Zach Lowe: Ten things I like and don't like. GTJ

[alienchild]

7. I enjoy Gary Trent Jr., but please pass sometimes
I was a Trent fan before Trent cracked the Portland Trail Blazers' rotation. He's a fearless shooter with an old-school, jab-stepping midrange game, and he competes on defense. He has amped it up on that end so far for a Toronto Raptors team that is exactly as advertised: ultra-long, snarling, fast -- able to toggle between switching and flying around with screaming rotations.

Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton fit right into all of that. Barnes has the patience of a veteran in traffic -- plus way-above-average vision for his experience. Banton is a giant point guard -- he's 6-9! -- who blots out passing lanes on defense, and pushes the pace for a team that subsists in transition. As Banton and Barnes propelled the Raptors to a stirring win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, I could almost hear Toronto's obsessive (in a good way!) fans squealing from 500 miles away.

Back to Trent: He's fourth in the league in deflections per game. (Toronto is No. 1 overall by a mile.) He's good.

One hole: Trent doesn't make enough productive passes. He has five assists in five games. For his career, Trent has dished 1.6 dimes per 36 minutes -- one of the 10 lowest figures ever for any player listed 6-5 or shorter with at least 3,000 career minutes. Most of the other guys on that are pure stand-still shooters.

Trent is more than that. He can dribble, and he moves without the ball -- often catching it with the floor in flux. He has passing windows, but he either doesn't see them or chooses not to use them:


There has to be a way -- beyond teeing up an offensive rebound -- to get that ball to Khem Birch.

On a team with enough playmaking, this doesn't matter. Perhaps the Raptors can be that kind of team when Pascal Siakam returns -- and as OG Anunoby, Barnes, and Banton develop. (Fred VanVleet is about maxed out steering things.) But for now, the Raps -- 19th in offense and 26th in assist rate -- could use more easy, assisted buckets.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Zach Lowe is getting in early on Banton. This is a good sign.

I think Gary's ballhandling is quite bad. He just needs to be a Danny Green with some stepbacks and midranges.

[Brinbe]

Great analysis as usual by one of the most astute out there. He's exactly right about GTJ. His defense has been good, definitely better than expected so far, but he needs to pass up the ball. Because a black hole like that on offense only works if you're a more efficient shooter and scorer and he isn't that right now. So he's wasting possessions. I know that's sort of his role is to be that scorer in lineups that struggle to create looks, but he should be facilitating a bit more instead of going and1 2004 mode.

[Boselecta]

Zach Lowe is getting in early on Banton. This is a good sign.

I think Gary's ballhandling is quite bad. He just needs to be a Danny Green with some stepbacks and midranges.

Exactly and swing the ball when he doesn't have the shot. He shouldn't be putting it on the floor. I think a Danny Green type player would be a good outcome for him and the Raptors.

[SharoneWright]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

[Saul Goodman]

I was and still am high on Trent but he has to realize he’s not a creator out there. His role needs to be a release valve elite spot up shooter and defender. I think he can be really valuable if he sticks to that role.

[vulture]

Zach is on point with this one. There aren't a lot of good passers on this team and Siakam should help that when he's back.

[alienchild]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

You didn't understand the meaning of his comment.

[redeye514]

Good analysis. He's bang on.. if GTJ can drop some of his black hole tendencies, than that would def help our offence. He can still be a bucket hunter.. Raps do need that from him... but he cant always have the ball stick in his hands the way it does.

[ItsDanger]

Trent often gets the ball later in shot clock (like Norm did). Does anyone expect him to rack up assists? Might be a result of our style on offense.

[SharoneWright]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

You didn't understand the meaning of his comment.

LOL. Fred can become a better passer? Like he wants Trent to become? ... OR not? You think Fred's going to develop into a better facilitator? I don't. Neither does Lowe. Fred is maxed out steering things. Hopefully Trent can help top things up in that regard.

[Spates]

Great analysis as usual by one of the most astute out there. He's exactly right about GTJ. His defense has been good, definitely better than expected so far, but he needs to pass up the ball. Because a black hole like that on offense only works if you're a more efficient shooter and scorer and he isn't that right now. So he's wasting possessions. I know that's sort of his role is to be that scorer in lineups that struggle to create looks, but he should be facilitating a bit more instead of going and1 2004 mode.

I think the key from Lowe's piece is the missed passing windows. Almost every game there seems to be a few easy buckets that he doesn't see and so trades them for mid range pullups. I don't think they are terrible shots for him, its a matter of making the game easier.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

I’m sure the lack of passing was the reason for Uncle Dragon starting.

[Duffman100]

My worry is, can Trent pass? How good at passing is he?

Is he more likely to ramp up his turnovers? I'd always rather a missed shot than a turnover.

[alienchild]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

You didn't understand the meaning of his comment.

LOL. Fred can become a better passer? Like he wants Trent to become? ... OR not? You think Fred's going to develop into a better facilitator? I don't. Neither does Lowe. Fred is maxed out steering things. Hopefully Trent can help top things up in that regard.

It's got nothing to do with Fred's being a better passer or his facilitation abilities. It's saying that facilitator improvement needs to come from other players because Fred's already doing a lot.

[Spates]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

You didn't understand the meaning of his comment.

Tell me more about what Lowe meant by that comment.

I think he's absolutely correct about Fred. When Fred's shot is on he looks like a stud. It opens things up for him a little as he has trouble effectively collapsing and scrambling a defense. He is easy to control in the paint and one of the worst finishers at the rim in the league. It is just a size and athleticism problem. They don't detract from his merits. Stellar defender that shoots fire from deep. If you told me he shoots 45% from 25 feet out I'd believe you.

[SharoneWright]

You didn't understand the meaning of his comment.

LOL. Fred can become a better passer? Like he wants Trent to become? ... OR not? You think Fred's going to develop into a better facilitator? I don't. Neither does Lowe. Fred is maxed out steering things. Hopefully Trent can help top things up in that regard.

It's got nothing to do with Fred's being a better passer or his facilitation abilities. It's saying that facilitator improvement needs to come from other players because Fred's already doing a lot.

And,,,,,,,, he can't do more.

(Just to be more precise than he's "already doing a lot".)

Part of the challenge for Fred is the high responsibility of being the point guard and getting the best out of the team around you. Fair enough. And another part is due to Fred's particular limitations as a point guard on any team - which has been a topic on this board for years.

[Cool-Hand-Luke]

I'm very excited about our direction as a defensive squad that deflects passes and stifles offensive schemes. It really is a brilliant counter to the 3-point-centric offence that has dominated the league. Teams will struggle to get the ball around to the corners and will struggle mightily to score inside with the length we have (minus the traditional Cs). Fantastic!

[ConSarnit]

Trent often gets the ball later in shot clock (like Norm did). Does anyone expect him to rack up assists? Might be a result of our style on offense.

The numbers don’t back this up. Norm has never been in the top 3 in late attempts for any of his Raptor seasons. If it hindered his passing it certainty didn’t hinder the other guys above him.

Trent’s late shot clock attempts aren’t much different from FVV, OG and Barnes and all of those guys are assisting at a much higher rate (at least double) than Trent.

Trent just isn’t a good passer. To be the best version of himself he needs to be a high volume 3pt shooter who moves well off the ball and defends at a good to great level. That’s how he’ll be worth his contract.

[Jadoogar]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32498018/zach-lowe-10-things-ja-morant-absurdity-lonely-star-brooklyn-julius-randle-new-life-msg

Lowe concise as always. Fred is maxed out is also right on target.

That's not what he meant.