Initial Report Card Grades for Every Los Angeles Lakers Player
The Los Angeles Lakers have begun the 2013-14 NBA season with a 2-2 record, and while that's not going to earn them elite status, they've shown they have good chemistry early in the year.
Inconsistency has plagued this team through Week 1. A solid victory over the Los Angeles Clippers gave fans hope, then back-to-back losses to the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs brought them back down to Earth.
A two-point victory over the Atlanta Hawks was fun to watch, but it can't be ignored that the team blew a 21-point lead and was outscored by double digits in the fourth quarter.
Hope shouldn't be lost for fans in L.A., but expectations should be tempered. This team has a chance to surprise some people throughout the year, but it's going to take a stronger showing from a handful of players to make that dream become a reality.
Incompletes
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For obvious reasons, Kobe Bryant highlights the list of incompletes for the Los Angeles Lakers. His long-awaited return has yet to take place, but when it does, fans in L.A. will be ready to explode when his first bucket drops.
Ryan Kelly
Like Bryant, Ryan Kelly has yet to play a minute this season. Unlike Bryant, fans will hardly notice if he enters the game later in the year.
Elias Harris
At 24 years old, Elias Harris is simply looking for an opportunity on a retooling roster. He may get that chance with the core aging, but through four games, he's played in eight total minutes.
Robert Sacre
Robert Sacre recorded two points, one rebound and one block in a game against the Golden State Warriors. His sample size is small, which is why we'll remember him more for his celebrations until proven otherwise.
Shawne Williams
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Most casual fans have never heard of 27-year-old Shawne Williams, but he's found a spot (at least temporarily) as the Los Angeles Lakers' starting power forward.
At 6'9", 230 pounds, Williams is a bit undersized for the position. He's been known throughout his career as more of a 3 than a 4, and unfortunately for him, that might explain his production up to this point.
The idea here is for Williams to space the floor. However, his minutes have been limited with players like Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman showing they can be far more effective.
Williams is averaging 3.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting an underwhelming 33.3 percent from the field.
Grade: D+
Steve Blake
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The Los Angeles Lakers are averaging nearly 25 three-point attempts per contest, and Steve Blake is the biggest reason why.
Through four games, the guard is launching from downtown to the tune of 4.5 times per game. It's a high number for a guy averaging just 8.3 total shot attempts, but fans can find solace in the fact that he's making 38.9 percent up to this point.
The other good news is that he has a solid assist-to-turnover ratio of 7.0. He's averaging 5.3 assists to just 0.8 turnovers, and as a result, he's been efficient in creating opportunities for those around him.
The problem is that he's been absolutely awful when he tries to create his own shot. He's shooting just 27.3 percent from the field, and he hasn't made a single shot between five and 19 feet all year.
Between Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash missing time, Blake is earning close to 30 minutes per contest at this juncture. If he hopes to keep those kinds of minutes late in the year, he'll have to show he can either improve in the mid-range game or stick to his role as a distributor and spot-up shooter.
Grade: C-
Nick Young
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Nick Young began the 2013-14 season as the starting small forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, and it took just three games to see him lose that spot in the lineup.
Thus far, the always-entertaining "Swaggy P" has scored 9.5 points per game. The problem, as it's been with a number of players across this roster, is efficiency.
The 28-year-old shot just 27.3 percent during his first three contests. The move to sixth man helped, as he shot 5-of-9 from the field against the Atlanta Hawks, and the hope is that his new role will motivate him to become a more efficient player moving forward.
Grading Young is tough, considering we all love to watch him play, yet we hope for more production night in and night out. More games like the one against the Hawks will boost his grade by the end of the year, and, more importantly, it might help him regain his spot as a starter.
Grade: C-
Steve Nash
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Steve Nash is not the player he once was. The 39-year-old has never thrived off athleticism, but staying on the floor has become a task all in its own, as he's playing just 24.3 minutes per contest and has already missed one game on the year.
At Nash's age, we can't compare him to who he once was; we must evaluate him based on what the Los Angeles Lakers need him to be: someone who makes open shots and finds his teammates in both half-court and transition situations.
So far, Nash has done just that—sort of. He's making 50 percent of his three-pointers, and he's gathering a team-high 5.3 assists each night. The problem is that he's only shooting 29.2 percent from the field, as his percentage from two-point range is an abysmal 25 percent.
Nash's shot chart is as bizarre as it comes, as there are only two spots on the floor where he's shooting better than 33.3 percent.
The good news for Nash is that the playoffs are what he cares about most, and missed time early won't mean much later. Unfortunately for L.A., it needs production the entire year, and Nash just can't be that guy for 82 games.
Grade: C
Wesley Johnson
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Despite a surprisingly strong showing from the Los Angeles Lakers' bench in the season opener, Wesley Johnson began his year with a 1-of-11 performance from the field.
He followed that up with a 4-of-11 outing against the Golden State Warriors, although he did manage to record three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
Johnson has done a decent job of getting his fingerprints on the stat sheet. His 33.3 percent shooting is hardly noteworthy, but he's averaging 3.8 boards, 2.0 blocks and nearly a steal per contest.
The better news for Johnson is that he's trending in the right direction. His third and fourth showings of the year have seen his shot begin to fall, and the hope is that he can remain as active as he's been as the year progresses.
Grade: C+
Jordan Farmar
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Jordan Farmar has brought a sense of familiarity to this year's Los Angeles Lakers—a much-needed trait for an organization that appears to be in flux.
Despite playing fewer minutes per game than both Steve Nash and Steve Blake, the argument can be made that Farmar is the team's most consistent floor general. He's one of just four players on the roster averaging double-digit points on the year (10.0), and he's getting his teammates involved with his 4.5 assists per game.
Unlike the other two point guards, Farmar is shooting a respectable percentage from the field. He's making 43.2 percent of his shots at this point, and he's at 38.5 percent from behind the arc.
Both the stats sheet and the eye test point to Farmar as a better option than Blake, and you have to wonder when Mike D'Antoni will make the move to play the 26-year-old more minutes in the regular rotation.
Grade: B-
Xavier Henry
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Nick Young's move to the bench was largely due in part to the forward's inconsistency, but the truth is that Xavier Henry has done enough early in the year to justify his spot in the new starting lineup.
At the time the switch was made—following a contest with the San Antonio Spurs—Henry was averaging 13 points on just 10 shots per contest. He was shooting 40 percent from the floor, 43 percent from downtown and he was collecting four rebounds per game out of sheer hustle and timing.
Needless to say, the decision to make him a starter was an easy one, and his showing against the Atlanta Hawks proved it (18 PTS, .500 3PT%, .455 FG%).
Now Henry must simply maintain. He's not going to be a No. 1 option with Pau Gasol in the lineup, but he's proven to be a nice piece in Mike D'Antoni's system.
Look for him to remain an integral part moving forward and don't be shocked if he keeps the starting spot well into the year.
Grade: B
Chris Kaman
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Chris Kaman may not be 100 percent satisfied with his role this season, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi, but he's done enough with his time to record a PER of 21.01 just four games into the year.
In 16.5 minutes per contest, the seven-footer is scoring 8.8 points on 58.6 percent shooting. He's also bringing down 5.3 rebounds, and he's blocking 0.8 shots per game.
As Mike D'Antoni narrows his rotation down, expect to see Kaman earn more time. Pau Gasol is the starting center for a reason, but the two big men alongside each other have a chance to do some damage if they can establish chemistry early.
Grade: B
Jodie Meeks
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Following a season that was filled with inconsistency and underwhelming performances, Jodie Meeks is taking full advantage of his opportunity to flourish with Kobe Bryant out of the lineup.
Four games is a small sample size, but a PER of 19.14 shouldn't be taken lightly. The 2-guard is averaging 11.5 points on 50 percent shooting, and he's knocking down 42.9 percent of his three-pointers and 90 percent of his free throws.
Meeks has become a key role player in Mike D'Antoni's system, and while his shots will surely decrease when Kobe Bryant makes his return, the thought of him helping keep the team afloat isn't nearly as ridiculous as it was a year ago.
Grade: B
Jordan Hill
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Jordan Hill's numbers won't jump out at you early in the year, but his efficiency has been outstanding, as he's made the most of Mike D'Antoni's incredibly deep rotation.
Despite playing just 14 minutes a game, Hill is putting up 6.3 points and six rebounds per contest. He's only averaging half-a-block through the first four games, but if you've watched him play, his shot-altering mentality at the rim should help him pass the eye test.
The other thing you'll notice when you watch Hill play is that he's taking smart shots. Two-thirds of his attempts have come from the restricted area, and he's only taken three shots from the mid-range all year, making two of them.
At 26 years old, Hill won't be a superstar this season. What he can be, though, is promise for the future—not to mention a symbol of consistency on a roster that is craving stability.
Grade: B+
Pau Gasol
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Pau Gasol is playing center again for the Los Angeles Lakers—finally.
Through four games, the big man is the team leader in points (15.8 PPG) and rebounds (11.0 RPG), and he's averaging a block per contest along the way as well.
What makes Gasol's performance even more impressive is that he's doing it in just 26 minutes per game. His PER is 17.9, which is the highest among all the team's starters.
Where Gasol can still improve is in his shot selection. Twenty of his 57 shot attempts this season have come from 16 to 24 feet, yet he's only making 20 percent of his shots in that particular range.
Up to this point, Gasol has been the Lakers' best player by a long shot. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who looked at the preseason roster, but it's worth noting that Mike D'Antoni should find a way to get his No. 1 option more minutes.
Gasol has the tools to shine in the offense as is, he just needs time on the floor to show it on a more regular basis.
Grade: B+
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