Who should be ROY
Simmons plays point guard at 6'10" for the Sixers and is averaging 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. Kuzma has already made 95 threes at a team-best (among rotation players) 38.2 percent from behind the arc. Mitchell, the No. 13 pick, has filled in exceptionally well for Gordon Hayward, who left for Boston as a free agent in July. His 102 made three-pointers have come at a 33.9 percent clip. Another standout has been Lauri Markkanen of the Chicago Bulls (No. 7). He has helped his rebuilding team to almost the same record as the Lakers (18-30). The seven-footer out of Arizona is contributing 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds a night while hitting 36 percent from three-point range (104 in 45 games). Of course, the Lakers have another impressive rookie in Lonzo Ball. While Ball isn't a high-volume scorer (10.2 points a night), he's given the Lakers 7.1 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game this season. Ball's impact is harder to quantify, but Los Angeles lost its first eight games with the point guard sidelined with knee and shoulder injuries before winning the last three. Others, like Dennis Smith Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks, De'Aaron Fox and Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Sacramento Kings and Frank Ntilikina of the New York Knicks, have shown great potential, but Kuzma is a clear standout.
Works Cited
Pincus, Eric. “Kyle Kuzma Could Be 2017 NBA Draft's Best Player, LeBron James Bargaining Chip.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 26 Jan. 2018, bleacherreport.com/articles/2755677-kyle-kuzma-could-be-2017-nba-drafts-best-player-lebron-james-bargaining-chip.
