NBA Scouting Reports, Atlantic Division (Part Two)

Overview:A physical specimen of a combo forward. Possesses a great frame, long arms and freakish athleticism. Very young, but seems to be making great progress considering where he was picked in the draft. Given plenty of playing time very early on to aid his development. Somewhat of a limited offensive player, primarily a spot-up shooter and off-ball role player. Not an efficient option offensively just yet, but can come up with some big scoring nights from time to time. A little bit stuck between the 3 and the 4 offensively, due to inability to create own shot or knock down long-range jumpers consistently. Very versatile defensively, and shows great potential on this end of the floor. Still has to find his bread and butter in the NBA, as well as mature, gain experience and become a more polished all-around player. Played just two seasons at DePaul, deciding to leave before making much of an impact at the collegiate level. Received a late first-round promise very early on in the draft process from Isiah Thomas—who knew him thanks to mutual acquaintances in Michigan-- and thus refused workouts with every NBA team.

Offense: Capable of putting up scoring numbers, but has yet to learn how to do so efficiently early on in his career. Relies extremely heavily on his jump-shot as his main source of production, but is not very consistent from beyond the arc just yet. Very solid from mid-range on the catch and shoot, but is extremely streaky from 3-point range and struggles pulling up off the dribble. Cannot create his own shot off the dribble, possesses a quick first step, but is a poor ball-handler, particularly with his left hand, and cannot change directions on his way to the basket. Does not get to the free throw line much at all. Terrific in the open floor, and is a fantastic finisher around the basket if he has space to operate. A good fit in Mike D’Antoni’s offense for that reason, especially if he can improve his perimeter jumper. Shows potential in that regard from time to time, but shot-selection and consistency still leave a lot to be desired. Decent passer and not too turnover prone. Would be wise to develop a back to the basket game, in order to take advantage of mismatches at the SF position.

Defense: Has phenomenal tools on this end of the floor, and is already used in a multitude of ways by Mike D’Antoni for this reason. Shows great potential as a one on one perimeter defender. Guards virtually every position from 1-4, can switch on screens with ease, and is quick enough to stay in front of almost all perimeter players. Terrific combination of wingspan and lateral quickness gives him the ability to sag off his matchup and tempt him to settle for long pull-up jumpers, being just long enough to still close out and get a hand in his face once he does. Seems to lose focus from time to time, getting out of his stance, showing poor awareness off the ball, and not always showing the same intensity. Teams like to post him up inside when presented with the opportunity to do so, and he struggles denying space in the paint and not being backed down. Could still stand to get tougher on this end of the floor, as well as add weight to his very promising frame. A good, but not great rebounder at the forward spot.

Overview: A big, strong center with a very nice low-post game. Has good size and great strength by NBA standards. Possesses good lower body strength, but doesn’t show great explosiveness or leaping ability. Surprisingly nimble for a player his size. Lacks the mental toughness or work ethic to get himself into passable shape, which will likely end up defining his basketball career. Can score effectively from the paint, and gets to the free throw line at a superb rate, which makes him somewhat of a rare commodity, and would compensate for his other serious shortcomings if he were more serious about his approach. An exceptionally poor defender, passer and rebounder. Can’t play for most coaches for that reason. Entered the draft after graduating from Thornwood High School (IL). Took a few seasons, but quickly became a very effective offensive presence in the post. Had a down year with the Knicks in 2007, and has faced major setbacks in the form of injuries and off the court issues in 2008. Knee troubles could pose a threat to his long-term effectiveness given his size. Will have to develop some type of work ethic if he’s to salvage his once promising career.

Offense: A very solid low post threat who gets more than almost two thirds of his touches on the block with his back to the basket. Won’t take essentially any jump shots. Shows some impressive skills on the block. Will fight for position, but doesn’t always do that consistently. Will post up on either block with equal effectiveness, making more shots when he can turn baseline over his left shoulder on the right block. Doesn’t show a great left hand, but is so big that he is often able to turn over his right shoulder and bring the ball back in front of his before shooting. The true definition of a space-eater. Bullies his way to the rim when he’s posting up. Can back down almost any defender he is matched up with. Shows pretty nice touch with his right hand in the form of hooks, floaters, and lay ins. Goes to the line at a phenomenal rate due to the fact that he is often the one initiating contact. Shows some nice face up moves, being able to put the ball on the floor for one dribble before exploding to the rim. Doesn’t get a lot of dunks, and could stand to work on his conditioning to improve his quickness and explosiveness. An exceptionally poor passer, with a mediocre assist to turnover ratio. Consistently ranked among the league’s worst in turnover rate. Turns the ball over at a high rate when he puts it on the floor. Gets some offensive rebounds due to his sheer size. Has good hands in general, but will look clumsy at times. Not a smooth post player by any means, but gets the job done when he’s in shape and getting touches. Will need quite a while to round back into form after missing so many games due to his knee and conditioning problems. Could still be effective in the right system if he’s able to somehow get into shape.

Defense: Puts in almost no effort at all on the defensive end. Something of a lumbering big man, lacking the foot speed to keep up with quicker post players. Will get beat off the dribble consistently when asked to guard the high post and tends to get out of position when defending the ball when his man chooses to face up. Lacks the lateral quickness to be effective against players than use a lot of spins and fakes in the post. Has no trouble holding position on the block. Does a good job against more physical back to the basket players who can’t take advantage of him physically. Will often find himself on his man’s hip due to his inability to keep up with the post moves of most players. Gets called for a lot of fouls because of how frequently he is forced to recover when he’s beat. Doesn’t show quick hands when contesting shots and isn’t quick enough to be a factor from the weakside. Not going to hedge any screens. Has a tough time getting back to help out in transition, and doesn’t try too hard either. Will be even slower if his knee issues linger. Needs to work on his awareness and anticipation. Rebounds at a terrible rate for a player his size due to his lack of athleticism and hustle. Doesn’t always get into position to box out when the shot goes up and seems to be a step behind.

Overview: A burly center that has failed to show anything resembling the one good playoff series that landed him the full mid-level exception from Isiah Thomas. Has tremendous size and strength for a pure five. Displays very little in the way of athleticism any more due to poor conditioning. Used to be a bit quicker and more explosive. Doesn’t offer much on the offensive end, but is a big body that can finish. Provides almost all of his value as a rebounder and shot blocker. Was a similar player on the collegiate level. Ruled ineligible as a freshman at Florida A&M, but dominated the next three years with his defense. Improved his offensive skills over his four year career, but didn’t score very efficiently. Spent some time overseas after failing to impress as a rookie. Parlayed a good playoff series in Seattle into a huge contract. Hasn’t lived up to expectations to say the least. Recent injury history will set him back even further. Will be a bargaining chip when his deal is set to expire after he inevitably exercises his option for the 2010 season. Won’t see the floor in Mike D’Antoni’s system, and will likely be out of the league once his contract is up.

Offense: A generally below average offensive player that was a fifth option type even in his prime. Gets essentially all of his touches right at the rim. Takes up space underneath. Will take an occasional ill-advised jump shot, appearing rushed and often pushing the ball at the rim without a lot of flow. Will try to do a little too much with his jumper, facing up or trying to make an off balance turnaround. Has no trouble gaining position on the block. Will turn over either shoulder to score, but has little in the way of touch. Shows some decent post moves, but lacks the coordination to use them effectively. Uses some fakes and up and under moves to try and clear space. Doesn’t have great hands. Will get stripped on the way up by smaller players. Incredibly turnover prone on a per-possession basis. Pulls down a decent amount of offensive rebounds. Sets great screens. Not an efficient option on the offensive end even in his miniscule role.

Defense: Lacks the conditioning to be a factor now, but was more than capable of defending the post against most centers when he was in shape in 2004/2005. Used his strength extremely well on the block, forcing his man to catch the ball surprising far away from the rim. Used to be able to keep up with his man’s offensive moves, but lacks the lateral quickness at this point to do so. Never gets backed down, but can’t stop quicker players from turning the corner when they make a move on him. Shows decent anticipation when contesting shots on the ball. Commits fouls at an incredibly high rate due to his physically aggressive style of play. Consistently a league leader in fouls per-minute back when he played. Will block some shots when his man can’t beat him to the rim, but isn’t a major factor from the weakside due to his lack of quickness. Rebounds the ball at a poor rate, lacking the athleticism to rebound outside of his area. Can be a huge liability when he gets switched onto a smaller player on the pick and roll. Would have been a much better defender if he were somehow able to stay in shape.

Overview: Defensive role player who has been unable to live up to the promise he showed out of college, partially due to injuries. Tenure in New York has been a disaster at best. Has tremendous size and length for a forward, at 6-10 without shoes and a 7-1 wingspan. A solid athlete with good quickness and leaping ability. Not physically strong, but has added some weight since entering the League. Could stand to put on some extra muscle. Not a scoring option at all, as he is a mediocre shooter and ball-handler and is very poor from the free throw line as well. Brings a solid defensive presence as his main virtue. Named the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year in 2001. Spent only two years at Indiana. Showed a lot of promise in his two seasons, earning his spot as the #11 pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. Has been unable to find a position for himself in the NBA, as his skill-level just hasn’t improved from what he showed in college. Injuries and his incredibly bad contract have completely diminished his value.

Offense: An extremely inefficient offensive player whose lack of scoring ability makes it tough to justify seeing minutes on an NBA level. Gets most of his possessions off of hustle plays, but is also asked to function as a spot up shooter from time to time. Has a decent looking jumper, but simply doesn’t have the touch on it for it be even remotely effective. Proves to be an awful jump shooter off the dribble, possibly one of the worst in the league. Gets most of his rare offense by being active in the flow of the offense. Moves well without the ball, showing good awareness. Pulls down offensive rebounds at a very high rate due to his size and athleticism, as well as the fact that he can focus solely on that due to his nonexistent role. Uses his speed to get some opportunities in transition. Not a good finisher at all due to his lack of touch at the rim. Will get some dunks and easy lay-ins, but struggles when he has to take contact. Can put the ball on the floor and go to the rim strictly with his left hand, but isn’t a good enough ball handler to consistently get there. Turns the ball over at an alarming rate on a per-possession basis. Lack of midrange game makes him very predictable. Goes to the line at a semi-decent rate, but shoots a very questionable percentage once there. Displays good court vision in half court sets, and will use his size and passing ability to get some open looks for his teammates.

Defense: A very solid defender due to his blend of quickness and length. Does a fantastic job getting a hand up on shooters. Has such a big wingspan that he’s a pretty intimidating player to shoot over. Won’t block many shots because he tends to sag off his man, but is a presence nonetheless. Knows he isn’t quick enough to stay close to his man out on the perimeter, opting to give himself a cushion in case his man drives. Will get beat off the dribble from time to time, but isn’t a major liability due to his ability to recover. Deflects some passes due to his length. Gets caught out of position on the pick and roll periodically. Too big to go over the top, but not always quick enough to get under the screen in time to recover to a shooter. Concerns himself more with denying penetration than effectively closing out shooters. Not a great weakside defender, sagging into the paint unnecessarily and not always knowing his rotations. Poor defensive rebounder.

Overview: An extremely productive lefty power forward who makes an impact with his hustle, smarts and athleticism. One of the better rebounders in the league. Has adequate size and length for the power forward position, at 6-9 in shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. Pretty strong as well, and has the frame to get bigger. Possesses great leaping ability, and a quick second leap. Runs well for his position. Doesn’t offer much in the way of perimeter skills. Gets the job done underneath with hustle and rebounding. Relentlessly cleans the glass. Brings a lot of energy to the defensive end. Has always been a hardworking player with great athleticism. Had a nice four year career at Florida, and was one of the most efficient players in college basketball during his time there. Was a pleasant surprise as a rookie and has become a solid contributor. Still has some upside, and needs to develop his midrange jumper. Not an ideal cornerstone by any means, but the kind of player that coaches love and any franchise would be happy to have. A huge steal for the Knicks as the last pick in the 1st round.

Offense: The epitome of a hustle player offensively. Very smart player who is a good passer and extremely unselfish. Very sound on the offensive end. Doesn’t need plays called for his to score, and will put up numbers with extremely high efficiency. Gets almost all of his touches by working hard outside of a few touches with his back to the basket every game. Moves extremely well without the ball, making room for his teammates to drive and filling gaps for easy baskets. A fantastic finisher around the basket thanks to the quickness in which he gets off his feet. Does a great job cleaning the offensive glass, always pursuing the ball off the rim. Terrific on the pick and roll-- sets very solid screens and rolls hard to the basket. Runs the floor extremely well for a player his size. Does everything you look for from a hustle player, but also has a nice skill set to go along with it. Will get some opportunities in the post, and loves to face up. Has no trouble getting off his jumper when he turns to face and has the quickness to get by many power forwards. Not an amazing ball-handler, but is crafty enough to know how to get to the rim and finish. Isn’t afraid to take contact, and shoots a great percentage from the line. Not an ideal catch and shoot player, but is able to make some shots from 15 feet and in. Could still stand to work on his right hand, but shows a willingness to work over his left shoulder. Won’t try to force passes and doesn’t turn the ball over very often for that reason. Becoming a better shooter from the perimeter could help him become even more prolific offensively.

Defense: A solid defensive player due to his athleticism and effort level. Very good at defending players that like to stake out in the high post. Has the lateral quickness to stay in front of most power forwards. Suffocates his man on the perimeter when he knows he has a quickness advantage. Isn’t a great defender in back to the basket situations, but fights hard for position, doesn’t let his man get anything easy, and always gets a hand up. Will get beaten by stronger players who don’t get intimidated by his physical style of player. Does a good job going straight up and committing a ton of silly fouls at the rim. Isn’t much of a shot blocker, but will rotate over from the weakside to contest shots. Gets a lot of deflections, but not many steals. Shows great anticipation on the glass. Always seems to be boxing out and getting in on the actions on the glass. Extremely productive as a rebounder. Plays a very smart brand of defense for a player with his level of experience, although he’ll probably never be a great defender due to his average size and bulk.

Overview: A super quick point guard that appears to be on the downside of his career, and is considered a huge distraction off the court. Has good size and leaping ability as well. Possesses everything you look for athletically. Used to be an elite scorer. Was a capable shooter, but his best asset lied in the fact that he could get to the rim at will. Set up teammates at a high rate as well. Doesn’t score or distribute as well as he used to. Very poor defensively. Was essentially the same player in college. Dominated on the offensive end during his one season at Georgia Tech. Had a tremendous rookie season, proving to be an elite assist-man and a great scorer as well. Strung together an impressive run of good seasons. Two time All-Star. Has had his fair share of issues with coaches. Plays with a lot of emotion, and obviously thinks very highly of himself on and off the court. Big ego is one of the main reasons his legacy has been tarnished. Cannot seem to get along with any of his teammates. Has a very outspoken personality that rubs some people the wrong way. Has never won at any level he’s played at. Cousin of fellow NBA point guard Sebastian Telfair.

Offense: An aggressive offensive player than isn’t as prolific or efficient as he used to be. Gets a the vast majority of his offense as a primary ball handler pushing the break and running the pick and roll, but is also prone to breaking down his man one-on-one and spotting up from the outside. Very dominant ball-handler--tends to pound the ball as a point guard, making his offense lack significant flow. Everything needs to revolve around him, as he cannot play off the ball. Some players may find it difficult to play with him, as he only wants to make the definitive pass for an assist. Has a very sudden jump shot with good elevation and tremendous follow through. Takes quite a few threes and hits them at a below-average clip. Not a bad catch and shoot player, but struggles off the dribble. Tends to settle for bad shots early in the offense, overestimating his ability at times. Gets a ton of looks at the rim for a point guard. Likes to go to the rim rather than pull up. One of the best ball handlers in the game, has all kinds of crafty moves that help him use his explosiveness to get to the rim. Turns the corner with regularity. Quickness and handle make him a great one-on-one player. Very good at pushing the ball in transition. Proves more than capable of scoring in pick and roll situations. Makes great decisions when he gets hedged on the pick and roll. Makes some bad passes and overpenetrates at times, but can hit floaters, finger rolls, and runners with no trouble. Not a bad finisher, but tends to be selfish when he attacks the rim. Used to pick his spots better when penetrating. Goes to the line at a very high rate due to the way he forces the ball into the lane. Shoots a decent percentage from the foul line. Effective as a playmaker, but used to be much more generous. Has never been an efficient offensive player, but used to do more of his damage in the flow of the offense.

Defense: Doesn’t show any commitment to the defensive end for the most part. Will make an effort in small spurts, and can be extremely effective he does, but is not consistent with his energy level and isn’t able to be a factor in most scenarios. Has tremendous lateral quickness, allowing him to defend almost any point guard he’s matched up with. Tips his hand with his defensive stance, gets low when he’s motivated and stays high when he’s not into it. Does a good job keeping the ball out of the lane for the most part, but shows poor awareness off the ball. Loses his focus easily and tends to gamble. Closes out under control, but isn’t going to contest many shots. Will get caught up in screens and doesn’t do a great job fighting through when he needs to. Shows great ability as a defender for one quarter, but seems completely uninterested during the next.

Overview: A one dimensional wing player who was once known as an electric player. Has good size and average athleticism for a small forward. Possesses great strength and once was known for his leaping ability. Relies very heavily on his 3-point shot as a source of production, but can also post up. Doesn’t score efficiently at all, but can get on impressive hot streaks from time to time. One of the best rebounding wings in the League, but has declined in that area. Not a great defender at all. Had an unbelievably productive two year career at DePaul. Averaged a double-double as a freshman. Was named the Conference USA Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year during that season. Saw his numbers decline slightly as a sophomore. Took his act to the NBA, landing in the middle of the first round. Teamed with fellow rookie Darius Miles to bring hope to a struggling Clippers franchise. Has been a decent fit for Mike D’Antoni’s offense, but has gradually declined athletically to the point that he’s almost strictly a spot-up shooter.

Offense: An extremely inefficient option on the perimeter. Gets about one half of his touches as a spot up shooter with another quarter coming from post ups and fast breaks. Has a very nice jump shot, and while he doesn’t have ideal form, he gets great arc and good rotation from the perimeter. Takes a ton of threes, and is a very streaky shooter from the outside. Will shoot with a hand in his face, but isn’t the type of player that can overcome good defense. Very good on the catch and shoot, but extremely poor off the dribble. Forces some shots when his teammates are open. More than 50% of his field goal attempts come from beyond the arc. Doesn’t have much of a first step, and isn’t effective at all when he puts the ball on the floor, and finishes at a very poor rate. Cannot go left, and almost never gets to the free throw line. Is pretty good at using his strength on the block. Will create some matchup problems with the way he can bully smaller players. Uses some strong drop step moves over his left shoulder to get the ball up on the rim. Scores more efficiently on the block than he does in almost any other facet of the game. Lacks the ball handling ability to compensate for the fact that defenders aren’t respecting his jump shot as much as they used to.

Defense: Not a great defender due to his average size and lateral quickness, but can be effective thanks to his smarts, strength and dedication to the scouting report. Doesn’t always show great intensity over the course of a game. Can be a solid one-on-one defender at times. Moves his feet well and stays in good position when his man attacks him off the dribble, but keeps his hands low and doesn’t do a great job contesting shots. Capable of keeping some players out of the lane, but is more prone to forcing them to the baseline after they get him on their shoulder. Will get taken to the rim by quicker players. Very good at denying penetration with his body when players can’t turn the corner on him. Physical strength makes him difficult to simply blow by for most players. Likes to sit in the paint and grab rebounds, something that he is tailor made for. Shows a willingness to box out, but is usually able to clean the glass by virtue of his physical strength and leaping ability. Shows absolutely no commitment when closing out shooters. Will often just sit in the lane rather than run out to contest a wide open look. When he does close out, it is often to try and block the shot by jumping late and taking himself completely out of the play. Usually gets a pretty easy defensive assignment, allowing him to hide some of his weaknesses.

Overview: A freakishly athletic undersized point guard with terrific scoring instincts. Has become an extremely effective NBA player, against all odds. Possesses solid physical strength, but is not always tall or long enough to capitalize on it. Just 5-7 ¾ without shoes, with a 6-1 wingspan. May be the highest leaper in the League today. Extremely quick and agile. Able to get to the rim almost at will. Can knock down shots from the outside as well. Much more of a scorer than a playmaker. Size hurts his ability to be an impact defender, but is very good at getting steals. An amazingly good rebounder considering his size. Played at the storied Rainier Beach HS in Seattle. Had a very nice four year career at Washington. Became an iconic player by his senior year. Something of a Summer League legend. Named the MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League in 2007, utterly dominating each game he played in. Has improved his production significantly over his four years in the NBA. Has been a very good fit in Mike D’Antoni’s offense. Incredibly tough and determined player who will always be a fan favorite.

Offense: A reasonably effective offensive player than scores in a variety of ways. Does a lot of his damage as a ball handler in pick and roll situations, but also gets some opportunities to run the break, spot up on the outside, and take his man one-on-one. Has a nice jump shot with good elevation that allows him to get his shot off over taller defenders. Able to make shots with a hand in his face, a characteristic that he’s had to develop over the course of his career to be effective. Elevates very suddenly on his jumper, helping his catch defenders off guard. Tends to fall in love with his jump-shot, forcing the issue badly at times. Relies very heavily on his 3-point shot as a source of production, and isn’t consistent enough a shooter to justify that quite yet. Lateral quickness gives him the ability to get his shot up off the dribble. Has no trouble creating separation from most defenders. Tends to lean in when he pulls up, allowing him to utilize the fact that he’s able to turn the corner more effectively. Takes a lot of slightly off balance shots. Doesn’t have much of a choice in that regard. Very tough to defend in one-on-one situations due to how easily he can break his man down off the dribble and get a clean look at the rim. Has consistently improved his ability to create high percentage looks for himself inside the arc, to the point that he’s become much more efficient. Finishes extremely well at the rim at a good rate despite his size. Size makes it tough for defenders to take the ball away from him. Doesn’t turn the ball over at all considering the frenetic pace he plays at. Is capable of blowing by his man and beating everyone to the rim. Will throw down a ridiculous dunk every now and again. Tends to be too aggressive and fancy with the way he finishes. A measure of consistency and patience would go a long way for Robinson as he continues to develop. Needs to work on recognizing when to cut off his drive and pass and when to take the ball all the way to the rim. Definitely thinks shoot first. Not much of a drive and dish player due to his scorer’s mentality, but his size hurts him in that regard as well. Very good at running the pick and roll, but doesn’t create many shots off of others by using it. Better at distributing in transition. Brings a lot to the table on offense as a scorer, but still has some things he can improve upon. Can mask some of his weaknesses as a passer and decision-maker in Mike D’Antoni’s offense.

Defense: A very good one-on-one defender who lacks the size to be a real factor. Is more than capable of staying in front of almost every point guard in the game. Is capable of defending the ball in full court situations at a high level, but doesn’t get many opportunities to do that. Will get beaten to the rim when he’s off balance, but is incredibly quick laterally. Will come up with quite a few steals due to his quick hands. Unfortunately, he lacks the size to effectively contest jumpers even when he does a great job staying in position. Will get caught in screens due to his size. Not effective when closing out the ball despite his ability to deny penetration. Contributes on the glass more than probably any other player his height. Is not a bad defender at all in terms of skill, but gives up too much size to not be taken advantage of.

Overview:An aging power forward who lacks ideal size for a power forward but had the work ethic and offensive repertoire to compensate for that in the past. Is limited defensively by his lack of size and length. Has only average athleticism as well. Used to be more explosive. Possesses good strength, allowing him to play bigger by gaining position. Used to be able to score around the basket, but is a sub-40% 2-point shooter these days. Rebounds at a poor rate. Used to play tough defense, but his physical tools hurt him on that end of the floor. Averaged a double-double in each of his four seasons at Drexel. Named the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year as a junior and senior. Stuck in the NBA after being selected in the second round. Won two NBA Championships with the San Antonio Spurs. Provides good intangibles and a veteran presence in the locker room, but is clearly only in the NBA these days due to his contract.

Offense: A largely ineffective offensive player at this point in his career. Used to be a solid threat when he was in San Antonio. Gets most of his offense at this point in the post, as a shooter from the midrange, and off of pick and rolls. Has a nice set shot that lacks elevation, but is very accurate when he’s open. Won’t make shots with a hand in his face due to the height of his release point. Not a great pull up shooter because his release isn’t all that fast either. Can be something of a catch and shoot threat, but only when he’s wide open. Turn the ball over at an alarmingly high rate, but will also make a nice pass every now and again. Possesses a very savvy back to the basket game. Likes to turn over his right shoulder. Will take some hook shots, but likes to try to bully his way to the front of the rim with his pivots. Shows something of a turnaround jumper as well. Can roll or pop with decent effectiveness when he sets a screen for a ball handler. Used to have the quickness and athleticism to utilize his tough and aggressiveness in the post more effectively. Way too inefficient offensively to see any kind of serious minutes the past four years.


Defense: A savvy veteran defender who lacks the athleticism and size be a factor. Does his best to fight for position on the block. Lacks the quickness to defend more athletic players when they face up. Has good physical strength, but simply isn’t big enough to keep his man from getting position over the course of a game. Gets in a good stance and always works hard. Will get a hand up when he can. Not a factor from the weakside. Will close out shooters looking to deny penetration. Gives up some open looks due to his lack of leaping ability on the close out. Very conservative when defending the pick and roll. Will commit a lot of fouls since he doesn’t want to give up easy baskets. Scraps for rebounds and loose balls, but is not the athlete he used to be and it shows on the defensive end.

Overview: A very talented offensive-minded shooting guard. Has solid size for the two at 6-4 ½ without shoes. Possesses a terrific 6-10 wingspan. Adds great quickness and leaping ability as well. Shows good lateral quickness defensively. Not very strong, and could stand to add some muscle to his frame. A very capable shooter with the ability to get to the rim. Will tally some assists, but looks for his shot first. Doesn’t offer much on the defensive end. Played at the storied Rainier Beach HS in Seattle. Needed only one season at Michigan to propel himself into the lottery. Scored at an impressive rate for a freshman in the Big Ten. Took a couple of seasons to adjust to the NBA, but became a prolific scorer by his fourth season in the League. Brings a lot to the table on the offensive end, but doesn’t have the efficiency to be relied on to carry the load. Typically a league-leader in minutes and field goal attempts, but struggles with his shooting percentages and defense. Puts up big per-game numbers on bad teams, and has never played on a winning team in his career. Gives back off the court and has matured quite a bit during his career.

Offense: A talented scorer that puts up great numbers with mediocre efficiency. Gets about half of his offense running pick and rolls and going one-on-one. Will also get some touches as a spot up shooter in drive and dish situations and in transition. Has a nice jump shot with good arc and nice lift. Good three point shooter, but can get streaky. Very good in catch and shoot situations, having the ability to create separation coming off screens and shoot with a hand in his face. Shows the ability to drive in either direction and pull up for jumpers. Not a great shooter when forced to pull up going right, opts to go left much more often. Will over-dribble at times when he doesn’t create separation immediately, tending to go right into the heart of the defense and force up some tough running jumpers off-balance. Very good with the ball in his hands, showing great change of direction quickness with his crossover and a lot of nice hesitation moves. Not a great finisher at the rim due to his lack of strength. Still goes to the line at a good rate and isn’t entirely averse to taking contact. Shoots a great percentage from the foul line. Does a good job finding his teammates when he’s pushing the ball or turning the corner on the pick and roll. Turns the ball over at a fairly low rate due to how heavily he relies on his jump-shot. Will put up great numbers, but is better suited as a complimentary scorer than a leading one.

Defense: Has the lateral quickness and length to a factor, but tends to shy away from taking advantage of his tools when he’s not motivated. Comes up with a few steals by virtue of his incredibly quick hands and superb wingspan. Doesn’t make hustle plays, but shows some anticipation and timing. Won’t show a lot of effort playing defense on the ball. Tends to avoid getting in a low stance, allowing slower players to beat him into the lane. Will go under some screens and has a hard time fighting to get through solid picks on the perimeter. Gets a hand up when his man looks to score, but doesn’t get in position to effectively use his length. Usually opts to sag off his man, allowing him to accumulate some mid-to-long rebounds over the course of a game. Isn’t a great weakside defender either. Doesn’t leave his man, which is a good thing, but closes out very high and will sometimes take himself out of the play. Often winds up having to guard taller players, making it hard for him to be effective. Was much more effective defensively when he was coming off the bench and was playing with a sense of urgency.

Overview: An oversized point guard who has not been able to carve out a role for himself in the NBA. Has great height and strength for either guard position. Not very quick or explosive, which has become much more evident in the NBA than it was in college. Shows some flashes of offensive potential periodically, but is stuck between positions in terms of skills and physical traits. Needs the ball in his hands to be effective, but lacks the scoring, shooting or athletic ability to justify that. Knows how to run a team, but is too turnover prone to be trusted on a consistent basis. Struggles with his outside shooting touch, which has nullified his chances of getting minutes in the NBA . Will play some defense, but is often outmatched by quicker, more athletic guards. Was a tremendous four year player at Temple. Stuffed the stat sheet all four years, but seemed to peak between his junior and senior seasons. Garnered a selection late in the first round, but hasn’t taken advantage of the chances he’s been given to show that he can be a legit rotation player. Will have to become at least a passable shooter if he is to stick in the NBA.

Offense: A sound, but very inefficient offensive player on the NBA level. Gets about half of his offense from one-on-ones and pick and rolls. Will also get some opportunities to push the break in transition and spot up on the outside when the tempo slows down. Doesn’t have a bad jump shot, just has some mechanical flaws that cost him almost all of his consistency. Tends to bring the ball up from his knees and get extremely low to get the type of elevation he wants. Has never been able to make shots at a consistent rate even in college. Really struggles from the free throw line as well. Is a crafty player with some nice moves that get him some separation in the midrange. Knows how to use fakes and hesitation moves to get some space, but has a very hard time beating his man off the dribble due to his lack of quickness. Asked to do a lot of ball handling, and proves to be a capable passer, but his lack of athleticism make him turnover prone. Takes too many dribbles in the paint, looking to get closer to the rim rather than take the open look he already has. Lacks the athleticism to be a good finisher on the NBA level. Crafty enough to draw fouls, but converts just around 60% of his free throw attempts. Proves to be very good at running the pick and roll, using his size to keep his man on his hip and making some passes that smaller players aren’t able to. Won’t force things from the outside, but doesn’t have the skills to make a consistent impact on the NBA level.

Defense: A solid defensive player that doesn’t make many mistakes, but will be taken advantage of due to his lack of quickness. Shows tremendous fundamentals on the defensive end. Doesn’t miss rotations, stays in position when he’s not on the ball, and does a good job coming over to help deny dribble penetration when his teammates get beat. Knows how to be effective, but lacks the footspeed to make an impact. Uses his anticipation to rotate over from the weakside to deny penetration, but lacks the quickness to recover the ball gets passed out of the lane. Always gets a hand up when he closes out, but simply doesn’t get there in time to make a difference. Will get beaten off the dribble from time to time. Knows his weaknesses and will stay in position to avoid getting beat, but will bite on fakes periodically. Not great at defending the pick and roll, but is usually asked to switch onto bigger offensive players due to his size. Rebounds the ball at a decent rate. Was a tremendous defender on the collegiate level due to his intensity and fundamentals, but lacks the physical tools to make the same impact in the NBA. Proves very capable when he doesn’t have to defend the point guard spot or an elite athlete.

An explosive combo guard who’s inconsistent production and attitude has him on the verge of being out of the league. Lacks prototypical NBA height at 6-2 without shoes, but has an incredible 7-foot wingspan to compensate. Has great strength for a guard. Possesses incredible leaping ability. Very explosive. Pretty quick and fast as well. Doesn’t have ideal ball-handling ability for a guard. Hasn’t developed his point guard skills in any way. Capable shooter with his feet set, and has improved significantly in that area in the last few years. Solid on the defensive end, but is limited by his size. Didn’t blossom as a scorer at Oregon until his junior year. Was very productive as a senior. Not expected to be a first round pick until Washington surprisingly picked him in the mid-first round.

Offense: A decent offensive option who can put some points on the board with poor efficiency. Gets about one third of his touches as a spot up shooter with another significant portion coming in transition and off of pick and rolls. Has a smooth, albeit unusual release with three point range with his feet set. Seems to fall back and push the ball at the rim, but still gets good rotation due to the way he flicks his wrist. Shows a pretty quick release from three point range, although can be extremely streaky. Not as consistent off the dribble as he is in catch and shoot situations. Not a great ball handler, but capable of creating his own shot thanks to his terrific first step. Not a consistent threat from the midrange. Lacks the form to shoot off the dribble, and will force some shots up off balance. Finishes at a higher rate going left than going right. May be a great dunker, but isn’t a great finisher due to his lack of size. Does draw a lot of contact, accounting for many of his misses in close with a solid free throw percentage. Won’t commit many turnovers, showing the ability to make the smart pass when he sees an opportunity. Has some tools offensively, but could be a lot more of an asset if he refined his midrange game and showed better shot-selection. The fact that he’s a 6-2 shooting guard will always hold him back, though.

Defense: A solid defender that has a hard time consistently contesting shots due to his lack of size on the wing. Gives a nice effort, getting in a good stance and denying dribble penetration. Does a tremendous job keeping up with his man out on the perimeter. Exceptional at not getting beat despite playing close to his man. Shows very good lateral quickness and defensive footwork. Not bad at defending the pick and roll, showing a willingness to fight through screens. Doesn’t always recover to the ball quickly when he’s caught in a screen. Has a very hard time contesting shots when closing out. Gets a hand up, but simply isn’t tall enough to be a factor. Will get some deflections and strips, but doesn’t have exceptionally quick hands. Solid rebounder for his size. Gets taken to the basket by quicker, taller, and more athletic players. Has good defensive fundamentals, but lacks the size to be consistent against better players.

Overview: A power forward with tremendous scoring instincts, but serious on-court and off-court issues that have never allowed his career to fully take off. Undersized, but has a terrific wingspan to compensate. Not a great athlete, and could be more effective if he worked on his conditioning. Has a strong lower body, and shows impressive body control in his midrange game. Displays all kinds of offensive moves in the post. Possesses incredibly soft touch both inside and out. Solid shooter from mid-range. A terrific rebounder on both ends of the floor. Not much of a presence defensively, largely due to a lack of effort. Had a solid but unspectacular one year career at Michigan State. Did enough to get himself into the first round. Took a few years to get a chance in Portland, but blew up as a third year player. Won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2004. Despite his tremendous talent, his career has been characterized by his poor conditioning, lackluster defense, selfish play on offense, and questionable off-court reputation. Will always put up great stats, but will have to change his mentality significantly if he’s ever going to play on a winning team.

Offense: An extremely productive offensive player than doesn’t put points on the board very efficiently. Gets roughly one third of his touches in the post with his other opportunities coming from a balanced mix of one-on-one chances, spot ups, offensive rebounds, and pick and rolls. Has a pretty complete offensive game—is clearly one of the most skilled power forwards in the league when he’s fully dialed in. Has a smooth left handed jumper shot, but doesn’t knock it down in spot up situations with great consistency. Can pull up off the dribble from the midrange, but doesn’t score in that fashion at a consistent clip. Will even take some threes, but isn’t serious threat from beyond the arc. Isn’t a great option when he’s forced to catch and shoot or make a quick decision off the dribble. Hits shots at an exponentially higher rate when he can catch on the block, face up, and measure up his defender. Doesn’t always fight for position due to the fact that he likes to take face up shots from fifteen feet. Has a nice array of post moves over his left shoulder. Can spin off for a turnaround jumper, or use his bulk to drop step into position for an easy lay in. Shows soft touch on his baby hook, and terrific footwork. Not nearly as effective or polished when forced to operate with his right hand over his left shoulder. Lacks the athleticism to be a flashy finisher at the rim, but his tremendous touch allows him to be relatively consistent. Plays tough at the rim, going to the line with solid frequency and hitting his free throws at a solid clip. Surprisingly talented offensive rebounder considering his lack of leaping ability, a testament to his fantastic hands and terrific timing. Puts the ball on the floor pretty well for a player of his stature, but turns it over at a high rate. Not an awful passer when he decides to give up the ball, which unfortunately isn’t often enough. Proves to be very good when he can play to his strengths and mediocre when he’s forced to step out to the perimeter and do things that he’s not able to do consistently.

Defense: Lacks the size or athleticism to be effective consistently, and doesn’t do himself any favors with his poor fundamentals and effort. Does a decent job fighting for position on the block, but doesn’t show a willingness to step away from the basket when his man floats out to the perimeter. Doesn’t fight for position on the block. Does a good job getting a hand up when his man makes a move, but lacks the height and leaping ability to be a factor against players that can get good separation on the block. Lacks the lateral quickness to close out shots. Very slow to recover to the ball when it is swung around the perimeter. Won’t hedge a screen any time soon. Rebounds the ball at an excellent rate due to the fact that he has good hands and consistently has position underneath. Does an adequate job defensively in the post, but is a complete non-factor when forced to step away from the rim.