Arron Afflalo Talks Adapting to Blazers, Brian Shaw Firing, Kendrick Lamar
LOS ANGELES — Changing teams at the trade deadline is never easy, not even for a seasoned NBA veteran like Arron Afflalo.
The eighth-year shooting guard out of UCLA was dealt back to the Denver Nuggets by the Orlando Magic this past summer, only to see his rights swapped to the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 19. Afflalo is as professional as they come, and the Blazers had a clear need for his combination of shooting and defense off their thin bench, but all that hasn't ensured a completely seamless transition to Rip City—nor could it.
"You can tell it's just a work in progress," said Doc Rivers, whose Los Angeles Clippers lost to Afflalo's Blazers in overtime Wednesday 98-93. "That's the difficulty with making adjustments late in the season because it's more on him than them in some ways. If you do it early, in the beginning of the season, then it's more on them. But late in the season, it's more on him. They're not going to wait for him. They're going to keep playing, and he has to figure it out."
That's not to say Afflalo won't or isn't already well on his way to doing so. His 18 points off the bench against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in just his third game as a Blazer, keyed a thrilling Portland comeback.
"He's fitting in very well," said Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts. "I think he's excited to be part of a winning team and contributing."
Afflalo confirmed as much to Bleacher Report prior to the Clippers-Blazers showdown. Read on for what he had to say about his new team, his old team and his connection to hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar.
Bleacher Report: Have you had a chance to go back to UCLA on this trip?
Arron Afflalo: No, not this trip.
B/R: Your Bruins are playing the Trojans tonight (UCLA beat USC 85-74). Do you ever think back to that game-winner you hit?
AA: No, I don't think about it too much, but it was a fun time. It was a fun game. They had just opened their new facility at that time, the Galen Center. It was the first game between us. To hit a game-winning shot was pretty cool.
B/R: You're coming into a new situation here in Portland. How did you find out about the trade, and what was your reaction to it?
AA: Tim Connelly and Josh Kroenke, the management and owner of the Nuggets, they kept me well-informed as a lot of my process unfolded around the trade deadline. They informed me a couple hours early. I definitely respect them for keeping me in the loop.
B/R: How did the management and coaching situation in Denver this time compare to your first go-around with the Nuggets?
AA: It was different. Obviously, they're in a period of transition a little bit, coming from George [Karl] and some of the philosophies that he abided by as a basketball coach and somewhat of a GM there. I know he had a lot of decision-making power. I think Josh and Tim will do fine. At this level sometimes, building the right process and structure takes some time.
B/R: Did you agree with Denver's decision to let Brian Shaw go?
AA: I didn't really have too much of an opinion about it, especially me being gone, although it's only been a week or two. I didn't really have an opinion about it either way. Sometimes, coaches and players just don't mesh together. Not to say it's the player's fault or the coach's fault, but to be successful, you have to have a good mixture.
B/R: There've been reports that some players didn't take Brian Shaw seriously. Any truth to that?
AA: I don't think so. I think it's just a matter of some coaching philosophies and personnel that we assembled there just not working out together, but no, there was no trying to lose or none of that stuff.
B/R: Back in the summer, you expressed some excitement about being able to go back to Denver. Were you disappointed to see your second stint there come to an end so soon?
AA: Not really. I try to look at all situations as a positive. Whatever I gained from this season about myself or about the team or just being able to appreciate being here in a winning situation, whatever it was, I just try to take the positive from it and move forward.
B/R: What's that like for you to come to a winning situation after spending the last two-and-a-half seasons on losing teams?
AA: It feels good, man, because at the end of the day, as a basketball player, that's why you compete. You compete to win. All the other individual motivation and all the other team motivation to me should stem back to trying to win a championship. I'm very happy that that chance is a real possibility here.
B/R: How do you feel things are coming along with you and the Blazers after a couple of weeks?
AA: I mean, we're four games in, and we're 3-1 [now 4-1]. Hopefully, my impact can be felt, not only in the regular season, but more or less in the playoffs. I'm pretty sure they expect more. We'll see. It's been four games. I feel like we should be 4-0, but it is what it is.
B/R: Statistically speaking, you've gone from a team in Denver that was among the league's worst in creating open shots to one that's among the league leaders in that department. Have you noticed a difference?
AA: A little bit, a little bit. I mean, you've got guys like Damian [Lillard] and LaMarcus [Aldridge], other playmakers like Wes [Matthews] and Nic [Batum]. These guys are willing passers. They have a pass-first mentality for the most part, and all those things combined open up open shots.
B/R: Are you comfortable with your situation coming off the bench?
AA: I mean, for the purpose of winning a championship, I don't really look at it as a sacrifice. It's a team game, and whether you start or come off the bench, depending on what your role is, for me coming into a new team that had great chemistry already, it wasn't going to be a problem. It's something I can also assess this summer, but at the end of the day, I'm happy just joining a team that's trying to win. We only have 20 games left, so I don't think it's a big deal.
B/R: Long term, you'd probably prefer to start?
AA: [Laughs] Most players prefer to start. Most players would prefer to have the largest role possible. That's the competitive nature in every NBA player, so that's just something you have to assess, give or take what it is you really want, what's best for your career and you personally. And then once you figure that out, figure out what's best for the team.
B/R: Have you ever daydreamed about coming home to play for one of the L.A. teams?
AA: As a professional, not really. You travel so much and you love your home, but, you know, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. It hasn't been like a fantasy of mine or nothing like that, but obviously, when you're home, you would always appreciate it.
B/R: What are your feelings about Portland the city so far? Have you had a chance to get a feel for it yet?
AA: I've loved it, man. It's almost like a college town. There's only one professional team there, so they're really entrenched into their Blazers. I received a great welcome my first game there. Been loving the city ever since. My goal is to help bring a championship to the city. Hopefully, we can accomplish that.
B/R: Now, Kendrick Lamar once said he used to be jealous of you. Do you ever find yourself jealous of him?
AA: [Laughs] I mean, I'm happy being me. I'm not a finished product yet, but I am happy for him. I'm happy for him. He's come a long way. He's going to continue to have a lot of success.
B/R: Did you know him back in high school?
AA: Yeah. He's about a year younger than me, but we went to the same high school. Coming up in Compton, that's a tough situation. A lot of guys don't make it out of that city. He's a bright guy, so I'm happy for him.
B/R: Do you keep up with him?
AA: I reach out to him every now and then, but he's a busy guy now.
B/R: As are you.
AA: Yeah.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
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