NBA rookies have a lot to learn. A lot to learn. Simple things. Hard things. Physical things. Mental things.
The Magic are relying heavily on some young players learning things and their future is tied to how these players develop. But for now, they just need to learn how to properly rest their bodies . . . and the grind of playing in the NBA.
“I wasn’t sore after the game … that was … who did we play? Yeah, against Indiana. I wasn’t sore after the game like I was against Miami,” Elfrid Payton said at practice after the Magic’s second preseason game.
Payton was a standout in the preseason and it has continued in the early part of the regular season. Payton very much earned his spot in the starting lineup — although Victor Oladipo‘s injury helped make that decision easier. Aaron Gordon has had his moments too. But both have shown they still have a ton of learning to do.
Teams are already trying to test Payton, picking him up full court and trying to get him off the ball more, where his poor shooting may prevent him from being fully effective. He has seen defenders lay off him and try to entice him to take a jumper rather than get into the paint. And he has had his shot blocked plenty of times. And this goes before he has to learn how to manage the schedule and the grind of a NBA season.
There is just so much to take in.
The grind of an 82-game season is one of the bigger things the Magic’s rookies will have to learn. Photo by David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
“I think the biggest transition is just the 82 games,” Payton said. “Coming from college you play about 35-40 games. Just overall traveling, taking care of your body and things like that.”
“Certain things about my game really put me over the threshold I think that a lot of good NBA players have,” Gordon added. “I think I can put myself in that category and with more time and more work, I think I can really separate myself.
“Just stay level headed. There is going to be ups and downs throughout the 82-game season. The more I can stay on the level, the more it’s going to help my game.”
Gordon has seen a lot more ups and downs so far this season. His strong debut in New Orleans was followed by a rough performance against Washington and then three fouls in about 90 seconds against Toronto. His first moments against the Bulls saw him miss a few jumpers, struggle keeping track of Doug McDermott, and then recover in time to block one of his shots. There is going to be good like that in short spurts but a lot of struggles for the rookie.
Payton will not be immune either.
“This is an awful smart league so he can’t be concentrated every single time on trying to find the guy,” Vaughn said of his new point guard. “The best thing he has done is he has made the right play. Sometimes that is shooting his floater, sometimes that is finding a big for a drop off, sometimes that is finding the guy in the corner for three. He has been doing a bit of everything.”
In the time between Summer League and the start of preseason and the time between preseason and this early stage of the regular season, the players have all learned a lot about the league.
It was an extremely watered down version in early July in Orlando, but rookies learn how much faster the game is. And, as they progress through the week, have to adjust and find their spot. It is not quite being in the NBA, but they learn close to what it takes to have some sort of staying power in the league.
It is only a preparation for the speed and skill that is to come. Training camp is only a preparation for the speed and skill of the regular season.
When they all came back together at the beginning of the camp, the Summer League players were impressed with how much each other’s games had grown. That goes particularly on the defensive end. Every one of these players appears to want to make their name on that end.
Even on defense, there is a lot of work left to do for these young players.
For every poke steal for Payton or recovery block for Gordon, there is a moment where they get blown by or lack consistency. That is normal for a rookie. And each mistake is a chance to learn.
What has been most impressive is that both players have been willing to learn and have not let mistakes get them down or snowball.
There is still a long way to go in the season though, and their learning is far from over.