Top Ten Incoming Rookies

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It looks like after almost a hundred and fifty selections, a dozen rookies have been selected. Let’s take a look at the top ten and their comp values. Note: I don’t watch any college and have no idea who any of these guys are aside from Zion...
  1. PHX: Zion Williamson, $110
  2. WAS: Ja Morant, $71
  3. PHX: RJ Barrett, $63
  4. CHA: Darius Garland, $38
  5. MIA: Brandon Clarke, $37
  6. LAL: De’Andre Hunter, $31
  7. MIA: Jarrett Culver, $29
  8. BKN: Rui Hachimura, $29
  9. OKC: Jaxson Hayes, $28
  10. UTA: Coby White, $27
Zion Williamson went early for a premium price and will finish as the seventh highest priced player, right in-between James Harden ($115) and Luka Doncic ($104). That’s future MVP level and probably about right actually. Interestingly, Zion’s new owner, PHX Chad, also went for the third highest cost rookie, RJ Barrett, which will re-pair the two Dukies. Barrett came off our board at #42 and cost about the same as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, D’Angelo Russell, and Zach LaVine. That’s a massive bunch of guys so Chad is betting that Barrett will become at least a low-level All-Star.

Co-owners MIA Kevin and MIA Jason also went with two rookies early, Brandon Clark and Jarrett Culver. Culver was drafted by the Hawks way earlier than Clarke by Memphis — NBA #4 vs #21 -- but Clarke won Summer League MVP, perhaps contributing to his boost in value of $37 over Culver’s $29. I read that Clarke could be the best rookie in the class after Zion and so far that looks right so that price could be a steal!

Culver’s value was right around a glut of five rookies that went in-between $25 and $31. We have no idea how good Culver, Hunter, Hachimura, Hayes, and White will be, but their value comps were Derrick White, Terry Rozier, and Bojan Bogdanovic. Cam Reddish was just a few dollars less than those five guys, and will battle Hunter for playing time, but maybe he’ll finish better than all of them? I have no idea, but Cam Reddish sounds like a cool NBA star name doesn’t it?

So what was our second-best rookie worth at $71? WAS Jay committed early to Ja Morant and paid about the same price as a Lauri Markkanen or Marvin Bagley for the Murray State star. Given the dearth of talent in Memphis’ backcourt, we can’t see how Morant doesn’t return at least that value in his rookie year. Morant looks like the right price for the right guy.

For about half that price though, fellow guard Darius Garland was available. Garland only played five games in college, wore the best outfit at the NBA draft, and should also get plenty of shots in Cleveland. CHA Luke whisked Garland away at $38, which falls in line with some old hands like Chris Paul, Kevin Love, and Brook Lopez, or younger guys like Aaron Gordon, Jarrett Allen, and Kyle Kuzma. Garland will be the third guard behind Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, which makes for quite the up-and-coming backcourt.

That’s all for now! Time to Google Goga Bitadze and Ignas Brazdeikis to find out who they are...