3 point shooting??????

[pelicanchamp]

I like a lot of the moves so far. The draft went very well. Glad we passed on Garland and got Hayes and NAW plus Cleveland 2020 top ten protected first. That was awesome. It’s clear to me that, adding Zion, Hayes, Lonzo and guys like Hart and even NAW, we are focusing a lot on defense, athleticism and the fast break offense. I think with Jrue, Lonzo and Zion alone we will get an average of 6 steals just from them. Gentry is trying to get points off turnovers. They must be trying to build an elite defense like never before. I’m excited.

But we need 3 point shooting!!!!

Great teams are full of good 3 point shooters. I think to really compete the PELS have to add an elite shooter. We don’t have one. We were like 21st in league for 3 point attempts. GSW was number 1. GSW also was like in the top 5 for 3point %. The BUCKS had Middleton, Niko and Brogdon etc. idk I just think we have to have shooting. Increase 3 point attempts and improve %.

What do y’all think?


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[Pelicanidae]

Do we need shooting long term? Yes. I think we do.

Do we need to chase it right now? No, I don't think so.

Jrue has been a good three point shooter in the past, and he's okay right now. Moore is a very good three point shooter, even if he doesn't take enough of them. Jackson, Kenny Hustle, and Christian Wood have all shown signs of having an outside shot. I'm hoping Ingram will improve to being at least league average from 3 this year, and I feel subtly confident that Zion will be a better shooter than people think (not like, 38%, but at least 33%). NAW can shoot. Hart was a solid shooter his rookie year.

If we get at least that, then we will have enough shooting for it to work. We aren't going to be a league leader in three pointers taken, or percentage, but frankly we don't need to be. As you pointed out, we were like 21st in the league last season in 3 point attempts and 24th in percentage, and yet somehow we still had a top 10 offense for most of the season. Our problem this year was never scoring, despite a lack of shooting. It was defense, which, as you have pointed out, has been greatly improved with the moves made so far. Gentry has a lot of issues as a coach, but he can run an offensive team: he finds a way to put points up. Finch helps with that, definitely.

I do agree that it would be nice if the last few moves we make this summer bring in shooting, whether that's with Al Horford, or Terrence Ross, or Patrick Beverley, or whoever. But if we don't, I also don't think it will be the end of the world. We will need to add shooting eventually though, unless we see extremely high level internal improvement.

Edit: I will add that I was a strong proponent of ''we need shooting!'' earlier, and I still believe it's true if we want to be a winning team next year. I just don't care that much if we are a winning team, is all.

[Shrimpnose]

I want you to know that on the night of the draft I Googled the best shooters in the NBA. Not the all around all star -super - max guys, the best shooters and then to my amazement someone picked this guy # 11:

https://www.nba.com/draft/2019/prosp...eron-johnson#/

Could've been us, I guess.

[Pelicanidae]

I want you to know that on the night of the draft I Googled the best shooters in the NBA. Not the all around all star -super - max guys, the best shooters and then to my amazement someone picked this guy # 11:

https://www.nba.com/draft/2019/prosp...eron-johnson#/

The Suns had a dreadful draft night. Picking Cam Johnson at #11 is one of the several mistakes they made.

[Shrimpnose]

Probably for good reason, but, until he shoots a shot, the thought of the shooter's skill set and floor spacing is still a good idea.

[Pelicanidae]

Probably for good reason, but, until he shoots a shot, the thought of the shooter's skill set and floor spacing is still a good idea.

Sure. The reason drafting Cam Johnson at #11 was a bad idea isn't cause shooting is bad, it's cause Cam Johnson is 23, shooting is his only skill, and he would have been there at #25, so wasting their #6 pick to trade down to #11 and then picking Cam was a terrible move. They should have either stuck at #6 and taken Culver, or traded down from #11 to get multiple lower picks, still got Cam, and had another pick as well.

[Eman5805]

Trying to follow the Golden State trend of raining 3s isn't the only way to build a team. We have guys who can hit 3s. But they aren't great at it. What if we're great at defending and scoring in transition? Getting easy baskets because we will lead hte lead in pace, rebounding, and defend with length

[new city champ]

Right. Even last year we were top three in scoring in the league while being a pretty mediocre 3 point shooting team. More than way to get it done. I'm okay with seeing if our three point shooting is develops a little before we make a bunch of moves for shooters. You can always acquire that skill in the market if it turns out to be a major problem.

[Pels4Life]

Trying to follow the Golden State trend of raining 3s isn't the only way to build a team. We have guys who can hit 3s. But they aren't great at it. What if we're great at defending and scoring in transition? Getting easy baskets because we will lead hte lead in pace, rebounding, and defend with length

I agree. However, I think you have to go beyond great a defense. I think the successful approach has to be more defined such as great defense against the 3 to force the opponent to play against your preferred strength. Basically make them play our game but be better at it. New Orleans was #1 in points in the paint last year and #6 worse in 3FG% allowed.

For example, Denver as a team was ranked #1 in 3 point % allowed on defense and #4 in points in the paint made on offense. This combination helped them a ton in winning. That is how we should be approaching how we focus our defense to align with our offensive stragety. Lock down the 3 and force them to beat us in the paint. Lets see how that works out for them.

Milwaukee was #1 in opponent field goal % and true shooting % allowed and finished #1 in overall ppg.

Its all about complimenting strength vs. weakness.

on a funny side note pelicans were #1 in double dribbles.

[PolishFan]

I agree. However, I think you have to go beyond great a defense. I think the successful approach has to be more defined such as great defense against the 3 to force the opponent to play against your preferred strength. Basically make them play our game but be better at it. New Orleans was #1 in points in the paint last year.

For example, Denver as a team was ranked #1 in 3 point % allowed on defense and #4 in points in the paint made on offense. This combination helped them a ton in winning. That is how we should be approaching how we focus our defense to align with our offensive stragety. Lock down the 3 and force them to beat us in the paint. Lets see how that works out for them.

Milwaukee was #1 in opponent field goal % and true shooting % allowed and finished #1 in overall ppg.

Its all about complimenting strength vs. weakness.

on a funny side note pelicans were #1 in double dribbles.

I agree 100%. I would like the Pels to go against the grain. I wouldn’t go after a stretch center but a bully and kill everybody in the paint. If we owned the paint; defended the three exceptionally well and were running like Papa Gentry wants we could be successful and fun to watch

[JJackisangry]

We were a very inconsistent 3 pt shooting team and we sucked on defense. No wonder we were struggling to break even before AD gave up. You need spacing to be a great team. You can be a good team without it, but it makes all the difference and allows you to get easier buckets in half court sets if they can’t clog the paint.

[6warddude]

I agree 100%. I would like the Pels to go against the grain. I wouldn’t go after a stretch center but a bully and kill everybody in the paint. If we owned the paint; defended the three exceptionally well and were running like Papa Gentry wants we could be successful and fun to watch

we have okafor to deal with big centers.....if we can sign niko and let him start at the 5 then teams would have to match up with us and alot of coaches would make that decision to put a smaller guy in to match niko instead of using your big center to try and punish niko in the paint.........last season niko held his own playing the 5 when he was there....

the main thing i dont like about gentry is he can be stubborn.....when teams go small against us, we go small instead of using okafor to bully the smaller player and drawing fouls and scoring to make that team play to match up with us......playing against houston always drove me crazy because every time i saw cp3 or harden guarding AD or a big in the paint,,we mostly dont go to that big to punish and draw fouls on harden or cp3......i seen us take advantage of houston guards in the game cousins got hurt in and we had harden on the bench majority of the first half because we was drawing fouls on him when he was guarding a big in the paint.....

i want us to sign jordan because he always punish AD in the paint and AD didnt want no part of it......i also would be happy if we sign valanciunas at the 5..he can play inside and outside and can rebound...

[Pelicanidae]

We were a very inconsistent 3 pt shooting team and we sucked on defense. No wonder we were struggling to break even before AD gave up. You need spacing to be a great team. You can be a good team without it, but it makes all the difference and allows you to get easier buckets in half court sets if they can’t clog the paint.

I disagree with this, kind of. You need SOME spacing to be a great team, but I think it's a lot less than most people would expect.

The problem is, that being a good team without shooting is harder. It requires more of your players.

If you have a team filled with people that can shoot, all that is needed for a good offense is to make the extra pass, and shoot. An idiot could do it. Just launching three after three.

If you don't have people that can shoot, you can still make a fantastic offense: it's just that it requires off-ball movement, multiple screens, great passing, heavy cutting and false-cuts, etc etc. In short: it requires you to have smart players with a functioning basketball IQ.

Being a fantastic offensive team is totally possible with only mediocre shooting. It just requires a team that's willing to work a little harder and run a little faster. I think we have that team, at least the skeleton of it.

[GuardianAngel25]

I like a lot of the moves so far. The draft went very well. Glad we passed on Garland and got Hayes and NAW plus Cleveland 2020 top ten protected first. That was awesome. It’s clear to me that, adding Zion, Hayes, Lonzo and guys like Hart and even NAW, we are focusing a lot on defense, athleticism and the fast break offense. I think with Jrue, Lonzo and Zion alone we will get an average of 6 steals just from them. Gentry is trying to get points off turnovers. They must be trying to build an elite defense like never before. I’m excited.

But we need 3 point shooting!!!!

Great teams are full of good 3 point shooters. I think to really compete the PELS have to add an elite shooter. We don’t have one. We were like 21st in league for 3 point attempts. GSW was number 1. GSW also was like in the top 5 for 3point %. The BUCKS had Middleton, Niko and Brogdon etc. idk I just think we have to have shooting. Increase 3 point attempts and improve %.

What do y’all think?


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I completely agree! This team is going to be very exciting defensively while being maybe the best day break team in the league. At least the most exciting to watch! I think we have a lot more 3pt shooting here then you are giving credit for. It involves some players improving which I expect. Ingram is someone who has a ton of potential from 3pt shooting 39% just a year ago and averaging 37% his last 2 seasons. Ball when playing and starting 30+ mpg which was 20+ games last season shot 43% from 3pt. I think Hart and Frank are 2 players who can light it up from 3pt and will likely be improving. Zion is light years ahead of AD from 3pt at same times in their careers. Along I think we have a ton of potential in this area and imo at worse will be a good 3pt shooting team. We now have multiple ball handlers/creators as well that will help get more open 3s. Our defense getting out on the break having defenses scrambling will get more open 3s. Gentry’s system thrives off of all of this and we have the players and talent to do it now. I would like to add another shooter but I think we are good.

[DaPelFromHell]

We will have a decent 3 point shooting team IMO. Now will it be elite, no but how many teams are elite from 3. We got Moore and I think NAW will be very good from 3. Jrue and Ingram will hopefully be average to above average. Josh Hart has good form on his shot and with a better team around him he could be really good from deep. Zion has a lot better shot than people think. I’ve seen him hit many 3s last year at Duke. He just didn’t take that many cause he didn’t need to shoot too many 3s. He just shoots a line drive type shot and the college 3 is so much easier than in the NBA. Lonzo doesn’t have the greatest looking shot, but he can hit them from time to time. I think his shot will get better and better with each year he’s in the league. Hopefully whoever we sign will be decent from long range as well. Then hopefully we bring in some shooting with whatever money we have left. I wouldn’t be shocked if Darius Miller is back with us strictly cause of his 3 point shot. Plus we could use a true small forward on the bench as well.

I forgot about Frank as well. He has a good shot and will only get better

[socbe7]

We will have a decent 3 point shooting team IMO. Now will it be elite, no but how many teams are elite from 3. We got Moore and I think NAW will be very good from 3. Jrue and Ingram will hopefully be average to above average. Josh Hart has good form on his shot and with a better team around him he could be really good from deep. Zion has a lot better shot than people think. I’ve seen him hit many 3s last year at Duke. He just didn’t take that many cause he didn’t need to shoot too many 3s. He just shoots a line drive type shot and the college 3 is so much easier than in the NBA. Lonzo doesn’t have the greatest looking shot, but he can hit them from time to time. I think his shot will get better and better with each year he’s in the league. Hopefully whoever we sign will be decent from long range as well. Then hopefully we bring in some shooting with whatever money we have left. I wouldn’t be shocked if Darius Miller is back with us strictly cause of his 3 point shot. Plus we could use a true small forward on the bench as well.

I forgot about Frank as well. He has a good shot and will only get better

There's a difference between being able to hit threes and spacing the floor. We don't have a single floor spacer on the roster. There isn't a single guy that opposing defenses say, "we can't help off that guy."

There are many moves to come, but if we don't get floor spacers, we won't win many games. Relying on turnovers and transition offense leads to poor defensive discipline and easy buckets.

Even if you find success during the regular season with that style of play, it's not sustainable in the postseason. You have to have a half court offense and defense. It'll be impossible to have an efficient half court offense with a congested paint when all your main scorers like to score in the paint.

Griff said we'll have to wait to see it all come together. We're definitely not done.