‘Hot guy’ Kaminsky having strong start with Ayton out
Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams is looking to pair his best player with perhaps his most surprising one – Devin Booker and Frank Kaminsky.
“One of the things I want to explore is a two-man game between he and Devin because I think they’re both smart,” Williams said after Saturday night’s stunner over the Los Angeles Clippers.
“They know how to make plays and if teams want to switch that, Frank can go down in the post and make you pay a little bit, but when does go down there, he’s looking to pass the ball out and that’s something I like about him.”
With Deandre Ayton under the 25-game suspension for violating the NBA/NBPA anti-drug policy, the Suns are adjusting without their starting center. One way to do that is to find ways to utilize Kaminsky, who is off to a fast start in his first season in Phoenix.
The six-year pro is averaging 15.3 points on 46.9% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and three assists, all career highs for the Suns (2-1). This is after averaging just 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in a career-low 47 games last season in Charlotte.
“It’s been good so far,” Kaminsky said. “I just want to go out there, play as hard as I can. Make the right plays. Show off everything I can do.”
While Williams talked about exploiting a switch in a two-man game with Booker and Kaminsky, Phoenix could also invert the offense with Booker in the post and Kaminsky on the perimeter.
In Saturday’s win, Booker drew a double in the post as Montrezl Harrell left Aron Baynes on the perimeter to give Landry Shamet help. Booker kicked it out to Baynes for a 3 the Aussie hit.
The Suns could have that same action with Booker and the 7-footer Kaminsky, a career 34.7% shooter from 3.
“He can take more shots,” Williams said about Kaminsky. “He’s always looking to make the right play. I think our guys have confidence in him.”
Kaminsky came to Phoenix this summer on a twoyear deal worth $10 million with a team option on the second year as the Hornets didn’t extend him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
With Ayton and Dario Saric expecting to start at the five and four and Aron Baynes coming via trade, Kaminsky, who didn’t meet expectations in his four seasons in Charlotte, got a fresh start in Phoenix.
“Just being about to go out there and play free and shoot the ball, that’s what they’ve told me they expect from me,” said Kaminsky during training camp in Flagstaff.
“To go out there and shoot the ball when I’m open. I think that’s the biggest value I think I can bring to this team this season. My ability to spread the floor and be versatile on offense.”
In just three games, the 2015 first-round pick out of
Wisconsin has carved out a major role in Phoenix.
Kaminsky posted 19 points and 11 rebounds in Friday’s overtime loss at Denver and went for 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists the next night against the Clippers.
“The numbers say it all, but for me, it’s about his mindset,” Williams said. “I’ve talked to him about just playing free. Don’t look over your shoulders. You’re going to be able to play. He makes the right plays. That’s what I love about Frank.”
Kaminsky came into the season believing he had improved defensively and has shown that. He’s making hustle plays, taking advantage of smaller defenders in the post and found his shooting touch from deep. After going 0-for-6 on 3s in Phoenix’s first two games, Kaminsky knocked down 3-of-7 Saturday.
“When we’re going out there and the ball is swinging around, it’s a different look for teams,” Baynes said.
Kaminsky was so hot from 3, he started fanning himself after making one against the Clippers as the bench did the same thing.
This celebration began last season in Charlotte. “When I wasn’t playing very much, we’d have practices and people were called hot guys,” Kaminsky said. “It’d be like a shooter you’re supposed to run off the (3-point) line. They’d have me be that person in practice. Every time I made a 3, I’d just like that (fanning himself) and scream ‘hot guy.’ So it kind of stuck when I started playing. Kind of made it my thing.”
The Suns hope Kaminsky remains that ‘hot guy’ for them and are looking for ways to maximize his skill set like running a two-man game with him and their best player.