![]() He’s also showcased his pull-up ability in both transition and as the pick and roll ball-handler.īeyond Nunn's obvious good health and ancillary benefits he provides on both sides of the floor, the three-ball falling hopefully is a only continuation of what has been has a strong shooting profile for Nunn early in his career. Through the team’s first three games, Nunn has converted exactly half of his 10 3-point attempts on what have mostly been the types of looks he’s expected to see next to the likes of Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook this year. Now, Nunn is finally back on the floor, quickly acclimating to a role beside the team’s stars - a process that has been sped up by the multi-dimensionality of his jump-shooting. ![]() It was a sequence and result Lakers’ fans had hoped to see a lot of from Nunn last year, but unfortunately never came to fruition due to what became a season-ending bone bruise suffered during the team’s last preseason. It took just less than two minutes of his first uniformed basketball action in over a year for Kendrick Nunn to let it fly from deep.įittingly, the shot and corresponding splash came courtesy of Anthony Davis’ dish out of a double-team. This is especially the case on a team that continues to lack the specific set of skills this journeyman just so happens to possess, which could end up proving to be the very thing that helps expand his role in a front-court that’s still in-flux. His always-hot motor drives Gabriel’s furious stampedes down the floor on the break, thrilling weak-side blocks, and a bloodhound-esque nose for the offensive glass - an area where he ranked in the 99th percentile in among forwards last season, according to Cleaning the Glass.Īll the things Gabriel has shown this preseason aren't necessarily new, but that does not make them any less useful. In addition to fueling his athletic tools, Gabriel plays with a palpable hunger. Gabriel’s frame has already showed to have utility, as he’s shifted between forward and center, and proven capable both in a drop or as the helper within Ham’s defensive scheme thanks to his quick feet and seemingly never-ending arms and legs. Standing at 6’9” and equipped with a 7’1” wingspan, Gabriel is arguably one of the most physically versatile players Darvin Ham will be able to rely on during the regular season. It is a roster hole Gabriel will not individually be able to shore up, but if his play thus far is any indication, there may not be many - if any - options already on the roster better suited to bandage the situation. ![]() In many ways, the Lakers continue to be the right place at the right time for the 25-year-old as they continue to sorely lack size, defense and energy at the forward position just as they did before inking Gabriel last year. ![]() He wore four different jerseys before signing with the team last year alone, and has now donned nine (including the G-League) thus far in his short career.įortunately, Gabriel made enough of a splash in his new surroundings to survive a mass-exodus of the club’s roster over the summer and has since emerged as one the most impressive players for the team this preseason. That’s because there is no “there” to go back to, instead, only the liminal space he occupied during his ongoing search for somewhere to call home.īefore signing with Los Angeles late last season, Gabriel was the epitome of the life of a player trapped in basketball limbo. Wenyen Gabriel doesn't want to go back to where he was prior to joining the Lakers. What follows are three early positives from a team still very much rehearsing ahead of opening night. The Lakers have proven no exception to this through their first three games.ĭespite still not receiving a significant sample of the team’s expected core players on the floor at the same time, there have been glimpses of Darvin Ham’s new system being put into effect, players beginning to define their roles and a general sense of optimism for fans to cling onto. ![]() This is the state of metamorphosis where the experimentation and evaluation process can finally begin.Īlthough these games are ultimately still just exhibitions, there are still kernels of truth - both positive and damning - that can be revealed about the campaign ahead. Teams transfer offseason depth-charts, lineup configurations, and play-diagrams from whiteboards onto the hardwood for the first time. Outside of allowing players to find their land legs and kick the last remnants of their summer hangovers, the purpose of the NBA preseason revolves around turning the theoretical into reality. ![]()
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