NBA SCIC Roundtable: 2015-16 Rookie Update Edition
Who has been the most disappointing rookie so far?
Jason Coldiron: D’Angelo Russell. I’m not sure if he’s loving the Los Angeles lifestyle too much, if Byron Scott is jerking him around, if he’s just too young, or all of the above, but the No. 2 overall pick is having a rough go of things.
Clevis Murray: D’Angelo Russell.
Evan Caulfield: It’s too early to label D’Angelo Russell a bust, but his struggles in LA are concerning. The former Ohio State point guard hasn’t shot the ball well (40.4 FG%, 30.4 3FG%) and hasn’t been a proficient distributor (3.1 AST, 1.7 TOV), leading many to question (including myself) if the Lakers should’ve drafted Jahlil Okafor instead
John Armstrong: No rookie is really making me shake my head at the moment. I do, however, want to see more from D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers, but in order for that to happen, he needs to be given more free reign to let loose and make some early mistakes. Those mistakes are crucial because he needs to develop a feel for the pace of the game, opposing defenses, and develop chemistry with the core players he’ll be sharing the court with over these next few seasons.
The key will be to make these mistakes–the right mistakes–early on so he can shake the bad habits. His shooting percentages don’t look too good right now, but the shots will start to fall once he gets a better feel for the NBA game. Unlike some other notable point guards in the league, he won’t have to learn how to shoot. It’ll all just be a matter of finding his rhythm.
Brandon Osborne: Mario Hezonja, the 5th overall pick hasn’t had a lot of chance to impress but I still expect more from this pick. His shooting numbers need to increase from 37% from the field and 36% from three
Nicholas Hughes: I’m inclined to say that the most disappointing rookie this season has been D’Angelo Russell, but in the spirit of going against the grain I’m going to go with Emmanuel Mudiay. Let’s face facts, not much was expected from Russell in the early goings of his career, especially while slotted in next to Kobe Bryant. Mudiay on the other hand was far more likely to produce early and often in my book. In the same mold that Michael-Carter Williams had in his rookie campaign, Mudiay is a featured point guard on a lottery bound team.
He has more opportunities than anyone to shine, and thus far he’s squandered it with poor shooting and a sky high turnover rate. Hopefully it’s just an early season slump, and we’ll see him break out as we near the All-Star break.
Next: More PT