The 2023-24 NBA season is just a few short hours away, and the league’s newest group of rookies are set to make their debuts.
The Lakers are set to take on the defending-champion Nuggets, and the new-look Suns will take on the dynastic Warriors in the late game. It will likely be tough for young players to see time in a star-studded slate, but there’s still a few who could see action.
The rookies with the best chance to make their debuts tonight are Denver forward Julian Strawther, Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino and Golden State guard Brandin Podziemski.
Strawther is the likely favorite, as he was an upperclassmen entering the draft, and put together one of the stronger preseason campaigns. In four games, Strawther averaged 17.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists, all in just 23.2 minutes. He quickly integrated himself with the Nuggets seasoned squad, and should provide an offensive boost should they find themselves in need of firepower on opening night.
Hood-Schifino and Podziemski —two jumbo, do-it-all guards — are likely your next best shots at seeing playing time tonight. But are going to have to be stellar to weave their way into rotation, as both championship-caliber California teams have been stingy with their rookie minutes in the last several seasons.
Both were solid choices for their respective teams in the 2023 NBA Draft, but likely still have a ways to go before truly fusing themselves to the core of their teams. Hood-Schifino is a primary ball handler and pick-and-roll maestro on a team full of them. And Podziemski adds plenty in the ways of shooting, passing and more, but is subject to a tightly-knit lineup and a backcourt that will be hard to break into, regardless of role.
Another with a slim chance to see action is Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who was a second round selection this past draft. At 6-foot-9, Jackson-Davis could in the least offer different looks for Golden State as an interior threat, especially in the absence of Draymond Green. But that versatility will likely come into play later in the season.
The Lakers and Nuggets tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the Warriors-Suns right after at 9 p.m.
More must-reads: