NBA eyes are on Devonte Graham, poking for holes; what’s his next counter-move?
The window for Devonte Graham to sneak up on opponents has totally closed.
He’s seeing every exotic defense NBA coaches can devise. They’ll bump him, they’ll trap him, they’ll blitz him. They’ll double-team him.
They will sure try to shuffle him away from the 3-point line, where he has become one of the NBA’s most dangerous shooters in the season’s first two months.
Graham is now a star. Tuesday he had his sixth game this season with six or more 3-pointers. He assembled 29 points and six assists, which were as big as any factor in the Hornets’ 114-107 victory over the Washington Wizards.
It’s nice to be noticed. Except when that notice is coming from opposing scouts, looking to poke holes in the massive progress Graham has made as the Hornets’ second-season point guard.
“They’re trying to get the ball out of my hands in pick-and-roll,” Graham said of the denial tactics opponents use. “Coming up and blitzing, or the big (men) staying longer.
“I’m just trying to come out and read them, and make the right play out of that.”
Even with rookie P.J. Washington’s rapid development, Graham has been the nicest surprise of this Hornets season. He’s evolved from a guy assigned to the G-League a year ago, to a bit player at the end of last season, to a starter, to the top of every opponent’s scouting report.
3s are key
Graham has gone from shooting 28% from 3 as a rookie to 42% this season. Not only can’t opponents afford to leave him alone out there, they now must pester him inside that arc.
He actually shoots better from 3-point range this season than from 2-point (39%).
That might not seem like a big difference. But 3s are so much more efficient in NBA math that mid-range 2s are what opponents want him launching, so long as he doesn’t get all the way to the rim as he did on a baseline drive in the last two minutes against Washington.
“They’re trying to get me into the lane (to make) a decision,” Graham observed.. “(To take) more mid-range or floater shots or just get the ball out of my hands.”
The focus defenses are placing on Graham these days is intense.
“You can feel it when we call out certain plays,” Graham said. “You can hear them yelling out, ‘Trap!’ or ‘Get up!’ or ‘Hedge hard!’”
Sustainability
So far, Graham’s season is a nice little NBA story; he’s getting attention for Most Improved Player and will no doubt get an invitation to All-Star Weekend, at least to participate in the Rising Stars game.
For this to be more than that — for him to become a foundation piece of the Hornets with a huge contract down the road — Graham must develop a more versatile, reliable mid-range game.
Somewhat the same way Kemba Walker’s trajectory changed when his 3-point shooting dramatically improved three seasons into his career.
There’s plenty of time for that. But he must add tools.
The scouts are always present, the video library keeps growing.
He’s going to need counter-moves, because these scouts, they never stop.
This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
