Ryan Kelly: The Second Return
By Chris Walton
Injury news and notes have surrounded the Los Angeles Lakers for the last two seasons. Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant suffered major injuries in 2013, which extended into 2014. Ailments even struck as this year began with Nick Young (hand injury) being sidelined, followed by Ryan Kelly (hamstring) and Julius Randle (broken tibia). As Young was able to make his way back into the lineup and produce, Randle was lost for the season and will look to gear up for the future in Los Angeles.
Good news is also on the horizon as Kelly has recovered from a torn hamstring that caused him to miss six weeks.The injury would be Kelly’s second return to their lineup which we covered earlier in the season. Last season Kelly was quite the surprise for Los Angeles, playing much better than his second round, 18th selection would indicate.
Kelly will seek his first action since November on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers have a crowded frontcourt as Kelly will play behind Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Robert Sacre, Jordan Hill, and recently signed Tarik Black.
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The best thing that he can bring to the table is his ability to stretch the floor from the frontcourt. Kelly has shown the ability to hit shots from the outside, as last season he was 33.8 percent from three-point range. Kelly’s absence provides limited game-planning from opponents, so there could be interesting lineups set by head coach Byron Scott.
Kelly’s abilities will keep the lane unclogged while the Lakers’ backcourt of Bryant and Jeremy Lin like to make plays towards the rim. He can also be the beneficiary of plenty of open shots from the perimeter.
To add to his knack for shooting, Kelly stands at 7’0’’ and couples his size with all-around intangibles. He is a willing passer, and despite looking to prove he has the strength to play in the paint, he can rebound. Kelly’s career-high performance last season came against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 26 points along with six rebounds and one steal.
Kelly was signed to a two-year deal this summer, and looks to be one of the key components of the Lakers’ future. He must look to add to his game as the league continues its uptempo style of play with mobile bigs. Kelly fits the bill for the modern day game. He still will look to add to his skills to grow into a productive player. His skillset will be complimentary to that of Julius Randle, who does most of his damage on the interior and also on the outside. Laker fans should be happy about the combination.
Health is the usual question for Kelly. Last season he played in 59 games partly due to his rookie status, but this year he hopes to play in the remaining 50 games. The hamstring injury that has hampered him since training camp is one to monitor closely. It is the type of injury that goes on and off, requiring adequate rest and treatment.
Ryan Kelly will no doubt help the Lakers’ shooting and development for the future. As Byron Scott allows him to settle into the rotation, he may find himself in a bigger role than he could imagine. If so, that is great news for the Lakers going forward.