ROOKIE STOCK REPORT 2009-2010
LOTTERY PICKS:
BLAKE GRIFFIN – Even
Still at least a couple of weeks away from resuming basketball activities.
HASHEEM THABEET – Down
Getting limited minutes off Memphis’ bench, the 7-foot-3 former UConn standout blocked only four shots in his final seven games of 2009.
JAMES HARDEN – Up
Old school ball player in new school game. Has played a role in the Thunder’s emergence, scoring in double figures five times in final two weeks of December.
TYREKE EVANS – Up
Surpassed Brandon Jennings as Rookie of the Year front-runner. Leads the Kings with 20.3 points and 4.9 assists per game, and hopefully a sore ankle that forced him out of action recently will not hamper his play in the new year.
JONNY FLYNN – Even
Assist totals have dipped a bit but so have his turnovers. Failed to score in double figures four times in last few weeks but also has four games of scoring 20 or more.
STEPHEN CURRY – Up
A good fit in Golden State’s up-tempo offense, Curry is hitting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range and even had a pair of near triple-doubles in late December.
JORDAN HILL – Down
Still can’t crack Mike D’Antoni’s rotation in New York.
DEMAR DEROZAN – Up
Has been in Toronto’s starting lineup all season and may have recently broke out of a slump, scoring in double figures in three of his final five December games.
BRANDON JENNINGS – Even
Could be back to his early season form after a lengthy slump, totaling 44 points and six 3-pointers in his final two games of 2009.
TERRENCE WILLIAMS – Down
Has seen his minutes cut for the league-worst Nets and isn’t a major part of the offense when he does get on the floor.
GERALD HENDERSON – Down
Getting very little playing time from Larry Brown and shooting below 38 percent from the floor.
TYLER HANSBROUGH – Even
Inner-ear infection recently knocked him out of action but he was developing into a solid bench player, including a recent 19-point, 11-rebound game against Atlanta.
EARL CLARK – Down
Only seeing garbage-time minutes for the Suns.
OTHER FIRST-ROUNDERS:
AUSTIN DAYE – Down
Went 3 of 16 from the field in his final five games of 2009.
JAMES JOHNSON – Down
Has cracked Vinny Del Negro’s rotation but isn’t taking advantage.
JRUE HOLIDAY – Down
The arrival of Allen Iverson and return of Lou Williams have cut into Holiday’s playing time.
TY LAWSON – Even
Scored in double digits in four of final six games of December and recently got good experience starting for injured Chauncey Billups, but couldn’t replace floor general’s leadership and Denver struggled.
JEFF TEAGUE – Down
No longer key piece of Atlanta’s rotation after spike in minutes for first half of December.
ERIC MAYNOR – Up
Quietly doing a reasonable job spelling Russell Westbrook at the point.
DARREN COLLISON – Down
Had some great efforts while replacing an injured Chris Paul in the starting lineup, but since the All-Star point guard’s return, Collison hasn’t been nearly as effective off the bench.
OMRI CASSPI – Up
Possibly the biggest surprise of the rookie class, the Israel native scored at least 18 points for the sixth time in 12 games with a career-high 23 in a near-win over the Lakers on New Year’s Day.
TAJ GIBSON – Even
Bulls won three straight after the high-energy Gibson joined the starting lineup but he’s also going to lose playing time now that Tyrus Thomas has returned.
WAYNE ELLINGTON – Up
Recently had two straight 13-point games while shooting 10 of 14 from the field, and 3-point shooting has improved.
SECOND-ROUNDERS:
SAM YOUNG – Up
A regular part of the rotation for an improving Grizzlies team, Young scored in double figures five times in the final eight games of 2009.
DEJUAN BLAIR – Up
Started final six games of December and has been very serviceable, with two double-digit scoring and rebounding efforts.
CHASE BUDINGER – Down
Still out with a sprained ankle after going 2 for 10 from the field for eight points over his last three games combined.
JONAS JEREBKO – Up
A regular starter for Detroit with plenty of double-digit scoring efforts and he’s a decent rebounder.
WELSEY MATTHEWS – Down
Lost his starting job and has been too inconsistent from the outside.
