ESPN: NBA's best screen setters (including Amir Johnson)

[bretthopper]

ESPN Insider article: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... eens-picks

Using proprietary data from Vantage Sports that tracks a variety of heretofore unmeasurable actions (such as screening), we are now able to identify and attribute credit to individuals. The data was collected over the span of roughly 2.5 seasons, giving us a large enough sample size to draw conclusions. For the purposes of this piece, let's focus on three specific aspects of screening: (see explanation at the bottom of the story)

1. Screen frequency
2. Screen quality
3. Screen outcome

Amir Johnson | Toronto Raptors
AAV: $6 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 63.4
Solid Screen %: 68.3 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency: 34.3

Former Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo has been much maligned for some of the contracts he's handed out to underachieving players, but his 2010 signing of Johnson was nothing short of a home run. Throughout his career, Johnson has literally made a living off doing the "little things" that don't show up on a box score, and screening is definitely one of them.

[Roland Brice]

My heart is full of love for Amir, stop giving me more reasons to love him!!!

[pbj]

Is Nick Collison on the list? Can you post that please and thank you?

[Spacing]

It's an insider article but if you could post the list (not the entire article) that would be great.

[MixxSRC]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_tR4C_1A4o[/youtube]

[bretthopper]

No idea what the rules are on posting these insider articles, but here's just the names + numbers:

edit: This article is about best screeners on cheaper contracts.

Note: Tiago Splitter, Joakim Noah, Kendrick Perkins are among the very best at these screen setting aspects. However, they are also handsomely compensated ($10 million, $11.1 million, and $8.7 million respectively), so they were excluded from this list.

Omer Asik | Houston Rockets
AAV: $8.4 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 61.7
Solid Screen %: 72.9 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency %: 34.7

Taj Gibson | Chicago Bulls
AAV: $8.3 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 47.9
Solid Screen %: 71.5 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 40.7

Marcin Gortat | Washington Wizards | 2014 UFA
AAV: $6.8 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 59.7
Solid Screen %: 74.7 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 35.7

Spencer Hawes | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2014 UFA
AAV: $6.6 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 56.6
Solid Screen %: 69.9 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 27.2

Amir Johnson | Toronto Raptors
AAV: $6 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 63.4
Solid Screen %: 68.3 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency: 34.3

Robin Lopez | Portland Trail Blazers
AAV: $5.1 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 52.4
Solid Screen %: 78.8% | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency: 37.0%

Ekpe Udoh | Milwaukee Bucks | 2014 RFA
AAV: $3.6 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 57.4
Solid Screen %: 80.0 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 37.1

Bismack Biyombo | Charlotte Bobcats
AAV: $3.2 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 55.1
Solid Screen %: 72.2 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 38.0

Kosta Koufos | Memphis Grizzlies
AAV: $3 million | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 45.3
Solid Screen %: 77.0 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 40.1

Jason Collins | Brooklyn Nets
AAV: $52k (10-Day) | Set Screens Per 100 Chances: 41.0
Solid Screen %: 82.0 | Set Screen Outcome Efficiency%: 39.9

[IMAN5]

How can Jason Collins be on the list when he hasn't even played a full month and he plays mostly garbage minutes.

[tommer]

How can Jason Collins be on the list when he hasn't even played a full month and he plays mostly garbage minutes.

Description says it was based on 2.5 years of data.

[tommer]

I'd be really curious to know what the data say about JV. That might be the weakest part of his game (though he's not as bad as earlier in the season).

Would also be interesting to see overall team stats (and how well correlated it was to winning %) -- I'd be shocked if San Antonio wasn't in the top-3 every year.

[silverhill27]

I'd be really curious to know what the data say about JV. That might be the weakest part of his game (though he's not as bad as earlier in the season).

Would also be interesting to see overall team stats (and how well correlated it was to winning %) -- I'd be shocked if San Antonio wasn't in the top-3 every year.

To be fair, JV does get picked on by refs for ticky-tack calls.

[Patman]

How can Jason Collins be on the list when he hasn't even played a full month and he plays mostly garbage minutes.

Sets a mean back-screen.

[Patman]

Prime KG was the best screen-setter I've ever seen. Yeah, he did get away with fouls, but you gotta be crafty to do so.

[OvertimeNO]

Prime KG was the best screen-setter I've ever seen. Yeah, he did get away with fouls, but you gotta be crafty to do so.

Oakley. Man's mission on offence was to set hard screens. Like, everyone else was tallying their points in their heads, and Oak was counting how many guys he laid out on the court.

[Patman]

Prime KG was the best screen-setter I've ever seen. Yeah, he did get away with fouls, but you gotta be crafty to do so.

Oakley. Man's mission on offence was to set hard screens. Like, everyone else was tallying their points in their heads, and Oak was counting how many guys he laid out on the court.

AD used to set solid screens as well.

[Risk101]

Setting Screens Since 2005

[Hassassin]

Interesting info. Udoh was on my radar as a potential big off the bench, but I didn't know he was such a good screen setter.

[Danchan]

How can Jason Collins be on the list when he hasn't even played a full month and he plays mostly garbage minutes.

Sets a mean back-screen.

how mean?

[Slim_Charles]

I've always said Amir is KEY to the Raptors' success

Where are the haters that wanted him traded? Oh yeah, of course they disappeared!

[Sn0wman]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quRwCAkaweM[/youtube]

[will]

HAHAHA Jason Collins is on this list.

Because he's played like 2 minutes this season.