The Sixer Sense
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Top 5 NBA Rookie of the Year Candidates for 2017

By Christopher Kline

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver holds a basketball while posing for a photo with draft prospects from left Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) , Ben Simmons (LSU), Brandon Ingram (Duke) and Kris Dunn (Providence) before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver holds a basketball while posing for a photo with draft prospects from left Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) , Ben Simmons (LSU), Brandon Ingram (Duke) and Kris Dunn (Providence) before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

4. PF Marquese Chriss, Phoenix Suns

Chriss was largely considered a long term project coming into the Draft, but the Suns could very well be prepared to put him in a position to succeed immediately. With a somewhat flimsy frontcourt and an unstable situation in the backcourt, there’s reason to believe he could be shoveled a fairly hefty amount of playing time early on as somebody they believe could one of the franchise’s long term cornerstones alongside Devin Booker and fellow draftee Dragan Bender, who is far less prepared for NBA play than he is.

As an incredible athlete, Chriss has all the physical tools needed to find ways to produce at the next level. He’s far more explosive off the perimeter than your typical four, and is highly bouncy around the basket. He gets off the floor in an astonishing manner at times, and can find his way to the basket with ease because of it. He handles the ball well off the dribble at times as well, and is potent when attacking an inept defender off the bounce.

Chriss also shoots the ball well for a player his size, and could function extremely well as a stretch four who spaces the court for the logjam of guards the Suns currently have in the rotation. Whether looking at Brandon Knight or Eric Bledsoe, or the likes of a Devin Booker, the Suns are filled with intelligent facilitators who should have no problem finding Chriss when opportunities are available.

The main knock on Chriss was his rebounding and defensive prowess during his tenure at Washington. He appeared indifferent at times on the court, and lacked the judgement needed to produce at a high clip in those regards. He will have a veteran mentor in the frontcourt with Tyson Chandler, however, and has seemed to improve drastically in those areas thus far in the Suns’ Summer League play. They’re still issues, but he has all the physical tools to fix those if he has the drive to do so.

Chriss has possibly the highest non-Ben Simmons upside in the draft class, and will have a fairly reasonable chance to show that during what should be an intriguing campaign out in Phoenix. If he plays up to his potential, don’t be surprised if he’s in the conversation for Rookie of the Year come the season’s closing point.

Next: 3. Ingram