KYLE SINGLER REPORT CARD: Nothing much to grade
Grading Kyle Singler is not easy. He basically didn’t play. A guy who was in the Thunder rotation after being traded from Detroit three years ago now is the last man off the bench. But here’s the Singler report card:
Relevancy
DSingler didn’t play when it mattered. That’s virtually absolute. Singler played 12 games all season; he was inactive for 48. Even worse, Singler played only twice outside garbage time. Paul George missed games against Brooklyn in Mexico City on Dec. 7, then at Memphis on Dec. 9. Singler played 28:24 total in those games. His numbers — 3-of-11 shooting, 2-of-4 3-pointers, 2-of-5 foul shots, three rebounds, no assists, no steals, no blocked shots, two turnovers, three fouls, 10 points. That’s his season.
Foul shooting
DSingler is a career 78 percent foul shooter. But he succumbed to the seasonlong Thunder slump, making just seven of 13.
Chemistry
ASingler is a veteran who has made 172 career starts, was a three-year double-digit scorer in Detroit and didn’t turn 30 until this month. Yet he languishes on the deep end of the Thunder bench. And you never hear a peep from him. Sure, he’s making good money ($4.7 million this season) for never playing. But some vets would complain. Singler stays quiet.
Finding a spot
DSingler never has found his niche in OKC. His Thunder minutes-per-game have decreased every year, and it’s clear Billy Donovan has given up on Singler. Here’s an example of no niche. Singler took 136 corner 3-pointers in 2013-14 for the Pistons. He took none for the Thunder this season. How does a wing trying to get on the court take no corner 3’s, even if he plays just 59 minutes?
Defense
CThe data is so small, it’s hard to judge Singler on anything. But he once was a fairly effective defender. Those days are gone. In 59 minutes this season, opponents made eight of 12 shots when matched against Singler. But give him credit. He committed no shooting fouls in 1-on-1 matchups.
Road performance
CHard to judge Singler’s home games. He played only seven minutes all season at Chesapeake Energy Arena. He also didn’t miss a shot at home all season, taking two. But in 52 road minutes, Singler made just five of 19 shots. But to his credit, Singler’s plus/minus was decent. Minus-one for those 52 minutes, including plus-2 in Mexico against the Nets, though he was minus-9 in 5:43 at Memphis, a one-point Thunder victory.