With the NBA Draft and Summer League play in the rear view mirror and the focus shifting to what to expect this season the discussion has already started in terms of what to expect from this year’s rookie class. We’ve had a taste of some of the young stars with the Summer League action and we have a clearer picture of the players that should be in contention for the Rookie of the Year Award. Of course, everyone is expecting Ben Simmons to take home that trophy, but who are the other first-timers that will shine alongside him? Here is a look at our early predictions for the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie team.
PG: Kris Dunn, Minnesota Timberwolves
A poll asking NBA rookies which player in this year’s class they thought would be the best bet to win Rookie of the Year honors revealed that Dunn was the favorite among first-year players. Dunn improved his three-point shooting percentage in each of his final two college seasons and he should be primed for an outstanding rookie year. Dunn is an elite playmaker that should slide in perfectly on a Minnesota roster that already features back-to-back Rookie of the Year award winners so he will be primed for first-team NBA All-Rookie honors. He’s also a very polished player, so he should be able to adapt to the league far better than some other rookies.
SG: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Murray impressed in the Summer League where his knack for knocking down big shots was on full display. Murray’s finishing ability will be needed this season as the Nuggets turn to him as a primary ball handler in their offense from the outset. Murray’s playmaking ability will make him one of the top all-around players on the floor for Denver and he should be a lock for the first-team NBA All-Rookie honors.
SF: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Simmons projects to bounce around from small forward to point guard and shooting guard with the 76ers this season but it could actually help his overall numbers. The No. 1 pick from the 2016 NBA Draft is already the best playmaker on Philadelphia’s roster and they will rely heavily on the rookie to play a big role in his first season. The 76ers are loaded with talented big men up front but they will rely on Simmons to take their offense to another level.
SF/PF: Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
It will be very interesting to see how the Lakers decide to use Ingram as they continue to try to turn the fortunes of the franchise around. Ingram has the pure talent but he will play under a first-year head coach in Luke Walton and he won’t have the same level of talent around him as Dunn in Minnesota or Murray in Denver. Still, Ingram is ready to make an immediate impact in the NBA and he should be a driving force for the Lakers as they continue their rebuild this season. He’s part of a young core that includes first-round picks Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell that is expected to be the new foundation of the team. That means he’ll be fed as many minutes as he can handle. The Lakers did sign Luol Deng in the offseason, but Ingram is the future and they’ll be looking to play him plenty and develop him.
C: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
It’s easy to forget about the third-overall pick from the 2014 NBA Draft. Embiid has yet to play in an NBA game but he is (finally) fully healthy. More importantly, he has had a couple of years to develop his all-around game in preparation for his overdue debut. The 7’0’’, 250-pound big man has impressed the 76ers brass and they are excited about what he can bring to the table this season. He wasn’t drafted in 2016 but Embiid is still considered a rookie since he’s never played a regular season minute. He has a very realistic chance at making the NBA All-Rookie first team this season because the 76ers are going to be pretty bad and they’re going to have to rely on a lot of young players to get the job done.
