Hoops Habit
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NBA: Rookies Who Need More Playing Time

By Maxwell Ogden

Oct 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the Dallas Mavericks in the season opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the Dallas Mavericks in the season opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) and forward Kobe Bryant (24) on the bench in the second half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) and forward Kobe Bryant (24) on the bench in the second half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Honorable Mention: D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Point Guard

Age: 19

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 2

Slash Line: .404/.330/.750

Season Averages: 28.0 MPG, 12.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 3PM

As promised, this list will only consist of first-year players who are being deprived of playing time. Thus, rookies who average upwards of 25 minutes per game are excluded from the list, even if they should be on the court more often.

I’d simply be remiss to ignore the elephant in the room: D’Angelo Russell needs more playing time.

For a vast majority of the 2015-16 NBA regular season, Russell has been benched in favor of Jordan Clarkson and Kobe Bryant in the fourth quarter. The likes of Lou Williams and Nick Young have taken Russell’s spot in such moments, as well.

According to Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times, Bryant recently went out of his way to encourage head coach Byron Scott to trust the younger players down the stretch.

The result: clutch heroics.

Not only did he step up in the clutch, but Russell has put forth his best efforts to date since receiving an increase in playing time. He set new career-highs in scoring in consecutive games on Dec. 9 and 11, posting 23 and 24 points, respectively.

Selected at No. 2 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, this is what Los Angeles invested in Russell for.

Next: On a Legendary Pace