NBA: 10 impact rookies of 2014-15

4. Nick Johnson- PG/SG, Houston Rockets

As a second-round pick, Johnson was a steal for the Rockets. They need a do-everything backup guard and Johnson fits that role perfectly. Johnson might be in for a rude awakening when he tries to shut down some of the top guards in the league, but he has the quickness and athleticism to stay in front of basically anyone in the league.

Off the bench, Johnson should be able to contribute offensively while keeping the pressure created by Patrick Beverly on the opposing guards. Johnson’s not as good offensively as Jeremy Lin, but he’s a better defender than Lin and should be able to at least replicate some of Lin’s offensive production.

Johnson is about the only offseason move I like for the Houston Rockets. After whiffing on Chandler Parsons, the Rockets made several short-term deals to help the team for the next few seasons. Johnson should be the best of the bunch, eventually, but he’ll have to be good right away if the Rockets are going to make the playoffs.

At Arizona, Johnson was the scorer for the Wildcats and carried them through the tough patches and droughts. Johnson played okay in this role. With the Rockets, Johnson can take a backseat to Harden and Howard, especially down the stretch, and roam the three-point line and make cuts to the basket. Johnson has the athleticism to finish over bigger defenders and knock down a few threes if given the opportunity.

By ranking Johnson so high, it’s not that I think Johnson is going to be the fourth-best rookie in the league. I do, however, think Johnson should have the fourth-biggest impact of all the rookies because of his ability, Houston’s situation, and how much they’ll need him to play big minutes. Johnson isn’t going to back down from that role at all, while some other rookies would crumble under the pressure of contributing on a playoff team right away.