Clippers guard Terance Mann is seeking more growth in his role with the team this season, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. Mann is entering his third NBA season, coming off a campaign where he averaged seven points and 18.9 minutes in 67 games.
“Just watching him play the last few weeks, the maturity that he brings to the table, the hard work that he brings to the table, how he has improved his shot,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “So, he’s been putting the work in, and it’s paid off. So, we’ve just got to let him continue keep developing.”
Los Angeles will need production from the 24-year-old this season with Kawhi Leonard still rehabbing a partially torn ACL. The Clippers drafted Mann, a Florida State product, No. 48 overall back in 2019.
Here are some other notes from the Pacific Division:
- Speaking of Leonard, the two-time NBA champion is ahead of schedule in his rehab, Farbod Esnaashari of Sports Illustrated reports. Leonard underwent surgery in July to repair the injury, but no concrete timetable has been offered by the Clippers. He was averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game in the postseason before getting injured.
- Suns center JaVale McGee brings valued championship experience to a team that reached the NBA Finals last season, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. “To me, he’s a breath of fresh air,” head coach Monty Williams said. “He’s just a good dude and I’ve told him that. I think he had some assumptions about me. So I think his first couple of days, he was trying to do what he thought would allow for him to fit in with me and I had to tell him like, hey man, we don’t do that. Be yourself. We’re just about respect.”
- Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee examines what Tristan Thompson could bring to the Kings this season. Thompson, a 10-year NBA veteran, was acquired by Sacramento in a three-team trade this past summer.
Both la teams fans think they have a future super star in mann and tht but the fact is both are likely to be more glue guy role players that can help there team ! Neither are sniffing all star games ever
Both LA teams go after superstars, players like Mann are more like small market team players with all the hype they’re just role players like you said on LA teams go Lakers! Hahaha
Mann is valuable but not a “glue guy”. I would call him an unusually versatile flashy player, capable of making an impact in many ways.
I don’t get “small market” when he is succeeding in LA.
He is hard to predict but def on the upswing… actually never been off it!
Unless it was just a playoff fluke, this Mann kid looks really really good. I don’t think this is a Jerome James situation though, I think he’s legit.
James Jones has kept Sarich on for a reason. This fresh-air/good-dude stuff from the local writer for McGee is good for a year or so, then it’s time to move on from him again. Ayton’s frame of mind is the priority in how far the Suns get.
Mann has shown good growth despite missing out on a year of development because of Doc’s unofficial, official no minutes for rookies policy. Surprised Maxey saw as much time as he did for the Philly last season.