With the exception of some of the top picks every year, it is extremely rare for an NBA rookie to immediately step in to a starting lineup. However, the combination of some sneaky-good talent and players landing in the right situations could open the door for a handful of rookies to start from the outset this season.
We know about guys like Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, but who else will get the early minutes? That’s valuable to know for fantasy basketball purposes as you want your players on the court as much as possible. Here is a look at four rookies that have flown under the radar but probably should start in the NBA this season.
Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons
Small Forward
The Pistons have a couple of options on the wing including Marcus Morris and Danny Granger (rumors suggest he could be released), but their best option for the starting job might already be the rookie Johnson. The eighth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft is an absolute beast athlete and he has all of the tools to contribute right away. Johnson is 6’7’’, 245 pounds and while a lot has been made out of his defensive skills it’s also worth point out that he hit 41.7% of his three-point shots in summer league play. Johnson will play substantial minutes regardless of whether he starts or not but depending on what Stan Van Gundy sees out of him early he could steal the starting job.
Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets
Point Guard
Denver traded Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets to open up the starting point guard spot and while Jameer Nelson remains the favorite to get the nod at the position there is no guarantee the rookie won’t steal the job. Mudiay is a physical specimen that many experts predicted would be able to start in his rookie season and the quicker the Nuggets give him the starting job, the sooner his growth process will begin.
The reason fantasy GM’s are still a bit wary is because he’s still just 19 years old. Players this young don’t normally go beast mode right off the bat. Nelson can still provide value for Denver off the bench but Mudiay is the future of the franchise. If he starts, he could be a sleeper pick to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets
Power Forward
The Hornets are banking on Kaminsky to become a stretch four that can really do some serious damage with his three-point shooting. It would make sense if the ninth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft started from the outset. Kaminsky is currently listed behind Cody Zeller on Charlotte’s depth chart but he is already a more dangerous offensive threat and considering the shooting limitations of Al Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, it would make sense if they swapped spots. Kaminsky was considered the most NBA-ready big man available in this year’s NBA Draft and the Hornets could certainly use his offensive skill set in their starting lineup this season. However, he’ll have to clean up his mistakes on the defensive end as he won’t be the starter for long if he continues to struggle in that regard.
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Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
Center
Turner isn’t going to dominate from the jump but he has the potential to play substantial minutes. Considering Indiana’s lack of options at the center position, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he starts and plays a big role. The Pacers shipped out Roy Hibbert and watched David West walk via free agency. They drafted Turner with the 11th overall pick to replace some of that lost production, so if they like what they have seen out of him so far, he could start ahead of Ian Mahinmi and Shayne Whittington. Turner looked very good in Summer League and is probably one of the rookies you’ll want to target. Even if he doesn’t start from the outset, he should at least split the minutes with Mahinmi and take over the job by midseason.
