Dat2U wrote:DCZards wrote:nate33 wrote:He was pretty bad last night, but you have to love his confidence in the clutch.
Still, I really hope he can trade a little volume for more efficiency. It's nice that he has the ability to carry a heavy usage rate with a not-awful efficiency, but he will help the team more if he carried a moderate usage rate with good efficiency. Unlike many of his detractors on this board, I think the potential is there. It's just a matter of shot selection. I'm cautiously optimistic that as this group stays together for a while and develops chemistry (and after Kuzma locks in a long term deal), he will shift to being a 3rd option rather than a co-number 1 option with Beal and Zinger.
He should be averaging about 20 FGA's/100 possessions, not 25.
I was so frustrated by Kuz last night, starting with the third or fourth possession of the game when he had the ball in the middle on a 3-on-1 fast break but instead of passing to an open teammate on the wing drove at the defender and missed a layup. Bad, selfish decision.
But, like you, I can envision a Kuz with fewer shots, lower usage and, hopefully, better efficiency. That Kuz has the potential to be a high-level contributor on a good team.
I don't know if he'll get there...but you can't rule it out.
Who else is taking those shots? Morris? Deni? Nunn? Its a product of the roster and lack of quality shot creators outside of Beal & KP. Kuz's efficiency could be better but there is no fear and he has made himself a legitimate offensive threat that teams must account for as a 3-level scorer. No one else on the roster is providing that.
Yes, Morris and Dunn should probably get more shots. And if not them, then load up Porzingis and Beal a bit more. It's just inexcusable for Kuzma to average the same FGA's per minute as Beal or Porzingis when his TS% is 7% lower.