NBA Draft 2018: Way too early Rookie of the Year rankings

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 21: Trae Young speaks to the media after being selected fifth overall at the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 21: Luka Doncic speaks to the media after being selected third overall at the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Luka Doncic

The Mavericks made a bold move to acquire Doncic from the Hawks, but they have a clear need for his skills. He should start immediately for Rick Carlisle’s club. His presence on the floor should do a lot to take pressure off Dennis Smith, Jr. to initiate the Dallas offense.

Playing Doncic with top-notch shooters like Dirk Nowitzki, Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews should put his playmaking on display. He may not put up huge scoring numbers, but his assist totals should lead all rookies. Expect to see his passes feature on Sportscenter on a nightly basis.

The real question for Doncic’s candidacy is whether or not he’s good enough to help Dallas significant increase their win total right away. If they remain a team mired in the lottery, it’s going to be difficult for him to garner a ton of ROY support. If, on the other hand, he can push the Mavericks close to a surprise playoff berth he might be able to shoot up the Rookie of the Year rankings.

In the end, you can safely expect Doncic to be one of next year’s most influential rookies. The success he’s already enjoyed in Spain bodes well for a relatively seamless transition to NBA basketball. Working under Carlisle should be the perfect situation for his long-term development into a star. He’ll be productive as a rookie, but his real brilliance will shine through later in his career.