June 26, 2020

Ukrainian pro sports update: basketball

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Los Angeles Laker Kyle Kuzma jack-hammered a third-quarter dunk over Golden State Warriors’ Juan Toscano-Anderson in the third quarter of a February 26 NBA game, eliciting a raucous celebration from his two all-star teammates. LeBron James happened to be sitting on the Lakers’ bench in a black coat, while Anthony Davis was nearby after diving into the stands to save a loose ball from going out of bounds. The slam was “with authority” and emphatically emphasized Kuzma’s turnaround performance in the 116-86 win over Golden State.

NBA.com

Kyle Kuzma

Having unsuccessfully delivered consistent results in his role as a primary scoring option for much of the 2019-2020 season, the 24-year-old Ukrainian pumped in 18 points and helped build a lead big enough to rest L.A. starters the entire fourth quarter. A self-gratified Kuzma stepped up big time in the absence of James, out with a groin injury. Kuzma relished the chance to make plays, handle the ball more and facilitate exactly the way LeBron would, being the focal point of the team’s offense.

The Lakers have been waiting most of the season for these types of contributions from Kuzma, who was slated to be the main bucket-getter behind the James-Davis duo. The team has suffered from its lack of bench scoring and has been desperate for secondary offense. Kuzma’s 15 games with 25 or more points since entering the league are way more than any other Lakers reserve over that time frame.

For much of the current campaign Kuzma has not done his part. He is particularly ineffective when not on the court with James. Heading into the late-February tilt against Golden State, Kuzma was shooting 40.1 percent from the field in minutes without James versus 46.4 percent with James on the floor. This must change if he is to continue in his role as the main man off the bench.

The signing of power forward Markieff Morris may ease the dynamic in the future. Before Morris’ arrival, Kuzma was tasked with filling inside duties with Davis or Dwight Howard whenever James was rested. Kuzma’s usual partners on the court minus James were Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo and Davis, the latter being the only one standing above 6-foot-5.

The 6-foot-8 Morris will permit Kuzma to spend time out on the perimeter, letting him be involved in a wider variety of offensive sets, including ball handling situations at the top of the arc with a live dribble to baseline post-ups. In other words, it will help Kuzma to play the distributor role more with the ball in his hands and the option to attack the hoop, not limited to a pick-and-pop, spot-up type of player.

The Lakers would profit greatly if the new rotation assists in ending Kuzma’s funk. He has posted career lows in nearly every statistical category this year. A showing like the Warriors game was a vivid reminder of the game-changing scoring weapon he can be when everything clicks.

The Lakers were optimistic Kuzma would be a more consistent threat prior to the onset of the postseason. The coaching staff felt Kuzma’s inefficiency was a product of adjusting to a new offensive scheme and new role rather than deeper faults. He was expected to bring energy like he has in the past and contribute by doing what he does best, which is score points. His continued development within the team’s defensive scheme would make Kuzma an even more valuable player.

Kuzma was rumored to be on NBA general managers’ radar at the league’s trade deadline in February. Lakers management never seriously entertained any offers to trade their young talented forward. On the Western Conference’s top team, Kuzma is still looked upon as a valuable asset and potentially a key component of a championship squad.

 

Kuzma gives back in Flint

Kuzma stepped up big-time during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving back to his hometown of Flint, Mich. Kuzma partnered with the YMCA to donate 550 meals per week for kids and seniors. The food donation was scheduled for a minimum of six weeks and included a dinner and snack given to the needy, beginning March 23, seven days a week.

 

Olynyk earns one of two bonuses

Miami Heat forward Kelly Olynyk faces a split decision when it comes to the potential $1.4 million in bonuses he was eligible for in the 2019-2020 season. As part of the four-year free agent deal he signed with Miami in the 2017 offseason, there are annual bonuses for making the playoffs and for playing at least 1,700 minutes.

Wikipedia

Kelly Olynyk

The playoff element of the question was formally clinched the second week of March, right before the NBA shut down due to the coronavirus. The minutes question, unfortunately, was one the 6-foot-11 Ukrainian Canadian failed to realize for the first time.

For Olynyk, the bonuses reflect the overall success of what turned out to be the winningest season in his tenure with the team. The Heat made the playoffs with a 44-38 record in Olynyk’s first year with the team (2017-2018) and found themselves on the outs at 39-43 in 2018-2019. This year it was a return to the postseason and back to some extra cash, $400,000 to be exact.

The second bonus of $1 million for hitting the 1,700 minutes level was another issue. Before joining the Heat, Olynyk had never reached the threshold during his first four NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics. He then played 1,779 minutes for Miami in 2017-2018 and a career-high 1,812 in 2018-2019. This season, with Meyers Leonard emerging as the starting center and Bam Adebayo earning a larger role in the power rotation – and with games often turning into small ball – Olynyk had played 1,092 minutes prior to the season being suspended. Even if the rest of the regular season games were played, Olynyk would have to play some 35 minutes per game, a definite impossibility based on his averaging 18.5 minutes per game in 2019-2020.

For Olynyk, as with the playoff bonus, the focus has been on team success and his contributions in the games. He accepts it for what it is, a bonus to a contract which already pays him in excess of $11 million per year.

Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].

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