I tend to avoid rookies in fantasy NBA leagues – for a variety of reasons. Their playing time can be hard to predict. First year guards tend to struggle with turnovers – a big problem in some leagues. And the NBA game can be a major learning experience for rookie fours and fives; many are used to getting by on size and strength alone and have to learn how to compete against players they can’t simply out-muscle.
This season, I was even more skeptical of the rookie class. On top of the normal challenges first-year players face, this year’s rookies didn’t have the Summer League or much of a training camp to get ready for the NBA. And the compressed, lockout-shortened schedule means teams have very little in-season practice time. As such, I missed out on some rookies that have been absolutely outstanding to this point, including Kyrie Irving, Ricky Rubio, and MarShon Brooks.
Regrets? I have a few. But then again… missing out on Irving and company might not turn out to be as bad a decision as it looks right now. The rookie wall is looming.
Full column here: Working the Wire: The Compressed Schedule and the Rookie Wall (Rotowire subscription required)
