Already this season, Zach LaVine has shown that he is a starting caliber player for the Timberwolves.
After Sam Mitchell moved LaVine from the starting shooting guard role to the bench before the season started, it took him a few games to find a rhythm with the second unit. However, he has progressively found the rhythm as the season has gone on, and now he is the third-leading scorer for the Wolves. On top of that, he’s only playing roughly 25 minutes per game.
LaVine has proven he can thrive in a starting role as well. In the six games he’s started this season he has averaged 20 points per contest. The dilemma with LaVine is that he should not be playing the point guard, and he has proven much more effective at the shooting guard position.
However, Sam Mitchell rarely puts him at the two-guard because he sees him as the second unit’s primary ball-handler and nothing more. At this point I don’t see what’s so wrong with putting LaVine at the starting shooting guard spot. His play no doubt merits it.
The difference in LaVine’s play from point guard to shooting guard was spotlighted by Fox Sports North in the Denver game on Tuesday night.
That difference in plus/minus is almost unfathomable. The fact of the matter is that Zach LaVine is not a point guard, plain and simple. Sure he can score from the position, but when he plays point guard he has a tendency to play straight isolation basketball. He tries to do it all himself and it leads to a lot of poor shots and out control drives to the tin.
His talents are greater utilized at the shooting guard spot. He is in a better position to score, especially if he’s on the floor with Ricky Rubio. He is a far better scorer in that position than at point guard.
When Sam Mitchell inserted Kevin Martin into the starting lineup he claimed it was because the Wolves needed a boost in offense. This has translated in Martin shooting just 37 percent and averaging just over 12 points per game. In that same stretch, LaVine has shot 41 percent while averaging 16 points per game. So which player is really giving the Wolves a better offensive boost? Isn’t it LaVine?
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I’m surprised it has taken Mitchell this long to take notice of LaVine’s offensive effectiveness. It could be that, or Mitchell is worried about not having a point guard for the second unit. Moving LaVine into the starting lineup could leave a hole in that spot.
If Mitchell does move LaVine into the starting rotation, the Wolves should seriously consider acquiring a back-up point guard to fill LaVine’s spot. As much as I love Andre Miller and his game, he cannot be called upon to play 25 minutes every single night. This is a prime opportunity for the Wolves to deal Kevin Martin for a worthy backup point guard.
By moving LaVine into the starting lineup, the Wolves would receive the offensive boost they have been looking for — the boost Martin failed to provide, with the exception of a few games last week. We have seen the Wolves offense go stagnant quite a few times this season. However, in those stagnant offensive performances, Zach LaVine seems to be the only competent player on offense.
Take Sunday’s game against Phoenix. The Wolves were playing terrible, on both ends, but LaVine poured in 28 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter. This fourth quarter outburst almost brought the Wolves back from a 21-point deficit, and made a seemingly unwinnable game winnable for a short time.
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The Wolves would only benefit from starting LaVine. He’s the better choice compared to Martin, he is a more efficient and consistent scorer, and he can actually defend something that isn’t a cardboard cutout.