For the Los Angeles Lakers to continue their winning ways, they will need consistently good performances from third-year forward Kyle Kuzma.
For the Los Angeles Lakers to continue their winning ways, they will need consistently good performances from third-year forward Kyle Kuzma.
The former Utah Utes star is the only first-round pick originally drafted by the Lakers who’s still on their roster. Their other recent selections are now on other teams, which helped them land LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As the only young member of their core still around, there were very high expectations for him heading into the season.
Change, of course, was inevitable as Los Angeles pivoted at head coach from Luke Walton to Frank Vogel. The addition of a bonafide superstar in Davis was certain to alter his role as well. Unfortunately, however, Kuzma was unable to play in the preseason to help his adjustment period, as he was recovering from an injury sustained while playing for Team USA.
Kyle Kuzma just talked to reporters for the first time since media day. “What this team needs is exactly what I worked on this summer. Gonna surprise a lot of people,” he said. Worked on being more of an on-ball playmaker, something he hasn’t been asked to do since high school
Before his 2019-20 debut, he said what the Lakers needed is “exactly” what he worked on in the offseason. Considering how much they gave up to land Davis, they are counting on him to be their third option on offense.
But upon his return, he was shooting below the league average mark of 45.3 percent from the field in his first five games back. Kuzma, himself, has spoken to the necessity for many players to get into a rhythm by literally watching the basketball going into the hoop (via Los Angeles Times):
“A lot of scorers, they always say just seeing the ball go in a couple of times, easy ones getting to the rim is definitely going to open a lot of things.”
Part of the blame for this was his shot selection, per Cleaning the Glass, as Kuzma had taken just 17 percent of his attempts within four feet of the rim. Compare that with his frequency in this zone as a rookie (34 percent) and last year (37 percent) and the difference is especially noteworthy.
Vogel recently noted Kuzma was still “finding his way” for where his shots would come from within their new-look style.
Kuzma had looked more like his normal self without Davis, averaging 25.7 points per 36 minutes without his new teammate. The bad news: he struggled to score alongside Davis, averaging just 11.6 points per 36 in his first five appearances this season alongside the big.
Then against the Phoenix Suns, he scored 21 points during the 16.5 minutes he was on the court with Davis. His shot chart shows far more reliance on looks closer to the basket to help supplement his three-pointers, which helped secure their victory over Phoenix. It was the scoring punch that Los Angeles needs when James and Davis are not able to provide it.
However, perhaps because he is recovering from injury, he still seems to be playing without as much aggression so far this season. The 24-year-old is averaging just 3.2 drives per game, significantly lower than his marks in 2017-18 (4.8) and in 2018-19 (6.0) as well. This will be another necessary addition for him as the season progresses.
Most surprising is that the 6-foot-9 forward still has not attempted his first dunk of the season. This was the most apparent during a possession against the Toronto Raptors in which he could have avoided a block if he had gone for a slam instead of a layup.
Even those have been few and far between, as Kuzma has 16 layups compared to 36 looks from beyond the arc. He has generally not even been near the basket, averaging just 1.3 paint touches per game. That is much lower than his marks both last season (2.5) and the year before (2.4).
Instead, the forward has been used more as a catch-and-shoot option for Los Angeles. He is averaging 0.91 dribbles and 1.88 seconds per touch, both a lot lower than what he recorded in his first two professional seasons.
Kuzma has focused on improving his jumper, working with coach Lethal Shooter to make him a more polished threat from beyond the arc. While the Lakers will need help spreading the floor for James and Davis and hope he can be of service in this regard, that cannot be the only facet of his game if he’s going to be their most-trusted third option.
If he can cut to the basket more often rather than just firing from downtown, he will be a more consistent and reliable option for Los Angeles.
Al-Farouq Aminu talks about joining the Magic, leaving the Blazers, adjusting to a new team, being a top high school recruit and much more.
After making the playoffs last season, the Orlando Magic added Al-Farouq Aminu on a three-year deal in hopes that he could push them over the edge. The 29-year-old is a versatile forward who can defend multiple positions, and he’s coming off a Western Conference Finals run with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Aminu is still getting acclimated in Orlando, but he’s providing veteran leadership to the Magic’s young core and contributing to the team’s excellent defense, which ranks fourth-best in the league (as they’re allowing just 99.4 points per 100 possessions). HoopsHype caught up with Aminu to talk about joining the Magic, leaving the Blazers after four years, adjusting to a new team, being one of the top high school recruits in the country and more.
What was your free-agency process like and why did you decide to join the Orlando Magic?
Al-Farouq Aminu: I like that they’re a young team and I thought that I could bring some veteran leadership to them. Also, they went to the playoffs last year, so I knew they had a good team. I like their style of play and different things like that. I’m glad I made that decision.
How is the adjustment process going? I know when you join a new team, you have to get used to a new team, new system, new coaches, new city and so on. What’s that transition been like?
AFA: Like you said, it’s a lot of new things coming at you. But that’s why we’re professionals; we have to figure out the different ways that people play and the different schemes – all of the different ways that we’re going to attack with this team. Also, you’re adjusting in your home life. You’re getting settled in and moving all of your furniture and things like that. It’s a big adjustment, but it’s coming along smoothly.
You’ve changed teams several times throughout your career. In your experience, how long does it take everyone to get acclimated?
AFA: It just depends, man. It’s so different from team to team because of the schedule, the preseason being even shorter now and things like that. It matters who you’re playing too. It’s a mixture of things, so I think it really varies. Sometimes, it takes people a while. Sometimes, it just clicks early. It’s a number of things that have to happen for the personnel to click. But we’re starting to find our stride a bit.
Since arriving in Orlando, what’s been your first impression of the team and the city?
AFA: Aw man, it’s been so great. It’s a big change from Portland because now I’m in a sunny state. I’m wearing shorts today! It’s kind of surreal to still be wearing shorts at this time of year. It’s been really nice, man. It’s a nice change of pace, for sure. There’s a really cool energy around this team. We have a lot of great guys. From top to bottom, everyone has a really great attitude, so that makes you enjoy coming in to work. It’s nice. All of the guys are great. They’ve exceeded my expectations, for sure.
You mentioned that you were attracted to this team because of the young core (Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon, Mo Bamba, Markelle Fultz, etc.). Do you get excited when you think about what this team could become?
AFA: Yeah, for sure. I really wanted to play a part in molding them. In a couple of years, when these guys are in their prime and doing their thing, it’ll be cool to be able to say that I put my touch on that. That’ll be cool. I was talking to them the other day and I told them, “Ya’ll are going to make a lot of money! Ya’ll play the right way, ya’ll are young and the league is just changing. Guys are getting paid.” I like to play around with them (laughs). But if they keep playing the same way that they’re playing now, they should be able to do okay for themselves.
I was impressed with the strong culture that you guys created in Portland; it was built around working really hard, trusting each other and having an us-against-the-world mentality. How is the culture in Orlando and what can you do to contribute to it?
AFA: They brought back a lot of the same team, so they’ve already kind of started it. My job is just to come in and add on to it, to build upon what they already have in place. I don’t feel like there’s any need to switch up their whole culture or anything. I think they’re heading in the right direction, so I’m just trying to add a couple things that I’ve picked up over the years from being a vet, having some success and winning.
I remember one day JI (Jonathan Isaac) was like, “Man, are you always the last one to leave?” He thought it was funny. I told him, “I like to stay and take my time when I’m at the facility. I have to get in all of my treatments and things like that. This is the only thing that we have to do. You don’t need to be rushing home.” There are little things like that, I think, that add to the culture. But these are guys who are already hitting their stride; it’d be different if they were rookies, but these are guys who get it. And they’ve had good vets like DJ [Augustin] and some of the older guys on the team who kind brought things together. I just feel like I can add another element.
Last year, you went to the Western Conference Finals with the Portland Trail Blazers. What was that like and did you take away any things that you can pass on to your new teammates in Orlando?
AFA: It was fun to do. You’re obviously trying to win the grand prize, but every experience like that helps you eventually get there. I think it was a really cool experience. You start to learn what it takes to win in the playoffs. There are things that work in the regular season and then, over the years, you learn what works and what doesn’t work in the playoffs.
Like I was saying about staying in the facility late, I remember I used to always think to myself, “Wow, these guys are playing all the way into July?!” It was hard for me to wrap my mind around that. But you start to understand what you need to do in order to prepare your body to go through that. Sometimes, you only understand what it takes to get through 82 games. Well, you have to learn what it takes to get through another 20-to-25 games. You have to win another 16 games, so you learn how to prepare your body for that and then do it. You have to do more than what you normally do and that’s something you learn from experiencing it. They understand that here because I’m always preaching that. Sometimes, you have to take your own lumps and go through it yourself though.
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You were with the Blazers for four years and you had a lot of success there. And I know you were close with some of the players there. Was it tough to leave Portland this past summer?
AFA: Kinda sorta. It was [tough] because I’m leaving the guys I was playing with, but a lot of the guys ended up leaving anyway, so it was kind of like, “Well, nobody is there.” Not “nobody,” but you know what I mean. The gang’s not even there anymore anyway, so it wouldn’t have been the same even if I had stayed. It would’ve been weird had I stayed. It’s not the organization, it’s the people that you get to work with every day that you end up [getting close with]. For a couple of months, you see these guys and talk to these guys even more than your family. They shape you and you’re growing with each other. Then, the next thing you know, they may not be there. Sometimes, it’s just one person; like, I remember the first time it was Ed [Davis]. Me and him came into Portland together and we became really cool. Then, after three years, he was gone and that was tough. Then, I started becoming really cool with Moe [Harkless] and Evan [Turner] and now they’re gone, so it’s like man… It’s kind of already tough to make friends in this industry anyway and then guys move on. And you still get to talk to them and stay close, but it’s different. But I think that’s why it isn’t as traumatic because those guys are in different places anyway, so the gang is gone.
Guys like Quentin Richardson and DeShawn Stevenson have told me that they were really frustrated when the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks’ front offices broke those teams up because they felt like they still had some great years left in them. Do you feel like this team could’ve done some special things had the Blazers’ front office kept guys like Ed, Moe, Evan and yourself a bit longer?
AFA: We did special things!
I know, but did you guys want to stay together longer? I guess that’s what I’m asking.
AFA: Did we want to stay together longer? Yeah, always! I mean, when you’re already having success and you already like the people, it seems like a win-win. You might as well ride it until the wheels fall off! It doesn’t seem like there’s a need to break it up unless everybody is just losing too much money or something like that, then you kind of understand. Then, in a sense, the players break it up. But I didn’t feel like that was the case. It was more so broken up just because. But I’ve seen a lot of teams get broken up so it’s not really that surprising.
I recently interviewed Jonathan Isaac and he was talking about how this Magic team takes pride in their defense and that the goal is to have one of the NBA’s top defenses. Right now, you guys are ranked fourth in the league. Is that a goal that you guys discuss as a team and do you think this team can get to No. 1?
AFA: Every day, man. We discuss it every day. We want to be a Top-5 defensive team, if not No. 1. I think it’s definitely something that this team has the ability to do and we just have to continue to click together and understand where we need to be in order to do it. I think the more and more we play together and get that cohesiveness, the better we’ll become on defense. And out of the gate, we’re already talented on defense. Now, it’s just getting that continuity and that will take us over the top.
You mentioned that you want to be one of the veteran leaders in Orlando. When you were younger, who were some of the veterans who helped you the most?
AFA: I didn’t really have what I think of as veteran leadership until I got to Dallas. Then, when I got to Dallas, it was Jameer Nelson for a little bit, but then he got traded. I was able to look at what Dirk Nowitzki was doing every day. I watched what Monta Ellis did every day. Then, later in the year, Rajon Rondo came as well as Amare Stoudemire. All of those guys were great.
During your sophomore season, the Los Angeles Clippers traded you to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the blockbuster Chris Paul trade. Did going through that teach you about the business side of the NBA at a young age? And what are some things you learned from that experience?
AFA: Yeah. Even during that first year, I started to learn about the business of the NBA and what it all means. But then in my second year, that’s when I’m like, “Wow, this is really a business.” Even before my trade, I was seeing the business side a lot because that was the lockout year too. With everything that went down, my first two years were like a business course in a sense. It kind of just opened my eyes to what the NBA really is. I appreciated it, though. In the long run, that probably helped me out and prevented me from being so naïve to the business side of this game. Sometimes, that can happen to players. But there’s no way around it; you’re going to experience the business side of the NBA at some point. I’m glad it happened to me early.
What has it been like adjusting to Steve Clifford? He’s done a great job of getting the most out of Nikola Vucevic and helping the defense. What’s it been like playing for him and his staff?
AFA: He has a very high basketball IQ and, like you said, he really understands defenses – he’s very good at that. He pushes us to be a really good defensive team, which is really cool. I’ve been with an offensive team for a while, so it’s kind of cool that the defensive end is being highlighted. It’s just a different pace. I’m enjoying it, for sure.
You were one of the top high-school recruits in the country back in 2008. I’m really interested in that. Do you think you had to mature quicker than your peers because you had so much on the line and you were under the microscope?
AFA: Yeah, of course, man. It’s like being a childhood star, you know what I mean? I remember when I transferred to my high school as a sophomore, I was coming into this school as the new kid and I thought nobody would know me and I could just try to fit in where I fit in. I remember kids being like, “Ohh, you’re Al-Farouq Aminu! We’re going to be so good this year!” They knew my stats from AAU and all of that. And this is while I’m in high school! I didn’t get to just be a regular kid and blend in. Sometimes, you just want to be able run to the store and just do regular stuff. You can’t just do what everybody else does.
But then again, when I was growing up, I always wanted everyone to think I was good at basketball. It’s like a double-edged sword. You don’t realize what that will end up being. You want to be a top prospect, but then everybody ends up knowing who you are. And a lot of people like basketball. At first, I just wanted everyone in my neighborhood to be like, “Wow, he’s really, really good!” Then, my neighborhood became the U.S., became the world.
I don’t think people realize the sacrifices that top recruits have to make too. Your friends may be partying on the weekends, but when all eyes are on you like that, you have to carry yourself differently. You’re also working extremely hard so that you can make it to the next level.
AFA: Yeah, man. I don’t think a lot of people understand. The sacrifices start early too. Now, I’m looking at my little cousin who plays football, he’s a quarterback, and he’s already making those same sacrifices at a really young age. You have to do those things if you want to succeed, though. I remember being in the gym really late and my friends would be like, “Yo, are you coming?” They’d go hang out in the neighborhood or play video games, but I’d have to be like, “Nah, I have work to do.” But my financial situation growing up wasn’t the greatest either, so it’s kind of like I just started [working] earlier than most people do.
I think Jalen Ramsey said, “You live like nobody else, so that you can live like nobody else later.” The beauty of it is that I had to mature quicker, but then when I’m like 35 years old, I’ll be able to live a life that most other 35-year-olds can’t live. It’s the long game. I’m not mad how it turned out for me… It’s a trade off.
Each week, HoopsHype ranks the Top 10 candidates for this season’s Most Valuable Player award. Find out who made this week’s rankings!
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff ranks the Top 10 candidates for this season’s Most Valuable Player award. This list highlights stars who have entered the 2019-20 MVP discussion thanks to their impressive play.
Which stars have stood out thus far? Who can sustain this production as the sample size increases? Here are our latest MVP rankings:
Drummond has been dominant through the first 10 games of the season. It’s impressive when a player has a single 20-point, 20-rebound performance, but the 26-year-old is nearly averaging that. He’s scored 20 or more points in six games, and he’s grabbed 20 or more rebounds in five games. He’s also doing a good job of finding open teammates, as he’s averaging 5.4 assists in November (and he has 25 assists in his last four games). Drummond is posting video-game numbers and shows no sign of slowing down. The Pistons are getting Blake Griffin back from injury, which should only help them as they look to improve their record (4-6) and climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
Towns missed two games due to his suspension for fighting Joel Embiid, but he’s been a beast in the seven contests in which he’s played. He’s posting career-highs across the board and he’s been able to score the ball with ease this season, inside and out. In fact, Towns has more than doubled his three-point attempts (from 4.6 last year to 9.3 this year), yet his three-point percentage has stayed at 40.0 percent. His 3.7 threes per game is fourth in the NBA behind only James Harden (4.3), Damian Lillard (4.0) and Kemba Walker (3.8). Minnesota is currently 5-4, which is ninth-best in the Western Conference and just two games out of first place.
HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina recently wrote a great article breaking down Booker’s impressive start to the season and what he’s doing differently this year. The 23-year-old is playing the most efficient basketball of his career, finishing in the paint better than ever and locking down opponents on the defensive end. Newcomers Aron Baynes and Ricky Rubio have made a huge difference for Booker too. The Suns are the NBA’s biggest surprise thus far, sitting at 6-3 with the league’s third-best offense (scoring 109.1 points per 100 possessions) and ninth-best defense (allowing 101.1 points per 100 possessions). There’s no question that Booker is a huge reason for their early success. The red-hot Suns will face off against the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in a game that will feature three players from this list.
Harden is once again leading the league in scoring. The main issue for Harden (and the reason he isn’t higher on this list) has been his shooting percentages. He’s currently shooting an ugly 39.4 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from three-point range – both of which are career-lows. It’s taking him 24.2 field goal attempts (and 14.4 three-point attempts) per game to get to his 37.1 scoring average. Those numbers must drastically improve if he wants to compete for this year’s MVP award. There’s always an adjustment period when a team is integrating a new star and that’s what Harden and the Rockets are doing with Russell Westbrook. Still, Houston is 6-3, which is tied for the third-best record in the Western Conference.
There’s a reason LeBron James badly wanted to team up with this guy. Davis is once again filling the stat sheet and making his presence felt all over the court, helping the Lakers win seven of their first nine games. He gives opposing head coaches nightmares, as he’s been the best rim protector in the league and he’s scoring at will. Davis is currently ranked first in Defensive Win Shares (0.9) and third in Win Shares (1.7, tied with James). He’s new to the Lakers and still getting acclimated, but you’d never know it based on his early play. It remains to be seen if voters will dock points from James and/or Davis because they’re on the same team. Opposing teams certainly hate that these two stars teamed up, as they’ve struggled to slow them down thus far.
Lillard is having the best season of his career, but he can only do so much for the Blazers. He’s getting little help from his supporting cast, which is why the Blazers are 4-6 and in 10th place in the Western Conference despite Lillard playing out of his mind. That was on display in Portland’s recent loss to the Brooklyn Nets, when Lillard had 60 points (including 7 threes), 5 assists and 4 rebounds while shooting 57.6 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep, but the Nets won 119-115. Injuries have been an issue for the Blazers, but they also have a new-look roster after losing Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless, Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, Enes Kanter and Seth Curry among others. Still, Lillard is averaging the second-most points in the league while also ranking first in Win Shares (2.4) and second in Value Over Replacement Player (1.1).
Leonard’s decision to sit out the nationally televised showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks relaunched the load-management debate. It seems that Leonard will continue to sit out during back-to-backs to ensure that he’s 100 percent for the playoffs. Leonard credits load management for his monster 2019 postseason with the Toronto Raptors and while this is probably a smart move for the Clippers, it likely means Leonard won’t have a shot at winning this year’s MVP award. Voters seem to disqualify players who rest, regardless of how productive they are when they play. HoopsHype looked at the last 15 MVP winners and they missed an average of 3.93 games in their MVP season (with no player missing more than 10 games). Leonard missed 22 games last season and he’s on pace to miss 18 contests this year, which would seemingly remove him from the MVP discussion (like last year). Still, Leonard is playing well and the Clippers are 6-3, which is tied for the third-best record in the West. If the Clippers stop resting Leonard – or the NBA decides that he’s healthy and must play – perhaps he becomes a serious candidate.
Doncic is the only player in the league who currently ranks Top 11 in points per game (sixth), assists per game (second) and rebounds per game (11th). As if Luka’s counting stats weren’t impressive enough, his advanced stats jump off the page as well: Doncic ranks third in Value Over Replacement Player (1.0), fourth in Box Plus/Minus (10.3) and fifth in Win Shares (1.6). The 20-year-old is the youngest player in NBA history to record 10 or more triple-doubles, passing LeBron James and Magic Johnson. He also became the second player with at least three 20-point triple-doubles in the first six games of a season, joining Oscar Robertson. Doncic must continue to limit his turnovers (4.9 per game) and improve his three-point percentage (32.1 percent on 8.7 attempts per game). But that feels like nitpicking when the kid is nearly averaging a triple-double and winning games for the Mavericks, who are 6-3 (which is tied for the third-best record in the West).
Antetokounmpo had an MVP performance in the Bucks’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. After struggling in the first half, Antetokounmpo ripped his jersey and kicked a hole in a Thunder sign while walking back to the locker room at halftime. In the second half, MVP Giannis showed up and he finished the game with 35 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 threes, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting an efficient 68.4 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Antetokounmpo has now scored 30 or more points in five-straight games. The Bucks are 7-3, which puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference and just one game back from the top-seeded Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo currently leads all players in Value Over Replacement Player (1.3), Box Plus/Minus (13.9) and Win Shares Per 48 Minutes (.325).
As Tommy Beer of Forbes recently pointed out, no player in NBA history has ever averaged more than 7.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in their age-35 season. Well, James is currently posting those marks with ease (24.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 11.0 assists). When all is said and done, one could make the argument that James was the best teenager in NBA history (he holds the NBA record for most career points, rebounds and assists before turning 20 years old) and the best mid-30s player in NBA history (if he keeps this up). LeBron’s longevity is remarkable; in the load-management era, he’s playing 35.1 minutes per game, which is the most of any Laker and 12th-most in the league. James is currently No. 1 on this list because his individual production has been impressive and it’s translated into team success, as the Lakers currently have the NBA’s second-best record at 7-2. One area where James must improve is his three-point shooting; he’s attempting 5.2 threes per game, but he’s making just 31.9 percent thus far.
