Tag: Russell Westbrook (Page 7 of 7)

      The Top 10 NBA Rookies by PER

      January 20, 2009 /

      John Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Rating is a nice way to compare players without having to account for the number of minutes each guy gets. It’s an efficiency statistic, so just about everything is included. A PER of 15.00 is average for the position.

      Let’s take a look at the top rookies. I’m only going to list guys that are getting more than 20 minutes per game…

      1. Kevin Love, T-Wolves
      PER: 16.39
      Surprised? I am…a little. I really liked Love coming out of college, but he got off to a slow start and the trade Minnesota made (sending O.J. Mayo) to Memphis wasn’t looking too good early on. He’s not shooting the ball well (41%), but he’s rebounding like a champ (8.4 rpg in 22.7 mpg).

      2. Greg Oden, Blazers
      PER: 16.35
      Technically, Oden is still a rookie since he missed all of last season due to injury. After Love, he has the second best rebound rate of all first-year players.

      3. Brook Lopez, Nets
      PER: 16.26
      Rebounding is the stat that most easily translates from college to the pros, so it’s no surprise that three good rebounders top this list. In 29.5 minutes, Lopez is averaging 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds, and he has more blocks per minute than Oden.

      4. Rudy Fernandez, Blazers
      PER: 16.25
      Rudy has had no problem adjusting to the NBA game. His three-point shooting 39% is outstanding and he’s averaging 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.5 minutes per game. Plus, he was even voted into the Slam Dunk Contest as well.

      5. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
      PER: 15.40
      The other Gasol is getting starters minutes (30.6) in Memphis and is averaging 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

      6. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
      PER: 15.74
      In January, Westbrook is averaging 15.7 points, 6.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 34.9 minutes of action. He got off to a slow start, but seems to be figuring things out now.

      7. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
      PER: 15.66
      Of all the guys on this list, Mayo might be the guy that asked to do the most. He got off to a blistering start, but defenses are adjusting and his numbers are falling.

      8. Derrick Rose, Bulls
      PER: 15.45
      He and Mayo play more than 37 minutes per game, which is by far tops on this list. It’s hard to argue with the 16.9 points and 6.4 assists that Rose produces every night. Point guard is arguably the toughest position in the NBA to learn as a rookie, and this guy sure looks like a keeper.

      9. Michael Beasley, Heat
      PER: 15.23
      Beasley is getting better as the season wears on. He’s averaging 14.9 points (on 50% shooting) and 6.0 rebounds in January. He’s also as good as expected from long range (39%).

      10. D.J. Augustin, Bobcats
      PER: 13.75
      It’s not easy being a point guard under Larry Brown, but Augustin is getting big minutes (28.4) and is producing 12.1 points and 4.1 assists per contest. His shooting (40%) is pretty suspect, though he’s very solid from long range (39%).

      Notes:

      – Marreese Speights leads all rookies in PER (20.44) but only plays 15.9 minutes per game.

      – Anthony Morrow and George Hill just missed the minutes per game cutoff. Otherwise, they would have been on the list.

      – Given how tough it is to play point guard in the NBA, Derrick Rose still gets my vote for Rookie of the Year. The Bulls are asking him to play huge minutes, which is going to take its toll over the course of the season.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft

      The NBA’s Top 10 Young Point Guards

      December 3, 2008 /

      Here’s a quick list of the top 10 point guards under the age of 26, ranked in the order of a combination of current performance and trade value, and regardless of salary.

      I’ll also list the player’s age and his Player Efficiency Rating.

      1. Chris Paul, Hornets
      Age: 23
      PER: 30.99
      He’s the best point guard in the league, regardless of of age.

      2. Deron Williams, Jazz
      Age: 24
      PER: 16.82
      Better jumper than CP3, but doesn’t have his quickness or vision.

      3. Derrick Rose, Bulls
      Age: 20
      PER: 17.51
      What he’s doing in his rookie year (18.7 points, 5.8 assists) is phenomenal.

      4. Devin Harris, Nets
      Age: 25
      PER: 27.81
      He’s absolutely blowing up – 24.8 points, 6.1 assists – right before our very eyes. That sound you hear is Mark Cuban grinding his teeth.

      5. Mo Williams, Cavs
      Age: 25
      PER: 15.91
      Mo is still figuring things out on the defensive end, but he’s a nice sidekick for LeBron, despite the so-so FG% (43.7%).

      6. Rajon Rondo, Celtics
      Age: 22
      PER: 18.73
      Handled the point during the C’s championship run. Does it with passing (7.2 assists) and defense (2.2 steals).

      7. Ramon Sessions, Bucks
      Age: 22
      PER: 17.67
      It was Sessions, not Ridnour, that prompted the Bucks to trade Mo Williams away. 15.6 points and 5.8 assists indicates he’s the point guard of the future in Milwaukee.

      8. Jordan Farmar, Lakers
      Age: 22
      PER: 14.84
      He’s struggling with his shot this season (41.9%) and is still playing behind Derek Fisher.

      9. Nate Robinson, Knicks
      Age: 24
      PER: 17.88
      He’s thriving in Mike D’Antoni’s system (14.5 points, 4.2 asissts), but at just 5’ 9”, is he limited in his upside?

      10. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
      Age: 20
      PER: 15.06
      He just joined the starting lineup, but is still averaging 12.3 points and 4.1 assists.

      Before you blast me for missing a player or two, be sure to check his age. All these guys are 25 years-old or younger.

      12/4 Update: Mo Williams is 25, not 23.

      Other lists:

      Top Young Shooting Guards
      Top Young Small Forwards

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      2008 NBA Preview: #30 Oklahoma City Thunder

      October 14, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The team acquired forwards Desmond Mason and Joe Smith as part of the three-way trade that sent Luke Ridnour to the Bucks. Basically, it was a salary dump, as Mason and Smith are both in the final years of their contracts. They’ll back up Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox, respectively.
      Keep Your Eye On: Russell Westbrook, G
      Westbrook is a terrific athlete who saw his stock rise before the draft. He’s lightning quick and is a decent scorer, but he didn’t play much point in college, so the idea is for him to play behind Earl Watson for a while until he gets the hang of it.
      The Big Question: How long will this rebuilding job take?
      It will probably take a while. Kevin Durant is the franchise centerpiece, and while he won Rookie of the Year last season, he still has a ways to go before he’s ready to carry the team. The franchise has done a nice job of acquiring draft picks and cutting salary, and they project to have a ton of cap space next summer with just six players currently under contract for the 2009-10 season. It’s going to be interesting to see if the team will be able to land a dominant big man in the next two years. If so, that will certainly accelerate the turnaround.
      Outlook: For this season? Dire. For the future? Reasonably bright. Durant looks like a future franchise player, and while Jeff Green struggled in his rookie season, the team has all the ingredients for a turnaround in the next 2-3 years. They have a young core, a ton of draft picks, and oodles of cap space to work with. The upside is that they’ll be playing in front of the patient Oklahoma City fans who will be grateful to have a NBA team in town, even if the horribly-named Thunder don’t win very many games.

      Check out our NBA Preview page for a look at every team. We’ll be posting three previews per business day, which will take us up to the start of the season on Tuesday, October 28th.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

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