Why Kent Bazemore Didn't Pan Out in Golden State

Kent Bazemore has become a solid NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks. He’s producing more now than he ever did for Golden State. What went wrong?

Once upon a time, Kent Bazemore (if you’d even heard the name at all) was just a guy who celebrated on the bench.

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“Bazemoring” was all the rage in the Bay Area as the former Old Dominion Monarch become a fan favorite with his high-energy bench celebrations. While his defensive abilities were known, Bazemore’s true value to Golden State lied in being a glue guy and building chemistry. Unless there was an injury or foul trouble, he only came in for final defensive possessions in quarters and to close out games that were already won or lost.

Now, Bazemore is starting and producing for a playoff team. So the question is: what happened?

As a Warrior for a season and a half, Bazemore averaged 2.1 points, .6 rebounds, and .4 assists in 5 minutes of action per contest. He shot a meager 27% from beyond the arc and just 37% from the field. Despite his defensive potential, his offense was never reliable enough to give him minutes over Jarrett Jack, Toney Douglas, or Jordan Crawford. Yes, Jordan Crawford. But that’s how ineffective Bazmore was.

He’s currently averaging career highs across the board, putting up 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists to go along with his 44% field goal percentage and 38% three-point percentage in 28.4 minutes per game. He played in 75 games for the Hawks (and started 10) last season when they finished as the top seed in the East. This year, he’s started 45 of his 52 games and has helped the Hawks maintain a playoff spot.

When looking at where Bazemore’s career was in Golden State and where it is now in Atlanta, two things come to mind: opportunity and position.

The real #FriendsReunion is tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ROFwpFpuA8
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 22, 2016

Bazemore didn’t perform and didn’t force Mark Jackson and the Warriors to play him. He won a Summer League Championship, but that wasn’t enough for him to crack the rotation. In any sport and profession, it’s difficult to get into a rhythm without getting the reps in. There were times where he wouldn’t play for an entire half and then all of a sudden, he was inserted to guard a potent offensive player for the last possession of the half. He just didn’t get the opportunity to get comfortable on an NBA court and, without a defined role, he got lost.

He spent time in both the NBA and D-League, shifting roles constantly. After the Warriors traded him to Los Angeles, he averaged 13 points in 28 minutes per game. The tools were there for Bazemore to help an offense, but he didn’t have the opportunity playing behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

What might have affected Bazemore even more than how much he was used was how he was used. The Warriors asked the 6’5 guard-forward to be the primary ball handler in many lineups. In Jackson’s stagnant offense, ball handlers had to make a lot happen with a little help. There wasn’t much movement or motion in that offense so Bazemore, playing point guard, understandably failed.

He plays the off guard for Atlanta, but he starts for Atlanta as the small forward, a far cry from his days viewed as a point guard. The Hawks are similar to the Warriors in that their offense is predicated on ball movement and screens. Their bigs, like Golden State’s, are great passers.

Of course, Bazemore isn’t just a product of the system. He has put in the work to develop his all-around game. It was clear from the beginning that he is dedicated to his craft. After he was ranked the 499th “best” player in the league by ESPN, Bazemore took note and the results speak for themselves.

Where did the Warriors Go Wrong with Kent Bazemore?

By Carlos Murillo | Feb 22, 2016

Kent Bazemore has become a solid NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks. He’s producing more now than he ever did for Golden State. What went wrong?

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