NBA Rookie Rankings: Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes vie for Rookie of the Year; Cade Cunningham keeps impressing

Also, Jalen Green is a menace in transition

There's been a lot of chatter recently about the Rookie of the Year award, and who is deserving of it. In most years the award typically goes to the player averaging the most points. It's difficult to look past those numbers for first-year players because most of them are on rebuilding teams that allow them to get up enough shots to put up big numbers. We've certainly seen that in some cases this season -- think Cade Cunningham's situation in Detroit, or Jalen Green's in Houston. Both guys are first and second in points per game among rookies, respectively, and in the case of Cade, should be mentioned in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. 

But if we're ranking the top three rookies in the class this season, Cunningham would be behind both Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes. Those two players have the best argument for Rookie of the Year right now. Not only do they have the numbers -- Barnes is averaging 15.3/7.6/3.4 and Mobley is averaging 15.1/8.3/2.6 -- but they've both been consistent all season long and have had a considerable amount of impact on winning teams that look to be in the playoffs. 

I couldn't tell you who I'd vote for right now, because as impressive as Mobley has been on defense all season and seeing his offensive game develop, Barnes has been just as good on defense, a wrecking ball on offense and has had to fill numerous roles for the Raptors this season. At one point in the season it felt as though Mobley would run away with the award, but Barnes has closed that gap considerably, to the point where I don't think there is a wrong choice with either winning it.