Young Bucks

Here's a quick look at the 2017/18 Draft Crop: Year 2

I’d projected the following players as the ten best in the draft:

Fultz
Ball ROY Team 2
Jackson ROY Team
Fox
Tatum ROY Team
Isaac
D.Smith ROY Team 2
Monk
Ntilikina
Markkanen ROY Team

Among those who underperformed, expect much more from Fultz, Fox, Isaac, Monk, Ntilikina
In particular, I think Fultz, Fox, and Monk will make big strides.

Other players I expect huge improvements from:
Zach Collins, Jarrett Allen

Among all the players I projected, comparing what they did to what their ratings were, I think Fox and Collins have the most to show this year. Collins might take a little bit more time, but both guys came into the league super light and in need of some strength.

Keeping with the trend I've been on, look out for some of those names for MIP.

 

Fox is looking good. 20-8-5, 53% fgs.

 

Collins went 17-6-2-2-1 in 18 minutes, on 7-7 from the floor. He probably needs another year to keep adding strempf, but he’s going to be good.

 

MORE IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

Markelle Fultz 8.8, 3.8, 3.5
Vs. 7.1, 3.8, 3.1
-A lot of work to do.

Malik Monk 11.0, 2.1, 2.0
Vs. 6.7, 1.4, 1.0
-He has not yet found the shooting touch, and his numbers aren’t there yet.

Brandon Ingram 14.0, 0.5, 4.0
Vs. 16.1, 3.9, 5.3
-Only two game, a LeBron to adjust to, and fewer minutes than last season. Check back later.

D’Angelo Russell 15.4, 6.0, 3.8
Vs. 15.5, 5.2, 3.3
-eFG% is up, but his overall numbers aren’t significantly improved. His defense is up, but I don't think that wins MIP.

MORE MINUTES NEEDED
Domantas Sabonis 13.0, 2.0, 10.0
Vs. 11.6, 2.0, 7.7
-He’s actually doing more in fewer minutes, but even shooting 63% from the floor (he is), he’ll have to get more minutes to have a shot. His growth from his rookie season to now is pretty incredible.

Zach Collins 10.8, 0.8, 5.2
Vs. 4.4, 0.8, 3.3
-In 20.4 MPG, he’s killing it. 78.8% eFG, 2.2 blocks per game. He needs more minutes.

Jarrett Allen 11.4, 1.4, 8.2
Vs. 8.2, 0.7, 5.4
-He’s a noticeably better player who was already solid. With 2.4 blocks per game, he’s doing good things in Brooklyn. Might need more than 28 MPG – like everyone else in Brooklyn.

DO YOUR THING
De’Aaron Fox 17.7, 7.0, 4.2
Vs. 11.6, 4.4, 2.8
-He’s shooting better, scoring more, handing out more assists, and he’s winning games.

Zach LaVine 29.3, 3.3, 4.8
Vs. 16.7, 3.0, 3.9
-It’s going to be hard to contend with him if he’s scoring 30 a game. Then again, he has missed nearly 100 games over the past two seasons, so we’ll see.

 

Fox balling out. 31-15-10 on 9-13 FGA. +30.

 

Apparently he’s the youngest ever with 30-15-10.

 

Fox has been good thus season.

Ball better step up. He is moving down the ranking of his draft class.

 

I really wanted the Lakers to trade down and take Fox and Zach Collins. That would have been a nice haul. I think Fox is going to be essentially what i thought - lots of Iverson in his game. He’s a true 19/8 in his second season. Iverson was older, but he was at 22/6.

 

MORE IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

Brandon Ingram 15.5, 1.2, 3.8 (20.5)
Vs. 25.3
-Not looking like a success so far. Again, there's a lot to adapt to.

D’Angelo Russell 15.4, 5.3, 3.5 (24.2)
Vs. 24.0
-Super inconsistent but not much improved from last year.

Markelle Fultz 9.3, 3.5, 4.1 (16.9 total)
Vs. 14.0
-He's stepping up a bit, but he needs more.

MORE MINUTES NEEDED
Domantas Sabonis 13.6, 2.3, 8.8 (24.7)
Vs. 21.3
-He was solid last season. He's better this year, but he's not up quite enough.

Zach Collins 10.8, 1.2, 3.7 (15.7)
Vs. 8.5
-He won't win it with the low MPG, but he is much improved from last season.

Malik Monk 13.4, 2.3, 1.7 (17.4)
Vs. 9.1
-Monk needs to show more, but he's moving in the right direction.

Jarrett Allen 11.4, 1.5, 7.7 (20.6)
Vs. 14.3
-He will need more minutes, but he's up A LOT, and he's borderline good at his position already.

DO YOUR THING
De’Aaron Fox 18.6, 7.6, 4.7 (30.9)
Vs. 18.8
-Borderline star numbers after a decent rookie season. He's making it happen.

Zach LaVine 26.6, 3.8, 5.1 (36.5)
Vs. 23.6
-He was solid last season, and he's been fantastic this season (on offense).

 

MORE IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

Brandon Ingram 15.2, 2.0, 4.1 (21.3) {-4.0}
Vs. 25.3
-Not looking like a success so far. Again, there's a lot to adapt to.

D’Angelo Russell 16.9, 5.2, 3.5 (25.6) {+1.6}
Vs. 24.0
-Super inconsistent but not much improved from last year.

Markelle Fultz 8.8, 3.7, 3.4 (15.9 total) {+1.9}
Vs. 14.0
-He's stepping up a bit, but he needs more.

MORE MINUTES NEEDED
Domantas Sabonis 14.1, 2.5, 9.1 (25.7) {+4.4}
Vs. 21.3
-He was solid last season. He's better this year, but he's not up quite enough.

Zach Collins 9.5, 0.9, 4.5 (14.9) {+6.4}
Vs. 8.5
-He won't win it with the low MPG, but he is much improved from last season.

Malik Monk 12.1, 2.6, 1.9 (16.6) {+7.5}
Vs. 9.1
-Monk needs to show more, but he's moving in the right direction.

Jarrett Allen 11.7, 1.6, 8.1 (21.4) {+6.8}
Vs. 14.3
-He will need more minutes, but he's up A LOT, and he's borderline good at his position already.

DO YOUR THING
De’Aaron Fox 19.0, 7.3, 4.4 (30.7) {+11.9}
Vs. 18.8
-Borderline star numbers after a decent rookie season. He's making it happen.

Zach LaVine 25.3, 4.0, 5.4 (34.7) {+11.1}
Vs. 23.6
-He was solid last season, and he's been fantastic this season (on offense).

I'll do some searching and see about other candidates, but I wonder - would Fox or LaVine get the nod if it were just those two duking it out? LaVine has the greater overall numbers, but Fox has slightly better improvement.

 

What about Kemba? Was he too good already?

35.1 minutes, 28.7 points, 6.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds (sum of 39.3), shooting 46% - 38% - 86% this season.
Was at 22.1 / 5.6 / 3.1 (31.8)
So {+7.5}

BTW, Kobe-esque numbers.

 

Kemba has been a sensation.

I'm surprised he jumped this much at his age on a team that wanted to trade him.