I like the look of LaMelo Ball to win Rookie of the Year, currently paying out a generous $4.50. This award is generally weighted towards Guards and LaMelo looks to be the best guard in this class by far.
I’d expect him to play somewhere between 25-30 minutes a game for the Hornets, who could surprise this season. He should have a relatively high usage rate, allowing him to put up solid counting stats in the three major categories.
He figures to have more of an opportunity than the likes of Anthony Edwards and Ty Haliburton, while also being ahead of guys like Killian Hayes in terms of ability. His major competitors look to be Toppin and Wiseman, but rookie bigs tend to struggle in the modern NBA.
This is also a narrative driven award and the media have been very pro-LaMelo so far. If he can build on his solid pre-season with a good start, I can see him running away with this.
The Clippers appear to be a better side than they were last year, yet we’re getting much better odds on them winning the title at $7. I think they’ve been underrated because of their bubble performance, which I’m not putting too much stock in.
They should be a much more cohesive unit this season and the additions of Ibaka and Kennard should strengthen their rotation. Given all the off-season talk, I’d also expect them to come out with a point to prove.
They’ve also got a bunch of future assets that they can use to improve the team at the deadline, especially at Point Guard. Depth could be a concern, but I think their closing 5 is the best 5-man lineup in the West.
I give them a similar shot at winning the title as they had last season, this time with significantly better odds. Especially if they start relatively fast, there may also be some profitable cash-out opportunities during the season.