No. 2: Landry Shamet
Landry Shamet has only been with the LA Clippers for a short time, but we’ve already seen how unafraid the young 22-year-old guard is of big moments.
With the clock winding down on the rookie’s second-ever playoff game, Shamet caught a pass on the wing and hoisted up what would be the game-winning three-pointer that lifted the Clippers over the Golden State Warriors.
It was the defining moment of Shamet’s rookie season, one that likely ended a lot better than he anticipated.
Shamet is already a very smart shooter. The bulk of his shots this season either came at the rim or from three-point range, with an overwhelming majority coming from the latter of those two. Those are the two areas of the floor where each individual attempt is worth the most points, given lay-ups tend to be a player’s most high percentage look, and three-pointers are worth a higher value than any other shot.
That being said, his game could still use some work, which is where Kawhi Leonard could assist him.
As good a player as Shamet is on offense, he lacks the same completeness on defense. Part of that is due to physical limitations — he’s got good height for a two-guard at 6’5″, but he’s not very long or bulky, which won’t help him win a lot of individual matchups. Leonard could help Shamet play smarter one-on-one and team defense by utilizing his speed and teaching him to play more with his hands.
He’ll likely never be an elite two-way player in this league, but he’s got great potential. If Shamet can up his game on that side of the floor, the Clippers won’t have to worry about him allowing too many points and can focus more on him getting buckets on the other.