Wolves' Zach LaVine has found his role

Having watched Zach LaVine the past two seasons, Timberwolves fans already know this about his physical potential: The sky is the limit.

Given his two NBA Slam Dunk trophies in as many appearances, this could be taken literally. He is fast, smooth, explosive, dynamic. Everybody knows it; LaVine was named by league general managers this week as the NBA's third most athletic player behind Russell Westbrook and LeBron James.

All that's left for LaVine to do is to put it all together in a consistent fashion.

He has the athletic ability, he has the shot. And he has the confidence. Not that he ever really lacked that; LaVine has usually shown the ability to shrug off a bad play, forget about a string of missed shots and keep going.

And now, finally, he knows exactly what his role is and where he's headed.

LaVine is the Timberwolves' starting shooting guard, no longer a combo guard. New coach Tom Thibodeau will rely on LaVine to be a key part of the team's three-point attack, to be the one pushing opposing defenses on the break. After a statistical flourish to end last season, one that came after then-coach Sam Mitchell quit trying to make him play point guard, LaVine said he's ready to chase his dreams of the playoffs and his goal of making an All-Star team. His aim is to become a fully vested partner in a young Wolves foundation that includes Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

"Sometimes you have to understand your place," LaVine said. "Karl was rookie of the year. Andrew was rookie of the year. Both were former No. 1 picks. They're always going to get the hype. Those are my two boys, those are my two best friends on the team. … But I'm right there, too."

After an up-and-down rookie season, Mitchell declared before training camp began a year ago that LaVine would be a starter at shooting guard.

But after a couple of difficult preseason outings, Mitchell reversed course, demoted LaVine and reinserted Kevin Martin into the starting lineup. Thus began a monthslong ordeal in which LaVine was asked to play backup point guard, continue to learn off guard, sometimes starting but most times not.

It became increasingly obvious that LaVine was not a good fit at the point.

Ultimately, Mitchell agreed. Starting around the All-Star break in February, Mitchell narrowed LaVine's role, inserting him into the starting lineup at shooting guard opposite Ricky Rubio.

LaVine started 26 of the final 29 games, during which the Wolves went 13-16. His numbers soared, and so did his confidence.

Statistically, it was like flipping a switch.

Perhaps the best way to get at the difference is to compare how LaVine played without Rubio on the floor with him — which is the way he spent most of the first few months of the season — and how he played alongside Rubio.

Without Rubio, LaVine shot 42.6 percent, 37.5 percent on three-pointers and had an effective field-goal percentage (a formula taking into account that three-pointers provide an extra point) of 47.9 percent.

With Rubio he shot 48.4 percent overall, 40.2 percent on three-pointers and had a 56.4 effective field-goal percentage. That number, over the course of a season, would put LaVine in elite territory. As John Schuhmann of NBA.com pointed out, among guards who took at least 400 shots last season, only Steph Curry, J.J. Redick and Klay Thompson had effective field-goal percentages better than 56.4.

LaVine shot nearly 44 percent from three-point range over the final 44 games.

Watching from afar, Thibodeau saw that.

"He gained confidence as the season went along," Thibodeau said. "He shoots it well. He has the ability to elevate over people. When he's balanced, and he's taking good shots, he's going to shoot a very high percentage."

Thibodeau believes LaVine still has plenty of room to grow as a player. LaVine agrees.

Thibodeau wants to utilize LaVine's ability to get to the rim. He wants LaVine to push the limits on the fast break. LaVine has been working hard on back cuts when he's being overplayed on defense, and on perfecting the pick-and-roll.

Oh, and defense. It has been difficult at times, but LaVine is improving there, as well.

LaVine always has assumed he would become just that.

"I've opened that door," he said. "I just want to continue to do that. My main thing is I'm going to compete on every play, try to be focused on both ends of the court. That said, I'll always bring my excitement, my swag, to the game."

And if all goes well? Making the playoffs is the biggest thing, he said. But it's not the only thing. Somewhere out there, he believes, is an All-Star Game berth.