Los Angeles Lakers: Best To Part Ways With Ryan Kelly

By Chris Walton | Jul 27, 2015

April 12, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Ryan Kelly (4) moves the ball against the defense of Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (9) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

For Ryan Kelly, being a member of the Los Angeles Lakers means both good and bad news. The good news is that he is now a part of one of the league’s most intriguing and talented young cores. The bad news is that he will likely be buried in the team’s rotation.

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Playing the role as a stretch forward over the last two years, Kelly’s minutes will likely go to Brandon Bass and Julius Randle. With the dying need for a starting small forward, the Lakers don’t have the roster space to make a signing. All signs are pointing to big changes for Ryan Kelly, and this could ultimately mean a move to another franchise.

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In his rookie season, Kelly was able to leave a favorable impression on the Lakers’ brass. His role couldn’t have been more appropriate playing under former head coach Mike D’Antoni. The 48^th selection of the 2013 NBA Draft was among the best rookie scorers (ranked seventh), averaging 8.0 points (on 42.3 percent shooting) and 3.7 rebounds per game.

The first-year campaign led to Kelly being re-signed during the offseason. General manager Mitch Kupchak endorsed the move as making Kelly a big part of the Lakers future to NBA.com:

"“’When we extended a qualifying offer to Ryan in June, we fully expected him to be a part of our future,’ said Kupchak. ‘Ryan did everything we asked of him as a rookie and showed great promise and potential. After rehabbing an injury last summer, he will have the benefit of a full offseason regimen and training camp for the first time in his NBA career, and we anticipate further development as a result.’”"

Kelly’s second season wasn’t as promising. Before even beginning the year, he suffered not one, but two hamstring injuries. The recovery proved to be a stunt in his expected growth. With the hiring of Byron Scott, Kelly wouldn’t have the chance to play in a wide open game like he did under D’Antoni. Kelly’s scoring average took a dip down to 6.4 points per game, along with his field goal percentage (33.7 percent).

The team even experimented with him at the small forward position for most of the season (started 32 games). Kelly’s lack of explosion and strength put him at a major disadvantage against opposing wing players. As learned in his rookie season, Kelly is at his best exposing big men with his versatility.

As mentioned, this year is going to be all about the worth of Julius Randle along with the Lakers’ other young prospects. Unlike Kelly, Randle does have impressive explosiveness for a big man, as well as versatility. Much of Byron Scott’s gameplan will involve a lot of plays where Randle will initiate and finish offense. Should the team jeopardize any chance of stunting Randle’s growth by honoring their commitment to Kelly last season? A decision like this could be crucial.

The likely scenario could be to hope that Kelly brings an improved game back to the team. It’s a stretch, but maybe Kelly could add some depth to the small forward position. If this isn’t the case, the Lakers will hope a team shows interest in his skills. With the trend of small-ball and mobile forwards, there could be suitors once the season starts. For now, the Lakers will continue to explore every avenue involving movable players. Kelly is sure to be included in the number.

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