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Expectations weren’t exceptionally high for Michael
Carter-Williams after the Sixers selected him eleventh overall in the 2013 NBA
Draft. Yes he had some size, and showed promise and potential, but still, no
one was quite sure what to expect from the Syracuse sophomore at the start of
last season.
After leading the entire rookie field in most major
statistical categories on his way to claiming the crown of Rookie of the Year,
that is no longer the case for Carter-Williams.
Expectations come with accolades. Just look at the list of
recent Rookie of the Year winners: Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin,
Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, LeBron James.
Those are superstars, and while Carter-Williams isn’t
expected to turn into the next Chris Paul over a single summer, he will be expected to take that next step
towards superstardom this season.
Carter-Williams’ base numbers last year, 16.7 points, 6.3
assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game, were pretty impressive as he showed off a
well-rounded attack. Those numbers however, will need to be improved upon. Each
of the four point guards that won Rookie of the Year prior to Carter-Williams
over the past ten years (Lillard, Irving, Rose, Paul) have increased their
scoring average in their second season. Irving and Paul both added to their
assists, Rose increased his efficiency from the field. They all improved.
Critical for Carter-Williams, in the midst of another season
of struggle for the Sixers, is that he continues to improve and expand his
game, and that he avoids statistical stagnation, or a ‘sophomore slump.’ It is
no secret that the Sixers can’t contend in 2014-15, but MC-W’s growth and
development as part of the foundation of the franchise will continue to be one
of the season’s central storylines.
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| Image from: sportressofblogitude.com |
The Sixers’ struggles may actually afford opportunity for
Carter-Williams however, as he should again have every opening to learn and
grow on the go while quarterbacking the Sixers squad from the point guard
position.
Michael played 2,414 total minutes last season, which
averages out to 34.5 minutes per game. In that ample on-court time, he was
asked to do a lot in the absence of other high-caliber professional players.
While mistakes were made, and there are clear areas of improvement, it can be argued
that that opportunity made Michael more mature, and provided him with excellent
experience from which to build upon. By April, Carter-Williams looked clearly
more comfortable on the court than he did at the start of the season, and similar
growth should be shown this year.
Although the Sixers have added some new pieces to the puzzle
that will eventually ease into on-court action, they are also without the three
veterans that started the season last year and could have been considered
locker room leaders (Young, Hawes, Turner). Now, Carter-Williams has the most
on-court experience by default, and, in a way, it is his team. As a second-year
stud, and reigning Rookie of the Year, he will be looked to as a leader by his
new and under-experienced teammates. More expectations.
For Carter-Williams, central areas of improvement include
offensive efficiency and a dedication to defense. While MC-W was adept at
securing steals, it was at times too easy for the opposing offensive player to
beat him up top for paint penetration, causing the help defense to break down.
Improvement of his on-ball play could turn him into a dynamo defensively and
create a lot of extra open-court opportunities.
On the other side of the ball, he needs to add consistency
to his mid-range game to make defenders respect his shot, just as they do his
ability to drive the ball to the basket. If defenders are forced to press up on
him as a result of his ability to consistently knock down open mid-range shots,
the rest of the court will open up offensively, creating opportunity. This
should improve his offensive efficiency, as will getting a bit better at
finishing around the rim. Last season Carter-Williams took a vast majority of
his shots (53%) from within eight feet of the basket, of which he converted an
underwhelming 47%. This conversion rate should be improved to at least around
50% to increase overall efficiency.
The addition of low-post presence, and MC-W’s former AAU
teammate Nerlens Noel should help alleviate some on-court issues, and at least make
Michael feel like he’s not out there alone. There is also the promising play of
rookies K.J. McDaniels and Jordan McRae, and the potential for increased
chemistry among returning roster players like Tony Wroten, Hollis Thompson, and
Henry Sims. In the end though, eventual improvements aside, the Sixers are
going to struggle, and Carter-Williams heads into his sophomore season facing
an unfamiliar foe in the league; expectations.
However, Carter-Williams appears prepared.
By sitting out
Summer League, and turning down an invitation from USA Basketball, he has
allowed himself ample opportunity to recover from shoulder surgery. Although
still super-skinny, he appears to have bulked up a bit, and you can bet that
his jump shot has been a main area of improvement for the 22-year old this
offseason. While expectations can weigh heavy, Carter-Williams should have
every opportunity to improve on-court for the Sixers this season, and he
appears positioned for a big second season.
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