Set Up For Success: NBA Rookies in the Best Spots After Free Agency

August 2, 2023

Daniel ranks his NBA rookies in the best spot after the Free Agency period has ended.

With Free agency coming to a standstill and the draft being completed, we now see most of the final rosters. Rookies have already gotten their first introduction to the league with some very competitive summer league action, so now they are gearing up for the season. Today I will be ranking the rookies in the best spots after free agency. The list will include franchise players and guys who are expected to come in and play more minor roles.

The criteria for the rankings will be determined by three categories, so you can understand my point of view. The criteria for the players today will be fit, role, and team expectations. Fit and role are very important to me because these factors really determine how much you will be able to produce during the year. I also hold team expectations in very high regard because they will determine whether you have a good or bad season in most people's eyes.

Now that you have all the background knowledge of how the list will be made and selected, let's hop straight into the rankings. If you have any comments or concerns, you can notify me on Twitter at @danieldleonard7.

1. Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder

Starting off the list, I have combo guard Cason Wallace. Wallace is a very elite defensive guard with some off-ball playmaking that will mesh perfectly with this Thunder team. Coming into the draft, Cason was predicted by many to be heading to teams where he was expected to be the main ball handler. Luckily for him, with the Thunder, there won't be any pressure on him to come in and facilitate at a high level right away. The Thunder's current roster construction allows Cason to come in and do what he does best right away. Cason will only be asked to come in off the bench, play stout perimeter defense, and knock down shots, and these are all things he can do.

The Thunder will have players like SGA and Giddey who can create ample shots for themselves and others at a high rate. They also have a lockdown defender who will be asked to play a similar role to Cason, just more often in Lu Dort. Also suiting up for his rookie year is standout big man Chet Holmgren. Cason will have savvy veterans like former Euroleague MVP Vasilije Micic and Kenrich Williams to guide him through the year.

2. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

Even after a very rocky summer league tenure, I saw enough flashes to still be confident in Miller. Miller was often heavily criticized for his struggles in the summer league, mostly due to people wanting Scoot instead. I think Miller will thrive with the actual Hornets roster and will bring them another dynamic they haven't had. Miller will provide another huge scoring punch to the Hornets while also having true NBA range. Miller can create shots for himself, but with the Hornets roster, those opportunities will be made easier for him due to their influx of playmakers. He will be able to slide in perfectly at the three or two positions very seamlessly.

With Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball returning to the court, the Hornets have a sneaky deep team. They will have a huge team consisting of players who can straight-up score at any time or shoot efficiently from deep. They also have an underrated duo in their frontcourt with Nick Richards and Mark Williams, who can anchor the paint on both ends. Now the situation with PJ Washington still needs to be resolved, but even without him, the Hornets may have enough to compete for a playoff spot.

3. Scoot Henderson, Portland Trailblazers

With Damian Lillard's exit certainly on the horizon, Scoot Henderson is the next person in line to be the face of the Blazers franchise. Scoot is an ultra-explosive guard with great playmaking vision and uber-talented shot-making. Scoot's star potential is undeniable and is also one of the many reasons why the Trailblazers refused to trade the third overall pick. Dame's abrupt trade request is probably the best thing for Scoot because it will allow him to grow as a player instead of pigeonholing his potential just to fit next to Dame for a season or two.

The Trailblazers are guaranteed to get back some young, talented players in any potential Dame trade, which will only add to their group of young, dynamic players. Players like Ant Simons and Shadeon Sharpe will fit next to Scoot very well because of their outside shooting and scoring abilities. Guys like Matisse Thybulle and Ryan Rupert will help Scoot guard some of the best perimeter players and make his job easier. With all the pieces the Blazers have, Scoot is in a great position to become the franchise player.

Conclusion

That should just about do it for my list. I wanted to pick more than just franchise players. I wanted to pick the players who I expected to have great rookie years but weren't going to be asked to do a bunch of things right away. I also made sure to go over the team's roster a little bit so that you would understand how they would fit.

Speaking of fit, I wanted all the players that I selected to basically be the best fits for my criteria. My criteria for each player I selected were team fit, role, and team expectations. I wanted to give a quick rundown of each player's strengths so that you could see their current skills and the current demand from them right away. I also went over the team's roster, so you could possibly envision the role they will inherit once they start playing.

Once again, if you have any comments or concerns, find me on Twitter at @danieldleonard7.

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