Brandon Clarke rising fast past his peers on NBA Rookie Ladder

9. PJ Washington, Charlotte Hornets

11.7 PPG, 5.0 REB, 1.7 AST

PJ Washington started off the season on fire from deep and showcased the versatility on both ends to contribute toward winning games at a respectable rate.

Since then, he and the rest of his team have cooled off and fallen back toward original lottery projections.

It’s not that Washington has necessarily disappointed to fall down the list, it’s more a case of what has he done particularly well lately.

In two contests against the Detroit Pistons, he made his presence felt with highly efficient scoring outputs and impressive defensive stands against one of the best frontcourt combos in the NBA in Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin.

Before and after those two games though, Washington has looked pedestrian on the court, not bringing the same level of energy when he hasn’t gotten the touches from shoot-first guards Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham.

He’ll never be a top option offensively, as the numbers even tell any casual observer he’s primarily a spot-up threat who will get a few post touches here and there, as well as a few chances to make something out of a pick-and-roll situation.

When he gets his time to shine, Washington’s effectiveness isn’t in question. But if the rest of his team doesn’t show the trust to feed him the ball and give him a consistent work load, the energy that should still follow to contribute elsewhere hasn’t always been present.

Talent isn’t the issue. As long as Washington continues to remain positive and show signs of improvement defensively, he’ll climb right back to where he was in previous editions of the ladder.