NBA Rookie Ladder: Did Scottie Barnes end the year on top?

Mobley is returning to action after his bout with COVID-19, putting him in a prime position to make a charge at the Rookie of the Year award. The USC alum is one of the main reasons the Cavs are a legitimate playoff team poised to make a very deep playoff run.

Mobley won’t overtake Barnes and Wagner in the scoring department, but he is already one of the best defensive players at any position in the East. That will be enough to keep him right near the top of the Rookie of the Year race as long as he avoids a major injury.

NBA Rookie Ladder: Scottie Barnes edged out Evan Mobley.

Barnes may have been sidelined for a long time due to the COVID-19 protocol, but he is still a favorite for the top rookie honor. Barnes is near the top of the list in both rebounds and points among rookies, and he’s done so while propping up a nonexistent Toronto bench.

After some iffy moments on defense, Barnes appears to have re-established himself as a quality on-ball player on that end of the floor. Scottie needs to be a bit more aggressive on offense, but it is very hard to find fault in his play in his NBA career so far.