LA Clippers Player Previews: Terance Mann & Mfiondu Kabengele
By Matt Chong
Terance Mann
Last season, as guard depth waned due to injury, Terance Mann enjoyed a healthy role as a backup–even starting a few games. In 8.8 minutes per game, Mann averaged 2.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. As far as shooting, he posted splits of 46.8/35/66.7. Certainly, nothing that would blow you away, but as a second round project player, he did show real value as a depth piece at times.
Being shifted from the wing, which he played in college, to the point guard position, Mann was dropped into a new situation at a new position, so you can understand why he may have looked a little rough around the edges in his first NBA season.
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Not even crackling two shot attempts per game, Mann tended to operate more as a passer–which he has shown real promise in doing. Not too shabby for a kid who just picked up point guard duties this year!
Pretty as the passes are, the LA Clippers will need Terance to knock down more of his shots if he’s to maintain his role with the team, much less see it increase–and he knows that. Making it a priority, along with improving his guard skills over the offseason.
Mann says he focused on shooting the ball and working on being a better point guard in the offseason
— Garrett Chorpenning (@gachorpenning) December 7, 2020
In particular, the coaching staff has asked that he put an emphasis on the catch-and-shoot aspect of his game. Understandable, given that he’ll be sharing the floor with a litany of other gifted players that should create space for him on the perimeter. A reliable corner three shot would do wonders for Terance’s playability.
I asked Terance Mann what the coaching staff has asked him to work on as he goes into his second season, and here was his answer: pic.twitter.com/5nJsuaRZqC
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) December 7, 2020
Although he likely won’t crack the top ten players in the Clippers’ rotation this season, there does appear to be hope that Mann will see the floor here and there. Coach Lue already seems to approve of Terance’s form since players returned for training camp. He does possess good size and, if he’s able to improve significantly enough, it’s not totally out of the question that Mann could usurp Reggie Jackson in certain situations. If he’s really able to put it together, Terance could really carve out a nice role for himself–now and going forward.
Depth and rotation will be more of a factor than ever before in a season that could see players being yanked from the lineup at a moment’s notice due to positive COVID-19 tests, so it’d behoove the young Mann to stay ready.