Tyrese Haliburton plays like a veteran. This might be his rookie year, but he shows a poise and patience that can take some players years to develop. While the Kings definitely suck, he’s been a shining bright spot, averaging 12.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.5 SPG with only 1.5 turnovers a game. His shooting splits of 47.2% FG, 41.5% 3PFG, and 84% FT also show him to be a reliable players.

He’s also been on the floor pretty consistently, having featured in 54 of the Kings’ 60 games so far. 

In a losing effort against the Warriors, he put up 24 points, three rebounds, eight assists and a steal with a single turnover. He shot 10 of 20 (though he was 2 of 7 from three) and made both his free throws.

These performances have become par for the course with Haliburton, who’s currently handling the main point guard duties for the Kings due to De’Aaron Fox missing up to two weeks thanks to Covid-19 protocols.

He’s got shifty moves, understands how to control his pace, and is also unafraid to take big shots when they matter most. 

In fourth quarters, Haliburton shoots 55% from the field and 51.3% from beyond the arc. In games that involved clutch situations, Haliburton has a surprisingly good record of 16-13, which dwarfs the 11-17 that belongs to Edwards.

Edwards could potentially be the favorite right now, thanks to his 18.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.7 SPG and 1.2 SPG. His Wolves do have an inferior record to the Kings, but that’s probably not going to matter much.

To be fair, Haliburton hasn’t had a great April, averaging just a little over 11 points and he’s been shooting 42.4% from the field and 36% from three. In comparison, Edwards has been pretty monstrous, putting up 22.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.4 APG and 1.7 SPG. He’s the real deal, and I don’t doubt that Minnesota made the right choice in drafting him with the first pick.

It’ll be fun to watch the final stretch of games, but it does feel like there’s a real race for ROTY for once, and if LaMelo comes back soon, he could potentially come right back into the mix.