2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread

[Dan Z]

How has Asa Newell looked so far?

Tonight he played 12 minutes and scored 11 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

[Dacost]

I am not buying this game from Coward, low free throws attempted, the way he drives is still too slow and weak. His mid-range game is developing, but over the season he is shooting poor from there. His three ball has gone completely missing. He is a great rebounder for his position, but I just don't see the things I want to see from him, yet. And that is faster and more powerful driving and jumping. A better defense than the Clippers block some of those layups. He has shown some signs of playmaking but it's not consistent, and he is a very low stocks player despite having all the physical tools to disrupt - again, probably because he just plays too slow. You need to be fast, quick, reactive, reading the game quickly and with a high motor to get stocks. Coward always wants to be in control and play slow, and that's going to keep limiting his ceiling if he never figures that out.

The 18 shots attempted is nice though. He just plays so slow and in control, always. Slower is easier to defend and cover. He doesn't seem to have the ability to change pace and really explode when he drives and it makes him predictable and easier to defend, despite the physical tools being there, it's how you use them, movement patterns/mechanics aren't there.

This race is Flagg/Knueppel with a long shot for Ryan Nembhard if he keeps up the play.

I don't agree with this at all him playing slow and not jumping all over the place will benefit him in the long run that's the type of game that last for year and years kind of like Harden and Luka.

In my opinion his slow pace is a huge advantage he just needs to work on his ball handing which I bet he will develop later on.

I don't think you understand what I am talking about, he is using the slow step on almost every drive.
He is a very athletic and long guard, some of the best athletic test results at the combine.
You don't take a guy with a bigger Dwyane Wade ish body and athleticism, and make him play like Kyle Anderson.
Dwyane Wade playing like Kyle Anderson on drives is a terrible player that finishes worse at the rim and gets to the rim way less because he slows himself down for no reason.
That's what Coward is doing too much right now, he is using the slow step move, slowing down.
That is not a move you use on almost every drive, that makes it easier to defend you and gives you less power on your drive and jump, making your shots easier to contest and cover. You also get to the rim less because you give people time to catch up to you.

He is shooting 39 % on his drives and finishing poorly at the rim despite having better athleticism and length than Dwyane Wade on the combine.
He is getting to the rim at around the same rate as Kon Knueppel, and finishing just slightly better.
Wade got to the rim like 8-9 times as much as him in his rookie season, and despite finishing worse at the rim that season, he learned and became a star and improved his finishing there the next season. Wade wasn't a crazy ballhandler early in his career either, and remained a pretty high turnover guy for most of his career even if he got better.

Coward's ceiling remains a lot lower until he figures this stuff out, or IF he figures it out. Right now I am a little skeptical, but he had some better speed on his fastbreak layups two nights ago, but he struggles to get height on his jumps, making his shot get blocked or contested when he should be athletic and long enough to not have that problem, but his movement pattern is bad.

Alot of scouting reports coming out of college had the same opinios you have of a Coward right now.

In my opinion just because he has the tools to be explosive doesn't mean he has to br explosive to reach his potential.

Luka is not explosive he plays at his own tempo which I think Coward can do because of his IQ and becoming a Kyle Anderson who can actually shot which I think is his floor is not bad either.

[Duke4life831]

Well with Kon not having the greatest 6 game stretch. I think Flagg has taken over the #1 spot in ROY. And I don’t see him giving that up

[Chuck Everett]

How has Asa Newell looked so far?

Tonight he played 12 minutes and scored 11 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

He doesn't play enough (Jalen, Okongwu, Mo Gueye, Porzingis are all in front of him), however, it seems like every time he gets minutes, he's productive. I imagine the organization is happy with him. And I don't expect Porzingis to be on this team next year.

[FrightCoward]

Good to see Clayton, Jr getting some run in the blowout last night, and playing well with 20 pts and 9 assts. Hopefully he can start to get more regular PT on this mess of a Jazz roster.

[Ice Man]

Well with Kon not having the greatest 6 game stretch. I think Flagg has taken over the #1 spot in ROY. And I don’t see him giving that up

Yep, his main competitors -- Kon, VJ, Coward, Queen -- have been coming back to earth in recent games. Harper has still played well, that is aside from Friday's 1-11 evening, but he's not getting enough minutes to compete for the award.