A look at some players earning and losing minutes.
- Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba is finally getting a chance to show what he can do in a starting role. The 23-year-old has averaged 10.8 PPG/9.4 RPG/2.2 BPG in 21 starts, as his rebounding and shot blocking have proved to be valuable skills. Bamba was the #6 pick back in 2018 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
- Houston’s Garrison Matthews and Golden State’s Gary Payton II are securing NBA spots with their play. Matthews has averaged 17.0 PPG on 50.0% from three point range in his last 3 games after recently being waived by the Boston Celtics and spending the last two seasons in Washington. As for Payton, he’s bounced around on different teams since 2016, but now averages 6.3 PPG & 1.5 SPG on a 67.1% field goal percentage for the championship hopeful Warriors.
- Second year San Antonio Spur Devin Vassell is proving why he went #11 in the 2020 draft with more minutes this season. Vassell’s gone from averaging 17.0 MPG/5.5 PPG/34.7% 3-PT to 25.8 MPG/12.2 PPG/39.3% 3-PT, bringing a nice spark off the bench. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Theo Maledon (#34 pick in 2020) has seen a completely different sophomore season compared to Vassell. He’s went from getting 27.4 MPG to 13.4 MPG with trips to the G-League, averaging just 2.7 PPG on 22.5% from the field.
- Rodney Hood & Taurean Prince are two veterans currently seeing career lows in field goal percentage and minutes played. Hood is shooting 34.8% in 15.2 MPG for the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks while Prince shoots 33.8% in 15.0 MPG for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both were starters as recent as the 2019-20 season, but now face uncertain futures being free agents this summer.
