5 NBA Rookies who may be steals, 4 who might be busts based on the early season
NBA Rookies who have been disappointing
Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Stats: 10 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 BPG, 36% FG, 21% 3PT
Fair or not, as the No. 2 overall from the 2024 NBA Draft, there was always going to be a bigger microscope and higher expectations on Alex Sarr's shoulders. Heading into this season, he was considered to be a dynamic developmental project with the promise to evolve into one of the better two-way stars in the league. At least through the first two weeks of the season, Sarr has struggled mightily to live up to those expectations. Specifically, Sarr has continued to struggle with his offensive efficiency.
Even though Sarr is one of a few players averaging double-digit scoring numbers, he does leave much to be desired in efficiency. Shooting only 36 percent from the field overall and 21 percent from 3-point range, that's not ideal. For a player who was considered to be a potential new face of the franchise for the Wizards, Sarr is not off to a promising start as a player. The good news for Sarr is that the Wizards are going to stick with him and give him every opportunity this season to be successful. Whether he can take advantage of the opportunity and improve enough over the course of the season is the big question.
To be perfectly honest, Sarr has been slightly more productive in each of his last three games. What he's continued to struggle with is his overall offensive efficiency. And in an NBA where efficiency is the ultimate difference-maker between good and great players, Sarr will have to learn quickly how to be more selective on that end of the floor. It's frustrating because there are flashes in his game that make him worth the No. 2 overall selection. But at least for now, the necessary consistency simply isn't there yet.
As the Wizards continue to prioritize the development of their young core this season, you can bet that this is something Sarr and the Wizards will continue to work on. But Sarr is absolutely a work in progress and we may not even see much improvement on this front until next season. Washington understood the extended timeline of development that was going to be necessary for Sarr. It's too early to label him a bust but if the Wizards don't prioritize his development, that's likely how this entire experiment ends.