Updated ROTY Odds for Spurs Rookies After Chet Holmgren Injury
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This is a new set of circumstances for the San Antonio Spurs. They now have three first-round rookies who could see significant contributions at some point this season as the team enters a full rebuild.
Ninth overall pick Jeremy Sochan, 20th overall pick Malaki Branham, and 25th overall pick Blake Wesley are a rookie trio that's responsible for most of the hype surrounding the Spurs entering the 2022-23 season.
And after it was announced Thursday that Oklahoma City Thunder rookie forward and No. 2 overall selection Chet Holmgren will miss the entire year after suffering a season-ending ankle injury at a Seattle Pro-Am, San Antonio's newest bunch might have just seen increased chances of winning some rookie hardware.
Following the announcement of Holmgren's injury, FanDuel Sportsbook released updated betting odds on who will win Rookie of the Year next season.
Sochan (+5500) is now tied for the 10th-best odds to win the award while Branham (+6500) is right behind him in a two-way tie at the 11th-best odds to take home the honor.
Wesley was not included on the list of 24 rookies.
While Sochan and Branham could be contributors on a Spurs team projected to be one of the worst in the league this season, their respective odds at winning Rookie of the Year are likely lower due to the anticipated time they'll spend in the G League with the Austin Spurs. This could potentially hurt their chances at getting enough playing time to be considered for the honor, though it remains to be seen how much each player will stay in Austin.
But should they play significant minutes for coach Gregg Popovich - with Sochan being the likeliest candidate - their betting odds could slowly rise.
Ahead of them on the list are Detroit Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, whose combined production on a roster full of some already impressive young talent could cancel each other out for the award.
Other rookies on the list like Jaden Hardy of the Dallas Mavericks (+4000) and Dyson Daniels of the New Orleans Pelicans (+3300) may not see enough playing time on teams that are near locks to be contenders in the postseason.
Of course, Sochan didn't play in Vegas Summer League for the Spurs, making his projection much more difficult to predict.
Branham played well finishing the event with a 23-point outing against the Memphis Grizzlies, but also had some inconsistent performances.
Through the first three games in Vegas, Wesley was clearly the best of the Spurs rookies, as has averaged 18.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, three assists, and 1.3 steals.
But it's anyone guess how their rookie years will play out. They could be thrown into the fire and play early significant minutes or spend time developing in Austin.
Regardless, fans should get their first look at the new rooks when the preseason begins. San Antonio begins preseason play against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Sunday, Oct. 2 before the regular-season opener against the Charlotte Hornets at home on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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