By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, 2025-02-18 22:38:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
随着我们进入 2024-25 赛季 NBA 的最后三分之一赛程，一年级球员们展现出了显著的成长。他们逐渐适应了扩大的角色，并开始为圣安东尼奥马刺、华盛顿奇才和孟菲斯灰熊等球队做出贡献。
本周末的全明星活动为一些新秀提供了展示自己的机会，尤其是马刺队的后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)，他在新秀挑战赛中表现出色并荣膺 MVP，并在周六的扣篮大赛中获得第二名。
联盟的交易截止日已经过去，机会和角色发生了转变，年轻球员获得了更多的上场时间。我们看到了犹他爵士队伊赛亚·科利尔的意外崛起，以及奇才队大力推进其新秀青年运动。
让我们回顾一下 2024 届新秀在常规赛还剩不到两个月的情况下表现如何。请注意，此排名并非试图衡量球员的长期潜力或交易价值。这只是一个衡量标准，用于衡量哪些一年级球员在本赛季的这个阶段产生了最有趣和最引人注目的影响。
跳转至以下部分：
排名前八的新秀
爵士队的意外惊喜
1. 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔，后卫，圣安东尼奥马刺队
选秀顺位： 第 4 顺位，康涅狄格大学
关键数据： 场均 12.9 分，3.5 助攻
上期排名： 5
卡斯尔正打出他最好的篮球，而且时机正好。在马刺队（23 胜 29 负）争取西部季后赛附加赛席位之际，他在过去 15 场比赛中的 14 场得分上双。德阿隆·福克斯的到来让卡斯尔成为了第六人，但他并没有因此而受到影响，在 2 月 7 日对阵夏洛特黄蜂队的比赛中，他在 31 分钟内得到赛季最高的 33 分。作为替补席上的第一人，卡斯尔的防守和极具运动天赋的突破能力预示着他作为一名身材高大的后场球员拥有长期的潜力。
马刺队对卡斯尔寄予厚望，如果他能克服投篮不稳定的问题（两分球命中率为 49%，三分球命中率为 28%），他将成为福克斯的长期后场搭档。他已经成为年度最佳新秀的有力竞争者，如果圣安东尼奥能够在下个月至少保持在季后赛附加赛的争夺行列中，他的机会将会得到加强。
虽然这与他在此处的排名无关，但卡斯尔在旧金山的全明星周末也表现出色，在半决赛中投进制胜球锁定胜局后，赢得了新秀挑战赛的 MVP，然后带领他的球队以 17-2 的攻势赢得总冠军，其中包括制胜助攻。他还在扣篮大赛中表现出色，仅次于麦克·麦克朗获得第二名。
2. 扎卡里·里萨谢(Zaccharie Risacher)，亚特兰大老鹰队
选秀顺位： 第 1 顺位，法国
关键数据： 场均 11.4 分，3.3 篮板
上期排名： 6
里萨谢在过去几周有所进步，自新年以来打得更具侵略性，尤其是在 1 月 30 日客场对阵克利夫兰骑士队的比赛中，14 投 11 中得到 30 分，其中包括上半场 7 投 7 中，成为联盟历史上第一位多次在得分 30+ 且没有失误的青少年球员。
他正在成为亚特兰大队一名有能力的先发球员，可能在一定程度上受到了他角色的限制，但在攻防两端都展现出了才华和镇定，这使他成为一个有吸引力的状元秀候选人。他非常注重保护球权并做出正确的决定——下一步将是在下个赛季承担更大的进攻角色。
3. 扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey)，中锋，孟菲斯灰熊队
选秀顺位： 第 9 顺位，普渡大学
关键数据： 场均 9.5 分，7.6 篮板，62.3% 两分球命中率
上期排名： 4
埃迪在适应更广泛的 NBA 角色时经历了一些可预测的起起落落，但高效的夜晚也时有发生，包括在 2 月初的三连胜中连续获得三次两双。
他不得不稍微摆脱他在普渡大学赖以生存的定点低位进攻，并学会在节奏更快、更开放的职业比赛中寻找得分机会。因此，他的上场时间（场均 20.6 分钟）有点不稳定。但在某些夜晚，他产生了巨大的影响，他作为一名挡拆手和优势创造者的作用——迫使对方球队对抗他的体型——让他的职业生涯有了一个良好的开端。
4. 杰伦·威尔斯(Jaylen Wells)，得分后卫/小前锋，孟菲斯灰熊队
选秀顺位： 第 39 顺位，华盛顿州立大学
关键数据： 场均 11.2 分，37.6% 三分球命中率
上期排名： 2
威尔斯仍然是本赛季最好的励志故事之一，并且应该在这个时候牢牢锁定年度最佳新秀的竞争行列，与队友埃迪一起成为本届新秀中仅有的两位整个赛季都为顶级季后赛竞争者占据首发位置的球员。
他在两年内从二级联赛球员到 NBA 首发球员的道路令人难以置信。虽然他在 2 月份经历了一次小小的低迷，但威尔斯一直提供稳定的三分球投篮，并且每晚都能胜任地防守对方球队的顶级进攻球员，从而在一个大学时期不被认为是优势的领域创造了价值。
5. 凯尔·韦尔(Kel’el Ware)，中锋，迈阿密热火队
选秀顺位： 第 15 顺位，印第安纳大学
关键数据： 场均 8.6 分，5.8 篮板，60.3% 两分球命中率
上期排名： 未上榜
迈阿密在去年六月选择韦尔可能预示着球队的未来发展方向。热火队似乎正处于一个竞争窗口期，他们放弃了更成熟的新秀，转而投资于韦尔，这位在很大程度上尚未被发掘的天才经常被球探指出其不稳定性。这是一个明显的向上突破，随着吉米·巴特勒退出争夺，迈阿密致力于发展其年轻球员，以满足现在和未来的需求。
韦尔流畅的运动能力、身高臂展和拉开空间的潜力一直使他成为一个有趣的新时代中锋，并且他一直在努力回答一些关于他的竞争力和积极性的长期问题。他最终来到了一个绝佳的发展之地，于 12 月下旬进入轮换阵容，并于 1 月 21 日成为一名全职首发球员，并赢得了 1 月份的东部最佳新秀。
韦尔没有出现在上一次的专栏中，但他已经完全凭借自己的实力进入了榜单，在他的 12 场首发中，场均得到 11.5 分和 9.8 个篮板，其中包括 5 次两双。
6. 亚历山大·萨尔(Alexandre Sarr)，大前锋/中锋，华盛顿奇才队
选秀顺位： 第 2 顺位，法国
关键数据： 场均 11.4 分，6.6 篮板，1.6 盖帽
上期排名： 第 1
萨尔在 1 月 27 日因脚踝扭伤而缺席比赛，并在全明星赛前重返阵容。在受伤之前，他正处于一个高效的两个月状态中，在篮板方面表现出进步，并开始利用他令人印象深刻的身体天赋。
虽然他的个人得分仍然需要努力（两分球命中率仅为 45% 是一个令人担忧的问题），但他在整个赛季中在场上表现出了实质性的进步，他出色的防守移动能力以及不断提高的进攻舒适度对奇才队的未来来说是个好兆头。
7. 马塔斯·布泽利斯(Matas Buzelis)，前锋，芝加哥公牛队
选秀顺位： 第 11 顺位，NBA G 联盟
关键数据： 场均 6.4 分，59% 投篮命中率（最近 8 场比赛）
上期排名： 未上榜
布泽利斯最近是公牛队的一个亮点，在进入全明星赛前连续八场比赛得分上双，这让人想起他为何被认为是本届新秀中的顶级潜力股。
虽然仍在磨练他的习惯，尤其是在防守端，但布泽利斯为芝加哥的前场提供了活力和运动能力，看起来像是公牛队可以长期围绕其建队的球员。他最后一刻入选了新秀挑战赛，并与卡斯尔一起领衔扣篮大赛，但未能从第一轮晋级。
8. 伊夫·米西(Yves Missi)，中锋，新奥尔良鹈鹕队
选秀顺位： 第 21 顺位，贝勒大学
关键数据： 场均 8.5 分，8.0 篮板，1.4 盖帽
上期排名： 3
米西继续作为新奥尔良队的全职首发中锋出战，尽管球队正经历一段漫长的失利。他的进攻仍在发展中（并且很大程度上依赖于队友的传球），但他的两分球命中率高达 61%，定位为鹈鹕队长期轮换阵容中所需的那种擅长跑动跳投的中锋。
米西还在新秀挑战赛中获得一席之地，但在周四对阵国王队的比赛中膝盖受伤，并缺席了全明星周末。
跌出榜单
特里斯坦·达·席尔瓦(Tristan da Silva) ，小前锋/大前锋，奥兰多魔术队（上期排名第 7）
瑞安·邓恩(Ryan Dunn) ，小前锋，菲尼克斯太阳队（上期排名第 8）
科利尔是爵士队三名新秀中最令人印象深刻的
对于科利尔来说，这是一个不寻常的 18 个月周期，他进入南加州大学时被认为是状元秀的候选人，但在一个表现平平的大一赛季中，他的选秀行情暴跌。
在选秀之夜，他在第 29 顺位跌至犹他爵士队。在选秀的那个阶段，较低的经济投入使犹他队承担风险变得更加容易，他们在第 10 顺位选中了科迪·威廉姆斯，并在科利尔之后三个顺位选中了凯尔·菲利波夫斯基。
快进到 2 月，科利尔是犹他爵士队三名新秀中表现最好的一个。科利尔在一月份下旬取代二年级球员基昂泰·乔治进入首发阵容，并以他的组织能力和速度为爵士队的进攻带来了不同的元素。他在进入全明星赛前连续首发 12 场比赛，在此期间场均得到 12.1 分和 9 次助攻，投篮命中率为 50.8%，但同时也有 3.6 次失误。
消息人士称，爵士队对他在球队长期重建过程中的成长感到兴奋，这是可以理解的。科利尔的三分球命中率为 25%，而且仍然是一场值得观看的冒险之旅。
虽然科利尔未能进入本月的排名，但他在场上的进步对爵士队来说是一个不错的进步，他们正在耐心地为即将到来的选秀做准备。科利尔比乔治更像一名纯粹的控球后卫（从长远来看，乔治可能最适合担任第六人），他的挡拆组织能力和突破能力使他具有长期潜力。
他的跳投将会得到改善，但科利尔看起来像是犹他爵士队的一个极好的改造项目，他进入了一个非常适合他发展的环境。
交易截止日对克内克特和其他新秀的上场时间产生了多米诺骨牌效应
即使在像 NBA 这样交易频繁的联盟中，在他们的第一个职业赛季中交易首轮秀的情况也并不常见。
今年，有一名新秀在截止日被交易：密尔沃基雄鹿队将 AJ·约翰逊——我上个月写到的那位有趣的青少年后卫——送到了奇才队，以换取克里斯·米德尔顿和马库斯·斯马特，奇才队送出凯尔·库兹马。
然后是涉及新秀道尔顿·克内克特的撤销交易，他一度从洛杉矶湖人队被送到夏洛特黄蜂队，但在球队就中锋马克·威廉姆斯的交易达成一致后，交易破裂。ESPN 的沙姆斯·查拉尼亚报道说，威廉姆斯未能通过湖人队的体检，因为存在多个令人担忧的区域。这让克内克特回到了洛杉矶，目前尚不清楚他在赛季末将扮演什么样的角色，因为马克西·克里斯蒂已经前往达拉斯独行侠队，以换取卢卡·东契奇。湖人队希望围绕东契奇和勒布朗·詹姆斯进行投篮，但也必须在防守上取得适当的平衡，克内克特的 116.0 的防守效率在联盟中排名靠后。
其他的截止日多米诺骨牌效应：当球员在联盟中流动时，上场时间就会增加。前面提到的布泽利斯是上场时间激增的候选人之一，扎克·拉文现在效力于萨克拉门托国王队，最近进入首发阵容，并成为芝加哥未来发展的当务之急。公牛队一开始并没有主动给布泽利斯上场时间——他自己努力争取到了一个角色——而且他目前看起来像是芝加哥最近最有前途的新秀，在进入全明星赛前的过去 10 场比赛中，场均得到 12.8 分，上场 24 分钟，并有 1 个盖帽。公牛队一直处于悬而未决的状态，但交易拉文并为更多的布泽利斯扫清道路至少提供了一点清晰度。
正如前面提到的，通过交易增加福克斯使卡斯尔成为了马刺队的替补，克里斯·保罗仍然是首发五人之一。但从更大的角度来看，球队能够在不包括卡斯尔的情况下得到福克斯——建立一个潜在的长期首发后场与维克托·文班亚马搭档——这被联盟视为圣安东尼奥的一次政变。
以青年为主导的奇才队正在对雷霆队和火箭队的模板进行改造
奇才队继续着他们的长期计划，他们的多笔交易截止日交易证明了这一点。除了交易库兹马并带回米德尔顿和斯马特的高额薪水以换取潜力球员和选秀权外，他们还在继续围绕年轻天才重置他们的阵容。这些交易让奇才队在全明星赛后的战绩为 9 胜 45 负，并有机会获得另一个黄金选秀权，他们在上周的首发阵容中派出了三名首轮新秀——至少暂时是这样。
华盛顿的首轮选秀三人组萨尔、卡林顿和乔治场均上场时间都超过 25 分钟，这使得奇才队成为自 2021-22 赛季的俄克拉荷马城雷霆队以来，第一支如此频繁地使用三名新秀的球队——这三名球员的总上场时间为 3885 分钟。
2 月 12 日对阵印第安纳步行者队的比赛是奇才队的三人组第六次一起首发，新加入的 AJ·约翰逊替补出场，这使他们成为 NBA 中唯一一支在同一场比赛中使用去年选秀大会上的四名首轮秀的球队。在从雄鹿队交易过来之前，约翰逊主要在 NBA 发展联盟打球，但他应该会在华盛顿获得更多的上场时间。卡林顿和乔治都在进入休赛期时打出了本赛季最好的一些篮球表现。
可以肯定的是，斯马特和米德尔顿在从伤病中恢复后将会获得上场时间，这些伤病限制了他们的赛季。虽然他们不太可能成为长期计划的一部分，但奇才队可以通过帮助这两名球员恢复他们的交易价值来获得收益。华盛顿完全致力于精简阵容并从每笔交易中提取价值，这直接出自俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的剧本，竞争对手从一开始就预料到了这一点，因为奇才队总裁迈克尔·温格（2010-17 年）和总经理威尔·道金斯（2008-23 年）在雷霆队工作了相当长的时间。
“总的来说，他们的计划非常万无一失，只要他们对此保持耐心。每个人都想将其与俄克拉荷马城模式进行比较——我认为你可以使用休斯顿作为一个更好的例子，”一位西部联盟高管告诉 ESPN。“进行大量尝试，如果你擅长选秀，你就会找到一些优秀的球员。”
除了新秀们表现出的希望外，奇才队目前也预计会获得状元签的最佳几率。根据 ESPN 的 BPI 预测，他们将成为最有可能（14%）获得状元签并选中预计状元秀库珀·弗拉格的三支球队之一。
“他们在最高层拥有长远的眼光和投入，这是值得称赞的，”同一位西部联盟高管说。“我的猜测是他们还没有找到他们的主要球员。但是假设他们得到了弗拉格，突然之间，在几年内争夺季后赛席位将不会令人感到惊讶。如果他们最终没有变成一支非常优秀的球队，我会感到惊讶。”
点击查看原文：2024-25 NBA rookie rankings: New No. 1 after trade deadline
2024-25 NBA rookie rankings: New No. 1 after trade deadline
There has been tangible growth among first-year players as we enter the final third of the 2024-25 NBA season, with rookies settling into expanded roles and emerging as contributors for teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies.
This weekend’s All-Star festivities gave a number of rookies opportunities in the spotlight, particularly Spurs guard Stephon Castle, who won MVP of the Rising Stars game with a strong showing and finished second in Saturday’s dunk contest.
The league’s trade deadline is now in the rearview, with opportunities and roles shifting and more minutes opening up for young talent. We’ve seen the surprise emergence of Isaiah Collier with the Utah Jazz and the Wizards lean hard into their rookie youth movement.
Let’s revisit how members of the 2024 draft class are faring with less than two months left in the regular season. Please note that this ranking is not an attempt to gauge players’ long-term potential or trade value. It’s simply a barometer of which first-year players have made the most interesting and notable impact at this stage of the season.
Jump to a section:\
Ranking the top eight rookies\
Surprise standout for the Jazz\
1. Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio Spurs
Drafted: No. 4, UConn\
Key stats: 12.9 points per game, 3.5 assists per game\
Previous ranking: 5
Castle is playing his best basketball at a good time, reaching double figures in 14 of the past 15 games as the Spurs (23-29) push for a play-in spot in the Western Conference. The arrival of De’Aaron Fox slid Castle into a sixth man role, but he hasn’t missed a beat, scoring a season-high 33 points in 31 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 7. Working as the first player off the bench, Castle’s defense and athletic slashing prowess point to long-term upside as an oversized backcourt fixture.
The Spurs have high hopes for Castle, who will slot in as a long-term backcourt partner for Fox presuming he can work through his inconsistent shooting (49% on 2s and 28% from 3). He has emerged as a strong candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year, a case that will be bolstered if San Antonio can stay in contention for at least a play-in tournament spot over the next month.
While it played no role in his ranking here, Castle also showed well at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, winning MVP of the Rising Stars event after knocking down a game-winner to ice the semifinal, then leading his team on a 17-2 run to win the championship, including the winning assist. He also finished second to Mac McClung with a respectable showing in the dunk contest.
2. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Drafted: No. 1, France\
Key stats: 11.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG\
Previous ranking: 6
Risacher has come on over the past few weeks, playing more assertive basketball since the new year, notably a 30-point, 11-of-14 game on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 30 that included a 7-for-7 first half, becoming the first teenage player to have multiple games of 30 points and no turnovers in league history.
He is turning into a capable starter for Atlanta, likely held back to some extent by his role, but showing the poise and talent on both ends of the floor that made him an attractive No. 1 pick candidate. He is taking excellent care of the ball and making good decisions – the next step will be growing into a larger offensive role going into next season.
3. Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies
Drafted: No. 9, Purdue\
Key stats: 9.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 62.3% 2FG\
Previous ranking: 4
Edey has dealt with some predictable ups and downs as he adapts to a more expansive NBA role, but the productive nights have been there in spurts, including a stretch of three straight double-doubles in wins to start February.
He has had to get away somewhat from the designed post-ups he lived off at Purdue and learn to find opportunities to score in the faster-paced, more open pro game. His minutes (20.6 per game average) have been a touch inconsistent as a result. But on certain nights he has had a huge impact, and his utility as a screener and advantage creator – forcing opposing teams to counter his size – has gotten his career off to a good start.
4. Jaylen Wells, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies
Drafted: No. 39, Washington State\
Key stats: 11.2 PPG, 37.6% 3FG\
Previous ranking: 2
Wells remains one of the best stories of the season and should be firmly in the picture for NBA Rookie of the Year at this point, joining teammate Edey as the only members of this class to have held down a starting spot for a top playoff contender all season.
His pathway from Division II player to NBA starter in the span of two years has been improbable. While he has hit a minor slump in February, Wells has provided consistent 3-point shooting and capably guarded the opposing team’s top offensive player nightly, carving out value in an area that wasn’t viewed as a strength coming out of college.
5. Kel’el Ware, C, Miami Heat
Drafted: No. 15, Indiana\
Key stats: 8.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 60.3% 2FG\
Previously ranked: Not ranked
Miami’s selection of Ware last June was perhaps portentous of where the team was heading. The Heat, seemingly in a competitive window, passed on more established prospects to invest in Ware, a largely untapped talent often noted by scouts for his inconsistency. It was a clear upside swing, and with Jimmy Butler out of the picture, Miami is committed to developing its younger talent for the present and future.
Ware’s fluid athleticism, length and potential to space the floor have always made him an intriguing modern center, and he has done his part to answer some of the long-standing questions about his competitiveness and motor. He landed in an excellent spot to develop, entering the rotation in late December and becoming a full-time starter on Jan. 21, winning East Rookie of the Month in January.
Ware wasn’t featured in the last iteration of this column, but he has more than played his way onto the list, averaging 11.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in his 12 starts, including five double-doubles.
6. Alexandre Sarr, PF/C, Washington Wizards
Drafted: No. 2, France\
Key stats: 11.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 BPG\
Previous ranking: No. 1
Sarr went out on Jan. 27 with an ankle sprain and returned to the lineup just before the All-Star break. Prior to the injury, he was in the middle of a productive two-month stretch, showing improvement as a rebounder and starting to put his impressive physical gifts to use.
While his individual scoring still needs work (just 45% on 2-point attempts is a concern), he has shown substantial on-court growth over the course of the season, and his excellent defensive mobility coupled with improving offensive comfort bodes well for the Wizards’ future.
7. Matas Buzelis, F, Chicago Bulls
Drafted: No. 11, G League\
Key stats: 6.4 PPG, 59% FG (last eight games)\
Previously ranked: Not ranked
Buzelis has been a bright spot for the Bulls of late, scoring in double figures in eight straight games going into the All-Star break and reminding people why he was viewed as a top prospect in the class.
While still sharpening his habits, particularly on the defensive end, Buzelis has supplied energy and athletic ability to Chicago’s frontcourt, looking like a player the Bulls can build around long term. He earned a last-second nod to the Rising Stars game and headlined the dunk contest alongside Castle but was unable to advance out of the first round.
8. Yves Missi, C, New Orleans Pelicans
Drafted: No. 21, Baylor\
Key stats: 8.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG\
Previous ranking: 3
Missi continues to produce as New Orleans’ full-time starter, albeit during a protracted stretch of losing. His offense is a work in progress (and largely dependent on delivery from teammates), but he is shooting a strong 61% on 2-point attempts, slotting in as the type of rim-running center the Pelicans have needed as part of the long-term rotation.
Missi also earned a nod in the Rising Stars game but injured his knee in Thursday’s win against the Kings and sat out the All-Star Weekend.
Dropped out of the rankings
Tristan da Silva, SF/PF, Orlando Magic (previously No. 7)\
Ryan Dunn, SF, Phoenix Suns (previously No. 8)
Collier impressing the most of Jazz’s three rookies
It has been an unusual 18-month arc for Collier, who entered USC viewed as a No. 1 pick candidate but saw his stock crater during an underwhelming freshman season.
On draft night, he fell to Utah at No. 29. At that point in the draft, the reduced financial investment made taking on risk much more palatable for Utah, which had drafted Cody Williams at No. 10 and would take Kyle Filipowski three spots after Collier.
Fast-forward to February and it is Collier who has been the best of Utah’s three rookies. Collier replaced sophomore Keyonte George in the starting lineup in late January and gave the Jazz’s offense a different element with his playmaking and speed. He started 12 straight games entering the All-Star break, averaging 12.1 points and nine assists in that span on 50.8% shooting, but also had 3.6 turnovers in that stretch.
Sources said the Jazz, understandably, are excited about his growth internally as the team works through a long rebuild. Collier is shooting 25% from 3-point range and can still be an adventure to watch.
While Collier fell short of this month’s ranking, his on-court growth is a nice development for the Jazz, who are patiently building toward this upcoming draft. Collier is more of a pure point guard than George (who might be best in a sixth man role for the long term) and his ball-screen playmaking and ability to get downhill give him long-term potential.
The jumper is going to have to come around, but Collier looks like an excellent reclamation project for Utah, and he landed in a great situation for his development.
Trade deadline domino effect on Knecht, other rookies’ minutes
Even in a league as transaction-happy as the NBA, it’s not particularly common to see first-rounders traded in the middle of their first pro season.
This year, one rookie was dealt at the deadline: the Milwaukee Bucks sent AJ Johnson – the intriguing teenage guard I wrote about last month – to the Wizards in a deal that swapped Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma.
Then there was the rescinded trade involving rookie Dalton Knecht, who was briefly sent from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Charlotte Hornets before the teams’ agreed-upon deal for center Mark Williams fell apart. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Williams failed the Lakers’ physical because of multiple areas of concern. That sent Knecht back to Los Angeles, where it remains to be seen what type of role he’ll have down the stretch, with Max Christie off to the Dallas Mavericks in the Luka Doncic deal. The Lakers will want to surround Doncic and LeBron James with shooting but also have to strike the right balance defensively, where Knecht’s 116.0 defensive rating ranks on the lower end of the league.
The other deadline domino effect: When players move around the league, minutes open up. The aforementioned Buzelis is one candidate for a spike in playing time with Zach LaVine now with the Sacramento Kings, recently moving into the starting lineup and becoming a developmental prerogative for Chicago moving forward. The Bulls made a point of not handing Buzelis minutes early on – he worked his way into a role – and he presently looks like the most promising recent Chicago draftee, averaging 12.8 points in 24 minutes with a block per game in his last 10 games entering the All-Star break. The Bulls have been operating in limbo, but moving LaVine and clearing the way for more Buzelis at least offers a bit of clarity.
As previously mentioned, the addition of Fox via trade slid Castle into a bench role for the Spurs, with Chris Paul remaining in the starting five. But thinking big picture, that the team was able to land Fox without having to include Castle – setting up a potential long-term starting backcourt to pair with Victor Wembanyama – was viewed around the league as a coup for San Antonio.
Youth-driven Wizards putting their spin on Thunder, Rockets template
The Wizards continue to play the long game as evidenced by their multiple trade deadline deals. Along with trading away Kuzma and bringing back the large salaries of Middleton and Marcus Smart for prospects and draft capital, they’re continuing to reset their roster around young talent. Those deals left the Wizards, who are 9-45 coming out of the All-Star break and in position for another prime draft pick, starting three first-round rookies last week – at least for the time being.
Washington’s first-round pick trio of Sarr, Carrington and George is averaging over 25 minutes per game each, making the Wizards the first team since the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021-22 to play three rookies that often – the three have totaled 3,885 minutes together.
The Wizards’ trio started together for the sixth time on Feb. 12 against the Indiana Pacers, with new addition AJ Johnson coming off the bench, making them the only team in the NBA to play four first-rounders from last year’s draft in the same game. Johnson had mainly played in the G League prior to his trade from the Bucks but should get more playing time in Washington. Carrington and George were each playing some of their best basketball of the season going into the break.
It figures Smart and Middleton will be ticketed for minutes upon their return from injuries that have limited their seasons. While they’re unlikely to be part of the long-term plan, the Wizards stand to gain by helping both players rehabilitate their trade value. Washington’s full commitment to stripping down the roster and extracting value out of every transaction is straight out of the Oklahoma City playbook, something rival teams anticipated from the outset given the significant time spent by Wizards president Michael Winger (2010-17) and general manager Will Dawkins (2008-23) working in the Thunder organization.
“In general their plan is pretty foolproof as long as they stay patient with it. Everyone wants to compare it to the OKC model – I think you could use Houston as a better example,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN. “Take tons of swings, and if you’re decent at drafting, you’re going to find some good players.”
Along with flashes of promise from their rookies, the Wizards are currently slated for top odds for the No. 1 pick. According to ESPN’s BPI forecast, they would finish as one of three teams with the best chance (14%) of landing the top spot – and drafting projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
“They have long-term vision and buy-in at the highest level, which is commendable,” the same Western Conference executive said. “My guess is they don’t have their main guy yet. But say they get Flagg, all of a sudden, competing for the playoffs in a couple years wouldn’t be a surprise. It would surprise me if they don’t eventually turn into a pretty good team.”
By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, via ESPN