#4 PJ Washington - Charlotte Hornets
PJ Washington has made a bright start to life in the NBA. Although he recently missed five games with a fractured finger, the rookie has once again looked sharp upon his return.
In his first game back, Washington finished with 14 points on 7-of-15 shooting against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he added 16 points two days later during Charlotte's defeat in Memphis. In his 28 minutes on the court against the Memphis Grizzlies, Washington finished with 16 points and four rebounds - and the power forward also connected with 4 of his 6 three-pointers.
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Washington has now appeared 30 times, averaging 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Following his return to fitness, the University of Kentucky product will continue to rise in the Rookie of the Year standings as we head into 2020.
#3 Tyler Herro - Miami Heat
Tyler Herro looks unlikely to break into Miami's starting lineup this season, but the 19-year-old is making enough of an impact from the bench to remain in contention to be named Rookie of the Year.
Herro has made 32 appearances so far in his rookie season, averaging 13.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He is also shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, and his defensive work has continued to improve.
Herro's best performance over the last week came against Philadelphia as he finished with 16 points while connecting with 4 of his 8 attempts from three-point range. The Heat have now reportedly made the youngster untouchable in trade talks due to his immense impact.
Grizzlies Nation! You can check out the latest Memphis Grizzlies Schedule and dive into the Grizzlies Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.