Jespher
Starter
Another season of Kings basketball is nearly upon us, and while our team stands on the brink of possible Maloofian relocation it is still our team!
The largest question mark (on the court) going into this fresh season is not the management of the team's leading scorer in Marcus Thornton as a starting 2 guard or super 6th man, or the ability of DeMarcus Cousins to continue his dominant ascendance to the All-Star level talent with enough consistency to casually school opposing big men, nor the fit of 5th overall draft choice Thomas Robinson next to another non shot blocker, or even the point guard carousel sorting itself out between incumbent Isaiah Thomas, newcomer Aaron Brooks, and the enigmatic Jimmer Fredette. The greatest question entering this season is to what extend can Tyreke Evans continue to improve, both his individual skill sets, and his collaborative versatility into a team first play maker on both sides of the court.
Most fans are coming into this season with low expectations, as a cellar dwelling team made few roster turn-over changes and continues to carry the 5th lowest payroll in the league. There is great opportunity however for this team to make a meteoric rise if the chemistry falls together and the young players can utilize their considerable individual talents into winning team play.
Looking at the statistics of Tyreke Evan's 1st 3 seasons in the league I'm compelled to reexamine a theme in style and productivity that has been a lingering question for him since his powerful rookie season. Can he continue to ascend into a productive, all-star level talent, a la Dwayne Wade light and dominate his offensive match-ups, play lock down D, and rebound with any guard in the league pound for pound, or will he continue his over reliance on athletic ability and fail to develop enough offensive game to make that jump, a la Larry Hughes.
Here are stats for the 1st 3-4 seasons for each player courtesy of Basketball-reference.com:
Tyreke Evans:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2009-10 20 SAC NBA 72 72 37.2 7.4 16.2 .458 0.5 2.0 .255 4.8 6.5 .748 0.9 4.4 5.3 5.8 1.5 0.4 3.0 2.8 20.1 2010-11 21 SAC NBA 57 53 37.0 6.7 16.4 .409 0.8 2.6 .291 3.6 4.7 .771 0.8 4.0 4.8 5.6 1.5 0.5 3.2 2.5 17.8 2011-12 22 SAC NBA 63 61 34.3 6.5 14.3 .453 0.3 1.6 .202 3.2 4.1 .779 1.0 3.6 4.6 4.5 1.3 0.5 2.7 2.2 16.5
Larry Hughes:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 1998-99 20 PHI NBA 50 1 19.8 3.4 8.3 .411 0.2 1.0 .154 2.1 3.0 .709 1.7 2.1 3.8 1.5 0.9 0.3 1.4 1.9 9.1 1999-00 21 TOT NBA 82 37 28.3 5.6 14.0 .400 0.4 1.5 .232 3.4 4.6 .740 1.4 2.9 4.3 2.5 1.4 0.3 2.4 2.3 15.0 1999-00 21 PHI NBA 50 5 20.4 3.8 9.2 .416 0.2 1.0 .216 2.1 2.8 .746 1.0 2.1 3.2 1.5 1.1 0.2 1.9 1.9 10.0 1999-00 21 GSW NBA 32 32 40.8 8.3 21.4 .389 0.6 2.3 .243 5.4 7.3 .736 1.9 4.0 5.9 4.1 1.9 0.5 3.1 3.0 22.7
Dwayne Wade:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2003-04 22 MIA NBA 61 56 34.9 6.1 13.1 .465 0.3 0.9 .302 3.8 5.1 .747 1.4 2.7 4.0 4.5 1.4 0.6 3.2 2.3 16.2 2004-05 23 MIA NBA 77 77 38.6 8.2 17.1 .478 0.2 0.6 .289 7.5 9.9 .762 1.4 3.7 5.2 6.8 1.6 1.1 4.2 3.0 24.1 2005-06 24 MIA NBA 75 75 38.6 9.3 18.8 .495 0.2 1.0 .171 8.4 10.7 .783 1.4 4.3 5.7 6.7 1.9 0.8 3.6 2.9 27.2
Comparing each players initial 3 seasons the overall numbers clearly favor Wade, as he attempted more free throws, shot a better % from 2, and collected more rebounds, assists and steals in marginally more minutes per game than Evans, while Hughes was coming off of the bench for the 76ers. The comparison is valid however when you appraise long range shooting ability and rebounding, as the percentages for all players are terrible, with a fairly solid rebounding rate for an off guard for each player.
Both Wade and Evans were given the keys to the franchise early in their careers and thus had a larger amount of turn-overs. The difference going forward between the path of Larry Hughes and the path of Dwyane Wade remains in the free throw attempts, assists, and shooting percentage from the field. If Evans wants to remain a valuable contributor to a winning team, as expressed by him on many occasions, these are the areas of improvement that will determine the difference from an all-star level talent, to an also ran.
The largest question mark (on the court) going into this fresh season is not the management of the team's leading scorer in Marcus Thornton as a starting 2 guard or super 6th man, or the ability of DeMarcus Cousins to continue his dominant ascendance to the All-Star level talent with enough consistency to casually school opposing big men, nor the fit of 5th overall draft choice Thomas Robinson next to another non shot blocker, or even the point guard carousel sorting itself out between incumbent Isaiah Thomas, newcomer Aaron Brooks, and the enigmatic Jimmer Fredette. The greatest question entering this season is to what extend can Tyreke Evans continue to improve, both his individual skill sets, and his collaborative versatility into a team first play maker on both sides of the court.
Most fans are coming into this season with low expectations, as a cellar dwelling team made few roster turn-over changes and continues to carry the 5th lowest payroll in the league. There is great opportunity however for this team to make a meteoric rise if the chemistry falls together and the young players can utilize their considerable individual talents into winning team play.
Looking at the statistics of Tyreke Evan's 1st 3 seasons in the league I'm compelled to reexamine a theme in style and productivity that has been a lingering question for him since his powerful rookie season. Can he continue to ascend into a productive, all-star level talent, a la Dwayne Wade light and dominate his offensive match-ups, play lock down D, and rebound with any guard in the league pound for pound, or will he continue his over reliance on athletic ability and fail to develop enough offensive game to make that jump, a la Larry Hughes.
Here are stats for the 1st 3-4 seasons for each player courtesy of Basketball-reference.com:
Tyreke Evans:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2009-10 20 SAC NBA 72 72 37.2 7.4 16.2 .458 0.5 2.0 .255 4.8 6.5 .748 0.9 4.4 5.3 5.8 1.5 0.4 3.0 2.8 20.1 2010-11 21 SAC NBA 57 53 37.0 6.7 16.4 .409 0.8 2.6 .291 3.6 4.7 .771 0.8 4.0 4.8 5.6 1.5 0.5 3.2 2.5 17.8 2011-12 22 SAC NBA 63 61 34.3 6.5 14.3 .453 0.3 1.6 .202 3.2 4.1 .779 1.0 3.6 4.6 4.5 1.3 0.5 2.7 2.2 16.5
Larry Hughes:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 1998-99 20 PHI NBA 50 1 19.8 3.4 8.3 .411 0.2 1.0 .154 2.1 3.0 .709 1.7 2.1 3.8 1.5 0.9 0.3 1.4 1.9 9.1 1999-00 21 TOT NBA 82 37 28.3 5.6 14.0 .400 0.4 1.5 .232 3.4 4.6 .740 1.4 2.9 4.3 2.5 1.4 0.3 2.4 2.3 15.0 1999-00 21 PHI NBA 50 5 20.4 3.8 9.2 .416 0.2 1.0 .216 2.1 2.8 .746 1.0 2.1 3.2 1.5 1.1 0.2 1.9 1.9 10.0 1999-00 21 GSW NBA 32 32 40.8 8.3 21.4 .389 0.6 2.3 .243 5.4 7.3 .736 1.9 4.0 5.9 4.1 1.9 0.5 3.1 3.0 22.7
Dwayne Wade:
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2003-04 22 MIA NBA 61 56 34.9 6.1 13.1 .465 0.3 0.9 .302 3.8 5.1 .747 1.4 2.7 4.0 4.5 1.4 0.6 3.2 2.3 16.2 2004-05 23 MIA NBA 77 77 38.6 8.2 17.1 .478 0.2 0.6 .289 7.5 9.9 .762 1.4 3.7 5.2 6.8 1.6 1.1 4.2 3.0 24.1 2005-06 24 MIA NBA 75 75 38.6 9.3 18.8 .495 0.2 1.0 .171 8.4 10.7 .783 1.4 4.3 5.7 6.7 1.9 0.8 3.6 2.9 27.2
Comparing each players initial 3 seasons the overall numbers clearly favor Wade, as he attempted more free throws, shot a better % from 2, and collected more rebounds, assists and steals in marginally more minutes per game than Evans, while Hughes was coming off of the bench for the 76ers. The comparison is valid however when you appraise long range shooting ability and rebounding, as the percentages for all players are terrible, with a fairly solid rebounding rate for an off guard for each player.
Both Wade and Evans were given the keys to the franchise early in their careers and thus had a larger amount of turn-overs. The difference going forward between the path of Larry Hughes and the path of Dwyane Wade remains in the free throw attempts, assists, and shooting percentage from the field. If Evans wants to remain a valuable contributor to a winning team, as expressed by him on many occasions, these are the areas of improvement that will determine the difference from an all-star level talent, to an also ran.
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