The Sword of Omens gave Lion-O the power to see into the future. We are calling on it to help us predict season 2014-15.
It was almost impossible to avoid the hype surrounding 2014's "super" draft. Even those not interested or well versed in college basketball were caught in the vortex, since it launched a tank-race featuring roughly a quarter of the league's teams.
Logically, it stands to reason that the forthcoming Rookie of the Year race should be of high quality. The class who effectively caused a season-long reverse auction for their services will play 2014-15 under heavy expectations.
The Contenders
When the dust (finally) settled on the Kevin Love Treaty in August, 5-star prospects Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker had both found homes on moribund Midwestern franchises. For them, opportunities for minutes and shots abound.
Conversely, athlete-extraordinaire Aaron Gordon and crafty playmaker Elfrid Payton join a Magic team who have may have had enough of "rebuilding." 2014-15 will mark the 3rd season since they lost Dwight Howard and there have been few signs of progress to date. Simply by trying to win, the Magic may find themselves pushing for one of the East's final playoff spots - a potential vote-winner for their 2 RoY candidates.
Julius Randle may be in a similar boat as he joins a Laker team looking to bounce back from one of the worst seasons in franchise history. A marked improvement in the win total may help his cause, but he may find it hard to break into a veteran starting lineup.
The Outsiders
Marcus Smart, Dante Exum and Nick Stauskas are all projected to have long and productive careers, but aren't in ideal situations to take the trophy. Smart will presumably be asked to take a back seat as Rajon Rondo runs the show in Boston, while Exum is likely to be brought along slowly as he physically develops. Stauskas, Baseline Leaner's outsider of choice, should be a contributor from day one - however, a large role is unlikely with Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore ahead of him in the rotation.
The Sword of Omens 2014-15 Rookie of the Year
We enjoy irony almost as much as we enjoy NBA basketball, and when the two have the rare chance to come together, we must actively support and endorse it. The above draft class - the one that convinced the 76ers to spend less than the NBA mandated minimum on their team and Boston to nuke Ubuntu, among other things - may not produce this season's Rookie of the Year.
That honour, according to vision delivered exclusively to our Sword, will belong to Nerlens Noel. Originally picked 6th in 2013, Nerlens sat out the year with a torn ACL, and is thereby eligible this year under the same rule that saw Blake Griffin win in 2011. (And a ripped-off Sabonis fall short in 1996).
It's worth noting that Nerlen's candidacy is not only manufactured to fit our strange narrative. The Sixers are bereft of quality in the front court, with neither of their 2014 picks - Joel Embiid, Dario Saric - likely to suit up this season. With that in mind, Nerlens will plausibly play 30-35 minutes a night from Game 1 and should the Sixers continue to scream the ball up the floor (see "Pace"), he'll have a ton of chances to fill the stat sheet. His box scores should outshine those of his competitors - a similar advantage shared by his teammate Michael Carter-Williams last season.
With few legitimate big men to compete with, Nerlens is a strong chance to blow all rookies away in rebounds and blocks. Moreover, he has flashed an Anthony Davis-like ability to snag steals from the 4/5 spot and should also rank highly in that category. Overall, defensively, he looks to be an above-average NBA big man already - with huge potential to become an elite one. Of course, only contributing off the ball usually doesn't equal RoY success, but Philly's go-go system means Nerlens may crack double-figures in points on dunks and put backs alone.
A double-double with a couple of blocks and a steal every night will make a strong case and we're calling it now: Nerlens - your 2014-15 Rookie of the Year. A victory for ironing.
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