Kent Bazemore
Age: 26
Height: 6-foot-5
Career stats: 16.5 mpg; 6.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.3 spg; 43.0/35.1/68.3 shooting splits
2015-16 stats: 75 games, 27.8 mpg; 11.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.5 bpg; 44.1/35.7/81.5 shooting splits
Strengths:
• Intangibles
• Athleticism
• 3-and-D potential
• Celebration game
Weaknesses:
• One good year
• Low shooting percentages
• Playmaking
Why the Warriors make sense:
The Warriors already gave Bazemore a home once, and it’s easy to see why. He’s the perfect player for the Warriors: a long wing whose versatility is more useful than any one dominant skill. He can play above average defense, hit the catch-and-shoot three, and slash to the basket when given the room. On a team with playmakers like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the Warriors wouldn’t need him to be an exceptional shot-creator. They need him to do the things he’s good at, like working hard on both ends of the floor, hustling on defense, and making the most of his scoring opportunities. Bazemore is a beloved figure in the Bay Area, both a fan favorite and a team favorite. No member of Dub nation forgets the team’s greatest bench celebrator of all time.
Why the Warriors don’t make sense:
The Finals proved that the Warriors don’t necessarily need more of the same thing, but rather some new tweaks to the roster to give the NBA new looks and stay ahead of the learning curve. While Bazemore has undoubtedly improved, there are some concerns revolving around a return to the Warriors. Where would he play? The Warriors already have Andre Igoudala, Klay Thompson, Shaun Livingston, Harrison Barnes, and Brandon Rush on the wing. Bazemore is simply more of the same, and he’s also coming off the first good season of his career. His 2015-16 stats are an outlier compared to his career stats, and it remains to be seen whether he can sustain his good numbers with a new team and a new system.
