2014-15 Season in Review: Ryan Hollins

The Sacramento Kings added Ryan Hollins last September in their endless pursuit to pair DeMarcus Cousins with a twin tower.

The vision never came to fruition as the duo played less than two minutes together on the floor this season. Hollins couldn’t find consistent minutes, but the journeyman had his good and bad contributions in 46 appearances, including nine starts.

The 30-year-old will most likely be remembered in Sacramento by a controversial inbounds play which cost the Kings a win against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 13.

Hollins is an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal last offseason.

Strengths

The athetlic 7-foot, 230-pounder earns his paycheck above the rim. With a flurry of alley oops, put-backs and drives, Hollins threw down more thunderous dunks (23) than layups and hook shots combined (18) this season. The center shot 70.8 percent inside eight feet of the basket and 64.6 percent from the floor overall.

In a small sample size Hollins showed off a sharp mid-range jumper. He made 14-of-18 jump shots and went 4-of-10 on looks between 16 and 24 feet.

On defense, Hollins’ size, instincts and leaping ability have granted him exciting rim-protecting skills. He landed 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes, but his presence alone altered shots in the paint. Opponents made 8.9 percent less of their tries than usual within six feet of the hoop, and were 3.5 percent worse within 10 feet. Hollins’ steady pick-and-roll coverage wasn’t at its best this year, but his total defense graded out to league-average levels.

Weaknesses

Hollins was drafted 50th overall in 2006 as a project, and he is still one today. For all his wicked talent, the veteran has struggled to string together positive performances and has formed a reputation for head-scratching blunders. His inconsistency has made it hard for coaches to trust him, as he logged 9.6 minutes per game for a losing squad this year.

Despite his height, Hollins was blocked on 11 percent of his field goal attempts. He tossed the ball like a hot potato, generating a 19.1 turnover percentage which was fourth-worst on the team. Hollins was willing to swing the rock, but he hardly set up teammates, averaging 1.1 assists per 36 minutes.

Hollins’ rebounding production left room for more. The pivot hauled in a career-high 8.4 boards per 36 minutes, yet Carl Landry was the only traditional Kings big man with a worse rebounding rate.

While Hollins is an intimidating figure in the key, his overaggressive play style regularly came back to haunt him. The journeyman racked up 5.3 personal fouls per 36 minutes, which is below his career 6.2 average but hindered him unavailable for periods where his defense was needed.

2015-16 Projection

Hollins’ potential has given him ample job opportunities since entering the NBA, but the stagnation in his development is drying up his chances. Last summer, the veteran couldn’t find a landing spot until he signed with the Kings on the eve of training camp. His inability to earn a rotation spot in a season full of frontcourt injuries is troubling for a player on the wrong side of 30.

Regardless, the UCLA alum is a great locker room leader and a coach’s ally. With a shortage of shot blockers and nimble big men around the league, Hollins at the very least should receive a chance to fight for a roster spot. His presence brings no danger, and his game could always suddenly click. At the very least Hollins can offer six fouls, but whether that’s worth the veteran’s minimum is up to the Kings or another franchise to decide.

Cowbell Kingdom would like your opinion. How do you grade Ryan Hollins’ season?

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This is part 12 of our continuing “Season in Review” series. Below are links to the first 11 articles.