By Josh CohenOct. 22, 2015
Karl Anthony-Towns
STRENGTHS: Reliable mid-range jumper (7-for-13 from 15 to 19 feet out), comfortable driving and hooking (2-for-3 on these scoring attempts) above average pick-and-pop & pick-and-roll player, can score coming off screens, legit shot blocker, decent footwork, adequate athleticism, excellent hands, solid rebounder
WEAKNESSES: Not yet a 3-point threat like advertised (0-for-2 from downtown), Sometimes uncoordinated and gangly when making a move towards basket, Not really explosive, Foul prone (2.7 fouls per game in 21.6 minutes), Doesn’t yet excel playing in transition (only 0.3 fast break points per game)
D’Angelo Russell
STRENGTHS: Doesn’t force the issue (only 1.2 turnovers and 1.0 fouls per game), above average court vision & instincts (had game with 11 assists), very crafty around basket, decent jump shooter, runs pick-and-roll well, good hands on defense (102.0 defensive rating) and does good job disrupting passing lanes and shots
WEAKNESSESS: Not super athletic, doesn’t elude defenders well, easily gets forced into contested jumpers, pace of play subpar (101.3), not strong enough yet to finish AND-1 opportunities (1.5 FTA per game)
Jahlil Okafor
STRENGTHS: Above average footwork, crafty around rim (nearly perfect from field on all shots except jumpers), Better free throw shooter than advertised (currently 8-for-9), terrific hands, very instinctual without ball (knows where to station himself), equally effective with back to basket or facing up
WEAKNESSES: Below average jump shooter (6-of-15 from 8 to 16 feet out and 0-for-3 from 16 to 24 feet out), not a superior rebounder yet (doesn’t leap off floor well and occasionally gets lethargic boxing out), lateral quickness somewhat of an issue but his size makes it difficult for opponents to escape him (impressive 93.8 defensive rating)
Kristaps Porzingis
STRENGTHS: Prototypical stretch four, excellent range on jump shot (43 percent from 3-point range), Decent rebounder (5.3 boards per game), aggressive shot blocker (1.3 swats per game), beneficiary of dribble-drives and kick-outs (89 percent of field goals made assisted)
WEAKNESSES: Uncomfortable in paint, shots easily get redirected down low (1-for-6 on shots within five feet from basket), poor footwork and no post-up game (only has taken five shots in the paint, non-restricted area), tends to station himself at the top of the arc and doesn’t move around well (no shots yet from the corners), very gangly running up and down the floor, doesn’t score much off the dribble (11 percent of made shots unassisted), easily gets off-balanced
Mario Hezonja
STRENGTHS: Outstanding shooting mechanics, extremely quick release, equally effective shooting in catch-and-shoot situations or when pulling up off the dribble (3-for-4 on pull-up jump shots and 2-for-2 on running jump shots), very instinctual and willing playmaker, very comfortable playing in transition, super athletic, very intelligent and confident, capitalizes on free throw opportunities (83 percent from line), perfect complement to attacking guards like Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton, fearless (attacked several times on Anthony Davis in recent game)
WEAKNESSES: Not always responsive defensively (108.3 defensive rating), doesn’t always fight through screens, doesn’t have an array of offensive moves, generally needs a screen to elude a defender (however at 6’8, he can shoot over pretty much any defender), sometimes makes decisions before play materializes
Willie Cauley-Stein
STRENGTHS: Runs floor extremely well, terrific offensive rebounder (4.3 points in paint and 1.8 points off second chance opportunities per game), deceptive body movements, extremely quick laterally and guards multiple positions (98.2 defensive rating), understands his role (hasn’t forced any ill-advised shots yet), above average shot blocker (8 swats in six games), powerful finisher (dunks instead of lays it up), moves along the baseline well
WEAKNESSES: Limited offensive game (has only attempted one shot outside of eight feet from basket), very uncoordinated when handling the ball, poor free throw shooter (7-of-15 from stripe), offensive restrictions allow opponents to sag off and concentrate on other players (he often hangs out along baseline while play materializes), foul prone (16 fouls in six games)
Emmanuel Mudiay
STRENGTHS: Excellent creating his own shots (22 of 27 made shots unassisted), super explosive (eludes defenders well), strong body and initiates contact well (20 free throw attempts in five games), more willing 3-point shooter than advertised (6-of-16 from distance), superb in transition (2.4 fast break points per game), feisty defender (97.7 defensive rating), ability to break down defense opens up passing opportunities (5.4 assists per game)
WEAKNESSESS: Very turnover prone (4.8 cough-ups per game), loses balance often which impacts his decision-making, tries to be too dazzling sometimes rather than make the simple play, suspect jump shooter (8-of-21 on shots between 10 and 20 feet from basket), sometimes takes unnecessary shots (only shooting 37 percent from field), more of a creative finisher than a power finisher (only one dunk so far), sometimes ball never leaves his hands during a possession (only 18.5 percent of made shots assisted)
Stanley Johnson
STRENGTHS: Extremely strong, more versatile than advertised (balanced shot selection), willing to battle in paint against anyone (averaging 5.1 points in paint per game), initiates and absorbs contact well (24 FT attempts in seven games), adequate athleticism, effective in transition (like a train going down the railroad), decent 3-point shooter (40 percent from distance), decent rebounder
WEAKNESSES: Not a terrific finisher (shooting 38.5 percent from field), foul prone (23 fouls in seven games), more likely to try and draw foul rather than escape defender for cleaner shot, loses his balance occasionally on drives to rim, streaky shooter (only 1-for-6 on attempts between 10 and 14 feet from basket).
Frank Kaminsky
STRENGTHS: Good pick-and-pop guy, able to stretch the floor because of his size and shooting ability, far more willing defender than advertised (85.8 defensive rating), decent shot fake to get opponents off feet, stays out of foul trouble (only seven fouls in seven games), decent rebounder (5.3 boards per game), plays smart and doesn’t force action (only 1.2 turnovers per game), high release on shot makes it difficult for defenders to guard
WEAKNESSES: Struggles scoring close to basket (1-of-6 on attempts between five and nine feet from hoop and 0-for-4 on attempts between 10 and 14 feet out), very slow first step off dribble, not comfortable with back to basket, not very athletic or explosive
Justise Winslow
STRENGTHS: Relentless looking for contact (17 FT attempts in five games), clearly is trying to model game after James Harden (absorbing contact and footwork are similar), has a legit Eurostep on drives to rim and does good job contorting his body to avoid a charge, willing playmaker and facilitator (19 assists in five games), extremely strong body, difficult to escape him defensively (88.3 defensive rating), not afraid to battle down low (3.2 points in paint per game)
WEAKNESSES: Abysmal shooting to start (12.5 percent from 3-point distance, 30 percent from field and 2-of-17 on jump shots), always looking to initiate contact that sometimes he throws himself off balance and forces up bad shot, not very athletic or explosive, doesn’t really have a steady offensive move to create space for a shot
