NBA Scouting Reports, Southwestern Division (Part One)

Overview: A pure role playing power forward. Has a fairly strong frame, but doesn’t use it much on the offensive end. A below average athlete in every regard by NBA standards. Has made a career with his spot-up jump shot from inside the arc. Doesn’t stand out in any other area. Understands his role and rarely strays from his comfort zone.

Offense: The vast majority of his offense comes from spot-up jumpers in the 12-20 foot range. Conversion rate on mid-range jumper is among the best in the league, but because almost all of his offense comes from there, his overall scoring efficiency is below average. Is very good when wide open, but effectiveness falls off some when shooting off the dribble or when contested. Does a good job drifting to open space without the ball and makes good reads to get in his teammate’s vision on the pick-and-pop. Range extends to just inside the three-point line. Will rarely venture into the post, but has a solid turnaround jumper from 5-10 feet when he does. Doesn’t exhibit any other post moves. Will almost only put the ball on the floor off a shot fake, and doesn’t convert much when he does, relying mostly on a hybrid runner/floater that isn’t very effective. Doesn’t do much off ball cutting to the basket, and while strong, is not a very good finisher. Doesn’t get to the free throw line very much at all. Not a huge transition threat, but is good as a trailer to hit his spot-up jumper. Doesn’t make many turnovers because he usually just catches and shoots. Also doesn’t make many assists.

Defense: A solid post defender who uses his frame along with good fundamental defense. Plays tough and tries to contest shots. Can be shot over by bigger opponents at times. Foot speed is not very good on the perimeter, and is a threat to be taken off the dribble. Sometimes has trouble getting out to contest perimeter shots. Shows good awareness and plays solid team defense. Effort level is very good on defensive end in general. Not much of a shot blocking threat. Not a very good rebounder on either end of the floor.

Overview: Young power forward who has some intriguing physical assets, and is starting to come into his own. Not very tall at 6-8, but is extremely strong and athletic. Loves to get physical around the rim. Was an impact player from day one at LSU, but entered the draft too early and fell into the second round. Still loaded with potential. Began to blossom under fellow Louisiana native Avery Johnson. Plays very assertively for a player his age. Comes off the bench ready to score.

Offense: More of an opportunistic scorer at this point in his career. Makes the most of his touches, and is only going to get better offensively considering his experience level. Gets most of his offense from post ups and isolations. Uses his quickness to blow by his man when facing up. Has great explosiveness at the rim, and uses his strength to create space. Puts the ball on the floor well for a power forward, and gets to the free throw line at a solid rate, where he shoots a very good percentage. Has a fluid shooting stroke, but is still working to develop consistency. Can knock it down out to about sixteen feet. Good catch and shoot player statistically. Can shoot of the dribble, and likes to when driving left. Does a great job timing up his duck ins around the rim. Gets good position underneath. Grabs his fair share of offensive boards. Likes to turn over his left shoulder, but isn’t predictable due to the fakes and pivots that he uses to get his man off balance. Doesn’t have a go to move just yet. Spins well in the paint, and can find the open man if the defense rotates. Can be turnover prone in traffic. Not a great passer. Doesn’t always have the size to get his shot off.

Defense: Solid defender due to his strength and athleticism, but is severely undersized, and lives a little bit too much off his instincts at times. Can use his strength to front the post and his speed to cover players on the perimeter. Not easy to back down for most players. Great lateral quickness for his size. Shows some susceptibility to bigger players when he gets switched onto some certain centers. Halfway decent shot blocker due to his athleticism, but doesn’t have the length to get after everything around the rim. More of a one-on-one defender than a team defender, but has shown that he knows where to rotate when he has to. Not as foul prone as some players his age, but makes some mistakes. Good area rebounder, and will go after just out of his proximity at times as well. Not the smartest player in the world, but plays hard.

Overview: A veteran center who has underachieved relative to his mammoth contract in Dallas. Has prototypical size for a center, and has a strong body to match. Shows surprising mobility for a player of his size, but isn’t overly explosive. An excellent offensive rebounder. Is asked to be efficient, and do the little things in Dallas. Possesses a great deal of self-confidence and won’t shy away from a challenge underneath. Doesn’t always play hard now that he’s locked into a long-term contract, and his consistency wavers unpredictably.

Offense: Extremely efficient in Dallas’ system. Rarely gets plays called for him and has to get his opportunities from cuts and offensive boards. Uses his size and mobility to get very easy baskets around the rim. Sets very good screens and is always around the offensive boards. No longer demands the ball. Could very well lead the League in FG%, but probably won’t qualify. Doesn’t shoot jumpers anymore. Has become the prototypical offensive role player for a team with numerous weapons. Does a great job of finishing at the rim. Doesn’t have to square to the rim to be productive. Can absorb contact and get to the line. Shoots a mediocre percentage from the stripe. Makes good decisions with the ball and isn’t afraid to pull it out to get a better look. Becoming very unselfish.

Defense: Essentially a specialist who is asked to be as dynamic as possible when in the game. Gives his best effort sometimes to neutralize an opponent’s best back to the basket threat. Great length makes him a good shot blocker in close. Quick enough to keep up with most centers, but can be beaten off the dribble by more explosive posts. Does a good job grabbing loose balls when they come his way. Sheer size and excellent hands makes him a great rebounder. Tends to commit quite a few fouls at the rim, but that’s really part of his job description. Fits what Avery Johnson wants out of his centers, especially on the defensive end.

Overview: A veteran wing who has Championship experience. Has above average physical attributes across the board. Pretty tall for a small forward. Has the distinction of being one of the only Division III players to make into the League in recent memory. Won three titles with Lakers as a complimentary forward in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Has seen his effectiveness drop dramatically over the past few years. In the league solely for his defense and experience at this point. Can take himself out of games offensively with early misses. Not efficient offensively. Gained some notoriety around the trade deadline by using an obscure clause to nix the Jason Kidd trade, which eventually went through without him.

Offense: A streak shooter who can make an impact if he knocks down his first attempt from the perimeter. Decent perimeter shooter when he gets hot, which rarely happens anymore. FG% consistently amongst the worst in the league. Actually much more efficient from three point range than from the inside. Gets nearly half of his touches as a spot up jump shooter. Gets another two tenths from floating out beyond the arc in transition and running off screens for open jumpers. Will find some open looks around the rim by grabbing offensive rebounds and being active. Hasn’t shown almost any in between game recently. Doesn’t like to drive left. Average ball handler at best. Doesn’t get to the free throw line. Mediocre all-around offensive player, but doesn’t turn the ball over.

Defense: Can guard face-up 4’s or bigger 3’s. No longer athletic enough to keep up with some of the players he is asked to guard. Lack of elite foot speed hurts him against more athletic players. Gets beat off the dribble and doesn’t have the lateral quickness to stay in front when closing out. Strength helps him against players with similar physical gifts. Knows his rotations well. Smart defender, and shows good anticipation and timing when reaching. Will come up with a steal every now and then. Usually just commits a foul when he gets beat, which is a testament to his veteran savvy. Solid rebounder.

Overview: An emerging swingman who is going to be a borderline All-Star for the foreseeable future. Has good athleticism and extremely long arms. Didn’t get a lot of hype after leaving Wake Forest as the reigning ACC POY in 2003. Played in his first All-Star game in 2007. Plays as hard as anyone on the Dallas roster, and is not bashful in the least bit about hoisting up shots. Skill development over the last few seasons makes him a player to watch out for. Comments about offseason marijuana smoking came back to haunt him in the 2008 playoffs.

Offense: A versatile offense weapon who improved dramatically from his college days. Gets a quarter of his touches from spot up opportunities, with another half coming from a rather equal distribution of isolations, fast breaks, and pick and rolls. Has all the tool of a very good offensive player. Shoots the ball well from mid-range. Great from the line. Not a great 3-point shooter--still working on his range. Takes a lot of shots for his position, but isn’t inefficient. Displays very good footwork. Can create space and pull up from anywhere inside the arc. Great body control from the midrange. Good ball handler. Able to drive equally well with both hands and take what the defense gives him. Likes to simply get in the lane and then slow down until he finds a chance to pull. Pretty athletic finisher. Good with both hands when laying it up. Not a great passer, but doesn’t turn the ball over very much at all for how much he handles it. Goes to the line at a good clip. Pretty good offensive rebounder for his position.

Defense: Draws the toughest perimeter matchup on the floor and brings a very solid effort to the defensive end. Defends taller small forwards better than he defends shorter and more explosive shooting guards. Has good lateral quickness, but gets stuck covering some elite athletes that he can’t always keep out of the lane. Shows good footwork defending the perimeter, and considering his offensive abilities, it is hard to say anything negative about his defense. Very active player who doesn’t take possessions off. Capable of darting into passing lanes for steals and surprising people with his length for blocks. Is more of a position defender than a risk taker. Great rebounder for his position.

Overview: An aging power forward who is just about reaching the end of his career. Strong and surprisingly fluid for a power forward, but nowhere near as explosive as he once was. A member of Michigan’s Fab Five. Was an All-Star for one season during his career. Has bounced around the League since. Plays with intensity, and is still a competitor. Experienced.

Offense: Will always be known for his ridiculously high release. Shoots the ball with almost full extension in both arms. Just flicks his wrist, but it is hard argue with the results. Gets half of his shots off of cuts and spot ups with fifth coming in transition. Nowhere near the offensive factor he once was. Still runs the floor pretty well. Good finisher. Capable with both hands. Won’t take a lot of covered shots from the paint. Won’t put the ball on the floor. Lets his teammates create offense for him. Average offensive rebounder. Plays very smart. Solid passer. Won’t assert himself anymore. Classic role player in that sense. Has shown a willingness to do what is asked of him and nothing more. Lacks great athleticism.

Defense: Staunch defender despite the athleticism he lost as his career went on. Very strong on the block. Good at denying entry passes when he wants to. Has a hard time matching up with much taller players. Doesn’t have the quickness to defend players off the dribble, so he gives them space when they face up. Better shooting big men tend to take advantage of that. Knows when to go for the strip and when to reach. Great at boxing out, but won’t rebound out of his area. Commits veteran fouls and knows when he’s beat. Capable defender when matched up against backup power forwards, but his shelf life is expiring quickly.

Overview: A veteran shooting guard who is a role player at this point in his career. Has clearly lost a step athletically, and has become mostly a spot-up shooter. Played in two All-Star games during his illustrious career. Was once one of the best defensive swingmen in the League. Can still be effective due to his smarts and effort level. Doesn’t get phased by anything on the floor. Is a leader off the floor, and leads by example on it. High character player with a great work ethic, but has always been criticized for his inability to step up his game in the clutch.

Offense: A team oriented offensive player who won’t go into attack mode unless he’s given space. Once known as one of the league’s best shooters, but has lost some touch as his legs have worn down. Most of his shots are 3-pointers anyway. Still runs the floor well. Shows a decent jumper, but doesn’t try to take tough shots. Moves off the ball to get open looks. Lets the defense collapse and gives his teammates and outlet when they drive. Good finisher when he gets the ball going towards the rim. Doesn’t do much off the dribble anymore, but can use it to get out of trouble. Almost never gets to the free throw line at this point. Doesn’t turn the ball over very often. Tends to want to get back on defense rather than crash the glass. A former offensive star who has transitioned into a role player. Has always been a great passer. Assist to turnover ratio has always been excellent.

Defense: Tremendously sound defensive shooting guard that doesn’t have the athleticism to be the elite lock down guy that he used to be. Good enough foot quickness to still be very effective against some backups. Solid on ball defender. Stays very low and forces his man to give the ball up. Keeps his hands active. Will come up with some steals and we’ll even get a hand on a shot from time to time. Won’t ever over rotate in help side. Decent rebounder, but tends to spend so much time contesting outside shots that he doesn’t have much of a chance to grab rebounds inside. Will be effective until there is no gas left in the tank due to his fundamentals and basketball IQ.

Overview:One of the best point guards in NBA history, a sure-fire hall of famer. 9-time All-Star. Named rookie of the year in 1995. 6-time first or second All-NBA team. 9-time all-defensive team. Has phenomenal size for the point guard position, to go along with an incredible basketball IQ. A triple-double waiting to happen. Drafted 2nd overall by Dallas in 1994, returned there 14 years later, likely to close out his career.

Offense: A floor general in every sense. Pass-first point guard who does an outstanding job of controlling the tempo of the game. Plays the game at his own pace, and makes everyone around him better. Vision, creativity are extraordinary. Excellent decision maker with tremendous poise and intelligence. Terrific in transition, and a master of the pick and roll. Sees over the top of defense and possesses incredible passing ability. A very good ball-handler with either hand, excellent at incorporating hesitation moves to keep defenders off-balance. Does not get to the free throw line at a high rate at this point in his career, and is a fairly poor finisher around the rim. Has clearly lost some of his explosiveness in recent years. Has never been known as an incredible scorer, much more comfortable as a passer. Has shot around 40% from the field for much of his career. A decent 3-point shooter, particularly with his feet set. Struggles knocking down shots off the dribble. Doesn’t get much elevation on his jumper. Doesn’t take all that many shots considering how many minutes he plays.

Defense: Considered one of the top defenders in the NBA for much of the past decade. Lateral quickness not what it used to be, but his combination of size, strength, timing, fundamentals and smarts still make him formidable in that regard. Defends multiple positions, 2’s and sometimes even 3’s, and is often more effective there at this point his career. Struggles staying in front of quicker, slashing guards. Has great hands and is excellent at getting in the passing lanes. One of the top rebounding point guards in NBA history.

Overview: A small, but quick point guard who has a solid offensive repertoire. Very short by NBA standards. Makes an impact by doing some of the things that you would expect from a shooting guard. Has tremendous quickness, but doesn’t have good vertical explosiveness, which makes his lack of height even more pronounced. Had a very impressive final two seasons at Nebraska. Has bounced around the League, but is the type of player that can be an offensive weapon in almost any setting. Won an NBA Championship with the Lakers in 2001. Lacks the physical skills to take over a game. Can be counted on for consistent contributions off the bench, and always posts a solid assist to turnover ratio.

Offense: Doesn’t have ideal measurable traits, but has an advanced offensive game that isn’t limited by his size. Gets most of his points as a jump shooter off of pick and roll and spot up opportunities, both of which let him utilize his most effective weapon: his mid-range jump shot. Forces his defender to respect his speed and give him a cushion with his first step. Often utilizes his quickness as an opportunity to create space for his jumper off the dribble. Lack of size makes it hard for him to finish at the rim when defenders collapse around him. Looks to find some kind of peripheral contact when driving in an attempt to get to the line where he shoots an extremely high percentage. Does a solid job of getting by his man, but shoots from the outside nearly three times more than he shoots around the rim. Has NBA three-point range. Isn’t as efficient from the outside as he is from the midrange. Displays the decision-making that is expected from a seasoned veteran. Doesn’t do a spectacular job of getting his teammates involved. Makes smart passes within the flow of his team’s half-court offense.

Defense: Lack of size hurts his ability to contest the shots of taller players. Quickness allows him to relentlessly hawk the ball. Doesn’t have a great wingspan, which makes it hard for him to get into passing lanes. Doesn’t create turnovers on the whole. Below average size makes it hard for him to defend anything other than point guards. Can’t contest shots when recovering. Keeps everything in front of him, which is a good strategy for a player of his speed. Isn’t an impact defensive player, but doesn’t give up anything easy.

Former all-star and NBA player of the month who is virtually out of the NBA before hitting the age of 30. Has great size, long arms, a huge frame and terrific strength, but has seen his game disintegrate in recent years. Speed of the new NBA game may have passed him by. Has almost no athleticism to speak of. Living solely off his reputation and rebounding ability--bounced around from team to team in recent years and may not be anything more than a 3rd string center at this point.

Offense: Almost strictly an inside player, who relies heavily on his huge frame to establish position in the paint and back players down. Doesn’t have any real moves to speak of. Can’t create a shot for himself, but stubbornly tries regardless. Struggles to use his left hand around the hoop. Hands are suspect trying to make tough catches. A black hole inside—sports an extremely poor assist to turnover ratio. Jump-shot doesn’t look half bad, but he rarely uses it. Gets to the free throw line at a decent rate on a per minute basis, but his percentages have dropped off dramatically from year to year—a telling sign. Plodders up and down the court, and lacks any real lift around the basket. A solid offensive rebounder in his area.

Defense: Too big and strong to back down around the basket. Solid in man to man against fellow plodding centers, but struggles going up against players with any real mobility to their game. Lacks the lateral quickness to step out onto the perimeter and recover, making him a liability on the pick and roll. Jump-shooters have a field day against him. Was once a shot-blocking threat, but doesn’t have the lift to contest anything around the basket at this point. Has been a solid rebounder throughout his career, and remains one.

Overview: The most successful International player in NBA history. Has ridiculous size for his skill set, and solid athleticism to match. The native German is as versatile a player as there is in the game today. Has played in six All-Star games. Won the NBA MVP in 2007. Has improved in little ways throughout the latter part of his career. Doesn’t always play with the same intensity, and lacks of a bit of a killer instinct, but his focus has improved during each of his seasons in the League.

Offense: Gets about a quarter of his offensive possessions as a spot up shooter, with another fifth coming from post ups. Another quarter comes from pick and rolls and isolations. Gets most of his shots as a jump shooter. Has a great stroke that is impossible for most players to block due to his size and high release point. Can knock down the three at a good clip (although his percentages are down this season) and hit fade-aways from almost any distance. Great ball handler for his size. Can bring the ball up the floor from time to time. Capable of driving off the dribble with either hand. Can take the ball all the way to the rim or dominate the midrange game. Good in the post as well. Uses a nice array of fakes to get open look underneath. Likes to turn over his right shoulder and then fade away. Can finish consistently with both hands at the rim. Draws contact well. Gets to the line at a phenomenal clip, and shoots a great percentage once there. A poor offensive rebounder for his size. Tremendous passer for his height. Can really do it all offensively. Real team player. Hard to defend as an individual. It usual takes a team effort to shut him down. Seems to get somewhat passive at the end of games.

Defense: Average defensively, but Avery Johnson has pushed him to be slightly better. Has a tough time matching up with stronger players who can score with their back to the basket. Capable of stepping out and guarding players the face up. Can step out into passing lanes when he anticipates a pass. Doesn’t take as many risks as he used to. Tries to go straight up when covering post shots, but will commit a foul from time to time. Will block shots solely based on his size. Length helps his aggressiveness rebounding the ball, where he is very solid on the defensive end. Hips are somewhat stiff, which makes it difficult to move tremendously well laterally. Mostly focused on the offensive end.

Overview: A veteran shooting guard who is still a tremendous scorer on a per-minute basis. Has had a long and productive NBA career. Averaged 30 points per game in 2001/2002. Has maintained enough of his athleticism to be a very dangerous offensive player. Doesn’t possess the same explosiveness, but is still quick, strong, and can get up on occasion. Was one of the best players in college basketball as a sophomore at North Carolina in 1995. Two time All-Star. Much more team oriented now than he was early in his career. Has a sizeable contract, but isn’t an average NBA veteran.

Offense: A role player who excels as a slasher. Has a good looking stroke, but isn’t much of a 3-point shooter—even if he’s relying more and more on this part of his game as his career progresses. Good ball handler with an aggressive scoring mentality. Very good midrange game. Likes to pull up off the dribble when driving left. Relatively effective whenever he takes the ball off the dribble. Runs the floor very hard. Isn’t the explosive finisher he used to be, but can still get up occasionally. Used to get to the free throw line at a very good rate, where he now shoots an excellent percentage. Shows some decent post moves. Tough to defend due to his versatility. Still has a scorers mentality, although he’s never been terribly efficient. You always know what to expect from him. A very good passer as well.

Defense: A solid defender who turns his effort level up when it matters. Gets in a low stance, but tends to like to use his hands at times. Has the strength and quickness to keep most small forwards out of the lane, but has problems with smaller shooting guards from time to time. Doesn’t take risks like he used to, but still comes up with steals by staying in position. Boxes out well, but doesn’t get after rebounds very often. Solid defender across the board, but not dynamic.

Overview: Exceptionally talented offensive player who can play multiple positions. Has very good athleticism and size for a point guard, and is even able to slide over and play some shooting guard. Is still on the skinny side, but it hasn’t hindered him from becoming a very effective combo guard. A great talent on the perimeter. Has a natural feel for the game. The all-time leader in steals for the Arizona Wildcats. Won an NCAA Championship with Arizona in 1997. Probably won’t get a whole lot better than he is right now skill wise, but could put up big numbers on a less talented team.

Offense: Very aggressive guard who can really light it up when given the green light. Has a sweet stroke, and can knock down shots from anywhere. Always looks smooth when shooting. Doesn’t take long to set his feet and pull the trigger. Lights out when left open. Pretty good with a hand in his face as well. Good ball handler. Likes to pull up for jumpers when attacking right. Takes the ball to the rim when driving left. Prefers going right. Displays a very good crossover when the defense recovers. Doesn’t go to the line very often. Seldom turns the ball over, but has seen his ball-handling role decrease year by year. Solid passer. Doesn’t do anything fancy, but sets up his teammates well within the offense. Very efficient scoring guard. Not afraid to take responsibilities.

Defense: A very talented defensive guard. Has the size, length, and lateral quickness combination necessary to guard both point guards and shooting guards effectively. This allows him to stay on the floor with most anyone next to him. Very good at moving his feet to deny penetration. Will jump into passing lanes and take bad passes the other way for easy transition baskets. Sneaks down into the paint to grab rebounds so he can push the break from time to time. Can get beaten by players who are considerably bigger and strong on the perimeter. Gives a good effort for a player that is so offensive minded.

A good but not great athlete at the wing, with nice size and length at 6’7. Is very smooth with nice shiftiness and good quickness. Has really struggled since making it to the NBA. Has not lived up to expectations, mostly because he’s shot terribly in his first three seasons (42% from the field, 62% from the line, 28% from three). Has struggled to consistently contribute on the offensive end. Has played solid minutes in his three seasons. Fourth year option on rookie contract was not picked up.

Offense: Wright gets over half of his shots as a jump shooter, despite being well below average by NBA standards as a shooter. His form is not bad, and he’s actually a decent shooter when unguarded, but things get messy when he’s shooting on the move or with a hand in his face, in the form of a lot of bad misses. He doesn’t always hold his follow through or keep his legs underneath him. As a slasher, Wright’s ball-handling is sub-par, not being very low to the ground and not being very tight. With his athletic abilities, he is able to penetrate to the basket at times, where he shows nice body control and creativity with the ball, using his body to protect the ball and finish with reverses around the basket. He’s not always under control, though, and his basket awareness isn’t always good. He does a good job getting out in transition, but he rushes shots at times, and despite good tools, isn’t the best finisher there either.

Defense: Has good physical tools on the defensive end in terms of size and quickness. Plays aggressive on and off the ball. Does a good job running out to contest shots. On-ball defense is very good at times. Is prone to overplaying the ball, though, biting for fakes and getting his feet out of position, leading to blow-bys. Doesn’t always move feet well. Reflexes seem questionable at times. Does a good job using his length when forced into the post.