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Grantland’s Zach Lowe on Zach Lavine and Kevin Martin

By Ben Beecken

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While Wolves fans weather the storm of abundant optimism surrounding second-year guard Zach LaVine, the reigning NBA dunk champion is receiving some national attention as he looks to make a big splash in his sophomore year as a professional.

Grantland’s Zach Lowe penned a lengthy article focusing on LaVine’s massive shortcomings as a rookie but equally stratospheric talent ceiling. Lowe does a masterful job of laying out exactly what the Wolves’ guard’s biggest issues were and why the organization is confident that those issues can and will be corrected.

"LaVine had no clue how to play NBA defense, or run point guard, the position into which Minnesota almost cruelly shoehorned him after Ricky Rubio’s early-season ankle injury.LaVine was dead last in ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus among 83 point guards. He turned the ball over on a revolting 27 percent of pick-and-rolls he finished with a shot, drawn foul, or cough-up — the 13th-worst rate among 188 ball handlers with at least 50 such possessions, per Synergy Sports. Minnesota was awful regardless of who played, but it was historically awful when poor LaVine was on the floor trying to remember how he had set up the offense the day before in practice. He was objectively terrible, but he became famous because he is just as objectively the greatest dunker the league has seen since peak Vince Carter. Aesthetes held their noses as LaVine’s fame grew: Is he a real basketball player or an empty showman destined to light up pro-am games in late July?"

Lowe has a number of quotes from general manager Milt Newton regarding LaVine’s work ethic and the hope that Minnesota brass holds in his raw talent, including a bit about LaVine coming to the gym after midnight too often to work — the Wolves had to encourage him to come earlier and rest in the middle of the night.

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The article goes on to highlight some encouraging items from LaVine’s rookie year, including his proficiency on catch-and-shoot three-pointers.

"Dig below the highlights and bloopers, and you can see glimpses of that kind of player with LaVine — a wing who could do damage spotting up around Rubio pick-and-rolls and Andrew Wiggins post-ups. LaVine shot 34 percent from deep last season, below the league average, but that number should jump into the high 30s as LaVine refines his judgment and logs time with NBA-level passers. LaVine shot 41 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last season, per SportVU data, and he managed that while hoisting some irresponsible ultra-distance shots with dudes right in his face. Only 30 players launched more often from beyond 26 feet, per NBA Savant, and LaVine’s addiction to contested heaves feeds the comparisons with another shoot-first, highlight-machine combo guard: Jamal Crawford.…LaVine has a ridiculous first step he can use to blow by defenders who close out on him after Rubio swings the ball. LaVine’s insane jumping ability has overshadowed how fast he is. When he catches on the wing and drives without hesitating, he gets to the basket so fast, he almost seems surprised when he arrives there. When he’s airborne, his body is flying to the rim so fast that LaVine almost doesn’t have time to prepare a normal, coordinated layup. He literally can’t control himself; he tosses up discombobulated, high-speed flick shots that look more complicated than they need to be. “He’s at the basket before he even knows it,” Newton says."

Lowe’s right: LaVine is a very good pure shooter and has an otherworldly first step. Shot selection and accepting and then finishing through contact were the two biggest issues on offense. Both can be fixed, especially in a 20 year-old with a work ethic like LaVine’s.

Lowe spent the second portion of the article searching for potential trade partners to whom the Wolves could send veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin, who will cede his starting spot to LaVine this fall.

Martin has a player option for $7.4 million next year, but given his age and the rising salary cap, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him decline the option and search for a new contract on the free agent market.

Lowe runs through possible matches like Charlotte (Jeremy Lamb), Sacramento (Ben McLemore), Memphis (Vince Carter and a pick), and Dallas (Raymond Felton and a prospect). Some of those potential suitors are more likely than others, but keep in mind that the Wolves’ brass is (at least publicly) still claiming that Martin has a place on this team moving forward.

At any rate, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the Martin trade market this season as legitimate rumors will no doubt begin to swirl in short order. As for LaVine, well, anything could happen this year. Let’s just hope there is tangible progress.

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