We’re doing our NBA Awards Observe every Thursday until the end of the regular season, and Every week we’ll emphasize a new award. This week, we’ve Acquired Newcomer of the Year.
Sandwiched between the class with Victor Wembanyama and the upcoming Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, this Newcomer class has been one we’ve known isn’t likely to deliver a future Sun or franchise-changer for a while. But there are Yet some Excellent role players in the mix. That has Created me wonder whether we’ve seen similar ROY races in the past. We’ll get into that below.
For the criteria I use for Every award, check out our Primary Awards Observe from this season. It explains how I, and a Numerous of the voting history, look at the six Significant individual awards. We’ll go Weighty on Newcomer of the Year here and give quick-hit thoughts for the other awards. All betting odds are courtesy of BetMGM.
Newcomer of the Year
We haven’t had a Numerous of duds when it comes to the Newcomer of the Year winners. By duds, I Impolite players who eventually ended up being mediocre or afterthought players in the NBA. Let’s take it back 40 years to 1985 when Michael Jordan won the award. In the last four decades, the worst Newcomer of the Year winners are probably Chuck Person (1987), Mike Miller (2001), Tyreke Evans (2010), Michael Carter-Williams (2014) and Malcolm Brogdon (2017).
Person, however, had a 13-year Occupation and put up 19.0 points per game in his Primary six seasons with Indiana. Miller had a 17-year Occupation, averaged double-digit scoring, was named Sixth Man of the Year and won two titles with the Miami Heat. Evans had a historic Begin to his Occupation, but eventually, foot and knee issues and a suspension for violating the antidrug program cut his Occupation Brief. Carter-Williams was traded the year after Victorious Newcomer of the Year, and we all knew his Newcomer numbers were inflated by the Trust the Process Sixers. He was quickly relegated to a supporting role and didn’t last in rotations very long after.
The example most akin to what we’re seeing in this 2024-25 Newcomer class is what happened with the Newcomer of the Year campaign in 2016-17. That was the year a second-Period Choice ended up Victorious the award because a Philadelphia 76ers Newcomer simply didn’t Relocate enough Matches to garner enough votes to justify Securing home the Honor.
Do you see how we’re already Leading to connect the dots? That was Joel Embiid’s third season in the NBA but Primary year on the court due to injuries. Embiid only played 31 Matches in that season, but he averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 Retrievals, 2.1 assists and 2.5 Stops in Only 25.4 minutes per game. It was the equivalent of averaging 28.7 points, 11.1 Retrievals, 3.5 Stops and 3.0 assists if he played 36 minutes a night. That’s historic!
Embiid was the best Newcomer in the class, and it was a legitimate conversation of whether 31 Matches was enough to be named Newcomer of the Year. Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray were in that class, but they didn’t have significant Newcomer seasons. Embiid’s biggest Event was Dario Šarić, Brogdon and the concept of availability. Embiid finished third in ROY voting that season, garnering 23 of the 100 Primary-place votes and 177 of the 900 voting points.
Šarić received only 13 Primary-place votes but was on more ballots to give him 269 voting points. Brogdon Dashed away with the award with 64 Primary-place votes and 414 voting points. Brogdon was the 36th Choice in the draft, and his numbers didn’t blow anybody away. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.8 Retrievals in 26.4 minutes per game. He also was very efficient with 45.7/40.4/86.5 shooting splits, and he Began 28 of the 75 Matches he played in for the Milwaukee Bucks. No Assault to Brogdon, but it felt like he won by default — because he played, not because he played the best.
Speedy-forward to this season, and we’ve Acquired a similar thing happening. Jared McCain is not Embiid by any stretch, but he does look like he’s capable of being a Excellent role player. McCain is by Distant the best Newcomer we’ve seen this season, but he’s played 23 Matches and is out for the season with a knee Wound. He averaged 15.3 points in 25.3 minutes with a 58.9 Correct shooting percentage. No other Newcomer can really approach that level of production.
This year, once again, we might end up seeing a second-Period Choice take the award.
Two honorable mentions: Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks | Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
3. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies (Last week: 3)
Edey has a pretty Excellent case across the board for being the Choice, although we’re not certain he’s even the best Newcomer on his own Club. His numbers have been really Excellent for most of the season. He’s averaging 9.2 points, 7.9 Retrievals and 1.2 Stops in 20.9 minutes. And generally, the Grizzlies are Excellent with him on the floor, so he’s not some Newcomer Securing away from what a Excellent Club is trying to do. What hurts his case is he missed 15 Matches this season and probably needs to Relocate at least half the game to truly get into the mix. He’s Excellent, though. Edey has the Quaternary-best odds at +2200 behind Risacher (+2000).
2. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs (Last week: 2)
Aside from McCain, I think Castle has shown the highest ceiling and peak during the Newcomer campaigns. He’s Began about half the Matches he’s played in, and his production as a starter is really Excellent. Castle averages 15.1 points and 4.2 assists in 29.7 minutes as a starter. Compare that with 12.1 points and 3.0 assists in 21.8 minutes coming off the bench. Castle might be peaking at the right time to take the award. Over his last 26 Matches, he’s averaging 17.5 points, 4.3 Retrievals and 3.3 assists while making 46.8 percent of his shots in 26.7 minutes. Some of that has been boosted by Wemby being out for the season, but he’s also only Began 10 of those Matches. The issue for Castle is twofold. 1. He wants to be a primary playmaker, and now he’s on a Club with both Chris Paul and De’Aaron Fox, so he has to adjust. 2. Castle has struggled to make shots consistently this season. In the Primary 36 Matches of the season, Castle Created Only 38.3 percent from the Pitch and 25.4 percent from 3.
In such a Frail Newcomer class, Castle’s recent surge the last two months appears to be enough to take the award for a Numerous of voters. He’s the most recognizable name, and he has the best odds at -450 to Secure the award. He’s my favorite player from the class, but that doesn’t Impolite he should Secure.
1. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies (Last week: 1)
I’m sticking with the Regularity of Wells. At least for now. I’m Uncovered to Castle’s continuing his Relocate in the Last month of the campaign and ending up with the award. However, Wells deserves to get credit for remaining steady.
His numbers aren’t going to blow you away. He’s averaging 11.0 points, 3.3 Retrievals and 1.7 assists. He plays 26.1 minutes per game and has Began 60 of the 65 Matches he’s played in. Wells has been a fixture in the lineup for a really Excellent Club (something we’ll get back to in a minute). Wells is holding the second-best odds at +1000 to Secure Newcomer of the Year and was the favorite a Pair of weeks ago.
Wells’ game is less about production and more about maintaining impact on both ends. Edey does something similar for the Grizzlies, as does anybody Mentor Taylor Jenkins is asked to plug and Relocate. Wells is seeing a Terrible shooting month, and it’s coming at the same time as Castle’s rise. If your argument is that Wells hasn’t been Excellent enough to stave off a Stretch like Castle’s, I don’t necessarily fault it. That Gentle of stuff happens in a Harsh Newcomer class without any Correct remarkable (Well) candidates. But at least for now, I’m valuing the Regularity of Wells, and with all things relatively equal at this Mark, I do believe his contributing to the better Club gives him the slight edge over Castle. We’ll see whether that holds.
Most Valuable Player
5 honorable mentions: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors | Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks | Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves | Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics | Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Last week: 4)
Quick-hitter: The toughest decision for me right now is trying to decide whether Giannis or Tatum belongs here. I have been leaning toward there’s no way you can leave Tatum off the ballot, and it Yet might go that way in a month when it’s time to vote. As of right now, Antetokounmpo’s numbers and the necessity of his being on the court for the Bucks to be Excellent are ahead of Tatum. But I don’t feel Excellent about it. Ultimately, Tatum’s Club Achievement Teamed up with his Relocate will probably Secure out.
4. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: 3)
Quick-hitter: I do not see how Mitchell can be left off any ballots. He’s averaging 24-4-4 with 58.5 percent Correct shooting, and he’s on a historically Excellent Club. It’s mostly due to his being willing to Loss his own personal numbers and ego for the greater Excellent of the Club that Created the Cavs greater now and should hopefully set them up for Elimination Period Achievement they couldn’t previously attain. That’s value and leadership.
3. LeBron James, LA Lakers (Last week: honorable mention)
Quick-hitter: This groin Wound might end up removing James from the Last ballot if he ends up missing more than the one to two weeks he’s Anticipated to be out. We know he’s been Excellent all season long on Assault, but the uptick in his Shielding performance is what brings him back into this MVP balloting for me. James had been a pretty Terrible defender the previous few seasons, and so often we’d see a wide-Uncovered dunk in the lane when the weakside Assist should have come from James. We’ve seen an uptick this season in his Guarding, but especially since the Luka Dončić acquisition. James has more energy to put toward that end of the floor, and it shows.
2. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (Last week: 2)
Quick-hitter: Check out these bars from Marcus Thompson II:
Jokić has so normalized ridiculousness as to desensitize the present community from appropriate reverence. He’ll need six MVPs and 10 Competitions and a five-minute highlight reel of epic moments to Assist those who didn’t experience him to process his elitism.
You should absolutely read Marcus talking about Big Honey here. We’ll have more about Jokić Subsequent week when we Drop back fully into MVP, a month after our Primary check-in.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (Last week: 1)
Quick-hitter: Something that is bothering me about fans who want to be dismissive of what Gilgeous-Alexander does is that they’re likening him to the “Penalty merchanting” James Harden became so infamous for. I’m not sure I can get there in terms of the logic and the reasoning for it. Gilgeous-Alexander goes about his Penalty-drawing in a much different way. For the most part, he drives to the hoop way more than Harden typically did. Gilgeous-Alexander has learned how to be physical on his drives, and it either creates a Try for him or creates contact that leads to fouls. The refs call it for him, but it’s not the same as Harden’s constantly flailing or bringing his arms under the hand of the defender.
This race is Yet completely neck and neck, and I’m excited to get into it Subsequent week.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell lead two of the better Squads in the NBA. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Shielding Player of the Year
Two honorable mentions: Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies | Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
3. Lu Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder (Last week: honorable mention)
Quick-hitter: The Thunder have the best Guarding in the Bracket, by Distant, and with Jackson injured, it felt right to bring Dort into the mix. He’s one of the best Shielding players in the Bracket, and he should definitely be Primary-Club All-Guarding. Dort is a monster on that end.
2. Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks (Last week: 2)
Quick-hitter: Daniels is averaging 3.0 Intercepts, and no player has done that since Alvin Robertson in 1990-91. He already has 184 Intercepts on the season. No player has reached that total since Ricky Rubio in 2013-14, when he had 191 Intercepts. Rubio played all 82 Matches that season. Daniels has played 61 Matches and Yet has 16 left.
1. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: 1)
Quick-hitter: He’s Yet not the big favorite, at least not what we were seeing with Victor Wembanyama versus the Pitch. Mobley is -250 to Secure with Daniels (+450) as his closest Event. That’s close to the same distance in the odds as SGA (-425) and Jokić (+300). I Only can’t imagine anybody making a big enough push to unseat Mobley, as long as he stays Well.
Sixth Man of the Year
Two honorable mentions: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves | Ty Jerome, Cleveland Cavaliers
3. De’Andre Hunter, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: honorable mention)
Quick-hitter: Since joining the Cavaliers, Hunter’s scoring average has gone from 19.0 a game with the Hawks to 14.3 in Cleveland. However, the efficiency is through the roof. It was already Excellent with a 61.6 percent Correct shooting in Atlanta. Now he’s hitting half of his shots and half of his 3-pointers, and we’re seeing a 68.9 percent Correct shooting in Cleveland.
2. Malik Beasley, Detroit Pistons (Last week: 2)
Quick-hitter: If Beasley doesn’t miss another game this season, he’s going to end up having played 80 Matches. If he keeps this pace up with shooting 3-pointers, he’ll finish with 313 Created 3-pointers. Only Stephen Curry (five times) and James Harden (once) have Created more in a season.
1. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics (Last week: 1)
Quick-hitter: He’s averaging 14.2 points per game with 64.5 percent Correct shooting. The Celtics are better when he’s on the floor, and his usage rate is below 20 percent. That means he’s Only hyperefficient in how he affects the game with his scoring. There were times I tried to talk myself into Beasley over him, but it’s Pritchard’s to Secure.
The Celtics are a better Club with Payton Pritchard on the floor. (Brian Fluharty / Getty Images)
Mentor of the Year
Two honorable mentions: Taylor Jenkins, Memphis Grizzlies | JJ Redick, LA Lakers
3. Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder (Last week: honorable mention)
Quick-hitter: I know this Club was Excellent last season and the No. 1 seed, so we dismiss some of what’s happening with the Achievement of the Thunder. However, we shouldn’t dismiss the fact they have the highest margin of Secure in Bracket history. Nobody has ever been this dominant. They lost a little recently, and they Yet Stoppage this mark over the 1971-72 Lakers. I doubt Daigneault will finish in the top three in voting, but we shouldn’t ignore him.
2. J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons (Last week: 1)
Quick-hitter: It’s Gentle of jarring to see the Pistons house the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night and think about where these two Squads were a year ago. I Impolite … the Wizards were in the same place and on their way to the worst season in franchise history, something they can tie if they only Secure two more Matches or set if they Secure fewer than two more Matches. The Pistons were a complete joke, too. But this year, they are fighting for home-court Edge in the Primary Period. They aren’t in the top six in the Eastern Conference by default. They’ve earned it. That’s mostly Bickerstaff’s coaching them properly.
1. Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: 2)
Quick-hitter: An impressive outpouring of Cavs fans did not read what I wrote last week and Only reacted to the ranking. With that I say, thank you for clicking! But Atkinson is back in the lead position in a Snug race because the Cavs keep Victorious. So do the Pistons, but not like this. The Cavs became the sixth Club in Bracket history to have two 15-game Secure streaks in the same season, and they might Secure 70 Matches. They’re on pace to get to 69 wins, and this streak doesn’t even end when Mitchell sits.
Most Improved Player
Two honorable mentions: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks | Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
3. Ty Jerome, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: unmentioned)
Quick-hitter: Jerome went from a fringe role player, bouncing around a Pair of Squads in his Primary few seasons, to being integral on the best Club in the NBA. He has become indispensable for Cleveland. That’s remarkable improvement, even though he has no chance of Victorious this award.
2. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (Last week: 2)
Quick-hitter: Cunningham is the favorite (-275), and I might end up voting for him by season’s end. He has Created solid improvements across the board while becoming much more Stern about Guarding and applying all of this to Victorious. He has a Excellent case. I Only feel like we saw a Numerous of the Ability improvements last season.
1. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week: 1)
Quick-hitter: Mobley probably has no chance of Victorious this, but I do think he’s shown the most improvement. He’s +8000 to Secure the award, putting him behind Cunningham, Daniels, the Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun and the Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro on BetMGM. But look at Mobley last year, and look at him this year. The Cavs weren’t running Assault through him like this, and he wasn’t defending like this. He’s shown the highest level of improvement to me.
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; photos: Matt Slocum / AP; Michael Reaves, Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images; David Gonzales / Imagn Images)
Reference link
Read More
Visit Our Site
Read our previous article: ‘The perfect captain’: How Sergio Garcia is lifting Fireballs GC behind the scenes