Best Player Debuts for Every NBA Team After Opening Week
Playing for a new NBA team is a process filled with pitfalls.
If you don't get off to a hot start, the fans might never forgive you, allowing your initial struggles to serve as your longtime reputation. If you try too hard, you might doom yourself to unnecessary mistakes that stem from overexertion or misguided attempts to force the action.
But every year, and for every* franchise, players somehow navigate that perilous path and get off to strong starts for their new organizations. Some are rookies making immediate impacts, while others are veterans throwing on new uniforms.
Focusing solely on the first seven days of the NBA season (Oct. 16-22), we're narrowing in on the men who best fit this description. For now, long-term potential doesn't interest us. Nor does what they'll do during the remaining portion of the 2018-19 campaign.
Only that first week is relevant.
*The Miami Heat are the exception this season, as all nine players who suited up during opening week are holdovers from the 2017-18 roster. As a result, they won't be featured in this article.
By Default
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Denver Nuggets: Thomas Welsh
Isaiah Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. will eventually debut for the Denver Nuggets, but they're still working their way back to health. In the interim, Thomas Welsh got on the floor for the first time, though he's missed his only shot in three minutes spread out over the course of two games.
The No. 58 pick of the 2018 NBA draft, Welsh shouldn't be expected to carve out a spot of any significance in the Mile High rotation. But the fact that his lone field-goal attempt came from beyond the arc is a clear-cut indication of his eventual role—a stretch 4 with legitimate three-point range.
Portland Trail Blazers: Seth Curry
Unlike Welsh, Seth Curry is actually playing. He still earns this spot by default for the Portland Trail Blazers, but he's logged 48 total minutes over the course of his first three Rip City appearances.
Curry missed the entirety of the 2017-18 affair while recovering from stress injuries in his lower extremities, but he still profiles as a legitimate offensive asset when healthy while also boasting some quick hands on the defensive end. He's slashed 40/50/100 in the early going, which obviously isn't sustainable but gives Portland hope it has added yet another backcourt weapon to the coffers already featuring Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
Utah Jazz: Grayson Allen
The Utah Jazz haven't needed to deviate much from their 2017-18 rotation, but Grayson Allen did look impressive during his first NBA appearance—11 minutes in an Oct. 22 defensive struggle with the Memphis Grizzlies. While so many players from both teams played like there were lids over the baskets, Allen found some initial success.
He drilled both of his field-goal attempts (one at the rim and the other from downtown) and made a pair of free throws. Two fouls were the only blemishes on his box score, and that first foray could eventually help earn this crafty, athletic scorer more opportunities for a Jazz squad that could use more reliable sources of offensive production.
Because We Have to Pick Someone
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Boston Celtics: Brad Wanamaker
Other Debuts: Robert Williams
Though Gordon Hayward has redebuted and Kyrie Irving returned after missing the 2018 playoffs, giving the Boston Celtics a new feel during the 2018-19 campaign, Brad Wanamaker and Robert Williams are technically the only men to debut for the franchise. Neither is making a monumental impact in the opening salvo.
Williams played four minutes in his NBA debut Oct. 22 against the Orlando Magic, failing to register any on-court contributions. Wanamaker, a 29-year-old rookie coming stateside after thriving overseas, logged one garbage-time minute against the Philadelphia 76ers in the season's first game.
To his credit, he made his only field-goal attempt (a shot right at the basket) and grabbed a board while putting no mistakes in the box score.
Chicago Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr.
Other Debuts: Chandler Hutchison, Jabari Parker, Tyler Ulis
None of the Chicago Bulls' offseason additions have been particularly impressive in the early going, though the front office can take solace in Zach LaVine's sterling offensive play that helps justify the massive contract (four years, $78 million) extended in his direction.
Chandler Hutchison and Tyler Ulis have combined to play just 21 minutes during the season's opening week, while Jabari Parker has mitigated much of his 16 points per game by playing unfathomably poor defense. Seriously, his defensive box plus/minus (minus-4.7) beats out only Ryan Arcidiacono (minus-5.5) on the Windy City roster.
His Oct. 22 performance against the Dallas Mavericks was efficient enough to provide hope that his offensive gains can overcome his porosity, but giving him this spot would be more projection than an acknowledgment of opening-week success.
As a result, Wendell Carter Jr.—sometimes looking the part of a proficient scorer and sometimes seeming to function as a defensive stalwart—earns this spot during his rookie season. He hasn't excelled, though, occasionally appearing to be overmatched on the preventing side while struggling with both fouls and turnovers.
"It takes time in this league, and a lot of it has to do with the matchups against two of the best centers in the Eastern Conference," Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, after Carter had matched up against Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond in his first two appearances but before a clash with DeAndre Jordan. "He'll get better from it; he'll learn from it. He's a smart kid with a high IQ, and he'll get better."
Cleveland Cavaliers: Sam Dekker
Other Debuts: Collin Sexton, David Nwaba
Though Collin Sexton has acquitted himself on the defensive end through a combination of preternatural instincts and relentless intensity, he's struggled mightily on offense. Not only is he shooting 37 percent from the field with misfires on each of his two-deep attempts, but he's also failed to display the passing skills necessary to run the show. Until he can handle basic point guard responsibilities, he can't be the choice here.
That leaves David Nwaba and Sam Dekker as options.
The former has barely seen the court, but the latter has shot the ball admirably (50 percent from the field, 40 percent from deep). Though he's not heavily involved in the offensive schemes, his rebounding skills and willingness to catch-and-shoot have opened up more opportunities for his teammates. In this particular situation, that's enough to get the nod.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Okogie
Other Debuts: Anthony Tolliver, C.J. Williams
Breaking news: Head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn't enjoy playing the men who don't appear in his starting lineup and tends to avoid running with deep rotations. I know you're shocked. He also doesn't exactly show an affinity for youngsters trying to prove themselves at the NBA level.
But Josh Okogie could be the one to break the mold.
After sitting out the first two games of the season, the Georgia Tech product has drawn one start and played a combined 53 minutes in the two ensuing contests. He may not be a proficient shooter (slashing 38.9/22.2/66.7), but he does what Thibodeau likes by providing constant effort on the defensive end that manifests itself in both steals (two per game) and possessions thrown off balance for the opposition.
Considering Anthony Tolliver and C.J. Williams are his only competition, that one-way ability should be enough to hold this spot for a while longer.
Philadelphia 76ers: Landry Shamet
Other Debuts: Jonah Bolden
The Philadelphia 76ers can't go in the "by default" section because two different players have made debuts for the team, but this is a rough choice. Take a gander at the two following lines and see which you'd rather have:
- Player A: 0.0 points, 0.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks per game; 0-of-1 FGA (0.0 percent), 0-of-1 3PA (0.0 percent)
- Player B: 4.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks per game; 4-of-15 FGA (26.7 percent), 4-of-12 3PA (33.3 percent), 1-of-2 FTA (50.0 percent)
Player B (Landry Shamet) is actually registering minutes, but that may not be a good thing for the Sixers. He's clearly trying on defense and knows how to position himself in fast-break situations, but those results are rather unfortunate.
If you chose "neither," that's a perfectly defensible stance.
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young
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Other Debuts: Jaylen Adams, Vince Carter, Kevin Huerter, Alex Len, Jeremy Lin, Alex Poythress, Omari Spellman
The new-look Atlanta Hawks rotation has featured plenty of new faces, but none has been more effective—or provided more excitement—than the crown jewel of the rebuild. Though Trae Young has already endured some roller-coaster shooting and looked unabashedly inept on defense (the brutal combination of a skinny frame, poor instincts and the low effort levels that are necessary if he's to survive his offensive responsibilities), he's also shown off his dizzying upside on the scoring end.
If you're not convinced Young can be a star in the Association, just watch a replay of his Sunday efforts against the Cleveland Cavaliers. His 35 points and 11 assists were impressive enough from a sheer volume standpoint, but more than the raw numbers should sell you on his potential.
He was remarkably efficient in all facets of offense, shooting 13-of-23 from the field, 6-of-14 from downtown and 3-of-3 from the stripe and turned the ball over just once. But the process outshone even those results, as he demonstrated his space-creating skills and innate passing vision in one tidy package. The former, in particular, wasn't guaranteed to translate against the superior athleticism that comes with jumping from the NCAA to the NBA.
One game is only one game, but that one game alone justified much of the Hawks' belief in their prized rookie.
Brooklyn Nets: Ed Davis
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Other Debuts: Jared Dudley, Kenneth Faried, Treveon Graham, Rodions Kurucs, Dzanan Musa, Theo Pinson
Rodions Kurucs has shot the ball nicely during his first foray into NBA action (8.7 points per game while slashing 47.4/40.0/100.0), but he falls short of the impact Ed Davis is making. Yes, the same Davis who inspired such strong reactions from both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum when he left the Portland Trail Blazers this summer as an unrestricted free agent.
In 51 minutes with the big man on the floor during the team's first three contests, the Brooklyn Nets have outscored their foes by 4.4 points per 100 possessions. Without his services, that net rating plummets to a dismal minus-12.5, giving him a swing matched only by Treveon Graham's 27 minutes (19 of which came with Davis also on the floor). Though the offense takes a slight step in the wrong direction, the defense becomes a stifling unit when Davis is hounding the interior.
Don't write this off as an early-season fluke, because that's been Davis' role for a while. He's never going to provide game-altering offensive contributions or function as a go-to scoring option out of the frontcourt, but his ability to do the little things and shut down his assignments is largely beneficial.
Jared Dudley's catching fire could displace the 29-year-old from this featured placement. So too could Kurucs or Dzanan Musa, should they earn larger roles in the schemes employed by head coach Kenny Atkinson. But for now, this is Davis' spot to lose.
Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges
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Other Debuts: Devonte' Graham, Tony Parker
Jonas Valanciunas probably agrees with this choice after Miles Bridges threw one down in his grill during a Monday contest between the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors. But even without a highlight-reel inclusion, the rookie forward has justified a spot in the Buzz City rotation.
What tool hasn't the 20-year-old displayed during the first three games of his NBA career?
He's averaging 16.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per 36 minutes. He's turning the ball over just 2.3 times during that same stretch, and he's doing so while knocking down 69.2 percent of his field-goal attempts and 60.0 percent of his triples. His spot-up and cutting abilities help him immensely on offense, and he's more than holding his own on the preventing side. Per NBA Math's total points added, only seven first-year players have added more defensive value in the season's early stage.
The numbers, however, aren't the only test Bridges passes.
He looks the part of an immediate contributor who can make an across-the-board impact as a complementary figure for Kemba Walker. And if that's the case, he could help steer the Hornets back into the playoffs, one well-rounded performance at a time.
Dallas Mavericks: DeAndre Jordan
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Other Debuts: Ryan Broekhoff, Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, Ray Spalding
Luka Doncic has shown off his sky-high potential with savvy passes and timely scoring instincts, but turnovers and defensive inadequacies have prevented him from soaring into the Rookie of the Year conversation. He'd need to factor heavily into that race to become the Dallas Mavericks' most impactful newcomer because he has some tough competition coming in the form of DeAndre Jordan—not for ROY, but for teamwide supremacy among the new roster members.
Jordan hasn't skipped a beat while transitioning from the Los Angeles Clippers to a new Western Conference outfit. He's still thriving as an interior defender, asserting himself as a rebounding standout and dominating in the pick-and-roll game.
Through three games, Jordan is averaging 17.0 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per contest while shooting 70.0 percent from the field and 90.0 percent from the stripe. That last number is not a typo, as the 6'11" center, one year removed from hitting his freebies at a career-best 58.0 percent clip, has knocked down nine of his first 10 tries at the line.
And yet, his success as a roller might be even more impressive.
Converting while diving to the hoop is aided by established chemistry with the team's distributors, but Jordan is already scoring 1.6 points per possessions as a roll man. That's better than his marks in 2017-18 (1.3), 2016-17 (1.5) and 2015-16 (1.4), which is as far back as this stat tracks.
Detroit Pistons: Zaza Pachulia
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Other Debuts: Bruce Brown, Jose Calderon, Zach Lofton, Glenn Robinson III
Since when did Zaza Pachulia morph into a shutdown defender?
The newest Detroit Pistons big man has been a disaster as a scorer, knocking down only 23.1 percent of his shooting attempts in the first two games and struggling on the rare trips he makes to the stripe. But he's more than made up for those woes with his point-preventing excellence and willingness to defer to his more talented teammates in ways that don't earn plaudits, as evidenced by the Pistons offense's still functioning so much better with him on the floor.
"He's still productive. I think our players figured out pretty quickly if they came off his pin-downs they're going to get open," head coach Dwane Casey said in mid-October, per MLive.com's Ansar Khan. "He's one of the best screen-setters in the league, excellent passer. We want to utilize his passing skills with our three-point shooting. He still brings a lot to the table."
Now, we'll veer away from the on/off numbers. Yes, Detroit has had more defensive success when he doesn't play. But this is one of those cases in which a player is dragged down by his running mates rather than his individual efforts.
Among every player who's logged at least 30 minutes, only Anthony Davis (8.9), Kyle O'Quinn (8.8), Mason Plumlee (8.2), Montrezl Harrell (7.5), Nikola Jokic (7.5), Ian Mahinmi (6.6), Torrey Craig (6.5) and Paul Millsap (6.5) have posted defensive box plus-minuses superior to Pachulia's 6.4. He's thrived on the glass, used his veteran tricks to throw opponents off their rhythms and consistently contested everything in his domain.
Golden State Warriors: Jonas Jerebko
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Other Debuts: Jacob Evans, Damion Lee, Alfonzo McKinnie
Jonas Jerebko could have played terrible basketball on both ends of the floor for 99 percent of his early-season minutes, and he'd still earn this spot through one putback contribution. The Golden State Warriors wouldn't have taken down the Utah Jazz (his former team) without the power forward's positioning himself in the right place at the right time and successfully converting a last-second tip-in off Kevin Durant's missed mid-range attempt.
There's just one problem: Jerebko hasn't played terrible basketball.
In fact, take a gander at the Warriors' leaders in made threes through their first four contests:
- Stephen Curry: 22-of-47 (46.8 percent)
- Jonas Jerebko: 5-of-9 (55.6 percent)
- Kevin Durant: 3-of-13 (23.1 percent)
- Klay Thompson: 3-of-22 (13.6 percent)
Apparently, the versatile frontcourt player who's already spent time at small forward, power forward and center is the newest member of the Splash Brothers. And even when he's not making it rain from beyond the rainbow, he's contributing with his rebounding and mistake-free play on the offensive end, which has helped make up for some of the defensive warts that stem from his slow-footed nature.
This would be Jerebko's spot almost by default, since Jacob Evans, Damion Lee and Alfonzo McKinnie have combined to play 46 minutes. But he's earned it, as well.
Houston Rockets: James Ennis III
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Other Debuts: Carmelo Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams, Gary Clark, Isaiah Hartenstein
If you were expecting to see Carmelo Anthony here, please don't be too disappointed. Consider coming back when the defensive energy he showed against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday becomes more trend than fluke or when he's shooting something better than 32.1 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from downtown.
While Anthony is acclimating to the Houston Rockets rotation, which doesn't give him the kind of offensive flexibility to which he's grown accustomed, James Ennis III is already making a positive impact. When he's not functioning as a high-energy wing defender, he's fitting into the scoring schemes drawn up by head coach Mike D'Antoni.
Ennis doesn't need the ball in order to make an offensive impact. He's content hitting 42.9 percent of his three-pointers and keeping defenders wary with his combination of spot-up and cutting skills—a tactic that plays rather nicely alongside the ball-handling wizardry of Chris Paul and James Harden.
Don't mistake glamor or name recognition for production. The Rockets' set of newcomers can tempt you into that mistake as well as any other set of debuting players.
Indiana Pacers: Doug McDermott
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Other Debuts: Tyreke Evans, Aaron Holiday, Alize Johnson, Kyle O'Quinn
Though Tyreke Evans has struggled to find his shot after moving from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Indiana Pacers, this Eastern Conference playoff threat still has two reasonable candidates.
Kyle O'Quinn has excelled on defense and played his typically efficient brand of offensive basketball during his limited time on the floor. He just hasn't played enough (9.5 minutes per game) to match up with Doug McDermott's red-hot shooting stroke.
Sure, the former Creighton standout remains a defensive liability, lacking the fleetness of foot to keep pace with most small forwards he encounters. He's not much of a rebounder or distributor either, though it's certainly notable that he's gone four games without recording even a single turnover. But even if he settles in as a pure shooting specialist off the bench, he'll be a high-quality offseason addition should he continue putting up such percentages.
McDermott is knocking down 58.3 percent of his field-goal attempts, 50.0 percent of his three-point tries and 50.0 percent of his minimal free-throw attempts, which gives him an eye-popping 76.4 true shooting percentage. Those three-point numbers aren't coming without volume, either. The sample is obviously small this early in the campaign, but he's one of only 18 players to connect on at least half of his deep hoists while taking no fewer than four per game.
Regression is inevitable, but the key will be to minimize the backslide. If he can continue hitting at least 40 percent of his three-balls while shooting them with respectable frequency, the Pacers should have no regrets about bringing him aboard.
Los Angeles Clippers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
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Other Debuts: Marcin Gortat, Luc Mbah a Moute, Mike Scott
A distinct lack of shooting range isn't holding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back as he attempts to emerge from the Los Angeles Clippers' logjam of useful guards and earn a bigger spot in head coach Doc Rivers' rotation.
While only attempting two triples in his first three outings, the rookie floor general has attacked the hoop and taken well over half of his shooting attempts within three feet of the basket. Not only has that allowed him to connect from the field at a 56.3 percent clip, but it's also made him a frequent visitor of the free-throw line, where he has yet to miss any of his seven attempts.
That's not all for the youngster who's had to make quite the positive impression to outshine a thriving Marcin Gortat.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been more impressive as a distributor than a scorer, constantly looking to get his teammates involved and making passes of which veterans can only dream. Whether he's squeezing the rock into tight spaces, dropping it off for a cutter in traffic or looking a defender off to create extra room for a teammate, he's manipulating foes like a seasoned professional.
And yet, defense may well be his primary calling card. Already, he looks comfortable guarding various types of guards without ceding advantageous positioning—exactly what he'll need to do to become a star without a jumper.
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James
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Other Debuts: Michael Beasley, JaVale McGee, Svi Mykhailiuk, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Johnathan Williams
I can't believe I'm about to type this in 2018, but JaVale McGee is a reasonable contender to LeBron James' crown as the best of the many Los Angeles Lakers newcomers. He's been that excellent on the defensive end, thrived as a patient off-ball offensive threat waiting for his opportunities and consistently made the Purple and Gold better when he's on the floor.
But role matters, and that allows James to take center stage despite missing clutch free throws, turning the ball over too frequently and struggling to assert himself on the defensive end. Even while adjusting to the up-tempo stylings of head coach Luke Walton, the 33-year-old has meant everything to Los Angeles on the offensive end, running the show at all times and leaving little doubt that he's an enduringly dominant presence.
If you feel like complaining about his showings, thinking he's failed to do as much for the Lakers as he did for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017-18, that's fine. Just keep in mind that you're talking about a player with impossibly high standards, and he's nevertheless averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 46 percent from the field.
For the first time in forever, legitimate gripes exist. James hasn't thrived in crunch-time situations for a team that's off to a 0-3 start. His three-point stroke can only be found on milk cartons. Averaging four turnovers per game is bad news.
From an all-encompassing perspective, though, he's still been pretty darn good.
Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr.
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Other Debuts: Kyle Anderson, Omri Casspi, Shelvin Mack, Garrett Temple
This is a no-brainer.
Jaren Jackson Jr. hasn't endured many rookie struggles for the Memphis Grizzlies, coming out in blazing fashion by averaging 15.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game during his first three appearances. Better still, he's doing so while minimizing his turnovers (0.7 per game) and shooting an even 50 percent from the field.
Even if we focus only on his per-game figures, that's already a line matched only by Anthony Davis, James Harden, Josh Hart, Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic during the early portion of 2018-19.
The three-point stroke isn't there quite yet, but a 19-year-old isn't going to be perfect. He's still made up for the long-range misfires with production in every other area—production that extends to the defensive end, where he's functioned as a havoc-wreaking presence who can stick with smaller players on the perimeter and capably serve as an anchor on the interior.
"We've been together a short amount of time, but in no situation have I seen a moment that's been too big for him," head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Drew Hill of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "He's never been too hype. He's never been too low. Whatever it is that's in front of him, he just attacks it head on, and for a guy who just turned 19 years old to do that already speaks to his character."
Jackson isn't going anywhere now that JaMychal Green's broken jaw has opened the door for a starting opportunity. This is only the beginning, and his early efforts have already kicked off what's sure to be an excellent first chapter.
Milwaukee Bucks: Brook Lopez
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Other Debuts: Pat Connaughton, Donte DiVincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova, Christian Wood
Brook Lopez is what the Milwaukee Bucks were missing at center. He's already making that clear despite failing to tickle twine on more than 33.3 percent of his three-point attempts. As that number trends upward toward his last two marks (34.6 and 34.5 percent in 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively)—or even surpasses them—the benefit of playing a stretch 5 will only become clearer.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo off to a relatively slow start, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton have done much of the heavy lifting on offense. But the lives of all three All-Star candidates are made so much easier when defenses have to pay attention to Lopez, who often drags an opposing big out of the painted area and presents driving opportunities that result in either interior finishes or kick-out shooting attempts.
Without the 7-footer on the floor, the Bucks are scoring only 97.4 points per 100 possessions. When he plays, the offensive rating skyrockets to an impressive 125.3.
That's not too shabby for a man who's also playing solid defense, understanding he can shut down his area of the floor without needing to switch onto players who could take advantage of his speed deficits. In fact, no player on the roster has produced a bigger net rating swing than Lopez (plus-35.7), with only Middleton (plus-34.0), Bledsoe (plus-29.8) and Antetokounmpo (plus-22.6) coming even remotely close.
The on/off effects will inevitably shrink as the season progresses and creates a larger sample. But on the flip side, Lopez might only shoot better once he gains more comfort within the new strategems.
New Orleans Pelicans: Elfrid Payton
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Other Debuts: Tim Frazier, Frank Jackson, Jahlil Okafor, Julius Randle, Kenrich Williams
First, we need to give Julius Randle a shoutout.
After leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason, the power forward has excelled for his new squad in the early going. He's averaging a stellar 19.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game during his first two appearances, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from downtown. But he's still only the runner-up in this particular competition.
Elfrid Payton's per-game line doesn't pop off the page quite as much. The point guard, finally suiting up for his hometown squad after years laboring for the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns, is averaging "only" 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Pelicans while knocking down half his field-goal attempts. It's those hidden contributions that push him past the big man.
Payton is playing mistake-free offensive basketball, rarely overextending himself as a shooter and refusing to turn the ball over while setting up Randle, Nikola Mirotic, Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis and the rest of the Pelicans. He's also excelling defensively with his quick feet and lane-jumping instincts.
You can't go wrong picking either bayou-based newcomer. But we'll go with the one whose presence leads to a net rating uptick of 30.4 points per 100 possessions over the one who boosts his team's fortunes by a relatively meager 3.8 points over the same stretch.
New York Knicks: Noah Vonleh
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Other Debuts: Mario Hezonja, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Allonzo Trier
Mario Hezonja had nice performances against the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks but struggled in his other two appearances. Kevin Knox has put his tools on display, just without many positive results before suffering a sprained ankle that will keep him out of action for a while. Allonzo Trier has proved a solid shot-maker but is still dealing with the inconsistencies that plague so many rookie guards.
Meanwhile, Noah Vonleh has functioned as a steady two-way presence after a career filled with struggles.
The No. 9 pick of the 2014 NBA draft, this power forward quickly flamed out with the Charlotte Hornets during his rookie season. Then he landed with the Portland Trail Blazers and failed to gain any traction before a brief, unsuccessful tenure with the Chicago Bulls. But now, very much a post-hype candidate, he's finally starting to hit his stride with the New York Knicks.
Vonleh's explosion has never diminished, and he's no longer forcing the issue with jump shots. Instead, he's taking advantage of opportunities around the basket, thriving on the glass and exerting much of his energy on the defensive end for a squad that sorely needs some stoppers.
Prior to 2018-19, Vonleh's career-best offensive box plus/minus came in 2017-18 for the Blazers and Bulls (minus-3.4). It's at 4.0 during this nascent campaign. Similarly, his 3.0 defensive box plus/minus is light-years better than his previous high (0.3 last year).
This is the best version of the lottery pick we've ever seen.
By far.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Nerlens Noel
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Other Debuts: Deonte Burton, Hamidou Diallo, Dennis Schroder
Though Nerlens Noel hasn't yet carved out a prominent role for the Oklahoma City Thunder—the team has been extraordinarily cautious about deploying him alongside Steven Adams—he's thrived when he does receive run. Per 36 minutes, the springy big man is averaging 16.2 points, 15.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks while knocking down 80 percent of his field-goal attempts.
To be fair, he hasn't always helped his own cause. Fouling out in 13 minutes during a Sunday loss to the Sacramento Kings wasn't exactly ideal.
But when Noel is active and threatening opponents, he's a frenetic defensive presence who racks up steals and blocks—those possession-ending plays that can so often tip momentum back toward his squad. Thus far, he appears to have accepted this high-energy role in a way that betters both himself and the Thunder. OKC is actually 7.7 points per 100 possessions better with him playing.
That's enough to win a battle that also includes an ice-cold Dennis Schroder and a pair of youngsters who are spending even less time on the hardwood. Hamido Diallo has a chance to overcome Noel—but not without earning more trust from head coach Billy Donovan first.
Orlando Magic: Mohamed Bamba
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Other Debuts: Isaiah Briscoe, Jerian Grant, Jarell Martin
Offense is a struggle for the raw Mohamed Bamba, who clearly has long-term potential on that end of the floor but isn't yet prepared to play a significant role for the Orlando Magic. He's comfortable taking jumpers within the flow of the offense, but making them is an entirely different story. He is averaging 4.5 points per game during his first four appearances and shooting only 42.1 percent from the floor and 25.0 percent from downtown while missing each of his two free-throw attempts.
Defense is a different story.
With a pterodactyl wingspan and tremendous instincts, Bamba already looks the part of an intelligent stopper who understands how to maximize his physical advantages. Block tallies can often be misleading for youngsters who are easily fooled by up-fakes and bite on too many swat attempts at the expense of proper positioning, but that's not the case for the 20-year-old who's averaging a pair of rejections per contest. Opponents are still shooting just 47.1 percent against him at the hoop on 4.3 attempts per contest, which puts him in rather exclusive company.
Only the following players have matched or bettered both those numbers in 2018-19: Jarrett Allen, Anthony Davis, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Alex Len, Brook Lopez, Markieff Morris, Otto Porter Jr. and Tristan Thompson.
Beating out the limited contributions of Isaiah Briscoe, Jerian Grant and Jarell Martin isn't too difficult a task for a top-tier prospect. Bamba's defense is just making it look particularly easy.
Phoenix Suns: Deandre Ayton
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Other Debuts: Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, Mikal Bridges, Jamal Crawford, Richaun Holmes, De'Anthony Melton, Elie Okobo
This was by no means a runaway, in large part because Deandre Ayton has lived up to his reputation as a defensive liability—a topic Cleaning the Glass expanded upon in great detail while reviewing the film of his first career game against the Dallas Mavericks.
But Mikal Bridges, while impressive when he sees the floor, hasn't been as important to the desert-dwelling franchise. Trevor Ariza's shot has gone missing after a scorching one-game start to his Suns tenure. And thus ends the list of reasonable candidates who weren't selected at No. 1 in the 2018 NBA draft.
Ayton, for all his defensive issues, has already asserted himself as a force in his areas of strength. Through three games, he's averaging 14.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 91.7 percent at the stripe.
When he's not overpowering defenders with his Herculean build, he's dazzling with finesse-driven skills and immaculate touch around the hoop. And when he's not looking to score, he's capably finding open teammates and hitting them with on-target feeds.
To put his passing numbers in perspective, only Chris Duhon and Muggsy Bogues have averaged at least four dimes and no more than 1.5 turnovers during a qualified rookie season. Ayton has a long way to go before joining that club, but it's already notable when he's roughly as tall as the two point guards combined.
This big man is special on the offensive end. The Suns just need his defense to catch up.
Sacramento Kings: Iman Shumpert
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Other Debuts: Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, Yogi Ferrell, Harry Giles III, Ben McLemore
Can we just pick everyone other than Ben McLemore and Harry Giles III, who has failed to find any sort of offensive rhythm during the early portion of his delayed rookie campaign? Seriously, the Sacramento Kings have struggled for so long that it's been tough to give them much love, but the new additions almost universally deserve adoration.
Let's run through the per-game lines of each notable newcomer who's thriving right away:
- Marvin Bagley III: 12.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.0 apg; 51.7 FG%, 0.0 3PT%, 66.7 FT%
- Nemanja Bjelica: 11.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg; 65.2/66.7/0.0
- Yogi Ferrell: 9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 apg; 52.9/42.9/100.0
- Iman Shumpert: 13.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg; 58.3/57.1/80.0
We could give credit to Bjelica for his lights-out marksmanship or to Ferrell for his steadiness in the backcourt. But this should be a two-man competition between Bagley and Shumpert.
The former will only get better as his career progresses, and he's almost certainly the best of this group when peering through a long-term lens. But we're still giving the nod to Shumpert for his opening-week performance, for a trio of reason.
First, he's been the far more efficient scorer, as his true shooting percentage (76.3) leads the roster, while Bagley's (55.4) is close to the bottom of the pack. Second, he's been the superior defender, even if he hasn't quite rekindled the stopping magic that made him a two-way asset back in the day. Third, he had the biggest single-game performance when he dropped 26 points on 13 shots to help take down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in the team's first win of the year.
San Antonio Spurs: DeMar DeRozan
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Other Debuts: Marco Belinelli, Dante Cunningham, Drew Eubanks, Chimezie Metu, Jakob Poeltl, Quincy Pondexter
There's no need to leave even the tiniest shred of doubt. No one comes within shouting yelling-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-while-using-a-megaphone distance of DeMar DeRozan, who has carried over his offensive firepower from the Toronto Raptors to the San Antonio Spurs.
In fact, he's actually gotten better under the supervision of Gregg Popovich, who has helped him take even smarter shots while unlocking passing skills that were just starting to blossom north of the border.
DeRozan has been a bit more selective from beyond the arc, and he's raised his three-point percentage to a somewhat palatable 33.3. His extra shots aren't coming via long twos; the 2-guard is attacking the hoop more than ever, and 29.2 percent of his field-goal attempts have come from within three feet of the hoop—his highest mark since his sophomore season in 2010-11. Moreover, he's getting to the free-throw line 8.7 times per contest and converting at an 80.8 percent clip.
But let's come back out of the weeds.
Even on the simplest statistical level, DeRozan is throwing up 29.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game, and that extra dime-dropping isn't coming with a corresponding uptick in the turnover department. His 2.3 cough-ups per contest are in line with his results from the last five seasons and offer an eerie level of consistency even as he spends far more time on the court.
The Spurs can't be displeased with their Kawhi Leonard return at this early stage.
Toronto Raptors: Kawhi Leonard
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Other Debuts: Danny Green, Greg Monroe
Danny Green actually made this a decision we had to think about by playing sterling defense and slashing 47.1/42.9/100.0 during his first week as a member of the Toronto Raptors. But we only had to pause for a split second. This placement still belongs to Kawhi Leonard with a large margin for error. It has to because of the enormous two-way burden he shoulders for the Canadian franchise as well as the undeniably impressive early results.
As Dan Devine of The Ringer opined, he's already working to inspire belief in his re-emergence as a full-fledged superstar:
"While Leonard's season openers against Cleveland (9-for-22 from the floor) and Boston (10-for-25) showed he still had some work to do to find his legs, Monday's post-rest outing against the Hornets (22 points on 9-for-14 shooting, 4-for-7 from deep) offered some evidence that he can still create separation, exploit mismatches against bigs, get just about wherever he wants on the floor for whatever shot he wants, and even make some slick feeds in traffic."
If you knew what to expect from Leonard after he missed nearly all of 2017-18, you might have psychic powers.
Would his balky quadriceps hold up? Would he regain his two-way prowess? Would he be inspired to thrive with Toronto?
So far, all the answers are positive ones. Dizzyingly positive ones, in fact.
Washington Wizards: Austin Rivers
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Other Debuts: Jordan McRae
Austin Rivers isn't the bust he's so often been made out to be—a reputation that stems largely from his flopping with the New Orleans Hornets-Pelicans after he left Duke. He's not just the product of nepotism either, despite playing for the Los Angeles Clippers while his father, Doc Rivers, functioned as the team's head coach.
Somewhat quietly, Rivers has developed into a pesky defender who understands how to get under adversaries' skins on a regular basis. He's also a drastically improved passer and perimeter shooter who no longer functions as an offensive liability.
That was already apparent during his final days with the Clippers, and it's remained true during the opening week of his Washington Wizards tenure. His long-distance shooting has been a bit off-kilter as he comes off the pine in relief of John Wall and Bradley Beal, but he's made up for the misfires with steady play in other areas.
Rivers isn't a glamorous contributor. Just don't write him off without watching him play, because he may well provide you with a refreshing surprise. Evaluate his game with a careful enough eye, and you could be as pleased as the Wizards, who haven't gotten much bench production in recent seasons but are actually ceding 3.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.
Plus, his only competition here is Jordan McRae, who has spent a grand total of 11 seconds on the floor.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @fromal09.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats accurate heading into games on Tuesday and courtesy of Basketball Reference, NBA.com, PBPStats.com, NBA Math or ESPN.com.
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