September 6, 2018

[...] Elsewhere, it is all change at guard. Lamenting the lack of ball movement and shot creation last year, Efes replaced McCollum with Larkin, who prior to returning to the NBA last year had been a star EuroLeague guard. Larkin is small, but puts the work in on defence, and was an excellent lead guard for Baskonia two seasons ago. Quick and crafty, confident and committed, Larkin bounces around the court and brings the defenders with him. Behind him will be Vasilije Micic, formerly of Zalgiris, an error-prone but dynamic point guard in his own right. Micic has never been much of a defender or a shooter, two weaknesses of Efes last season, but he can pick a defence apart and create efficient looks, and should make a strong combination with Larkin. [...]

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June 29, 2018

Shane Larkin
PG - 5’11, 175lbs - 25 years old - 4 years of experience

Players like Larkin - drafted in the first round, declined team options, off to Europe - do not normally come back. It was a surprise, then, when he did. Nonetheless, Larkin did return to the NBA, and he had a solid-enough season as a third string point guard.

His own scoring game was a struggle. Never the best shooter, Larkin did shoot pretty well from three-point range this season when catching and shooting, but basically all the pull-ups (especially from mid-range) went askew. He sure does like to take them, it is his favourite thing to do after driving around a screen, but they sure don’t like to go in much. And being small as he is without Nate Robinson’s athleticism makes finishing at the rim a daunting proposition, too.

Indeed, Larkin did not do much playmaking off the dribble, either. He perhaps didn’t need to with Al Horford and Jayson Tatum alongside him, but nor did he try to. Generally, when he drove, it was to try and score.

So what did he do? Play pesky defence. Tried to overcome the permanent size disadvantage with good hustle and reads. Hit his outside jumpers. Bring the ball up without ever turning it over. Leading the break where possible.

Larkin had a small role, and performed it pretty well. It is tough to see how the role could be much bigger unless he becomes a much better shotmaker off the dribble. That said, it is a role he can fill again somewhere in the NBA. Europe can now be a choice, not a requirement.

Player Plan: Expiring minimum salary contract. Would be worthy of another one but the role is unlikely to be needed.

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