ESPN Player Profiles for 2014-15

[Douglar]

ESPN has their player profiles updated for the first time since Hollinger left.

They have season predictions for all the advanced stats except PER.

Here are excepts from the scouting reports for the Cavs players--

Kyrie Scouting report

+ Blossoming, upper-tier point guard with good playmaking and ball-protection skills.
+ Equally adept scoring on jumpers off the dribble with range and attacking the lane.
+ Indifferent defender despite high-level athletic ability.​

Dellavedova Scouting report

+ Steady, efficient player who knocks down good percentage of open looks.
+ A worker on defense, can get in trouble if left on an island.
+ Limited athletically.​

Dion Scouting report

+ Versatile volume scorer.
+ Good with ball in hands, but improved as catch-and-shooter.
+ Combo guard body and struggles on defense.​

Miller Scouting report

+ One of the most consistent and prolific 3-point shooters in the league.
+ Value-added floor game appears to be in decline.
+ Has history of back trouble, though played 82 games last season.​

Joe Harris Scouting report

+ Dead-eye long-range shooter with a quick release.
+ Decent foul-drawing rates suggest ability to make plays against close-outs.
+ Good defender in college will have to battle against limited athleticism.​

Lebron Scouting report

+ Remains the NBA's best player.
+ Has three straight seasons with usage rate over 30 percent, and true shooting percentage over 60.
+ Former all-NBA defender whose performances there ebbed last season.​

Marion Scouting report

+ Remains a versatile and effective defender.
+ Runs the floor and is satisfied with a supporting role.
+ Not an elite shooter, but effective enough from corners to may overloading defenses pay.​

Jones Scouting report

+ Consistent high-level deep shooter with range and quick release.
+ Rarely ventures inside arc or displays any kind of floor game.
+ Serviceable if immobile defender with good length.​

Love Scouting report

+ Rare combination of post play and 3-point shooting ability from frontcourt.
+ Elite rebounder on defensive end, though increased time on perimeter has undermined offensive board rates.
+ Poor defensive reputation not supported by metrics.​

Thompson Scouting report

+ Top rebounder on both ends.
+ Switch in shooting hand helped free throw percentage.
+ Needs to improve rim protection and overall defense.​

Varejao Scouting report

+ Skilled center with glue-player skills.
+ Elite rebounder on both ends.
+ Good position interior defender who lacks the classic length of a true rim protector.​

Alex Kirk Scouting report

+ Solid rebounder and shot blocker
+ Seven-foot frame sometimes burdened with back issues and poor conditioning.
+ Needs to develop face-up shot.​

( Price, Amundson, and Haywood didn't have writeups )

Excerpt from Varejao analysis:

If there is one area of concern about the revved-up Cavaliers, it's interior defense. Varejao at his best is an ideal glue player. He passes well, doesn't need many possessions and controls the defensive glass. As a center, he's not an ideal lane protector, with a block rate less than half of what you expect from the position. Yet he's still effective because of above-average steal rates for the position and the ability to draw offensive fouls, though he fell off on the latter front last season. The lack of length shows up more in Varejao's metrics against the post. He's the best Cleveland has for the job, yet Dave Blatt needs to keep him healthy. It'll be a tricky balancing act.​

 

[Cassity14]

TT is a "top rebounder on both ends". I thought he was just decent?

 

[Douglar]

TT is a "top rebounder on both ends". I thought he was just decent?

Tristan is a "decent" rebounder. He is above average on both ends of the floor. "Top rebounder" sounds pretty impressive, until you see that Love and Varejao got the "elite rebounder" merit badge. Those two are top 15. Thompson is top 50.

 

[shoes22]

TT is a "top rebounder on both ends". I thought he was just decent?

Don't know if this is sarcasm or not, but he's far better than decent. I'd say he's in the top 25% in rebounding for the PF/C position, even though he's probably the 3rd best rebounder on the team behind Love and Varejao. Those two just happen to be crazy good.

 

[Cassity14]

Don't know if this is sarcasm or not, but he's far better than decent. I'd say he's in the top 25% in rebounding for the PF/C position, even though he's probably the 3rd best rebounder on the team behind Love and Varejao. Those two just happen to be crazy good.

I was being sarcastic. The argument on Tristan has gone pretty circular. Some say he has no quality NBA skill, others claim that his rebounding is a big time skill for the team, and then the response is that he's nothing more than a decent rebounder who inflated numbers on a bad team.

I'm of the belief that he's one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA and he's a very good defensive rebounder as well. I'm just happy to see him get that level of recognition.

 

[shoes22]

I was being sarcastic. The argument on Tristan has gone pretty circular. Some say he has no quality NBA skill, others claim that his rebounding is a big time skill for the team, and then the response is that he's nothing more than a decent rebounder who inflated numbers on a bad team.

I'm of the belief that he's one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA and he's a very good defensive rebounder as well. I'm just happy to see him get that level of recognition.

Yeah I agree with that. TT picks up offensive rebounds at an elite level, while his defensive rebounding is merely good. His haters like to discredit his contributions by saying "He's just rebounding his own misses".

 

[Simon]

Why are people getting mad Kobe is ranked, what, 39? He barely played last season....

 

[Cavatt]

TT continues to improve. Kept possessions alive against West and Hibbert last night like a man. The fact he still puts up good numbers rebounding while playing with Andy sealed the deal on this for me long ago.

 

[Douglar]

Tristan is the kind of guy that I expect will continue to improve for a long time. He's got two really positive things going for him. He's a hard worker. He's nigh invulnerable. If a player works heard and doesn't get injured when playing at an NBA level, he's going to keep getting better for quite a while until he reaches his own internal Drew Gooden point.

 

[blommen]

Tristan is the kind of guy that I expect will continue to improve for a long time. He's got two really positive things going for him. He's a hard worker. He's nigh invulnerable. If a player works heard and doesn't get injured when playing at an NBA level, he's going to keep getting better for quite a while until he reaches his own internal Drew Gooden point.

I've been touting this viewpoint for some time now and I definitely think it's going to become more apparent to people as the season progresses. While Tristan may not be the most talented player on the team, he is most certainly on of, if not the most hard working player on the team. the fact that most of his inefficencies can be corrected by repetition and experience is just further proof that Tristan is far from a finished product. With the way he has evolved his game I wouldn't be at all surprised if he had reliable midrange game out to 15 feet, simply by working on it 'til he pukes.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Why are people getting mad Kobe is ranked, what, 39? He barely played last season....

I personally think Kobe is done. He's about to become another formerly elite player who stuck around for a few years too long and started getting worked over by the scrubs he used to destroy. Always sad when that happens.

 

[Douglar]

Kobe is going to knife fight anyone who comes between him and passing Jordan's career points scored, even if it means giving phoenix the #6 pick in the up coming draft.

 

[blommen]

Kobe is going to knife fight anyone who comes between him and passing Jordan's career points scored, even if it means giving phoenix the #6 pick in the up coming draft.

Just imagine if Duncan wins another ring... Kobe's never going to retire just so he can make sure that no one from that generation was more succesful than him.

 

[PriceFan14]

Just imagine if Duncan wins another ring... Kobe's never going to retire just so he can make sure that no one from that generation was more succesful than him.

Unless he signs with us for vet min he's NOT GONNA WIN ANOTHER CHIP. When that topic comes, Jordan comparisons comes too. Actually he and Jordan comparisons are ALL silly. He's play style looks like him but accomplishments never arround Jordan. Kobe just has 1 MVP and 2 Finals MVP and 3 more rings handed out from the last dominant center who would've killed everybody at that time. That's it. LeBron is already more accomplished than him as personel awards. LeBron only needs to catch Jordan or Kobe in ring number which he'll gonna do here. Kobe knows he won't win another so he's only arround to past Jordan in total scoring. Though he's closer to be the one who took most missed shots then 3rd in scoring to pass Jordan.