Rookie Leaders - (Top 5 Leaders in Raw and Advanced Stats)

[King Ken]

Trae has been playing extremely well on both ends in the last 8 games. I am perfectly fine with him. Since Huerter been inserted into the starting lineup, Trae has been much much better. Especially on defense.

16/3.5/8.3/1.3 on a 47/50/77.8 split

https://stats.nba.com/player/1629027/traditional/?Season=2018-19&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&LastNGames=8

per36 his numbers are 19.7/4.3/10.1/1.5 with a 5.3 TOV rate in the last 8 games.

https://stats.nba.com/player/1629027/traditional/?Season=2018-19&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Per36&LastNGames=8

Compare this to other ATG PG's their rookie year:

per36 is elite for a rookie true PG at 19.2/9.1/3.5/1 on a 39.6/27.5/78.2 split

CP3 - 16/8/5
Stockton - 11/10/2.5
Kidd - 12.5/8.4/5.8
Payton - 9.4/8.5/4
Curry- 17.4/6/4.4
Nash- 11.2/7.3/3
Zeke- 18.1/8.4/3.1

Trae is right on track.

Trae is having a TREMENDOUS rookie season for a true PG and one of his prototype. Is it perfect? No but it is much better than people are making it seem. Being a prized rookie PG is extremely hard. Ask DeAaron Fox. He has tremendously improved of late, especially on defense.

Trae's most amazing skill is his passing but his most underrated outside of his really good lateral quickness that no one talks about is his quickness and acceleration that is making him one of the most dangerous slashers in the NBA which is really how his playmaking is elite even if his passing still needs some work accuracy wise.

In the last 8 games, Trae is 3rd in the NBA with drives 19.3 with a higher FG% than James Harden at 43.6%. 20% of his drives lead to an assist and his assist rate is 3.9 which tops all players and his turnover rate is a lowly .9. which is pretty good. Trae is a monster. People love comparing him to Nash. He really is the next Isiah "Zeke" Thomas with insane court vision and range like Steph Curry. He is his own man.

His defense has been improving like cats and dogs. I think changing the personnel and him really focusing on assignments has turned him from a defensive superscrub into someone with potential. This was a man who literally didn't want to get in defensive stance at times and would just like players score so he can go back on offense. The biggest change I've seen from Trae is a mental one. He adjusted mentally. I really think this Doncic thing is getting to Ayton and Trae. I have never seen two players improve so much in a short span. Think about this, this is something John Wall still hasn't done yet. I can't recall the last time I've seen this. This quickly I mean. Maybe rookie Wade in the 2nd half?

https://stats.nba.com/players/drives/?sort=DRIVES&dir=1&Season=2018-19&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&LastNGames=8