Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Rookie Rankings 2/9/14: Lakers’ Ryan Kelly Joins The Rookie of the Year Race

By Nathan Giese

Feb 4, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Ryan Kelly (4) shoots in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Ryan Kelly (4) shoots in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next
Feb 5, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Ryan Kelly (4) celebrates with point guard Steve Blake in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Ryan Kelly (4) celebrates with point guard Steve Blake in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Throughout the course of the 2013-14 season, HoopsHabit will be presenting an NBA rookie power ranking, letting you see who has the best shot at winning the Rookie of the Year Award at season’s end.

Things are starting to get interesting once again in the NBA Rookie Rankings. What’s been making the Rookie of the Year race so interesting is that every one of the rookies in contention for the award are on very bad teams. Like really bad teams. Teams that will be vying for top draft picks in the 2014 NBA Draft. None of them really have a shot at the playoffs except the New York Knicks and they can thank the dreadful Eastern Conference for that opportunity.

Also interesting is that most of the rookies making an impact this season play in the Eastern Conference. This goes to show that the really good teams in the NBA aren’t relying on top draft picks to win games, which makes them more dangerous and tougher down the stretch.

With that, let’s take a look at where the rookies rank this week.