# So Who Wins Rookie of the Year?



## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Dickie V was adamant tonight that Curry would win ROY despite backing up S-Jax and Monta. Bilas thinks Blake Griffin is Dwight Howard going into his 3rd season. Who do you think will win Rookie of the Year?

I can't decide between Tyreke Evans and James Harden, but I think they'll go 1-2.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

Evans or Griffin. No way in hell Harden puts up the numbers alongside Westbrook/Durant/Green to win ROY. He is a nice piece in OKC though.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

I think 14/4/3 could win ROY this year, and I think Harden could put that up. Sefolosha put up 9 ppg and 2 apg, and Harden is better offensively.


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## intheegame (Jun 24, 2009)

Tyreke


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## o.iatlhawksfan (Mar 3, 2006)

Hill might be a possibility imo. Rubio if he can get through the contract issues. I guess i'll go with Evans tho.


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## c_dog (Sep 15, 2002)

tyreke evans or flynn. both are the man of their teams right from the get go and have the ball in their hands. blake could have a season much like beasley if clippers don't do something about the logjam at their forward spots, and as a big he needs his guards to get him the ball to dominate but baron davis isn't passing it up to a rookie.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Wow thats a lot of faith in Harden. I'd probably say Griffin or Flynn.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Griffin unless the Clippers find a way to not give him at least 30 minutes a night (which is obviously a possibility).


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I am not even sure that Harden will start over Sefolosha. The reason why I say that is because Thabo was in the lineup for his defense from the 2G position. Harden will more than likely come off the bench.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

I still dont know why they drafted him.


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## Dee-Zy (Jan 12, 2006)

Most likely Griffin. I wonder if DeRozan can make enough noise to make it in the conversation. For some reason I don't think Griffin will make it. Soembody will creep up after 1/4 of the season à la Chris Paul/Brandon Roy or something. Maybe Evans.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I like Jonny Flynn, Jordan Hill and Earl Clark to make the All-rookie team. ROY I have no clue. Zach Randolph could try to fight Griffin for all I know.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Terrence Williams will make the Rookie team also. He will get the minutes.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Although while I think Harden was a reach at 3, it just adds another solid player next to their potential superstar Durant and possible star in Westbrook. No need to hit a HR every draft. Then there's always the chance he does become that 2nd star and works out like they envision. Presti's just done such a good job up to this point since he took over making the right decisions in picks, collect future firsts, and creating that cap flexibility. 


As for ROY, Flynn might be given the best chance in Minnesota, if LA doesn't clear out their front court mess for Griffin.


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## BlakeJesus (Feb 1, 2006)

If Hill gets minutes he has as good as a chance of anybody to win it. I'm not the biggest Joradn Hill fan, but he should put up some pretty decent numbers running up and down the court for the Knicks. Is David Lee still a part of the Knicks future? If he isn't and Hill lands major minutes I'd pick him.

Harden was another guy I was simply not sold on, but he got put into the ideal situation for him. If he can score at a decent clip he's a good enough passer to get 4/5 assists alongside Durant and Westbrook. His numbers will be good enough.

Griffin is another obvious option. 

My sleeper ROY's are Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Marcus Thornton (a legit scoring threat at the 2 guard playing alongside CP3 with little SG competition? Yes please.).


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

harden's going to take this.

after the draft to me it basically comes down to griffin, harden, evans, and whichever pg minnesota keeps/plays as the main candidates with hill/douglas having an outside shot if they put up huge numbers for the knicks.

griffin is going to have not living up to the hype against him, i don't expect evans to be successful as a full time pg, i don't think rubio and flynn are ready to make big time nba impacts, and i don't expect the new york guys to put up the numbers necessary(if they even get the minutes). i think harden at least puts up the numbers nimreitz is talking about and while most years that isn't going to win you rookie of the year, this year it will.


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## Vuchato (Jan 14, 2006)

I'd say Griffin, just because he is hyped up so much above everyone else, Rubio is pretty much the only guy who can challenge him for it unless someone drops 20 a night


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Vuchato said:


> I'd say Griffin, just because he is hyped up so much above everyone else, Rubio is pretty much the only guy who can challenge him for it unless someone drops 20 a night


hype isn't always a good thing though. i think that goes against griffin when he isn't putting up 20 or 10 a night. people aren't going to like when he's putting up something like 14 and 8 or maybe even worse if he doesn't get big minutes. 

remember when a lot of people wanted horford to win it over durant because horford was being unnoticed and durant was overhyped?


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

How is Harden going to take it when Durant is going to take most of the shots on that team? Face it, you dont put up big numbers, no ROY. Harden might even be coming off the bench.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

HB said:


> How is Harden going to take it when Durant is going to take most of the shots on that team? Face it, you dont put up big numbers, no ROY. Harden might even be coming off the bench.


since when is it a requirement to take the most shots on your team to win rookie of the year? derrick rose didn't lead his team in shots per game.

harden will have plenty of opportunities to score the ball for oklahoma city, even more if he plays off the bench. and it's not like points are the only number. playing on a team with a very good scorer makes assists easier to come by and since the thunder don't have any dominant rebounder, it will probably be easier for harden to put up decent numbers for a guard there as well.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

I never said anything about taking the most shots, but on a starting five with Durant, Westbrook, Green and Kristic, you really think Harden's going to be chucking up shots like he did at ASU?

Another problem Harden faces is that he likes to walk the ball up and play at a slow pace, thats the opposite of what they do at Oklahoma.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

People keep saying Rubio but I think that's the most far fetched pick seeing as so many of the guards in this draft are physically more NBA ready than him. Let's not forget he might not even play this side of the Atlantic this year.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

HB said:


> I never said anything about taking the most shots, but on a starting five with Durant, Westbrook, Green and Kristic, you really think Harden's going to be chucking up shots like he did at ASU?
> 
> Another problem Harden faces is that he likes to walk the ball up and play at a slow pace, thats the opposite of what they do at Oklahoma.


there are plenty of shots to go around and it's not like harden is a selfish guy who needs to put up a high volume of shots to be effective. you're better off sticking to just saying that harden isn't good enough every time someone brings him up rather than suggesting he won't have enough opportunities to be successful. and it's not like harden was just chucking up shots at arizona state. he was getting everyone involved as well, many times the complaint was that he didn't take it himself enough.

the arizona state system is to walk the ball up and play at a slow pace. i'm not worried about harden playing at a fast pace because i think he has the ability to play faster, oklahoma city wouldn't have drafted him if they didn't think he could play their game, and the draftexpress situational numbers they did support that harden did very well with his transition opportunities.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

Harden's efficient style of play is ideal for his situation if you ask me. It's not like he's a volume shooter by nature.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Rocketeer keeps putting words in my mouth. Not having enough shots is not the same as not being able to succeed. With that said, lets see if Harden can even beat out Sefolosha for that starting spot. I dont recall too many players in recent memory winning ROY coming off the bench.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

HB said:


> Rocketeer keeps putting words in my mouth. Not having enough shots is not the same as not being able to succeed.


actually, i haven't put any words in your mouth. you were the one mentioning how durant takes so many shots and that if harden doesn't put up big numbers he can't win rookie of the year. then you went on to talk about the thunder starting 5 and how harden won't get shots like he did at arizona state. it certainly would seem that you were saying that regardless of how good harden is(which i know, you don't think highly of him), you don't think he'll get enough shots to put up numbers big enough to compete for rookie of the year. in the context of this thread, that would be "succeeding".


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I don't know how good Harden's numbers will be but I suspect he will be the team's fourth option so his numbers may not be that great.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

^Which is what I have been trying to say for a while now. ROY usually goes to the guy that puts up big numbers and sometimes team success factors in. You really think (rocketeer talking to you), that if miraculously the Thunder wins 40-45 games next year, it will be attributed to Harden. Get real dude.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

as of now, i'd expect the thunder to win 35 games next year.

and i wouldn't be surprised at all to see harden end the year as the 2nd scoring option for them. he's certainly a better option than westbrook and his below 40% shooting.

and the thing is, harden will probably start the year as the 4th option, but what rookie this year is going to be a 2nd option or better? griffin has baron, eric gordon, thornton, and worst of all zach randolph to fight with for shots. either minnesota guard has jefferson and love inside and has to deal with playing on a team with no shooters. evans might make himself the 2nd option behind kevin martin if he gets on the floor enough, but really this draft is full of guys who aren't stepping in and being the first few options on their teams. rookie of the year this year could score 15 or less per game.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Johnny Flynn becomes the second option on the Wolves. He's a better scorer than Kevin Love.

I think Jordan Hill could get the touches needed. Who knows where Stephen Curry ends up? He could get touches as well.

Can't count out Griffin as well, especially if the Clippers make the playoffs.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

HB said:


> I never said anything about taking the most shots, but on a starting five with Durant, Westbrook, Green and Kristic, you really think Harden's going to be chucking up shots like he did at ASU?
> 
> Another problem Harden faces is that he likes to walk the ball up and play at a slow pace, thats the opposite of what they do at Oklahoma.


That slow pace is Herb Sendek's system. Harden's measurements and athletic numbers all suggest that he can get up and down the floor.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

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