David Thorpe just published his take on this year's rookies. He lists Lillard among the Rookie of the Year contenders, and sets some very high expectations: "In my eyes, Lillard was the best rookie in Vegas. His talent as a floor general, as well as his ability to shoot and score, proved that you don't have to play in the ACC or Big East to become an elite player. And that's what Lillard projects to be right now. He's a slightly downgraded version of Derrick Rose, with some Chauncey Billups mixed in, who will likely start from day one and will be the favorite to win ROY since he'll have the ball in his hands a ton."