A talented, third-year forward rapidly approaching Star UnderDOG territory, Denver's Trey Lyles has been consistently solid in limited minutes.
Avg. around 14 & 7 since the beginning of December, Coach Mike Malone now possesses another viable frontcourt option to pair w/ Nikola Jokic.
Not many have questioned Lyles's talent in the past - a former five-star HS prospect & lottery pick by Utah, Lyles hasn't really had a fair shake in terms of opportunity...playing on the more defensive-minded Jazz, Coach Quin Snyder often preferred bigs w/ the ability to defend multiple positions or protect the rim: two areas Lyles is still improving.
When promoted to Coach Malone's rotation (this season), however, Lyles's offensive production has overshadowed any defensive shortcomings - reached double figures in 21! of his last 26 games, shot 49!% from deep in December.
And what's most encouraging is it's coming in just under 26 min./night, meaning he's able to significantly impact Denver's offense without needing much PT. His ability to contribute in shorter time will come in handy once Paul Millsap returns to the starting five.
As a young player, Lyles must stay the course if Malone delegates him to spot minutes (10-20) - but judging by his improvement, don't expect him to fall out of the rotation.
In a fight for a playoff spot (currently: 23-23, 9th in West), they'll Lyles to continue playing well and building his "Most Improved" resume.