Menu

NBA Scouting Reports, Pacific Division (Part Three)

NBA Scouting Reports, Pacific Division (Part Three)
Aug 08, 2008, 02:19 am
Continuing our series of articles filling out our database with scouting reports of every single NBA player, we look at the next team in the Pacific division, the Sacramento Kings.

As a reminder, we are not currently profiling rookies or sophomores, but you should be able to find in-depth scouting reports on every player of note by clicking their profiles or using our search engine above.

Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons
Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers
Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats and Miami Heat
Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards
Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers

Sacramento Kings

Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Overview: A veteran forward who has been on a significant decline over the past few years due to age and a bum knee. Possesses adequate size and strength for both forward positions. Isn’t anywhere near as athletic as he used to be, and isn’t able to be very effective in turn. Still fairly skilled offensively, though, and still has that same nice feel for the game. Can post up, hit a mid-range jumper, and put the ball on the floor craftily. Doesn’t bring the same playmaking ability to the defensive end. Spent only a single season at California before opting to go pro. Put up huge scoring numbers as a true freshman on his way to winning the Pac 10 Player of the Year Award. Transitioned his game to the NBA seamlessly. Has put up big numbers in the NBA, but has become notorious for the lack of success teams he has played on have found. Played in one All-Star game early in his career. Had a trade to the New Jersey Nets nixed due to a knee issue uncovered in his physical, which indeed became an issue down the road. Has seen his numbers and efficiency significantly drop-off in each of the last four years, meaning he is unlikely to have any real value in the next two (expensive) remaining seasons on his contract considering his age.

Offense: A versatile offense player who will get half of his touches as a spot up shooter and when posting up. Can hit a mid-range jumper, but isn’t always consistent. Has a slow and somewhat awkward release. Gets a lot of catch and shoot opportunities inside the arc. More effective shooter off the dribble. Prefers to go to the basket than pull up. Finishes at a decent rate with both hands. Isn’t as athletic as he used to be, but has learned how to use his body better to shield the ball. Has great hands and an excellent feel for putting the ball in the rim. More comfortable shooting the ball from post up situations. Displays nice footwork, a very good turnaround jumper and a solid hook as well. Great touch on his jumper from in close. Tough to defend due to his versatility. Decent ball handler for a post player. Average passer as well. Works well without the ball and grabs offensive rebounds at a decent clip. Used to get to the free throw line at a very high rate. Not the player he used to be anymore, and is unlikely to return to his past form. Loss of quickness and explosiveness really hinders him.

Defense: Somewhat of a liability these days due to his lack of athleticism. Was never considered the most active or intense defender back in the day, but doesn’t have the quickness to make any real impact at this point. Has never been known for his shot-blocking, and isn’t the biggest or strongest player regardless. Struggles to hedge screens. An average rebounder at this point as well.


Ron Artest

Artest still hasn’t officially been traded, and considering that Houston’s scouting reports have already been posted, needs to be added to our database regardless.

Overview: A lock down defender who can shut down a team’s best player while putting up very good scoring numbers most nights. Capable of playing three positions. Average height, but elite physical strength for either wing position. Can push some power forwards off the block. Good lateral quickness. Not super fast, but has quick feet. Passable leaper. Can put up big numbers offensively, even if he’s more known for his defense. Probably the best perimeter defender in the game today. Gets in done on both ends at very high levels. Unique player in that way. Put up good numbers across the board during his two years at St. John’s. Has developed significantly throughout his career. One time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. Well known for his antics on and off the court, which will detract significantly from his legacy as a player. Fiery competitor, but will let that go too far at times—causing him to lose control of himself. Has been a distraction in the past, and is unpredictable moving forward. Will be on his best behavior when he wants to be, but his mood swings violently and unexpectedly. A great basketball player, but his baggage has lost him a significant amount of money and success.

Offense: A scorer who can beat a defense in a number of ways. Gets a third of his touches in one-on-one situations. Also functions as a spot up shooter and a back to the basket scorer in the post. Pretty versatile as a scorer. Displays a compact stroke that he may not shoot with great touch, but will knock it down consistently. Shoots the three ball rather well—something he’s improved on. Also effective as a midrange shooter. Can shoot off the dribble, but falls in love with this shot way too much. Lack of touch is more apparent when he takes jumpers off the dribble from inside the three point line. Sound ball-handling skills—tends more to overpower his man than he does explode past him. Much better going left than he is going right. Good perimeter passer when he wants to be. Decent finisher at the rim, doesn’t have the explosiveness to be great. Gets sent to the line at a high rate. Shoots a decent percentage from the charity stripe. Tremendously effective in the post. Will make a killing with his strength and love of physical contact. Can knock down turnarounds when he doesn’t have a big advantage, or simply bully his way to the rim against smaller players. Tough to stop since he can always get position. Shot-selection is highly questionable at times, particularly on the perimeter. Takes bad shots early in possessions, which kills his team’s rhythm. At times seems more interested in winning personal battles than playing an effective team game. Can shoot his team out of a game in the blink of an eye. Takes quite a heavy load on himself offensively, particularly going one on one.

Defense: Arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. Can lock down the best of the best. So strong and tenacious that he can easily defend some power forwards in spurts. Very tough to get by off the dribble in half court situations. Isn’t the fastest player, but knows what kind of angles he needs to create to deny penetration. Contests every shot his man takes. Displays great anticipation and hand quickness when deflecting passes and stripping ball handlers. One of the best in the NBA at picking up steals, year in and year out. Will suffocate less athletic players. Blocks shots by virtue of his positioning and fundamentals. Knows all the little tricks to get his man off his game. Good defensive rebounder. Gives a lot of hard fouls. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and bring unmatched intensity to the defensive end.



Bobby Brown

Quincy Douby

Patrick Ewing Jr.

Francisco Garcia

Overview: An aggressive shooting guard with a terrific stroke. Tall, long and lanky for the shooting guard position. Not very athletic by NBA standards, but has a high skill level to compensate. Somewhat of an offensive specialist. Will bring the ball up the floor and get his team into their offense at times. One of the best shooters in the NBA. Won’t make an impact defensively. Had a distinguished three year career at Louisville. Didn’t do much during his first two years in the League. Took some time to get acclimated, but has excelled in his third season. Will need to continue producing when Sacramento’s roster is healthy.

Offense: An extremely aggressive offensive player who looks for his shot whenever he can. Gets more than a quarter of his looks as a spot up shooter, but will also function as a ball handler on pick and rolls and as a wing in transition. Displays a very smooth jumper with tremendous consistency from three point range. Relies very heavily on his 3-point shot and has done so throughout his career. Is one of the best catch and shoot players in the NBA, though. Shoots pull up jumpers at an extremely very high rate too. Great touch on his short and midrange shots. Very crafty finisher around the rim due to his length and overall scoring instincts, but will have a tough time scoring in half court settings when post players rotate over to meet him. Lacks the strength and explosiveness to handle defenders well at the basket. More likely to pull-up off the dribble than go all the way to the rim. Solid foul shooter. Good ball handler, but wants to drive left almost exclusively. Effective crossover. Not an effective creator. Looked to for scoring and not much else. Decision making is poor at times. Tends to get too pretty with the ball on occasion. Hasn’t shown the playmaking skills he did in college in terms of making others better. Seems to have even regressed in that regard.

Defense: An average defender at best. A risk taker who will make some plays, but also force his teammates to help him out. Loves to gamble in passing lanes. Will get his fair share of deflections by virtue of his length. Decent shot blocker for a guard. Displays decent rebounding ability. Needs to defend the ball better. Gets beat fairly easy off the dribble by quicker players. Has the length to compensate for his lack of foot speed and needs to learn how to stay far enough off the ball to be able to recover to both shots and drives. Will get posted up at times due to his lack of strength. Struggles to fight through screens. Awareness, intensity are not the best. Fairly foul prone as well.


Spencer Hawes

Anthony Johnson

Johnson signed with the Orlando Magic, but since their scouting reports have already been posted, we’ve decided to place him with his last team.

Overview: A big, strong point guard that doesn’t have much speed or explosiveness. Is taller than most NBA point guards. His strong frame is his most imposing feature. Lacks the athleticism to be counted on very heavily these days. Has turned consistency and solid decision-making into a decade long career, during which he has played for eight different teams. Sports an impressive assist to turnover ratio year in and year out, and has improved his perimeter shooting to the point that he can’t be left open. Spent some time in the NBDL early in his career. Now playing for his ninth team after signing with the Orlando Magic this summer.

Offense: Not much of a scorer at this point, but will take what the defense gives him. Shoots the ball with unusual mechanics, flat-footed with a slow release. Has solid enough form, but needs time and space to get it off. Shoots a decent percentage nonetheless. Won’t rush a shot just because he has a small window. Is only average from the mid-range and the outside. Can create some offense off the pick and roll, but isn’t a great finisher. Struggles to get to the basket due to his non-existent athleticism, and will rarely if ever get to the free throw line. Only an adequate free throw shooter. Displays solid decision-making when running the point. Rarely turns the ball over and shows very nice poise. Lacks the foot speed to draw defenders and create openings for teammates.

Defense: Limited by his physical tools on the defensive end. Lacks foot-speed to defend quicker point guards, but his size allows him to contest and be physical. Doesn’t come up with many steals or blocks despite his physical stature. Pretty good rebounder for his position. Lacks anticipation and explosiveness. Gets beat off the dribble too easily. Has the size to deny penetration when he sees it coming.


Kevin Martin

Overview: One of the top scorers in the NBA these days and the cornerstone of Sacramento’s future. A super efficient scorer who makes a living at the free throw line. Good height for the shooting guard position. Lacks ideal bulk for his position. Exceptionally quick and possesses fine leaping ability. Spent a ton of time working on his perimeter skills and it definitely shows. Blossoming into a great scorer. Still needs to improve his passing ability and defensive skills. Put together an impressive career at Western Carolina. Showed the raw talent to warrant a first-round selection after his junior year. Appears to be extremely coachable. Has become quite a steal.

Offense: One of the most impressive young scorers in the game right now. Can score in a variety of unorthodox ways. Will make significant contributions as a finisher in transition, a one-on-one player, a spot up shooter, and a ball handler in pick and roll situations. Doesn’t display a textbook shot in terms of fundamentals by any means, but is one of the most consistent and efficient shooters in the game, both on the catch and shoot or off the dribble. Can score from everywhere. Will knock down shots with contact, a hand in his face, and off balance. Has amazing touch and superb creativity improvising offensively. Terrific ball handler. Will get to the rim at a superb rate. Displays an extremely quick first step, and will run the floor hard in transition. A master at using shot-fakes to keep his defender off-balance. Uses his length and athleticism at the rim. Finishes at a high clip with contact despite his lanky frame. Goes to the line like a machine and shoots a great percentage. Lead the entire NBA in free throws made in 07-08. Has a terrific feel for moving off the ball and putting himself in position to make a play. Timing, awareness is superb. Not a playmaker at all in terms of creating for others, but also doesn’t turn the ball over all that much. Willingness to become a better passer could be what puts him over the hump.

Defense: An average defensive player who has good awareness and makes smart plays, but lacks a significant amount of strength and isn’t always as intense as you might hope. Possesses a below average wingspan, which hurts him being a great presence contesting shots on the perimeter. Has the quickness to keep most players out of the lane, but doesn’t get in much of a defensive stance and seems to settle for swiping at the ball excessively. Gets overpowered by stronger players making their way to the rim. More concerned with leaking out in transition at times than he is at helping his team finish off a defensive stand. Fairly solid defensive rebounder. Needs to improve on this end, just like Sacramento’s entire roster.


Brad Miller

Overview: A skilled and savvy veteran center who can score, rebound, and is amongst the best passers at his position in the game today. Good height and very good bulk for the center position. Average athlete, who isn’t quick, fast, or especially explosive. One of the most talented and coordinated centers in the League. Great offensive repertoire especially in terms of passing and midrange play. Not your typical big man at all in terms of the way he plays. Had a nice career at Purdue, but had to spend some time overseas to make it to the League. Developed quickly once he got into the NBA. Not a numbers guy, but has appeared in two All-Star games. A bit of a dinosaur in today’s NBA, as he’s too slow to defend many of the more mobile modern big man, but isn’t willing to punish them on mismatches on the other end by taking them inside. Appears to have rededicated himself to conditioning recently, and is still producing at fairly a high level.

Offense: A highly skilled big man who gets almost half of his offense as a spot up shooter, but is also a functional pick and pop player and offensive rebounder. Displays a very good jumper for his size with range all the way out to the three point line. Is most effective as a midrange shooter, where he is actually one of the league’s best amongst big men, which opens up the paint significantly for Sacramento’s slashers. Good catch and shoot guy. Not a very good shooter off the dribble. Likes to have his feet set when he receives the ball. Great pick and pop guy. Adequate ball handler for his position. Likes to drive left. One of the best passing centers in the game. Very good court vision. Thrives as a passer in Sacramento’s offense, particularly from the high post. Gets a surprisingly small number of touches with his back to the basket in the post. Doesn’t seem to want to play inside that much, which hurts his efficiency. Gets better position as an offensive rebounder than he does when he wants the ball in the post. Not very explosive off his feet, which hampers him from finishing inside. Still gets to the free throw line at a solid rate, and shoots a terrific percentage once there.

Defense: Somewhat of a defensive liability in today’s up and down NBA. Gets posted up inside fairly often, and doesn’t offer a great deal of resistance. Tends to swipe at the ball excessively. Displays extremely poor lateral quickness when forced to step outside, looking almost helpless as quicker players blow right by him. Displays very sure hands, and will get his fair share of steals with crafty post defense. Will block some shots by virtue of his height, but isn’t a game changer in that way. Does a good job contesting shots when his defender decides to settle for jumpers. Grabs rebounds at a high rate, thanks to his bulk and outstanding hands. Doesn’t have a lot of trouble fighting for position on the boards. Needs to give a better effort. Commits some unnecessary fouls when he’s beat. Could stand to try and play up to his competition. A change of scenery may help.


Mikki Moore

Overview: A bouncy center who made a name for himself with the Nets late in the 2007 playoffs, partially thanks to Jason Kidd. Tall and long, but very slender. Could really stand to pack some muscle on his frame to help himself defensively. Moves very well for the center spot. Gets off the floor quickly as well, which helps him offensively. Not much of a scorer, but is highly efficient. Solid mid-range shooter. Makes an effort on the defensive end as well. Above average rebounder. Extremely foul prone. Didn’t has a very distinguished career at Nebraska, but put together a decent senior season. Spent time in the minors and overseas before catching on in the NBA. Has blossomed in recent seasons, but is more suited to be a backup.

Offense: A role-playing center who proves to be a very efficient scorer. Gets almost a third of his offense by moving without the ball. Will get quite a few spot up opportunities as well. Solid mid-range jump shooter. Can’t put the ball on the floor to score. Needs to have most of his offense created for him. Displays great timing on his cuts and darts into the open area for easy dunks. Will do the same thing to collect offensive rebounds. Solid finisher in close. Displays a nice right handed hook with his back to the basket. Won’t be able to maintain position for long due to his lack of strength, which makes his ability to time up his cuts that much more important. No real footwork inside the post. Needs to have great passers around him to be most effective. Decent foul shooter who gets to the line at a solid rate. Turns the ball over excessively considering the limited amount of touches he receives.

Defense: A decent defender who seems to have the potential to be a good shot blocker but lacks the awareness to fulfill it. Has the length and leaping ability to contest shots, but doesn’t show the ability to rotate over to the weak side and make plays. Commits a ton of fouls when he does, but also is able to draw offensive fouls. Lacks the strength to get position in the post once his man obtains it. Decent rebounder. Relatively sure handed. Plays with passion, but doesn’t produce more because of it.


John Salmons

Overview: A solid wing who has blossomed in Sacramento a year after signing a mammoth contract. Has excellent physical attributes for the wing—including great size, length and strength for the perimeter. Not a freak, but has very good speed, quickness, and bounce. Has really become a solid offensive player with the Kings. Has always brought it on the defensive end. Displays his versatility during his four years at Miami. Good complimentary player at this point in his career. Starting to come into his own, but still has room for improvement. Very good locker room guy. Does everything a team could ask from a role player. Seems to be improving year by year.

Offense: One of the most improved offensive players in the game right now. Gets a quarter of his offense from isolations with another quarter coming from pick and rolls. Makes an impact as a spot up shooter and a finisher on fast breaks. Doesn’t have a pretty shooting stroke, but has become very consistent from mid-range. Not very prolific or consistent from beyond the arc. Does most of his scoring off the dribble from mid-range. Knocks down pull ups at a high clip. Will get to the rim more often than he’ll pull up. Finishes at the rim at a very high clip. Has the athleticism to make dynamic plays around the basket. Finishes consistently with contact. Goes to the line at a high clip and shoots a very good percentage. Tough to stay in front of. Not a great ball handler, but a passable one. A bit turnover prone. Very good passer. Extremely efficient. Could be extremely tough if he develops a reliable 3-point jumper.

Defense: A very good defender who can defend the perimeter very effectively. Has the size, length and strength to match up with almost anybody. Plays with good intensity, which helps him use his athleticism better than the average player. Displays good lateral quickness when denying penetration, but can be beaten off the dribble. Stays in front of his man and tries to contest everything. Fights through screens. Will make some plays by anticipating passes and getting deflections. Blocks some shots too. Very capable rebounder for his position. Just a solid all around defender.


Sean Singletary

Kenny Thomas

Overview: Aging power forward who hasn’t been able to put together a season comparable to his last in Philadelphia. Appears to be on a serious decline the past few years. Undersized, but compensates with good physical strength. Used to be able to do some damage moving off the ball and using his strength around the basket. Lacks certain perimeter skills that relegate him to the post for the most part. Makes a living at this point as a rebounder, which has always been his forte. Was a very productive player at New Mexico. Worked some of the things he did in college out of his game during his first few seasons in the League. Has had some injury problems throughout his career. Playing under a huge contract he got from Philadelphia that no longer reflects his level of play.

Offense: A hustle player who gets almost all of his touches in that manner. Plays a very active style of offense. Gets a lot of touches by virtue of his effort and awareness. Does a good job moving to the open area under the rim. Fights for position effectively. Will get some possessions with his back to the basket, but doesn’t show the touch required to be efficient. Good offensive rebounder. Isn’t asked to do a lot of scoring. Will set solid screens and work hard to create second chances. Doesn’t show much of a jumper anymore. Thrives on physical contact, but shoots a poor percentage at the free throw line.

Defense: An average defender who rebounds at a high rate in limited minutes. Knows how to use his body to prevent offensive players from getting to missed shots. Boxes out well, and does a good job securing the ball. Doesn’t have the height or explosiveness to make be a shot blocking presence. Will get taken advantage of in the post by taller players. Does a pretty good job defending ball handlers at his position though. Displays quick hands when swiping at the ball for steals. Limited by his size, but plays tough.


Jason Thompson

Beno Udrih

Overview: A tall point guard with pedestrian athleticism, but a good stroke and an advanced feel for the game. Has good height for the point guard spot, and a decent build to match. Isn’t quite strong enough to take advantage of his size. Doesn’t bring a lot to the table in terms of leaping ability or quickness. Knows how to the run the point effectively. Makes a living as a distributor, but has proven capable of putting points on the board as well. Doesn’t have the physical assets to be a good defender, but knows how to hold his own. Honed his skills in Slovenia as a youth, but played in a number of countries before finding his way to the NBA. Won NBA Championships with the Spurs in 2005 and 2007, but wasn’t an integral part of either playoff run. Was known as being very injury prone throughout his career. Has found himself since landing in Sacramento. Signed to a long-term deal now for the full mid-level. Yet to show whether he can hold up and be a starting caliber point guard on a winning team.

Offense: A solid offensive point guard who is a solid distributor, a good shooter, and a decent overall scorer. Gets more than half of his offense from pick and roll situations, reflecting the fact that he needs a screen typically to get going off the dribble. Displays a consistent shooting stroke with great range. Knocks down three pointers at a great clip, but doesn’t shoot many. Great catch and shoot guy. Decent shooter off the dribble. Displays very good touch on every shot he takes. In contrast to his shooting ability, he has a very hard time finishing at the rim. Doesn’t deal well with help defenders or physical contact. Simply isn’t quick enough to gain separation or athletic enough to make dynamic plays. Likes to drive right to go to the rim. Displays very good ball handling ability, but will over dribble drives periodically. Gets to the line at an average rate, but is a great foul shooter. Does a good job getting his teammates involved. Doesn’t have a distinguished offensive game outside of his shooting, which is something that doesn’t help his numbers. Still growing on the offensive end. Needs to cut down on his turnovers.

Defense: An average defensive point guard who maximizes his limited physical tools with effort and great awareness. Lacks the lateral quickness to play physically on most ball handlers, so he uses his height to maintain a safe distance from his man. Will get beaten off the dribble, but not as often as players with comparable foot speed. Collects some steals by playing great help side defense. Knows when to get into position and meet the drive. Solid rebounder for his position. Not the best defender, but shows that he can be effective against lesser point guards despite his lack of quickness.


Shelden Williams

Recent articles

1.7 Points
1.7 Rebounds
0.7 Assists
5.5 PER
-->
2.2 Points
0.8 Rebounds
0.4 Assists
5.9 PER
-->
7.8 Points
2.1 Rebounds
3.9 Assists
7.5 PER
-->
20.3 Points
2.4 Rebounds
4.0 Assists
25.4 PER
-->
6.0 Points
4.0 Rebounds
0.5 Assists
14.4 PER
-->
8.8 Points
2.2 Rebounds
1.6 Assists
7.1 PER
-->
14.2 Points
7.2 Rebounds
4.0 Assists
23.2 PER
-->
4.2 Points
1.5 Rebounds
2.0 Assists
12.5 PER
-->
10.6 Points
2.1 Rebounds
1.2 Assists
11.9 PER
-->
2.3 Points
1.3 Rebounds
1.6 Assists
10.7 PER
-->
6.0 Points
4.1 Rebounds
0.8 Assists
5.4 PER
-->
6.0 Points
4.3 Rebounds
3.3 Assists
13.5 PER
-->
1.5 Points
1.5 Rebounds
0.8 Assists
1.4 PER
-->
4.3 Points
0.7 Rebounds
3.7 Assists
6.8 PER
-->
2.0 Points
0.0 Rebounds
1.0 Assists
5.7 PER
-->
0.0 Points
0.0 Rebounds
0.0 Assists
0.0 PER
-->
0.0 Points
0.0 Rebounds
0.0 Assists
0.0 PER
-->
19.7 Points
13.3 Rebounds
1.7 Assists
25.8 PER
-->

Twitter @DraftExpress

DraftExpress Shop