Kent Bazemore (SG/SF, SAC): Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: I'm starting to think everybody around Sacramento performs better off the bench than in a starter role. The Kings moved Buddy Hield to the pine and he's thrived since. Back in late January they acquired Kent Bazemore from Portland, sit him on the bench (he was a starter for the Blazers since the start of December) for the first time in weeks, and although it took him a bit of time Baze is now performing to great levels of production. There must be something going on here...

As I said, Bazemore was traded for Trevor Ariza a month ago. In his last 20 games as a Blazer, Bazemore averaged 30 minutes and put up an 8-4-1-1 line in that time. In the seven games (out of a total 13) in which he's played 20+ minutes for the Kings, Bazemore is averaging 14-5-1-2, all improvements over his time in Portland, and all of it done while riding the pine. Although Bazemore played fewer than 20 ticks in his first six games in Cali he's now played more than 22 minutes in all but one of his last seven games and the minutes are ramping up nightly, even reaching the 30 this past Saturday against the Clippers.

Bazemore's usage (around 22%) as part of Sacramento's second unit is high enough to make him an important part of it. He's averaged 10.8 fga per game in his last five, scored 2+ triples in four of those five games, and averaged a 15-5-1 line in that span with two games played after the break already. Just in case you want a little piece of trivia, he had his best game of the season against the Clippers, scoring 23 points, grabbing six boards, dishing out an assist, stealing four (!) balls, and even blocking a shot, all of it on a 53.8% shooting from the floor and 87.5% from the charity stripe on 13 and 8 attempts respectively. No turnovers and 30 minutes logged. Make Bazemore part of your team, because he's already good and he's only getting better.