Charlotte Hornets: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Rookie of the Year: Miles Bridges

The first step for Miles Bridges to become the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year is being the best rookie on his own team. That shouldn’t be too hard, as he was just one of two rookies the Hornets drafted.

Bridges is expected to carve out minutes right away as a backup to the small forward position, but Devonte’ Graham is kind buried in the depth chart right now with Kemba Walker and Tony Parker ahead of him.

However, after that it becomes a tall order for Bridges to be in Rookie of the Year contention. If it were any other year, he might be in the conversation, but he may not even be the best rookie from Michigan State this year thanks to Jaren Jackson Jr.

In a year where two-way, versatile players are what bad teams need, every bad team drafted one. Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagely III and Luka Doncic should post monster numbers right off the bat for their respective teams, thanks mostly to those teams needing them to contribute right away. Even guys like Mohamed Bamba, Trae Young and Kevin Knox will have chances at winning ROY due to the roles they will have to take on.

So while Miles Bridges could average a double-double in his first year in Charlotte, he would have to hit Larry Johnson-type numbers to have a shot at this year’s Rookie of the Year award.

Odds: Slim; he may not even be the best rookie in his division