It has been quite some time since the current NBA season started. Needless to say, that should have been enough to determine whether last year's batch of rookies is going to make it big in the NBA card market. The thing is, Scottie Barnes and company aren't really setting the hobby on fire. We take a look at the Toronto Raptors' young forward and his state in the market, along with four other sophomores and their respective values.
Scottie Barnes and 4 sophomores with frustratingly bad NBA card stocks
5. Chris Duarte
When Chris Duarte was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th pick last season, the franchise hoped he would provide reliable scoring from beyond the perimeter while ably defending opposing wings. Although the latter needs some work, Duarte showed he can give the Pacers' offense a boost by averaging 13.1 points in 28 minutes, including connecting 36% of his shots from deep.
The expectation for Duarte's sophomore campaign was for him to ramp up both his offense and defense, especially with Indiana building up their new core for the future. Unfortunately, Duarte's numbers have gone down as his minutes have gone to other prospects, such as Benedict Mathurin. In the 13 games Duarte has played for the Pacers, he's currently averaging 8.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. As a result, his PSA 10 Prizm Silver NBA rookie card has remained stale at its current value of $61.
4. Jonathan Kuminga
Last season was a big one for Jonathan Kuminga. The Golden State Warriors' rookie landed his first ring faster than his contemporaries, such as Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham. And with an aging core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, it only made sense for NBA rookie card collectors to be excited about Kuminga's future since he stands a chance to be a vital piece for the Dubs.
The thing is, his potential hasn't materialized in Kuminga's second year in the league. From notching 9.3 points in 16.9 minutes, the young forward's average has dipped down to 7.2 points in 18.2 minutes. Even his presence on the defensive end of the court has left fans wanting more from him. Kuminga's regression had led his PSA 10 Prizm Silver NBA rookie card to go down from $222 to $199.
3. Evan Mobley
Last year's version of Evan Mobley was certainly a game-changer for the Cleveland Cavaliers. With his imposing defense and reliable offense, the Wine and Gold were able to shock fans by showing what they can do with the talent within their squad. During that period, Mobley averaged 15 points on 50% shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. With those numbers, it's pretty easy to see how Mobley will take that leap and become a better player for the Cavs.
This season, though, is a different story from that expectation. Mobley is currently averaging 14.6 points, 9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per contest. While those numbers seem okay, the second-year star hasn't made that big of a leap for NBA card collectors to be impressed with him. Although there's still some time left for Mobley to display some All-Star potential, he might have a hard time doing that in a team that features ball-dominant guards in Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. In turn, his PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card isn't looking too valuable these days since one can be had at around $30 on eBay.
2. Cade Cunningham
Cade Cunningham's rookie campaign got off to a slow start with the Detroit Pistons' rookie heating up during the latter half of his first season. Even though that's the case, last year's number one pick still managed to post averages of 17.9 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. Even if the Raptors' Scottie Barnes walked away with last season's Rookie of the Year award, there was still a lot of potential and promise ahead in Cunningham's career.
This year, though, Cunningham managed to improve those numbers to 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6 assists per contest. The thing is, he's out for the season after having surgery on his injured shin. This development caused Cunningham's rookie cards to crater in the market, with the latest three-month Card Ladder graph showing his PSA 10 Prizm Silver falling down from $787 to $637.
1. Scottie Barnes
Although Cunningham is regarded by some as the better prospect, there's no denying that a lot of NBA card collectors were rooting for Scottie Barnes. Rightfully so because the young forward notched respectable numbers of 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals while playing for a competitive Raptors team last year. This progress led many to believe that Barnes will undoubtedly take a leap this season and reward those who invested in him.
After 30 games, it would seem Barnes isn't going to make that expectation a reality. During that stretch, he would post averages of 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per contest. With the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks reigning in the East, Toronto wouldn't make it out alive without Barnes taking that next step in his career. His NBA rookie cards are also reflecting that stagnant sophomore campaign as Barnes' PSA 10 Prizm Silver has dipped from $399 in November to $299 this month.
Even though Barnes and the other guys aren't really killing it in the NBA card market, there's still every chance one or several of them can break out before the season is done. This is ideal for those in the hobby to get more of these players as their prices are really tempting. In any case, it pays to keep an eye on these young stars and their stocks in the market.
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