Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: 'Oh, that's right, I can shoot now'
Now that a few unfortunately timed injuries are out of the way, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is back to impressing in his third season with the Charlotte Hornets.
The former No. 2 overall pick has taken clear strides on the offensive end, averaging a career-high 10.3 points with a career-best 15.2 player efficiency rating, the first time he's cracked league average in that regard.
Some of that is due to improved rebounding - he's grabbing 15.4 percent of available rebounds when on the floor and pulling in 7.4 boards per game - an area he already excelled at for a small forward, but he's also become a more effective scorer.
His shooting percentage is down some at 45.1 percent and he's yet to attempt a 3-point shot, but his improved jumper has helped open up the Hornets' offense.
| MK"J" | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pts/36 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 13.9 |
| FG% | 45.8% | 47.3% | 45.1% |
| PER | 14.0 | 12.0 | 15.2 |
| Jump Shot/36 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 5.4 |
| Jump Shot FG% | 27.2% | 29.4% | 35.8% |
| 10ft-3pt FG% | 28.6% | 30.1% | 41.1% |
Always effective off the ball, Kidd-Gilchrist limited the Hornets some in his first two seasons because teams completely disrespected his ability to shoot from pretty much anywhere. His otherworldly defense kept him on the floor, but relegated him to the bench late in tight games, something that's no longer necessary.
In an excellent article for Sports Illustrated, Lee Jenkins detailed Kidd-Gilchrist's offseason work with assistant coach Mark Price, with the pair completely retooling a once-laughably broken jumper.
"I told everyone in management this was going to be a process," Price said at the start of the season.
It has been a process, but the returns are encouraging so far. Teams are more aware of Kidd-Gilchrist spotting up in the mid-range, and the improvement to his stroke opens up the team's offense and his ability to drive on defenders, who can't sag off of him as much.
"Oh, that's right," Kidd-Gilchrist told Jenkins of his thought process when teammates tell him not to turn down open looks. "I can shoot now."
After having a negative impact on the team's offense a season ago, Charlotte is now 2.3 points per 100 possessions better at that end with him on the floor and 13 points per 100 possessions better overall.
The bar for Kidd-Gilchrist's offense to make him a net positive player was always low given his defensive chops, and he's well on his way to hurdling it.