Following the Best Year of his Career, Can Jeremy Lamb Become Elite this Season?

Jeremy Lamb was a bright spot on a rather disappointing Hornets squad last year. After five average seasons in the league spent in OKC and Charlotte, Lamb finally proved himself as a strong role player. At only 26 years old, and with a starting position up for grabs, Lamb can really burst onto the scene this year.

Since entering the league, Jeremy Lamb has always had great potential. A lanky shooter, the hope was Lamb could develop into a sure-shot in the NBA. However, through his first five seasons, that hadn’t happened. Finally, in his third year in Charlotte, Lamb was able to live up to some of his hype, averaging almost 13 points per game and shooting 37% from behind the three-point line. Now that Lamb has experience and some personal success under his belt, I believe he can become one of the better shooting guards in the league and earn himself a starting role for the Hornets.

Lamb should standout as the starting shooting guard this season, which will be mutually beneficial for him and star Kemba Walker.

The Hornets have a lot of guards on roster with some talent, including Lamb. Nicolas Batum had a couple solid years in Charlotte, but struggled last year. Second year guards Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon both are raw but have a ton of potential. Regardless, Lamb should be the starting shooting guard when the season tips off, and I don’t expect him to lose it as long as he continues to showcase his shooting ability. We all know how great All-Star Kemba Walker is, and that he is a shoot-first point guard. However, each Walker and Lamb can benefit from one another. As Walker continues to draw attention to himself as the primary scoring threat, Lamb has a chance to become a knockdown shooter. His 37% clip last season is already good, but he can definitely improve it. Also, if Lamb does solidify his shooting, Walker can benefit from another having another scoring threat and open the game up for him.

Predictions for Lamb’s 2018-19 season:

• Averages 18 points/game while shooting 40% from the 3-point line

I am incredibly high on Lamb this upcoming season. His success from last year will carryover, and will play himself into the starting shooting guard role. Not only that, but he will then average a career-high 18 points per game, due to his development into a premier shooter from distance. These are high expectations for Lamb, but he will play a vital role in keeping Charlotte competitive, so he meeting them would be huge for Lamb and the Hornets alike.