Pelicans' Yves Missi practically excluded from NBA Rookie of the Year odds

We're just a few weeks out now from tip-off of the 2024-25 NBA season. The draft, Summer League, free agency, and the Olympics have all come and gone, and the league is quickly approaching training camp and preseason.

This has been a particularly busy Summer with the Olympics, so it's understandable if fans took a bit longer to familiarize themselves with their teams newest additions. But, with the season right around the corner, now is the time to start studying up on free agent acquisitions, draft picks, and trade additions.

It seems like ages ago when the Pelicans selected Yves Missi out of Baylor with the 21st-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. New Orleans will need Missi to be an important contributor if they hope to be dark-horse title contenders this year. Whether or not the expectations being laid upon the rookie are fair is an honest question. Apparently, the oddsmakers in Vegas seem to have their answer already.

Yves Missi tied at 21st for Rookie of the Year odds

Sportsbooks across the country have released their early odds for NBA futures, including for major season awards such as Rookie of the Year. This past draft was one that lacked a true alpha like Victor Wembanyama, so the board is much more evenly distributed compared to seasons past.

For DraftKings and several other books, Zach Edey leads the way. He's currently listed at +600 on DraftKings. For reference, Wemby opened as a heavy favorite at -150. Even though Edey's at the top of the board, he'll still net a great return on anyone willing to put the money on him.

The reasoning behind the Edey pick is solid. He landed on a playoff team in the Memphis Grizzlies. He'll be filling in at a position of need, as the only other true center on the roster is Santi Aldama, although both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke will be getting minutes at the five, too. Lastly, he'll likely be playing a simplified role that will mostly require him to simply defend the paint, set screens, and finish strong at the cup. With Edey's size, skillset, and experience, he should be able to thrive in this setting, so him leading the Rookie of the Year odds makes total sense.

Except everything that was just said about Edey can also be applied to Yves Missi with the New Orleans Pelicans. Like Edey, Missi is filling in at a position of need for a playoff team, with the Pelicans currently employing only one other center in Daniel Theis. He'll also only be asked to be a rim-runner and paint protector for New Orleans. Edey is certainly the more accomplished and experienced player, but Missi has the edge in both athleticism and motor.

I'm in no way saying that Missi should be viewed as a favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. But, I will say that his +10,000 odds on DraftKings is a bet worth taking. This year's rookie crop is expected to be a weak one. It's not implausible that Missi could steal the award by becoming a solid role player for a team who needs him to be one.