1. Kenyon Martin, Nets- 11.1 points,
7.7 rebounds, 2 blocks
Kenyon started off dreadfully slow,
but has picked up his game as of late. Currently, he is Rookie of the Year
by default, because this year’s rookie litter is weaker than an 80 year
old woman with tendonitis in both knees. His shot selection is indicative
of a typical rookie, but he has impressed many, including yours truly,
with his unrelenting style of play, something you rarely see in rookies,
and always see in true stars.
2. Stromile Swift, Grizzlies- 4.3
points, 2.5 rebounds, 11.8 minutes
It just doesn’t make sense. The
Grizzlies are clearly going nowhere as fast as their paws will carry them.
So why are they letting a disgruntled Othella Harrington, who has no future
with the team past this season (mid-season), clog up Stro’s minutes? If
they aren’t going to win, why not let their player with the most upside
gain experience? Anyway, Stro has had very little opportunity to prove
himself, which basically sums up the future of anyone to play for the Grizz.
3. Darius Miles, Clippers- 6.5 points,
5.0 rebounds, .486 field goal percentage
Like the rest of the “diaper dandies”
the Clippers showcase, Darius is prospering as one of the many high-flying,
dunk-obsessive, jump-out-of-the-gym cats. He is putting up numbers solely
on his versatility and athleticism. But hey, at least it puts people in
the seats. Because Darius has not developed any “real” skills (and Alvin
Gentry has been foolish enough to let him get by with it), look for him
to hit the “rookie block” as soon as the opposition realizes that he is
clueless when it comes to book-smart basketball.
4. Marcus Fizer, Bulls- 7.6 points,
4.5 rebounds, 22.3 minutes
I doubt Jerry Krause is happy about
his “steal” of the draft. Marcus has been slow to adjust to his new position
(small forward), and it is relevant that the Bulls address this situation.
He has been firing up ill-advised shots all season, and he has made no
strides whatsoever to improve his defensive game. Jerry, oh Jerry, you
should have drafted...
5. Mike Miller, Magic- 7.3 points,
2.9 rebounds, 19.0 minutes
As a starter, Mike is getting 13
points and 5 rebounds per game. Mike has given us a glimpse of greatness
from time to time this season, and there is no reason to believe he is
a fluke. His uncanny offensive ability to hit from all spots on the floor
make him a feared threat, especially when he gains more experience. If
he had someone to teach him the true importance of defense, this guy could
be a full-blown superstar, at least in the right situation (not Orlando).
6. DerMarr Johnson, Hawks- 5.6 points,
2.2 rebounds, 16.9 minutes
The Hawks are gushing with hope
in DerMarr, but he has been slow to respond to their hopes. Like most rookies,
he escapes early-season doom by stunning the crowd with awe-inspiring dunks,
but has also looked lost when it comes to straight-up basketball. He really
should have stayed in college. He is getting beat on defense time and time
again, and his offensive shot selection has been limited, due to his lack
of post-up and perimeter skills.
7. Chris Mihm, Cavaliers- 4.4 points,
1.7 rebounds, 9.1 minutes
Chris has been a huge disappointment.
His numbers aren’t bad, given his small sample size. However, when Cleveland
traded for him, they envisioned him being an immediate frontcourt helper
who could bolster their rebounding crew and give them some more size to
work with. If anything, he has been an ornament on the end of the bench.
8. Jamal Crawford, Bulls- 2.7 points,
1.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Jamal, much like Mihm, has been
a let-down. He lost his starting job in the pre-season, and is now in danger
of losing the backup role. Perhaps most notable, he has been flustered
all season by Bulls Head Coach Tim Floyd and the way he tries to use Jamal
in games. Crawford has been slow to learn the offense, and looks deemed
to stay in the doghouse for the rest of the season.
9. Joel Przybilla, Bucks- 0.7 points,
2.2 rebounds, 1 block
It’s official: Prizzy is the NBA’s
replica of Jim McIlvaine. Seriously, Joel has been a complete disaster
ever since he joined the Bucks. It’s pretty sad when you can’t take minutes
away from, ahem, Ervin Johnson. Pryzbilla uses his big frame to pull down
rebounds and clog the middle, but he’ll never be more than a Shawn Bradley
if he does not put some time into his conditioning and skill development
in the offense.
10. Keyon Dooling, Clippers- 6.4
points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Keyon has not actually been that
bad. In a reserve role. On the Clippers. His shot selection has been adequate
and his defense looks improved from his days at Missouri. His 3-point shot
is still in the works, but he is getting there. He may bust out in the
second half of the season, but even if he doesn’t, the future looks bright
for this young man.
11. Jerome Moiso, Celtics- 1.6 points,
2.6 rebounds, 8.3 minutes
Apparently, the Celtics think very
little of Jerome. Sure, with the “emergence” of Antoine Walker, minutes
have come few and far between for Moiso, but if that’s the case, why don’t
the Celtics trade him, or why did they draft him in the first place? He
has not had enough minutes to contribute much of anything, and, like Mihm,
shows promise when he is on the floor, whenever that may be.
12. Etan Thomas, Mavericks- Has Not
Played
You know the Mavericks are stacked
when they can afford not to play a stud like Thomas at all. Yo Mark, got
a tip for you. Playing an old geyser like Loy Vaught and keeping Thomas
(and Donnell Harvey while we are on the topic) on the bench is pointless,
my man. Be sure to tell Nellie.
13. Courtney Alexander, Mavericks-
5.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 14.0 minutes
Well, at least he is getting some
action. Courtney is an explosive scorer, though he is really playing role
player when he is in the game. With Michael Finley switching to small forward,
Alexander could be looking at a few more mop-up minutes than usual, especially
in the second half when everybody is worn down and tired.
(Editor's Note: Golden State center
Marc Jackson just came out of nowhere and now puts up monster stats. He
was probably left off this list by accident. If he keeps playing the way
at his current level, he'll win Rookie of the Year.)
The Best of the Rest 14. Mateen Cleaves-Pistons
16. Hidayet Turkoglu-Kings
18. Quentin Richardson-Clippers
21. Morris Peterson-Raptors
34. Khalid El-Amin-Bulls
55. Chris Porter-Warriors
Biggest Disappointments 15. Jason Collier-Rockets
20. Speedy Claxton-Sixers
22. Donnell Harvey-Mavericks
24. Dalibor Bagaric-Bulls
25. Iakovos Tsakalidis-Suns
27. Primoz Brezec-Pacers
32. A.J. Guyton-Bulls
35. Mike Smith-Wizards
41. Chris Carrawell-Unemployed
42. Olumide Oyedeji-Sonics
52. Ernest Brown-Unemployed
57. Scoonie Penn-Italy
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