Which NBA Rookies Deserve More Minutes Down Final Stretch of Season?

As the regular season is winding down, here's a list of rookies that should be more court time.

Author:
Morten Stig Jensen
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2024 8:28 PM EST

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With the NBA regular season slowly entering its final stages, now is the time for teams outside championship contention to give their rookies a late-season run, as to not only see what they have, but to have those players go into Year 2 on a note of confidence and belief.

Here are some players that are in need of more minutes.

Julian Phillips, Chicago Bulls

The second-rounder is supremely athletic, and has shown for a knack for getting himself involved in plays he wasn't originally a part of. At 6-foot-9, and with a 43-inch vertical, Phillips should get a permanent spot in the rotation during the final stretch for the Bulls, particularly as Patrick Williams has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Brice Sensabaugh, Utah Jazz

In fairness, the 20-year-old has gotten a bit more run over the past two games, but that should only be the tip of the iceberg. Sensabaugh was one of the best offensive talents in last year's draft, and the Jazz did choose him in the first round, after all. With him being healthy, now is a good time for the organization to explore if the rookie can catch an offensive rhythm before stepping into the offseason.

Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers

Alright, the Pacers are good, so there's a reasonable discussion to be had about waiting on Walker for next year. But even so, 19 games played for a guy who's projected to be a key connector at the power forward position? That's just not enough. Let the 6-foot-7 do-it-all forward explore, even if it's just for a few minutes every game. Worst case scenario: He helps Indiana's bench defense. His minutes needn't be many, and his presence won't be a negative presence for the team's competitiveness.

Jett Howard, Orlando Magic

For a team that could have used more wing depth all season, it's still strange that Howard hasn't seen more time on the floor. Even if he's a year away - which does appear to the case - surely the Magic are in a position where they can afford to test out the 6-foot-8 wing's floor spacing capabilities. He was the 11th overall selection last season, so it wouldn't exactly be illogical to prioritize some more opportunities for him.

Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz

Another Jazz player should be looking at head coach Will Hardy and go "Hey, man. It's time, right?". Hendricks, like Sensabaugh, is seeing more minutes as of late, which is encouraging. The 6-foot-10 wing big is still raw, but the combination of athleticism, shooting upside, and rebounding makes for an intriguing player long-term, and the Jazz have to experiment more with his presence on the floor. With that in mind, 52 total minutes over the past two games is a good sign.

Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are going nowhere quickly, and Clowney - who is not all that dissimilar from Hendricks - stands to gain a ton from real NBA minutes. He's played almost 500 minutes in the G League, and produced at a high level. While the step up from the G League to a rotation place in the NBA is significant, what else do the Nets really have going for them? Unleash Clowney!

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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