After a dazzling performance against the Phoenix Suns, Jake Layman earned himself another opportunity in the Portland Trail Blazers rotation. This came at the cost of Seth Curry’s minutes. Where does he fit in now?
Who would’ve thought we’d be here 26 games into the season? When Seth Curry first signed with the Portland Trail Blazers this summer, I figured he would be a slight upgrade over Shabazz Napier in the short term with the potential to etch his way into the Sixth Man of the Year conversation down the line. Now, he could very well be the odd man out in the rotation behind Jake Layman and Nik Stauskas.
At least, that’s how he figured most recently against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the first game he did not enter while being eligible to play this season.
The biggest reason for this: Jake Layman’s career-night against the Phoenix Suns, where he scored 24 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and secured two steals. After starting the first 19 games of the season, he had been sent back to the bench in favor of a healing Maurice Harkless. But when CJ McCollum sat out against Phoenix, Layman got another opportunity and showcased his worth.
Head Coach Terry Stotts would’ve been crazy to not get him back in against the Wolves, but this came at the cost of Curry’s playing time. This was a decision, however, not without justification.
So far this season, Curry’s play has been uninspiring. Although he should be given all the benefit of the doubt as he is coming back from a fractured left tibia and a year away from basketball, and is still managing to shoot 44.2% from deep this year, he just hasn’t been as lethal as many figured he would be.
His season-high in points has been 11. He is shooting 28.9% on two-pointers. He is a box plus-minus -4.6.
I figure there are a few reasons for this:
One, he hasn’t quite gotten his legs back under him yet and found his rhythm. Having a year absence due to a leg injury likely halted the progression he was making during his final year at Dallas.
Two, he isn’t in the same role as he was when he was most successful with the Mavericks. There, he was a starting point guard, playing 30ish minutes each night. Now, he comes off the bench for a wide-ranging of time, depending on where the team needs him. He’s played as many as 23 minutes and as few as seven.
Three, he isn’t playing point guard anymore. I wonder if the Blazers had been as dead-set on making Evan Turner be the full-time backup for Damian Lillard when they first signed Curry. While his shooting expertise seems like a solid fit alongside a full-time facilitator like Turner, the flow of his game may be challenged because of it. This has been most evident when Curry does get the opportunity to handle the ball for a possession, and it can seem like he is forcing a play or his patented step-back jumper in the corner, rather than just letting the offense come to him.
And with Nik Stauskas coming into Portland and filling the role of solid rotational shooter, Curry has even less room to feel out his place on this team. Stauskas isn’t hitting his threes at the same rate as Curry has hit his, but he is getting up about 1.2 more attempts per game than him. And where Curry’s peak in points has been just above single digits, Stauskas has put in 24-, 18-, and 15-point performances, including two 5-8 shooting nights from beyond the arc.
He may not be as efficient, but Stauskas has a higher chance of lifting this Trail Blazers team than Curry does on any given night right now.
Right now.
While Curry has underperformed thus far, his potential to be a deadly sniper who can also run an offense effectively means Stotts should work hard to find spots for him throughout the year.
There’s no guarantee that Layman continues playing (side note: I hope he does), just as there’s no guarantee that Harkless remains healthy this season or Stauskas continues playing some of the best, most consistent basketball of his career. Whenever there are open minutes, Curry should be the immediate benefactor.
But Curry may now find himself more in the same position Layman found himself only days ago – waiting in the wings for another opportunity to prove himself.
With all of his talent and incredible shooting ability, Curry has the tools to impress when the time comes. Now, it’s just a matter of actually doing it.