ZoStrong wrote:greg4012 wrote:NBA Champions Frontcourt 3 Pt Shooting by season
2024 - Boston (Tatum + Porzingis) - 20 3PA per 100 possessions (37.5% 3pt)
2023 - Denver (Jokic + Gordon) - 7.2 3PA per 100 possessions (36% 3 pt)
2022 - GSW (Draymond + Looney) - 2 3PA per 100 possessions (29.6% 3 pt)
2021 - Milwaukee (Giannis + Lopez) - 12.1 3PA per 100 possessions (32.2% 3 pt)
2020 - LA Lakers (Davis + McGee) - 5.2 3PA per 100 possessions (33.4% 3 pt)
[if we make it Kuzma + Davis instead to reflect the playoff lineup that got most starts its 13.4 3PA per 100 possessions (32.2% 3pt)]
Bam and Ware current rate - 9.2 3PA per 100 possessions (33% 3pt). Let's develop this.
I don't think you can simply put those numbers n expect Bam and Ware to develop into a good 3 pt shooting frontcourt tandem for a contending team. It's case by case really.
Among the contenders up there, Porzingis n Lopez are very good outside shooters but mostly stay beyond 3 pt line. And Gordon isn't a big. And all are supporting players, not max contract stars. Do we want that for Ware who could demand a max when the time comes? Do we want him to stand around the 3 pt line when Bam can't do what Tatum, Jokic, Giannis, AD do, which is be a dynamic offensive player? Or do we pay Bam max to stand outside while let Ware be the dynamic offensive player when it's not encouraging that he can develop a dependable 3 like Lopez or Porzingis?
And I'm not at all expecting that to rationalize that Bam and Ware are where they need to be for it to work at the highest level. Ware is a ROOKIE and Bam is developing his perimeter game.
I do believe it provides an informative basis for team building.
The year MIL won, Lopez shot 4 of his 9 FGA per game from beyond the 3pt line
Gordon absolutely is a big. He's the versatile defensive PF that supplements Jokic defensively. The year DEN won, Gordon shot 2.5 of his 11.2 FGA from 3. (22% of his FGA from 3). That season 65% of his FGM were assisted (a higher rate than Bam has had the benefit of experiencing in years). He has a decent amount of similar traits to Bam. Bam has actually been a superior shooter to Gordon throughout every midrange area throughout their careers.
Over Ware's last 3 games, 18 of his 51 FGA have been 3PA. Right around 30% of FGA from 3 seems like a pretty healthy diet for him considering he seems to be a legitimate shooter.
Ramping up Ware to be a full-time player alongside Bam means somewhere from 15-18 minutes of the 2 on the floor together. Which means both players are still spending at least half their minutes running with Jovic (or a smallball PF).
I think the discussion about how their deployed on offense is an interesting one worth having. I think sounding alarms about either player being relegated to just standing in a corner being Haywood Highsmith is patently absurd tbh. Miami runs multi-faceted sets and NEEDS off-ball actions to complement the initial actions.
Bam's versatility in people moving, handling and playmaking for others is already making it easier for Ware to get to his spots to finish. Just last game, Ware literally scored 16 of his 22 points during the ~15 minutes that him and Bam were sharing the floor. This is foundational stuff to build on and that's exactly what the Heat are doing.
