Rounding Out Sacramento’s Big Three

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next

Apr 7, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Omri Casspi (18) signals to the crowd after making a three point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Omri Casspi?

Dollar for dollar, Omri Casspi might’ve been the biggest-value bench scorer in the entire NBA last year.

In his fifth NBA season (his third with the Kings after a three-year hiatus), Casspi posted career highs in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, two-point percentage, effective field goal percentage, free throws (attempted and converted), free throw percentage, assists, assist percentage and player efficiency rating (14.4). He shot roughly 40 percent from three-point range and, per ESPN, his .580 true shooting percentage was tied for sixth among small forwards with, you guessed it, Paul Pierce.

The lion’s share of his statistics only improved in new head coach George Karl’s offense—a system as seemingly custom-fit for Omri as a crown is done for a King.

When Casspi wasn’t skipping towards the basket in search of close twos or spotting up for high-percentage threes in half court sets, his offensive production came via transition baskets. Per NBA.com, plays strictly in transition made up 24.5 percent of Omri’s total offense, good for 24th in the league. The more instances where you can attack the opposing defense before they are set and balanced, the better.

This 17-point performance against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans is a fairly accurate encapsulation of Casspi’s offensive tendencies last season:

Ultimately, however, is Casspi a member of Sacramento’s big three? In short, no. For all his creativity on offense, he lacks any consistent ability to stay in front of his counterpart on defense. And his scoring, while exciting, is mainly the result of the system he plays in, as a supplementary piece for better-blessed players.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, like, at all. Omri is the type of player that had long-since vanished (or more likely, fled) from Sleep Train Arena—one capable of scoring efficiently and deferring when necessary, playing within an offense instead of trying to be one’s entirety.

Next: A Star Guard, Perhaps?