Although swingman Jake Layman has yet to play consistent minutes with the Portland Trail Blazers, he has been capitalizing on his preseason opportunity and may figure into the team’s regular season rotation.
Throughout this preseason, Portland Trail Blazers wing Jake “the Snake” Layman has garnered attention from fans. He has started every game in place of the injured Maurice Harkless and so far capitalized on this opportunity – so much so that he may find his way into the team’s regular season rotation.
The 2018-19 season will be Layman’s third year with the Blazers. In his first two, he has ultimately been a quiet presence, playing in a total of 70 games for 409 minutes. However, his days of warming the bench could end in the coming weeks.
This preseason, he has averaged 12.5 points, two assists, and two rebounds.
But his most recent game against the Phoenix Suns was undoubtedly his best of this stretch, and perhaps of his NBA career.
He scored 28 points, shooting 5/7 from deep and 10/14 overall. In the first quarter particularly, the guy could almost literally not miss.
He did what he’s done throughout the first three exhibition games. He took smart shots from beyond the arc and looked confident when getting to the basket or pulling up from midrange. Only this time, he didn’t have to kick it out when his shot wasn’t there.
28 points in a blowout preseason victory, Jake Layman making a case for regular season minutes pic.twitter.com/jbnXQ5y4MZ
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) October 11, 2018
Layman personified all the excitement GM Neil Olshey had for him at Media Day (transcribed by the Oregonian):
"“He’s stronger. He’s more confident with the ball. He’s had a great September playing with our guys. He’s a guy that I can tell you everyone in my front office breathes a sigh of relief watching him every day that we didn’t let him go … From a talent standpoint, he’s really gifted and it’s starting to click for him.”"
However, Layman should know as well as anyone that the battle to find consistent minutes in the regular season as a forward will be no easy task. Right now, forwards Harkless, Evan Turner, Al-Farouq Aminu, Zach Collins, and Meyers Leonard all appear to be in the Blazers’ rotation plans at the outset.
It will take more than just some flashy offense in an exhibition game to ascend the pecking order. Layman knows this as well, which is why he has made it a point to work on improving defensively throughout his young NBA career.
In an NBC Sports article, writer Dwight Jaynes quotes Layman saying:
"“I say all the time, the No. 1 thing I need to do to get out on the floor is be able to guard people.”"
While his flashes of offensive brilliance may be the catalyst for the intrigue surrounding Layman, his defense will ultimately be what keeps him on the floor. He will need to be a consistent and reliable defender to warrant the minutes needed to give him opportunity to find a rhythm as a shooter and attacker off the dribble.
If he can prove his defensive worth and carry over confidence on offense, Layman could get the nod off the bench throughout the regular season.
Right now, I could see him soaking up some of the minutes that may originally be given to Nik Stauskas or Meyers Leonard.