Kendrick Nunn Now +700 to Win ROY as He Continues Impressive Start With Heat

• 2018 Undrafted rookie Kendrick Nunn off to flying start with Miami Heat
• Nunn is now +700 in Rookie of the Year odds, the fourth best on the board
• Zion Williamson remains +200 favorite

Kendrick Nunn has been one of the surprise headlines of the NBA season. The undrafted rookie spent the 2018-19 campaign with the Golden State Warriors’ G-League team, but he’s been on fire for the Miami Heat in the opening weeks of the season.

Nunn didn’t have a Rookie of the Year price until November 1^st, when he entered the market at +1000. Since then, the Heat starlet has seen his price shorten to +700. Only the top three picks, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett, are at shorter odds. Some of the greatest undrafted players in NBA history, like Ben Wallace and J.J. Barea, didn’t even finish in the top five of Rookie of the Year voting, let alone win the award.

The NBA Rookie of the Year odds will move significantly throughout the season, but Nunn’s early season form has thrown him straight into the conversation.

2019-20 Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds taken Nov. 6.

Working Alongside Butler

Nunn was thrown in at the deep end alongside fellow rookie Tyler Herro with Jimmy Butler sitting out the first few games of the season. The 24-year-old got off to a dazzling start, scoring 24 against Memphis on opening night and notching 18 against the Bucks with five assists in game two.

In Butler’s absence, Nunn was the go-to scorer for Miami and he excelled in that role.

How he slots into the offense changes with Butler’s return. Nunn will take fewer shots, and his role will be different. With a similar usage rate to Jamal Murray across the season, Nunn was less involved in Miami’s loss to the Denver Nuggets. He still took 14 shots (he attempted more in each of the first four games), but he struggled from the field, finishing the night 4-for-14.

Butler has said he sees a lot of himself in Nunn. It sounds positive, and could mean they work brilliantly together, but there’s always a risk that relationships break down with Butler. How the two share the load offensively will be pivotal, and building a good off-court relationship will likely aid that cause.

Barring a blockbuster trade, Nunn will remain second option for the Heat. Keeping up his 18.3 points per game scoring might be a step too far, but he should be able to compile a line good enough to keep him in Rookie of the Year contention.

Natural Scorer, Good Defender

Nunn is scoring efficiently all over the floor. His shot selection has been good, and when he’s taken mid-rangers, he’s hit a good percentage of them (albeit in a very small sample). Shooting just under 41% from three makes a player valuable even if they don’t offer a great deal else. Nunn does, however, whether he’s knocking down shots or making his way to the basket.

Kendrick Nunn has the most points through 1st five games by an undrafted player in NBA history with 112 🔥

Dropped 28 PTS (10/15 FG, 4/6 3PT) in win over Hawks tonight. pic.twitter.com/1HERqoFF6f

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 1, 2019

His handles aren’t flashy, but he has been taking full advantage of switches. Nunn’s hesitation dribbles have already made a few opponents look silly.

Defense might not be a big topic of Rookie of the Year discussion, but it’s worth mentioning for Nunn. The extra experience is obvious compared to other rookies, and he’s got quick hands. His 1.7 steals per game is good for joint-11^th in the league and tied with Patrick Beverley.

Price to Fall Further?

In June 2017, Malcolm Brogdon became the lowest draft pick to win Rookie of the Year. Nunn has set the foundations to achieve something even more improbable. The Heat are willing to lean on their young talent, but how Nunn and Butler co-exist throughout the remainder of the season will be fascinating and decisive in Nunn’s Rookie of the Year candidacy.

The talent is clearly there to post the sort of numbers that will be hard to ignore. Williamson’s return looms over the Rookie of the Year debate, but with how many games he will have missed, Nunn could have an advantage if he stays healthy. Playing on a very good Miami Heat team won’t harm his chances either compared to the rebuilding Grizzlies of Morant and poor Knicks of Barrett.