Los Angeles Lakers: Upgrading At Small Forward
Sign Al-Farouq Aminu In Free Agency
Aminu wasn’t even on the radar until the final three-game-stretch for the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs.
In those final three playoff games, Aminu played well enough to open a few eyes, snatching offensive boards and contributing in the scoring column for a desperate Dallas team.
| Date | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-24 | 34:18 | .800 | .667 | .833 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| 2015-04-26 | 38:08 | .600 | .600 | .333 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16 |
| 2015-04-28 | 36:27 | .375 | 1.000 | .875 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 14 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
It’s smart to avoid overreacting to fantastic performances by contract-year bench guys in the playoffs, especially when those bench players have typically been underwhelming in their career. But small sample-size be damned, there was a lot to like about Al-Farouq Aminu’s performance for the Mavericks.
Aminu is little more than an energy and effort guy, and ideally he’s probably not a starter for your team.
But, the Lakers could certainly use more energy and effort, and Aminu could be a nice player to add to the mix at small forward. His rebounding ability (20.2 percent defensive rebounding rate for his career) would be welcome on the wing, and would allow the team a bit more flexibility between the two forward positions.
The best part is that he’s probably going to be had on the cheap. Aminu played for less than $1 million last season, and he’s not going to be getting the offers that higher ranked players like DeMarre Carroll or even Jae Crowder will receive. Even if the Lakers quadrupled his salary he could be a valuable pickup that won’t break the bank.
The Lakers shouldn’t overpay for his services, but Al-Farouq Aminu could be a key contributor for the team next year if the money is right.
Next: Priority Number One