Breaking down the 5 best contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year
By Max Holm
3. Dennis Smith Jr. – Dallas Mavericks
Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. are probably right around the same odds for the award right now. The Sixers rookie is guaranteed a bigger role than Smith Jr. for now, but that could change. Rick Carlisle absolutely will want to put the ball in his hands a lot, but only when he’s ready.
Smith Jr.’s focus and energy was much improved in Summer League and that has to continue. Additionally, he’ll have to prove he can battle on the defensive end. As a starter, he’d have to check some elite point guards or be stuck on bigger, stronger shooting guards. That’s a tough task.
However, while Dallas will certainly aim to make the playoffs, the Western Conference might be too mighty. That could play an advantage of lower expectations for Smith Jr.
If he can earn 30+ minutes per game and see Dallas improve on last year’s record, he could sneak up and win the award. His combination of athleticism, vision and three-level scoring yields too much talent. This may be our dark horse.