Los Angeles Clippers: Is Al-Farouq Aminu the Team's Small Forward of the Future?

The Los Angeles Clippers selected Al-Farouq Aminu with the eighth overall selection in the 2010 NBA draft, hoping that he would be the long-term answer to the team's small forward woes. The Clips have not been able to find even an average player to play the 3 since the departure of long-time Clipper Corey Maggette.

With Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe all on the current roster, the Clippers have an extremely talented young nucleus to build around. That quartet covers every position on the floor with the exception of small forward.

Can Aminu be the one to fill the void?

Last season was certainly not the brightest indicator of a star in the making. It was an up-and-down year for the rookie out of Wake Forest, with the downs outnumbering the ups. 

Aminu got a chance to shine almost immediately. After coming off the bench for the first nine games of the season, Aminu started 14 of the Clippers' next 15 contests. However, he didn't take off and run with the starting job, averaging 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game as a starter, with his turnovers more than doubling his assists. As a result, Aminu found himself relegated to a backup role for the remainder of the year.

Aminu wasn't much more effective as a bench player either, scoring 5.1 points (on very poor shooting) and grabbing 3.2 rebounds in 17 minutes a game.

The rookie forward struggled in his inaugural campaign. He looked lost most of the time he was on the court, and there were long stretches where you forgot he was even in the game. Aminu's shooting was way below average for an NBA small forward, as he managed to shoot just 39.4 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from three-point range. His 49.9 percent True Shooting percentage ranked 227th out of 270 players in the NBA with at least 40 games played at 15-plus minutes per game.

There is still a case to be made for Aminu, but it is predicated more on the potential he has than the results he displayed last season. 

Remember, Aminu was just a 20-year-old rookie last year playing in an environment he had never experienced before. Naturally, he was a bit timid and hesitant on the floor. Sometimes it takes a couple of years for a guy, especially someone so young, to develop a consistent level of confidence. He was hindered by the fluctuation of his minutes, ranging from five to 30 on a given night. It's hard to get into a game when you're not quite sure what role you're supposed to play.

He did show some promise on the court last season too, though. Aminu was a very good rebounder for his position, and he's an amazing athlete that can get up and down the floor and finish with a flourish. He's lanky with super-long arms and long, loping strides. His size and athleticism give him good versatility, and he has all the physical tools to become an elite defender in the league. Add to that his rebounding prowess, and he will be able to spot some minutes at power forward too after his body fills out a bit.

His shooting showed some flashes too. Aminu shot 46.4 percent from downtown before the calendar flipped to 2011 and managed a solid 77.3 percent clip from the foul line over the course of the season. He just needs to get into the gym and dedicate himself to adding some consistency to his perimeter shot. His mid-range jumper in particular is in dire need of a boost after he shot just 20 percent between 10 and 23 feet last season, unacceptable numbers from a starting small forward in the NBA. Refining his ball-handling skills is a must as well, after Aminu posted a sub-par 0.58-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio in his first season.

By all accounts though, Aminu is a hard worker and very coachable. He's still extremely raw and awfully young, but the physical traits are all there and he has the pedigree to succeed (McDonald's All-American in high school, led his college team in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore, top-10 NBA draft pick). The jury is still out on Aminu, and I think the Clippers should hand him the starting small forward job this season to find out if he is ready to step into his role as the team's small forward of the future.