After 5 tough years in the NBA wilderness, Jeremy Lamb has arrived

Jeremy Lamb, collegiate champion and former No. 12 overall pick, looked destined to wash out of the league and become an overseas ex-pat in the not-so-distant future. Occasionally, stories would have leaked their way back across the Atlantic, about him dropping 40 in some ethereal Turkish league, and they’d fade from consciousness just as fast as we heard them.

After five professional years, his NBA legacy was to be nothing more than being a disappointing component of the infamous James Harden trade. Since debuting for Oklahoma City in 2012, Lamb drifted through the league, never showing he’d be anything more than a backup 2-guard.

That was, until this season.

With Nic Batum out with injury — ostensibly Charlotte’s second-best player — the Hornets were expected to struggle out of the gate. But Lamb stepped into the starting lineup and stepped up his game. He is enjoying his best season in the NBA, averaging about 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 30 minutes per game for a playoff-hopeful Hornets squad.

Sometimes players are late bloomers. Sometimes they’re products of their situations, and need to be put in the right one in order to prosper. Lamb could be either, or he might be both. Whatever the case, he’s looked his best since his UConn days, where he was a proficient scorer and knock-down shooter.

While playing around 30 minutes per game, Lamb has busted out a steady arsenal of floaters:

And lob passes for easy buckets:

Though his largest contribution to keeping the Hornets afloat are catch-and-shoot 3’s:

Charlotte has one of the best penetrating point guards in the league in Kemba Walker, and feature a traditional(ish) big man at all times in either Dwight Howard or Cody Zeller. Plain and simple, the Hornets need players to space the floor to maintain even an average scoring rate. Last season, they sat ninth in 3-point attempts, but 18th in 3-point percentage. Having a reliable outlet for Walker to kick out to and drain shots is tantamount to their offensive success.

Through the team’s first dozen games, Lamb is hitting 58.8 percent on catch-and-shoot 3’s. For all players who take a similar amount of catch-and-shoot 3’s, Lamb ranks third in shooting percentage. I’m no math whiz, but that’s good.

What’s interesting is if you look at Lamb’s per-36 Minute stats, they’re actually pretty consistent across his career. The difference now is the opportunity of playing a starter’s minute allotment, and, perhaps because of it, shooting the best clip he ever has from beyond the arc. If he keeps this up, I want to start the movement of yelling “LAMB SAUCE” whenever he scores. We should probably do that anyway.

Maybe the problem up to this point with Lamb was one of perception. He suffers from the very serious and borderline-fatal Tracy McGrady syndrome; a condition of having a sleepy demeanor causing people to believe you wallow in indifference. We as fans always want our players radiating impassioned vigor. We want them to care as much as we do. It’s part of the reason a player like Russell Westbrook is so beloved by the NBA community. Aside from being a superhuman tempest bursting with talent, you know everything he does stems from an unwavering desire to be the best and wanting to win above all costs.

Next: Kristaps Porzingis is finally free

Of course, McGrady overcame his eponymous affliction because he was one of the best players of his generation. Lamb isn’t afforded that luxury, so he needs to produce any and every time he’s on the court. If the opening of the 2017-18 season provides any indication, Lamb will solidify a productive career during a time in which his best attributes — shooting, length, and athleticism — are valued more than ever before.  With every made 3-pointer and 20-point game, Lamb cements his role in the NBA, staving off a second act toiling away on a random European team. Call Gordon Ramsey, tell him Charlotte found the LAMB SAUCE.