Let's check in on some rookies, shall we?

Analyzing VJ Edgecombe, Egor Demin, Cedric Coward, and a Wizards duo

We are less than a week away from the NBA’s trade deadline, and the whole league is holding its breath.

Selling GMs have realized that nobody wants their sheep, but Giannis Antetokounmpo ain’t no farm animal. It’s unclear whether Milwaukee really has interest in moving him now or if they’d rather wait until the summer, when more draft picks from thirsty teams are available to trade. I’d guess the latter is more likely, but this whole situation is difficult to parse.

I still think we’ll see a decent number of trades, but they’ll likely all be condensed in a tiny window, because the Grecian domino has to fall first. Once the Antetokounmpo situation resolves, one way or another, teams can direct their resources to other trade targets. Pray for my nine good fingers when a dozen trades happen within three hours of the deadline.

Until the NBA exhales, there isn’t much point in talking about broader NBA trends or team developments. Which makes this a great time to check in on some rookies!

We’ve already talked a bit about Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, although perhaps not enough: Last night’s duel, in which Knueppel dropped 34 points (including eight triples plus the game-winning free throws) and Flagg notched a teenage-record-breaking 49, was one of the most exciting games of the season!

But this is a deep and thrilling rookie class, with more players worth scrutinizing. Let’s take a peek at a handful of youngsters who have caught my eye, some with a bear trap and others with more subtle lures.

VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

To be clear, Edgecombe is the bear trap.

How could you not love this guy? He’s been everything 76ers fans could’ve hoped for and more.

Edgecombe announced his arrival with a surreal 34-point performance in his NBA debut, and he hasn’t looked back since. His stat line of 15/5/4 with two stocks (steals+blocks) is partially inflated thanks to his absurd 35.6 minutes per game (which is seventh in the league! Good lord, Nick Nurse), but it still feels like he packs so much basketball into his game.

Edgecombe plays with rockets strapped to his feet. To steal a line from Nils Sjöberg, lightning strikes every time he moves. He’s gone before your brain realizes he’s going, and then you find him in midair three feet away from where you last saw him:

Edgecombe, in fact, moves faster than even his brain can keep up with at times. Luckily, he’s gifted enough to figure it out on the move. The margin for error is cavernous:

And I swear he’s averaging three blocks per game, not the 0.5 the lying statistics say, because every time he’s on my screen, he’s climbing the ladder to grab something off the roof:

Even more fun: Edgecombe has been nails in crunchtime. Only Steph Curry has made more threes in the clutch (in fewer games, to be fair), and he’s a reliable outlet for Tyrese Maxey’s blink-quick drive-and-kicks.

The loud stuff trumpets, but the quieter stuff serenades, too. I’ve been impressed with Edgecombe as a defender overall, beyond his highlights, and surprised by his solid passing instincts. This isn’t a guy who got a ton of on-ball reps in college, and he’s looked largely like a seasoned pro out there.

Sure, the handle is flashier than it is functional right now — most of his separation comes from his ridiculous athletic gifts and the respect defenses give to his outside jumper. There are times when Edgecombe feels like he’s floating around a little bit, trying to figure out when and where it’s appropriate to attack. And all rookies make mental gaffes due to a lack of experience. But Edgecombe already looks like he could turn into the rare two-way perimeter stud without a major hole in his game.

Edgecombe’s ceiling will be limited in the short term by the 76ers’ many mouths to feed. Stardom is never guaranteed. But so far, Edgecombe is checking every box along the way.

Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards

If Knueppel weren’t breaking rookie shooting records left and right, we’d hear a lot more noise about Johnson’s superb marksmanship. Only seven rookies in NBA history have hit at least 39% of their deep balls on five attempts per game or more; three are from this year’s class: