NBA 2019-20: Rookie of the Year Power Rankings Week 8

The race to be named 2019 Rookie of the Year came down to a battle between Luka Doncic and Trae Young, but the 2020 field is much wider thanks to the surprisingly stacked draft class.

Heading into the 2019 draft, some had labeled the class as one of the weakest in recent memory. However, several players have immediately stepped up, making a significant impact on their respective teams.

With Zion Williamson still out due to injury, it appears that his chances of making a run for the award are fading. Here, we take a look at the individuals that are best positioned to be named 2020 Rookie of the Year.

---

#5 Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat

Kendrick Nunn has played a big role in Miami's excellent start to the season

Kendrick Nunn's performances haven't exactly stood out over the past few weeks, but the 24-year-old continues to put in solid performances for a Miami Heat team that has one of the best records in the NBA.

Through 24 appearances this season, Nunn has averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Moreover, the Chicago native is currently shooting 44 percent from the field.

Nunn combined for just 15 points against the Raptors and Celtics, although the shooting guard improved during wins over Washington and Chicago as he contributed 32 points on almost 50% shooting.

Nunn's defense has also continued to improve in recent weeks, although after starting the season shooting 40% from deep, the rookie has connected with just 7 of his last 36 attempts.

Ultimately, Nunn remains in the conversation to be named Rookie of the Year thanks to his consistently good performances on a winning team. That said, he could use a breakout performance in the next week.

#4 Rui Hachimura - Washington Wizards

Rui Hachimura is starting to hit top form for the Wizards

Following an excellent start to his rookie year, Rui Hachimura struggled for much of November. But the Washington Wizards man has rediscovered his form over the past two weeks.

While the Wizards have faced a difficult schedule that included games against the Los Angeles Clippers (twice) and Philadelphia 76ers, Hachimura has averaged 20.6 points, 7 rebounds and 2.6 assists over his last five outings.

Following on from his career-high 30-point performance against the Clippers last week, Hachimura dropped 27 points on the Sixers. And the 21-year-old will continue to get better in the coming weeks as his confidence keeps growing.

---

#3 Tyler Herro - Miami Heat

Tyler Herro is perhaps the biggest steal of the 2019 draft

Tyler Herro's performances continue to be somewhat inconsistent. But after averaging just five points over his previous three appearances, the 19-year-old scored a combined 49 points during Miami's back-to-back wins over the Wizards and Bulls. That included a 27-point performance against Chicago, as Herro connected with five of 11 attempts from three-point range while also grabbing seven rebounds.

Despite starting just three times this season, Herro is now fourth in scoring among rookies (14.5 ppg). The shooting guard is also shooting at almost 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Combined with 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, Herro is enjoying a fine debut season. It is surprising that he was only selected with the 13th pick in the 2019 draft.

#2 Eric Paschall - Golden State Warriors

Eric Paschall's chances may be impacted by the return of D'Angelo Russell

Eric Paschall started Week 7 dropping 24 points on the Atlanta Hawks, and the 23-year-old appeared primed for another huge week. However, D'Angelo Russell returned from injury for Golden State's next game against the Hornets, and Paschall's numbers have since dipped as he adapts to a smaller role on the Warriors' offense.

Over his past three appearances, Paschall has averaged a relatively low 11.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. His Rookie of the Year chances could be negatively impacted by Russell's presence.

Nevertheless, as it stands, the New York native is averaging 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 31.5 minutes per game. It will be interesting to see if he can adapt his game well over the coming weeks.

---

#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant returned in a big way after missing four games with a back injury

Ja Morant missed four consecutive games last week due to back spasms, but the 20-year-old returned with a huge performance on Monday night. Against a struggling Golden State team, Morant recorded 26 points while connecting with 8 of his 14 field goal attempts. The dynamic point guard was particularly impressive in the fourth quarter as he poured in 13 points.

Morant also connected with 3 of his 5 attempts from beyond the arc, and through 18 appearances this season, the Murray State product is averaging 19.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. The chasing pack had the chance to close the gap to Morant over the past week, but the Grizzlies man remains the front-runner to be named Rookie of the Year.