3PT shooting is a skill that is crucial in the modern NBA. Having good spacing around one’s stars is obviously extremely valuable, as it gives those stars more room to operate on the basketball court.
However, a player that is only a 3PT shooter isn’t necessarily as valuable in the playoffs as in the regular season. As Warriors GM Bob Myers once claimed, the playoffs are an entirely different game, and elite 3PT shooters that don’t do anything else can get shut down.
The playoffs are nothing like the regular season. They are two completely different sports. The way it’s officiated… Your bench is completely different… you can prepare differently… In the playoffs, your first move is gone… Whatever they know he does well is gone. That is where you need to check as many boxes… We’ve played some great shooters in the playoffs and neutralized them because if that’s all you can do… that 2 feet of space you had in the regular season is two inches… The more dimensions you have to your game the harder you are to take away… you watch the playoffs you know who can play basketball.
Obviously, one-dimensional 3PT shooters can still provide value in the playoffs. However, one must have more versatile players that provide more than just shooting on the roster as well.
NBA Executive Thinks Nets Will Move One Of Their Elite 3PT Shooters
It seems as though the Brooklyn Nets will be trying to improve their roster by moving off of some shooters who are also poor defenders. That is obviously a good move considering they are a contending team.
An Eastern Conference Executive that spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com revealed his belief that the Brooklyn Nets will trade one of Seth Curry or Joe Harris prior to the deadline. He revealed that while the two are both elite shooters, they are “bad defenders who will be targeted in the playoffs”. The executive noted that the Nets are more likely to keep Joe Harris. Thomas Darro of Heavy.com relayed the news.
“One of them [Curry or Harris] will get dealt before the deadline, that would be my guess. Both are really good shooters, obviously, that is their skill. But both are bad defenders who will be targeted in the playoffs. Obviously, finding a new home for either guy has not been the priority for them this summer, so, no, they have not really had talks about a deal for either guy, so far.
But I suspect they’ll want to come out and see how healthy Harris is, see if he is back to his old form, then they may start to figure out what they can get for him vs. what they can get for Curry. Harris has more value if he can show he is healthy — he is not as poor a defender as Curry. If they’re going to try to make a deep playoff run, Harris is more likely the one they’d keep,” the executive told Heavy.
It remains to be seen if the Brooklyn Nets do end up trading either player in the future. They have a well-balanced squad right now, and 3PT shooters will be more valuable for them due to their synergy with point guard Ben Simmons.
Hopefully, we see the Brooklyn Nets put out a more competitive team next season. The star power on the roster suggests that they could end up making the Finals, and the trio of Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving is one of the best in the NBA.
