After reuniting with general manager Neil Olshey, Al-Farouq Aminu is proving to be the perfect fit for the Trail Blazers.
Over the summer the Trail Blazers were looking for pieces to help fill the voids that were left behind from free agency. Looking for new additions was no easy task for Neil Olshey (Trail Blazers GM). He had to find contributors that could support and grow with his all-star point guard Damian Lillard. During his search he happened to come across a familiar face.
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Six year forward Al-Farouq Aminu was up for grabs. The big man opted out of his second season with the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason. After a rocky start with the Mavericks, Aminu adjusted to a reserve forward role. On the offensive end he didn’t perform so well, matching a career low of averaging 5.6 points per game and shooting at .412 percent from the floor. Despite his offensive limitations, he was proving to be a versatile defender who made his presence known whenever he was on the floor.
Olshey saw this as the perfect opportunity to reunite with the young man that he drafted as the eighth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Olshey believed back then that he could become the player that he is today. Seeing the acceleration in growth that took place in Aminu’s skills while he was in Dallas, Olshey jumped at the chance by immediately signing Aminu to a four year deal for 30 million dollars.
At first many laughed at the signing, thinking that Olshey was in a little over his head. On the other hand, he thought completely opposite about the situation. He stuck to his guns, believing that Aminu would have more value with the Trail Blazers than he did in his previous stops. He believed that the forward would be a perfect fit in Terry Stotts’ system.
Estatic about the signing, Aminu took to his Twitter account to announce the news.
Headed to Portland with my guy Neil Olshey, who believed in me since day one. Much love
— Al-Farouq Aminu (@farouq1) July 1, 2015
Rip city here I come
Ready to prove himself, Aminu got right down to business. Already knowing what he brought to the table, Stotts placed Aminu in the starting small forward position. Since then, the big man has been nothing short from impactful on the defensive end. A dramatic increase has taken place in Aminu’s numbers since becoming a Trail Blazer.
He is playing around 29.3 minutes per game. Averaging 10.6 points (shooting a little over 40 %), he is also shooting over 35 percent from beyond the arc, which is an increase from his previous five years in the league. His free throw percentage stayed the same, with him shooting over 70 percent. Of course on the defensive end he has been spectacular, snatching 6.6 rebounds (5.4 defensive, 1.2 offensive), which is a nice increase from last season’s average of 4.6 rebounds. He’s been adding numbers to the assist column as well, dishing out 1.5 APG this season.
Aminu’s performance isn’t a surprise to Olshey. He always knew that he would be a valuable asset in the NBA. Fortunately for Olshey, that asset happens to be on his team. I guess you could say that this reunion worked out well for both parties. For Olshey it was another piece that would keep the Trail Blazers moving in the right direction. As for Aminu, it’s a chance to finally move towards his maximum potential.