Which Rookies Are Impressing In Preseason?

Plus, what does Golden State do next?

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Young Talent On Display: A few first-round picks have impressed in the preseason, and Miami may have struck gold again…

Golden State Has A Decision To Make: Draymond Green apologizes, but has too much damage already been done?

Enjoy Predictions

Hey Enjoyers, we built a new tool for you to predict the NBA standings this year! Go make your guesses for the season at enjoypredictions.com, then share them on social media, and don't forget to tag us! We have lots of BIG announcements coming up in the near future, so stay tuned!

Rookie Standouts

As the preseason chugs along, the NBA’s stars get back into their rhythm, coaches tinker with some potential lineups, and we fans get our first taste of the rookie class squaring off against the NBA’s top talent. No one will argue that a notable preseason – good or bad – can fully dictate how a player’s rookie season will shake out. With that being said, playing well in your first NBA action is better than struggling. That’s high-quality journalism right there.

So, which rookies have stood out thus far?

Jamal Cain, Miami Heat

At this point, early October is basically just the time of year when NBA fans familiarize themselves with the new, barely known Heat player who will inevitably be an integral piece of Miami’s rotation. Hassan Whiteside, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Caleb Martin have all been the patented “diamond in the rough” in years past. Now, rookie Jamal Cain has impressed enough in just a few preseason games to throw his proverbial hat in the ring for the privilege of being the ultimate "Heat Culture" guy in 2022-23.

With a 15-point, 11-rebound, 5-steal performance, followed up by an equally impressive 19/6/3/2 outing, Cain is quickly making a case that he deserves a two-way contract from the Heat. The rookie from Oakland University (go Golden Grizzlies!) is currently on an Exhibit-10 deal, but given Miami’s history of finding gems through any vessel possible, you can guarantee that Cain’s performances are not going unnoticed. The 6'7 wing has scored well, which is always nice, but perhaps more important is his willingness to move and cut without the ball. Cain appears to have a good sense of where to be on the court (and when to be there,) which is an important trait for a rookie. He has also flashed some defensive versatility thanks in part to his athletic frame.

The Heat are just going to do this forever, huh?

Tari Eason, Houston Rockets

The defensive end of the floor was never going to be an issue for Tari Eason. Coming out of LSU, the 6’8" wing was debatably the most complete defensive prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft, so his five recorded stocks (steals + blocks) and eighteen rebounds in two preseason games don't come as a surprise. A high-level, efficient scorer certainly isn’t the role anyone envisioned for Eason in his rookie season, so watching him shoot 17/28 and 3/6 from 3PT in his first two preseason games has raised some eyebrows, to say the least.

With Eason, the Rockets followed the draft strategy of “take a good basketball player,” and it shockingly appears to be working yet again. Eason will stay in the NBA for a long time due to his defensive versatility and motor. If he can fully unlock his offensive abilities, specifically his ball handling and some sort of controlled creation proficiency, his falling out of the lottery could be a head-scratcher in about 2026. Plugging in Eason alongside Alperen Sengun could make for a pretty entertaining young frontcourt in Houston for years to come.

Dyson Daniels, New Orleans Pelicans

Shooting 8/29 through two games doesn’t scream “standout,” but the former G-League Ignite star has shown some pretty awe-inspiring defensive ability for a 19-year-old. Daniels’ on-ball skills have been impressive – he stuck with fellow lottery pick Jaden Ivey about as well as you could ask for in New Orleans’ game against the Pistons on Friday. And yet, his off-ball awareness has been arguably even better, making multiple defensive efforts when his man wasn’t even involved in the play. There are All-Defensive teams in Daniels' future.

Dyson Daniels could end up playing a pretty significant role for the Pelicans this year, a season filled with lots of hope for fans in the Big Easy. Devonte' Graham and Jose Alvarado are both highly serviceable guard options who have earned their place on this Pelicans team. But if Daniels can continue to improve his creation ability for others and his shot becomes consistent at the NBA level, Willie Green will have a bit of a logjam in the backcourt – in this case, it’s not the worst problem to have.

Does Golden State Have A Decision To Make?

Every move Draymond Green makes on a basketball court is done with emotion, and the Golden State Warriors have become accustomed to that. They’ve been able to weather Green consistently being at the top of the NBA’s technical foul lists, his disputes with past teammates, and his constant tip-toeing of the line between “emotional player” and “detrimental distraction.”

It appeared the Warriors would move past Green’s “altercation” with Jordan Poole late last week just like they’ve moved past all of Green’s previous off-court matters. The team claimed they would handle the matter in-house, and everyone involved clearly wanted the whole situation to be a non-issue in the media. But then a video of the incident leaked, showing Green pushing Poole, then swinging a punch toward him. Green's tip-toeing of that emotional line quickly became a two-footed stomp over it.

Even with Green apologizing to Jordan Poole and Poole’s family, a situation like this looms over a team long after hands are shaken and apologies are given. Steve Kerr responded with “no comment” to a question about his level of trust in Green going forward.

Green and Poole are both also potentially up for contract extensions after this season. Poole is almost a decade younger, and all signs point to him – understandably – being the Warriors' top priority next offseason. Will this possible tension in the Warriors' locker room, coupled with a tricky contract situation for the 32-year-old Green, be the final straw to the Warriors looking for a new home for him?

Sunday's Games

Bulls 115, Raptors 98: Say hello to your 2022-23 NBA three-point shooting champion... Andre Drummond. Alright, that might be a stretch, but the Bulls center did go 3/3 from deep in this game. On the Toronto side, Dalano Banton impressed again, and he's making a real case for consistent rotational minutes this season.

Pelicans 111, Spurs 97: Trey Murphy III can shoot. Well. The second-year forward went 7-10 from three-point range in this game, finishing with 27 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes. Murphy looked more comfortable as last season progressed and might be poised for a breakout sophomore campaign. The Pelicans have some weapons.

Thunder 144, Maccabi Ra'anana 97: Thunder rookie Jaylin Williams finished with a double-double in this one, scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Also, Thunder rookie Jalen Williams finished with a double-double in this one, scoring 15 points and dishing out 13 assists. Hmm. That definitely won't ever be confusing!

Lakers 124, Warriors 121: Anthony Davis scored 28 points in just 21 minutes in the Lakers' victory. The public perception of Davis has soured after a few years of injuries, but a bounceback year from him can single-handedly transform the Lakers into a contender.

Kings 126, Blazers 94: The Kings have a good NBA roster. Whether that translates to a playoff berth is still to be determined. But this team can shoot, and already seem to have pretty thorough chemistry. Keegan Murray (16 points, 5/6 3PT) is going to be a productive NBA player for about a decade.

Wolves 119, Clippers 117: Hey, that version of John Wall looks a little more familiar! The 5x All-Star scored 20 points on Sunday, and while he might not possess the turbo-charged superspeed that he had years ago, Wall looked impressively springy nonetheless. The Clippers have a never-ending reservoir of experienced players they can call on.

Good Reads

One-Trick Ponies Aren't Extinct Yet - Mike Shearer (Basketball Poetry)

Is the NBA ready for Victor Wembanyama? - Kevin O'Conner (The Ringer)

Spurs practice, fair brings a bit of joy to Uvalde, Texas - Raul Dominguez (AP Sports)

Signing Off

Once again, thank you for reading, and happy Monday! You're going to have a great week, promise. Do something nice for somebody today. Talk soon!

-Quinn Everts

Trivia Answer: The most points ever scored in a Rising Stars Challenge? 46 by Kevin Durant in 2009! Safe to say his "star" did in fact "rise."

Trivia Question: Speaking of young stars, Purdue's Jaden Ivey went #5 overall to the Pistons in the 2022 Draft. Before him, who was the last Purdue player to be selected in the top 5 of an NBA Draft? (Hint: he went #1 overall...)