where we're all pretty keenly aware that it would help take some burden off of Kyrie [Irving] and LeBron [James] as our primary playmaker," Griffin said, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin, "so if we could get somebody else that could do it ... and it really doesn't even have to be a point guard; it's just we need playmaking."
All the while, Kay Felder must be singing "Simple Minds" to himself. The diminutive guard out of Oakland University has seen his playing time dwindle since Kyrie Irving returned from injury and Korver started wearing wine and gold. He logged two points in a single minute during the Cavs' 120-108 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday—the third time during his last five games he's finished with fewer than five minutes on the floor.
Felder had been productive between the end of 2016 and the start of 2017, hitting double digits four times in six outings. Most recently, he got team owner Dan Gilbert fired up during a D-League game between the Canton Charge and Los Angeles D-Fenders, wherein Felder rose up for a thunderous dunk as part of a 27-point performance.
Grade: C+
16. Jaylen Brown, Small Forward, Boston Celtics (No. 3 in 2016)
5 of 20Few rookies have as little margin for error as Jaylen Brown, in large part because such a small slice of them play on teams as competitive as this season's Boston Celtics. As the youngest player on a third-place team on track for its third straight playoff appearance, Brown can never be sure of how big a role he'll play from night to night.
"It's a total surprise," he told Bleacher Report's Michael Pina. "Like, if I do bad, I'll probably get taken out, and if I do good, I'll probably get left in."
The more facials Brown serves up—like the one he laid on Atlanta's Kris Humphries on Friday (see the video above)—the better his odds of staying on the floor would seem. Then again, that was his only bucket in eight minutes during Boston's 103-101 win over the Hawks. He's scored in double figures just once over the past month while watching his season averages dip to 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 12.9 minutes.
Putting a dent in an established team like the C's was always going to be a tall order for the 20-year-old, but as Pina explained, that he's getting regular run at all is a good sign for the Cal product going forward:
"Merely being in the rotation is an accomplishment. The Celtics need to win at least one playoff series this spring, and securing home-court advantage in the first round is a significant step toward reaching their goal. It might be too early to call him an X-factor, but that could very well end up being how he's viewed in a potential second-round series against the Toronto Raptors, and maybe even more.
"
Grade: C+
15. Alex Abrines, Shooting Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 32 Pick in 2013)
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Alex Abrines hardly figured into the Oklahoma City Thunder's 96-86 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday: The 23-year-old Spaniard logged just one shot and one turnover in four minutes off the bench.
Prior to that, though, Abrines had looked like a real difference-maker for the Thunder. Over his previous 13 games, he averaged 8.5 points while draining 44.4 percent of his threes.
With his size (6'6") and shooting stroke, Abrines has the goods to be another valuable player in Russell Westbrook's improving supporting cast. And like most folks in OKC, he also happens to be an admirer of Westbrook's high-octane game.
"He's like an idol," Abrines told Fox Sports Oklahoma's Nick Gallo. "We just need to follow him. As a leader, he shows us the way to do things."
Grade: B-
14. Dorian Finney-Smith, Power Forward, Dallas Mavericks (Undrafted in 2016)
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Good news for the Dallas Mavericks is bad news for Dorian Finney-Smith, at least as far as personnel is concerned. With Dirk Nowitzki healthy again, head coach Rick Carlisle has planted his undrafted rookie out of Florida back on the bench and opted go small with Seth Curry in the starting lineup while Andrew Bogut's been out.
Finney-Smith, though, did a commendable job filling in for Nowitzki. He scored in double figures six times during December, averaging 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 36.8 percent from three for the month.
The 23-year-old has all but disappeared of late. Since scoring 12 points against the Lakers in L.A. on Dec. 29, he's totaled 12 points in six games.
That's not to say Finney-Smith won't be heard from again. Those ahead of him in the rotation are still fragile. Should Nowitzki or any other key Maverick fall victim to injury again, Finney-Smith should be even better prepared to step in as needed.
Grade: B-
13. Kris Dunn, Point Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 5 Pick in 2016)
8 of 20Once upon a time, The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves didn't "anticipate [Kris] Dunn becoming the starter until approximately 20 games into the regular season," per league sources.
Well...the T-Wolves have played twice that many contests, and Dunn is still riding the pine.
That may have as much to do with Ricky Rubio's stewardship at the point as anything Dunn has or hasn't done himself. Rubio remains Minnesota's best floor general, and despite the team's dismal record (14-26), it remains within striking distance of a playoff spot under the hard-driving Tom Thibodeau.
Dunn isn't ready to seize the team's reins full-time: His command of Minnesota's schemes on both ends of the floor remains a work-in-progress, and he's not yet producing at a level (4.0 points on 38.5 percent shooting, 29.4 percent from three, 2.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 16.7 minutes) that might force Thibs' hand.
Until the T-Wolves make a major move at the point, Dunn (and fellow youngster Tyus Jones) can use Rubio as a resource for his own edification.
"I wouldn't call myself a vet (laughs), but I've been here six years," Rubio told Sports Illustrated's Andrew Sharp. "I can give my experience and share my experience with them, and it's always good to have another guy coming for your spot. It forces you to be ready, you know?"
If Dunn's tenacious thievery on defense (he leads all rookies in steals) and on-ball offensive trickery (see the video above) are any indication, the Providence product could sneak off with Rubio's job before too long.
Grade: B-
12. Davis Bertans, Power Forward, San Antonio Spurs (No. 42 Pick in 2011)
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The San Antonio Spurs didn't have to wait long to find a tall, three-point-happy redhead to replace Matt Bonner.
Shortly after the Red Mamba announced his retirement, Davis Bertans, a fiery-haired giant from Latvia, scored a career-high 21 points against the Charlotte Hornets, then dedicated his sparkling effort to Bonner.
It wasn't the first time Bertans had shined for the Spurs. His first double-digit scoring game came in Charlotte on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting on Nov. 23. Two nights later, he put up 15 points off the pine in Boston.
“He plays an all-around game; blocks shots, works hard defensively,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said, per the San Antonio Express-News' Nick Moyle. “But his skill as a shooter is pretty unique.”
Well, more unique now that Bonner's no longer around. The 6'10" Bertans has hit 39.1 percent of his threes and figures to find more opportunities than the ones he's scrounged up during his 10 minutes per game as he continues to earn Popovich's trust.
Grade: B
11. Caris LeVert, Small Forward, Brooklyn Nets (No. 20 Pick in 2016)
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The Brooklyn Nets own the NBA's worst record and won't have control over their first-round pick until 2019.
But that doesn't mean New York City's other basketball team is entirely hopeless. Even ESPN.com's Zach Lowe has found reason to celebrate the Nets, thanks to second-year forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and rookie Caris LeVert: "LeVert is the more enticing prospect. He's bigger, with a smoother handle and jumper."
The 6'7" swingman out of Michigan is starting to find his footing after missing the first five weeks of the 2016-17 season following foot surgery. Since New Year's Eve, LeVert has averaged 8.4 points on 51.0 percent shooting in 21.9 minutes per game.
As the Nets dip deeper into the tank, look for LeVert's role to expand within head coach Kenny Atkinson's ever-shifting rotation.
Grade: B
10. Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Small Forward, New York Knicks (Undrafted in 2011)
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Those shouts of "Kooooooz" you've been hearing at Madison Square Garden? They're in praise of Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who might be the NBA's most anonymous rookie.
And you can be sure the light-haired Lithuanian is aware of the love.
“I hear everything, I hear good things, I hear bad things,’’ Kuzminskas said, per the New York Post's Kevin Kernan. “I have two ears and I hear everything.’’
The praise came showering down on Kuzminskas' head after he put up a career-high 19 points to help the Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls without Kristaps Porzingis on Thursday. The 27-year-old has been solid all season in New York (5.5 points on 45.0 percent shooting, 38.7 percent from three in 12.0 minutes), but he upped the ante once Porzingis ran into Achilles troubles.
Since New Year's Eve, he's averaged 11.0 points on 54.5 percent shooting (42.3 percent from three) in 17.0 minutes a night.
With steady production like that, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek may have little choice but to call on Kuz more often, if only to excite and incite the Madison Square Garden faithful.
Grade: B
9. Marquese Chriss, Power Forward, Phoenix Suns (No. 8 Pick in 2016)
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Marquese Chriss may have won the Phoenix Suns' battle of young power forwards, but claiming long-term victory over Dragan Bender will require much more of what the Sacramento native has put forth over the past month.
In 16 games since mid-December, Chriss has chipped in 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds during 21.2 minutes while draining 37.8 percent of his threes. That includes seven nights in double figures, with a career-high 18 points during a win over the Miami Heat among the highlights.
On the whole, he ranks among the top 10 in his class in points (seventh), rebounds (sixth) and blocks (third)—not that this crop of rookies is exactly loaded.
Like so many Suns, Chriss often struggles with the basics of NBA defense and making decisions on the offensive end, where he's logged twice as many turnovers (50) as assists (25). But patience is the name of the game in Phoenix these days, and Chriss has shown more than enough positives (his inside-out game and eye-popping athleticism) to earn the opportunities he's gotten thus far.
Grade: B
8. Domantas Sabonis, Power Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 11 Pick in 2016)
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For a guy who tried just 14 threes (and made five) during his two years at Gonzaga, Domantas Sabonis has proved to be quite a find from behind the arc for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He's nailed 36.3 percent of his 2.2 attempts per game—good enough for sixth among rookies who've launched at least two triples a night.
Sabonis, though, may have used up all his bullets during his career-best 20-point explosion in Boston just before Christmas. Since then, the 20-year-old big man has hit just one three in 19 attempts (5.3 percent).
That wouldn't be such a concern if he spent more time inside or if OKC had a deeper roster to pull from. But with Steven Adams and Enes Kanter manning the interior and the Thunder short on long-range threats, Sabonis' cold streak comes at a particularly inopportune time for a squad that's already seeing Russell Westbrook stretched to his limits.
Grade: B
7. Willy Hernangomez, Center, New York Knicks (35th Pick in 2015)
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Willy Hernangomez must make the most of the scant opportunities that come his way on a New York Knicks squad that already features Kristaps Porzingis, Joakim Noah and Kyle O'Quinn in the middle.
So far, he's done just that.
According to ESPN, the 6'11" Spaniard is second among rookies in PER (15.31). He's averaged a mere 13 minutes per game, but on a per-36-minute basis, that's 14.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 blocks.
If the Knicks want to play another giant next to the wiry Porzingis, Hernangomez may wind up their best bet, assuming he isn't already. According to NBA.com, New York has outscored its opponents by 17 points in 176 minutes with that duo on the floor—a top-five mark among Porzingis-led pairs.
That shouldn't surprise anyone who knows the history between these towering imports: They spent two seasons together as teammates in Sevilla.
"It was a dream for us to play in the NBA one day together," Porzingis told Bleacher Report this past December. "I still can't believe we're here, both of us, on the same team."
Grade: B+
6. Malcolm Delaney, Point Guard, Atlanta Hawks (Undrafted in 2011)
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The Atlanta Hawks fell just short to the Boston Celtics in Al Horford's return to Georgia, 103-101, but they wouldn't have had a shot to win in the end without Malcolm Delaney.
The 27-year-old rookie replaced Hawks starter Dennis Schroder with 2:50 left in the third quarter and never saw the bench after that—for good reason. From that point on, he scored or assisted on 23 Atlanta points to drag his squad all the way out of a 20-point hole.
Delaney finished with a career-high 17 points along with four rebounds and six assists.
Delaney isn't likely to supplant Schroder permanently, but he seems to have settled into a comfort zone of late. Over his last five games, the Virginia Tech product has averaged 10.2 points on 55.6 percent shooting (62.5 percent from three) with 3.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds.
For a Hawks team that's perilously thin at guard, Delaney's emergence could be the key to surviving in the Eastern Conference.
Grade: B+
5. Dario Saric, Power Forward, Philadelphia 76ers (No. 12 Pick in 2014)
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Dario Saric had good reason to snap at T.J. McConnell for pouring water on his head after the Philadelphia 76ers' 105-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 8.
The Croatian import had found some new warmth in his shooting stroke and wasn't ready to have it doused by a sneaky teammate.
Saric scored 10 points or more five times out of Philly's first eight games after Christmas, with averages of 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24.9 minutes over that span. Prior to the break, he'd shot 25.7 percent from the field (22.2 percent from three) during a six-game stretch without a single double-digit scoring night. Saric fell just short of another such effort during the Sixers' 109-93 loss to the Washington Wizards, finishing with nine points and four rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.
Joel Embiid gets all the shine in Philly, and rightfully so, but Saric is already shaping up to be a valuable piece in the team's long-term puzzle.
Grade: B+
4. Brandon Ingram, Small Forward, Los Angeles Lakers (No. 2 Pick in 2016)
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Brandon Ingram's flashes of brilliance are coming in much quicker succession nowadays, to the point where he's starting to look like a consistent NBA contributor.
Over his last six games, the spindly swingman out of Duke has poured in 13.2 points on 55.6 percent shooting (56.3 percent from three) in 30.3 minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers. That includes back-to-back 17-point outings—tying his career high—during wins over the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.
All told, he leads the league's latest crop of rookies in minutes at 27.7 per game.
"I keep thinking he's going to hit a rookie wall...maybe he already hit it and pushed through," Lakers head coach Luke Walton told Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus. "He looks great, he really does. A lot of times you can physically see when a rookie hits that wall; they can't even keep their eyes open in film sessions. He's alert. He's in there early. He wants more every time I talk to him. He wants that responsibility."
That Ingram is already so eager to bear such a burden on his 19-year-old shoulders bodes well for his long-term development. As his frame and game continue to catch up to the NBA's unforgiving environment, his first-half stats (8.1 points on 37.6 percent shooting, 29.5 percent from three) figure to fade until they are forgotten behind splits more reflective of where he's headed.
Grade: A-
3. Buddy Hield, Shooting Guard, New Orleans Pelicans (No. 6 Pick in 2016)
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Since popping for 16 points in his applauded return to Oklahoma, Buddy Hield has seized a starting spot for the New Orleans Pelicans and hasn't looked back.
He told Pelicans reporter Jim Eichenhofer all about it:
"Going to Oklahoma. That’s when everything started to turn around for me. I feel like it was a homecoming, something I needed. I feel like when I was down there, playing in that city, staying in that state, I just got revived. I was able to shoot the ball well, put some quick points up on the board. A couple games later, I just started shooting the ball well. I feel like that game helped me out, really.
"
The numbers bear out Hield's uptick in confidence. Over his last 19 games (all starts), he's averaged 10.7 points while hitting a scorching 47.2 percent of his 4.7 three-pointers. Hield has scored in double figures 11 times during that span, with the Pelicans going a respectable 6-5.
New Orleans is finally turning the corner health-wise, with Tyreke Evans returning to the rotation. That shouldn't mean any less time on the court for Hield, whose shooting touch the Pelicans will need while scrambling their way into the West's playoff race.
Grade: A-
2. Malcolm Brogdon, Shooting Guard, Milwaukee Bucks (No. 36 Pick in 2016)
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Draymond Green, Jae Crowder and Will Barton came out of the second round in 2012. The next year, Allen Crabbe and Mike Muscala emerged from there. Nikola Jokic and Jordan Clarkson came from 2014, followed by Josh Richardson and Norman Powell in 2015.
Now, Malcolm Brogdon looks like he'll carry the torch for second-rounders in 2016. The 24-year-old is the only rookie with a triple-double, which he tallied during just his second pro start. He ended his seventh with a stunning game-winner over the Spurs in San Antonio.
Since stepping into Jason Kidd's starting five in place of the injured Matthew Dellavedova, Brogdon has averaged 14.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists with .455/.391/.958 shooting splits. With play like that, he's not likely to relinquish his spot back to Delly anytime soon.
Not that such steady play is anything new for Brogdon. That same efficient and intelligent play made him a two-time All-American at Virginia.
“I pride myself on what I do every night," he told NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. "I pride myself on my work ethic and how I carry myself. I want to be mature in my approach but focused and disciplined.”
Grade: A
1. Joel Embiid, Center, Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3 Pick in 2014)
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Where most NBA rookies need time to find themselves over the course of a season, Joel Embiid has been a picture of consistency from Day 1. The crafty Cameroonian has scored in double figures during 26 of his 27 appearances for the Philadelphia 76ers, despite not yet cracking 30 minutes in a game on account of a playing-time restriction.
That limit hasn't stopped Embiid from leading all newbies in points (19.6 per game), rebounds (7.6), free-throw attempts (7.3), blocks (2.3) and double-doubles (seven). Nor has it slowed his roll as the league's leading rim protector (per NBA.com) and social media standout.
"I think I kind of represent Twitter in the NBA," he said, per CSNPhilly.com's Jessica Camerato.
"I like to think all the Twitter people, I represent them. But I never thought I would have this type of influence. I'm just trying to be me. If people enjoy it, that’s great."
So far, fans are eating up all of Embiid's antics. He was the fourth-leading vote-getter among Eastern Conference bigs when the second round of returns for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game was unveiled, less than 20,000 ballots behind Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love.
With the way Embiid takes care of business both on and off the court, all three parties responsible for All-Star selections may have no choice but to send The Process to New Orleans—even though his 3.7 turnovers per game are fifth-most in the NBA.
Grade: A+
All stats via NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and listen to his Hollywood Hoops podcast with B/R Lakers lead writer Eric Pincus.
