I vote Carmelo Anthony. Even though Lebron has the most potential, I think Mello has the most game out of the rookies this year and will dominate all of them. I don't even think Lebron is a sure 2nd, either. I heard Dwayne Wade is running Riley's offense for the Heat, and he could be a sleeper for runner-up rookie of the year.
ROY is purely a statistical award. LeBron will have free reign to take as many shots. Andre Miller is known more for spreading the ball around and getting everybody involved, so I don't think Mello will get the ball as much as LeBron. Nene will be the main scoring option in Denver. Milicik won't get the minutes for ROY, so he's out of the running already. I really think Lebron will average 20 and 5 this year and handily win the ROY award
I agree with that. LeBron will have endless with oportunities, and average as many shots and minutes as every other NBA star in the league. Therefore he will be ROY. Mello is a great player who will make an impact right away. Therefore I think he will be runner-up.
Lebron is in a great situation for ROY; he's already the team's first option, he's got the press, and he's got the ability. One thing that might get in the way, although I doubt it, is the Yao Ming, Tiger Woods kind of a deal where expectations are so raised due to the press, and resentment for the hype combine to raise the bar for one player's criteria for the award more than for others. That could happen here, although he doesn't have the xenephobia factor against him that Yao had... Carmelo is also in a great situation, and is probably as or more ready to play than James. He's cocky as hell, and is in one of those perfect balance situations, IMO: He's got complementary scorers, so he won'y have to carry the whole load, but unlike Darko he will be given every chance and a lot of pt, probably irrespective of how he performs, as his team is not yet ready for prime time, it seems. Darko is not in as good aof a position; he's got scorers already there, he's got a vet friendyl coach, and a team that can win now. He will likely have to really excell to even be in a situation to compete for the award. He's a longer shot. Bosh's situation is so up in the air...All things being equal I'd put him on a level with or just slightly below James and Anthony; He was ahead of Melo going inot their freshman year, and also had an outstanding rookie campaign, he just didn't have the same overall effect, or team around him that Melo had. Considering the fact that big mn usually develop slower, that's imporessive. But so much depends on whether they trade Davis if they sign Mutombo, etc. If he gets the pt, with Carter as the focus he could shine, but that's a big if... Wade, Hinrich and Sweetney are also strong contenders who will be given ample opportunity. A guy I would have really picked as a dark horse would have been Collison; He would have been starting, was as NBA ready as any rookie, and would have almost certainly put up the kind of solid but not spectacular numbers which win if/when the other leading rookies dissappoint, like happens every few years. Also he's a really classy kid who is so easy to root for; too bad about his injury.
And don't forget that the dude is a tweener stick. I gotta agree with you on Collison though. Had he not gone down to injury I think he would have yoinked the starting job away from Radman.
Very tough because a bunch of these rookies...and we haven't seen them actually play in an NBA game yet. I'm thinking either Carmelo or Lebron.
Based on talent, NBA readiness and oppurtunity to put up guady stats my guess is that the ROY standings will be as following: 1. LeBron James 2. Carmelo Anthony 3. Dwayne Wade Milicic just shouldn't get much playing time this season and even if he does make an impact on the Pistons I just don't think his best case scenario is to start earning big minutes in the second half of the season. The rest of those guys are just going to come right in and start. I suppose Kirk Heinrich is in a good position to make an impact as well but I just don't see him putting up the numbers these other guys will.
