The 2015 NBA Draft is in the books and considering this year’s rookie class won’t get a chance to play in an NBA game for a few more months, it is still definitely too early to make predictions on who will be the best of them. However, we aren’t going to let that stop us so here is a look at who we think will be the top contenders for the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers needed a franchise point guard and while all of the talk leading in to the NBA Draft was about the potential signing of unrestricted free agent Rajon Rondo, they certainly found a better option by taking Russell with the second overall pick. Russell has incredible potential as a playmaker and should be a starter from day one as Los Angeles looks to put the ball in his hands and let him run. So many experts were high on Russell as a potential ROY contender even before he was drafted and now he is in the perfect situation to fulfill that projection with the Lakers.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is the first team in NBA history to have three consecutive first overall picks on its roster and they could end up with back-to-back ROY winners if Towns can follow in Andrew Wiggins’ footsteps. Towns is the best and most complete player selected in the draft and his skill set and maturity makes him a candidate to step in and produce from the outset. Nikola Pekovic and Gorgui Dieng will contribute but as the first overall pick, Towns will be expected to step in and produce at a high level immediately.
Towns has committed to play in the Summer League, so we’ll get an early look to see what he can do. It’s a bit surprising to see the top pick in the draft decide to join that action but it should help his development and case for the ROY award.
Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets
Ty Lawson thinks he is going to the Sacramento Kings and if that happens, the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft will slide in to the starting point guard role for the Denver Nuggets from the outset this season. Mudiay is an intriguing prospect after he played all of last year in China but he projects as a quality two-way guard that can put up decent numbers at both ends of the floor. The Nuggets like to run and gun, so that should help pad Mudiay’s stats.
He might not have as much help around him as Russell in his rookie year but he will have every opportunity to put up strong numbers in Denver if the Nuggets are forced to lean on him.
Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
The Heat continue to find ways to lock up potential franchise players, including Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and now the 10th overall pick in Winslow. Head coach Erik Spoelstra was thrilled that Winslow made it that far down the board and he will have the potential to step in right away and steal minutes away from Luol Deng. Winslow’s ability at the defensive end of the floor will help him earn important minutes from the jump, so he should find his way in to the mix with a very real chance to make the NBA All-Rookie team.
Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
We are always hesitant to buy in to anything that the 76ers do but Okafor has the potential to be an absolute stud from the get-go and if they give him the opportunity to play big minutes, then he should contribute at a high level right away. Philadelphia has a plethora of young big men with Okafor being put in to the mix along with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, so there is no guarantee he will get the looks he needs to win Rookie of the Year. However, Embiid is a question mark right now and that’s probably why the team drafted Okafor.
