The 2024 NBA Draft Class Will Require Patience

The slow start to the season by NBA rookies is understandable

Oct 28, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) passes the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

As of writing, there are no rookies currently averaging 10 points per game. Or even nine, if we want to be really harsh. That might be viewed as confirmation that the 2024 draft class was disappointing. 

But let's hang on for a bit.

For one, there's the obvious counter argument: The sample size is ridiculously small. We're four games into the season. Things can change, and fairly quickly. 

But even if we were 70 games into the season, it's crucial to remember that this class was always billed as a role player draft. There was never a major expectation that a large group of players would suddenly explode onto the scene and challenge the 1984 class in terms of quality.

If this rookie class is to be judged, it needs to be done so in the right light. 

The vast majority of players selected back in June were either long-term prospects, or guys who'd been in the NCAA for so long, scouts knew who they were, and were intimately aware of why they were still hanging around.

Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Sarr will play better as the season progresses, but both are half a decade away from even sniffing their respective primes. Numerous players are in similar situations.

It's also worth noting, that using draft slots as some kind of justification for criticism, is highly problematic the overall quality of the class was always going to rank in the lower half of any in NBA history. 

Simply put, being disappointed in a draft class that was never projected to be loaded seems... pointless. It also largely ignores the value of finding players that can still assist teams in getting better. Can we really sit here and argue that Dalton Knecht won't improve the Lakers in the long run? 

In recent years, we've seen the value of high-end role players, particularly in the postseason, that provides consistent production, despite not being stars. 

So far, the 2024 class seems to be plentiful of that caliber of player, at the very least. And really, if two handful of guys end up with 10-year careers, which certainly seems feasible, then it's difficult to find anything to be disappointed by, at least considering the initial expectations.

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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