LoveMyRaps wrote:OrlMagic05 wrote:LoveMyRaps wrote:
Then who is? If you have Wagner #2 right now, I don't have a problem with it. But if two rookies are posting similar numbers at the end of the season, the player on the team with the better record will win. That's how it's always been. This is a league which rewards winning. Orlando is currently on pace for 14 wins.
Winning has nothing to do with ROY. Barnes and Mobley play on better/healthier teams than Wagner. You cant base the award off of wins, because if thats the case players like Ja Morant shouldnt have won ROY(which he clearly shouldve and earned) when you had Kendrick Nunn putting up similar numbers on a team that went to the finals. ROY is strictly based on stats. I think as of today the ranking is
1- Mobley
2- Wagner
3- Cade (based off of his strong numbers as of recently)
4- Barnes
5- Giddy
That's not entirely true.
Look at the past winners:
2021 - LaMelo (Hornets: 33-39)
2020 - Morant (Grizzlies: 34-39)
2019 - Doncic (Mavericks: 33-49)
2018 - Simmons (76ers: 52-30)
2017 - Brogdon (Bucks: 42-40)
2016 - KAT (Wolves: 29-53)
2015 - Wiggins (Wolves: 16-66 - However, no other rookie came close to Wiggins statistically (averaged 17ppg on 44% shooting. Mirotic was the runner up and averaged 10ppg on 41% shooting)
2014 - MCW (76ers: 19-63, Runner up was Oladipo/Magic: 23-59, 3rd place was Burke/Jazz: dead last in the WC. Therefore, all 3 finalists were on the 3 worst teams in the league)
2013 - Lillard (Blazers: 33-49)
2012 - Irving (Cavs: 21-45 - However, no other rookie came close to Irving (averaged 19ppg on 47% shooting. Rubio was runner up and averaged 11ppg on 36% shooting)
2011 - Griffin (Clippers: 32-50)
I can keep going on and on. This league has always rewarded winning. The Magic absolutely suck, their record is abysmal & are on pace to finish the season 14-68. Unless Wagner & Cade can pull away significantly from Barnes & Mobley statistically, they won't be able to win the award.
You bring up the Morant/Nunn example. But that doesn't help your case whatsoever. Morant averaged 18ppg/7apg/4rpg on 44/38/78 splits. His team finished 9th in the Western Conference and barely missed out on a playoff spot in a much stronger conference. Nunn averaged 15/3apg/3rpg on 44/35/85 splits. Morant clearly posted the much better numbers and his team was actually competitive.
Again man, I don't have a problem with Wagner being slotted at #2 right now, or heck even #1. But I'm just saying at the end of the season, if these rookies still have similar numbers across the board, team records will be taken into account because this league has always rewarded winning basketball.