Traoré attacks the rim relentlessly, but struggles to finish. Developing his mid-range and 3-point shots is crucial for Brooklyn's young guard.
Nolan Traoré received extended minutes at the beginning of the new year for the Brooklyn Nets, and while he made the most of his opportunities, there is still room for growth for the young guard.
The 19-year-old averaged 23.9 minutes per game from January to April. In those minutes, he showcased the strengths that lay the foundation for much-needed improvement. He also showed the weaknesses in his game that opposing defenses exploited.
Traoré is a strong driver, especially in the pick-and-roll game, but his finishing was among the worst in his position.
“He got to the rim a lot, but he shot 45% on his rim attempts,” Erik Slater, the host of the “Locked On Nets” podcast and Nets beat reporter for Clutch Points, said last Friday. “That was the worst percentage among all guards to play over 1,000 minutes this season.”
While Traoré can attack downhill, his position-worst field-goal percentage at the rim almost negates that strength in his game.
Slater noted that a consistent mid-range game for Traoré could be a more efficient alternative for Brooklyn’s 19th pick in last year’s draft.
“If he can gain a little bit of craft in the mid-range, if the floater can be consistent, some pull-ups, he can learn how to buy himself time in those areas and become an efficient passer,” Slater said.
An improved mid-range game could help Traoré probe more in the pick-and-roll, allowing the screener to roll and force the defense to target the ball-handler or the screener.
Another improvement in the young guard’s game is three-point shooting, especially in high-volume pick-and-roll situations, as he did during the season.
He shot 31.8 percent from 3-point range, and opposing defenses went under screens to give him wide-open threes.
Against the Houston Rockets to kick off the new year, Traoré went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, shooting the wide-open threes the defense gave him. Coach Jordy Fernández said Traoré could shoot as many catch-and-shoot threes as he wants, but he didn’t love the pull-up threes.
“I don’t love it because he hasn’t shown he can make it consistently,” Fernandez said after the loss.
Improvement from the three-point range could give Traoré's game much more versatility and aid his playmaking.
The Créteil, France, native recorded 15 points or more in 11 games since the beginning of the new year. Traoré has shown flashes of scoring and playmaking, and the next goal is to become consistent as a finisher and shooter.
Three-point shooting and the mid-range game are staples of today's basketball, and the ability to be efficient at those skills is highly valuable.
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