We’re about 10% of the way through the season, which means we’ve seen enough of the rookie class to make iron-clad judgments on them that will never change. First impression, last impression.
Kidding, of course; sample sizes are still small, and both we and the debutants themselves are learning a ton. Watching this class take their first baby-giraffe steps in the league has been a blast, so I’ve selected four rookies worth discussing.
1) Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Edey’s performance has been predictably up-and-down. On the one hand, he’s started to figure out how to defend without fouling. After infamously fouling out in just 15 minutes in his NBA debut, Edey hasn’t accrued more than three infractions in any of his last six games (although he did pick up three in just 15 minutes last night). Opponents are shooting just 55.6% against him at the rim, a better number than Anthony Davis or Rudy Gobert, and they take fewer attempts at the rim when he’s on the court. There’s a slight deterrence factor already at play.
Edey had a game where he went 11-for-12 from the field, but most of his damage has been done on putbacks and dump-offs. He has only generated 13 points on his 21 post-up possessions, a terrible mark, and his beloved hook shot has abandoned him.
Most peculiarly, a man I predicted might lead the league in screen assists has not been nearly as impactful a screener as I expected. Part of that is the Grizzlies leaning a bit away from the pick-and-roll-centric attack they’ve heavily featured in the past, and part is on some junior-high-school-level chemistry with Ja Morant (see here, where Edey whiffs on the screen and then can’t get to the lob quick enough). That said, he’s already mastered the rolling Gortat screen, a key tool for creating space for Morant. Now, he just needs more reps.
Since we’re here, a quick shout-out to Memphis’ second-round pick Jaylen Wells, fighting on defense and looking confident from deep (he dropped five bombs against the Lakers last night, raising his season average to 40% on respectable volume). He likely won’t have a huge role when the Grizz are fully healthy, but he’s shown enough to make that a question.
2) Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards
Kyshawn George made headlines with his six-triple second half against Golden State, and Alex Sarr has gotten some notice for notching at least two blocks in every game of his short career, but Carlton “Bub” Carrington has been Washington’s most consistent rookie so far.
Carrington’s 44% shooting from the field and 35% from deep are perfectly respectable marks for a rookie guard. A player shooting nearly a quarter of his shots from the long midrange isn’t sustainable in today’s NBA, but that’s a coachable foible that should smooth out as Carrington becomes more comfortable with the NBA three-point line. His transition pull-up triples have already become something of a trademark.
Carrington’s standout talent so far has been passing, and the Wizards have already entrusted him to run their offense for large stretches. Carrington leads all rookies in assists per game with 4.8. It’s no surprise that the Wizards are averaging 104 possessions, nearly two more than their league-leading rate last season; Carlton throws hit-ahead passes like a skinny Kyle Lowry, sometimes even catching the cameraman by surprise.
Washington’s trio of rookies, a bounce-back year from Jordan Poole, and Bilal Coulibaly’s massive jump shockingly have turned them into one of the league’s most enjoyable developing teams.
3) Jamal Shead, Toronto Raptors
Shead has been one of the early season’s greatest pleasures. The 6’0” former NCAA Defensive Player of the Year has ballhandlers desperately getting off the rock as soon as possible with his compression-shirt defense.
Shead’s size is a problem for contesting threes (guys shoot right over him) and competing in the post, but if a player makes the mistake of trying to dribble past him, they’re in for a fight. He invades personal space, hands reaching and grabbing and pushing and waving like a diminutive car-lot inflatable man. You almost feel bad for the other guy.
Defense was never the question, though. Concerns about his ability to score and make plays at the NBA level drove his draft stock down, and so far, his offense has been a mixed bag. Shead’s outside shot hasn’t magically appeared, but he’s been better than I expected at getting two feet into the paint and creating for others. He pushes the turbo button in transition, helping the offensively challenged Raptors attack before the defense can get set.
Will the offense ever reach a level to let his defense sing? That’s a question for later in his career, but right now, the Raptors are happy to let him develop on the court.
4) Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Risacher surpassed low expectations in Summer League but began his NBA career ice-cold from the field before exploding Wednesday night to the tune of 33 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep.
The outlines of a productive NBA player have been there all along, even if a lot needs to be colored in. The young Frenchman has a knack for timely cuts off the ball and is a better passer than his assists would indicate. His three-point shooting still needs work, but encouragingly, he isn’t afraid to get it up — he’s averaging more than seven triples per 36 minutes, a substantial number. He even has a no-dip three in his bag.
Defensively, Risacher is already a contributor. He’s averaging roughly a block and a steal per game, utilizing his sharp off-ball instincts to provide weakside rim protection and jump passing lanes. He’s also stronger than he looks, as this stonewalling of Karl-Anthony Towns proves.
Like most rookies, Risacher needs to tighten his handle, and his finishing and shooting have plenty of room for improvement. He won’t likely ever have the on-ball creation of a typical #1 pick. But if you remove the expectations of his draft slot, you’ll see exactly what Atlanta saw in the draft process: a lanky Swiss Army Knife overflowing with tools.
