Hornets’ Devonte Graham had a hole in his game last season. How he can fill that gap
Much of a revelation as Devonte Graham’s play was last season, scouting caught up to him.
By January, opponents constantly chased the Charlotte Hornets point guard off the 3-point line (where he shot 37%), forcing Graham to make decisions and shots in the mid-range. His shooting efficiency plummeted there, with him making just 27% of his attempts 3-to-10 feet from the basket.
Fixing that hole in Graham’s game is a big part of this off-season, as the Hornets begin two weeks of group practice at Spectrum Center Monday. Hornets coach James Borrego talked to Observer beat writer Rick Bonnell Thursday about Graham’s shooting and other key topics:
Rick Bonnell: What are you advising Devonte about his struggles in the mid-range last season?
James Borrego: “You can’t neglect the areas that got you where you are; he’s got to continue to shoot the ball from 3 at an extremely high clip off the dribble. We know that was a strength of his last year. His range can improve from that area; a number of these point guards aren’t just behind the 3-point line, they’re extending their range. Devonte can extend that range by a foot or two.
“But teams are going to run him inside the 3-point line. What we’re focused on with him is the mid-range (jump shot), the floater and all the way to the rim. All those finishes: left foot, right foot, left hand, right hand. Right around the rim. I expect him to come back much improved inside the 3-point line.”
RB: What have you seen from Malik Monk (who played the best basketball of his career right before a February suspension under the NBA’s anti-drug policy)?
JB: “He looks good. He’s working on his body, on his strength. He’s confident right now. He’s been shooting the ball extremely well. But more than anything, he’s healthy mentally, he’s engaged, he wants to get better. When we saw him last, he was in a good place on the floor. It’s our job to get him there again.”
RB: How do you get the best from both P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges, considering their physical similarities (which makes them somewhat redundant)?
JB: “I’m not going to evaluate them as both (needing to play) the same position. That’s something we’ll look at as an organization at the right time. Both these kids can improve. We’re extremely proud of P.J. (being voted) second-team All-Rookie. He understands he needs to get better, and he will. He’s working on his ball-handling and playmaking and his 3-point shot can improve.
“My message is same for Miles: Making plays off the dribble and shooting the ball at a more consistent level. Both guys are young and developing, and we believe in both of them. Whether they play the same position or not — whether people see them as (power forwards) or (small forwards) — for us, they just have to continue to grow.”
RB: The Hornets had the NBA’s worst defensive rebounding percentage last season. You said that even when the team improved defensively in March, that was still a big weakness. How much can that be addressed internally, versus roster changes?
JB: “I do think a lot of this can be addressed internally. We may not be the biggest team, but we have the fight to dig out more rebounds. We need to be more committed to it. We want to get more possessions than our opponents. We got better (in turnovers) as we became a better decision-making team in March.
“The second level of not giving up the easy bucket is gang rebounding, and we’ve got to set that mentality in these two weeks. So much of this is just valuing the boards more next season.
“It can also be addressed in personnel; there are guys on other rosters who just gobble up every rebound. They’re going to be a great defensive-rebounding team just for having those one or two guys in their frontcourt. My job right now is to pull it more out of this group.”
RB: You said you can never have enough shooting. Can you address how shooting is particularly essential to how you envision an efficient offense?
JB: “Shooting opens up the floor, which makes you harder (for opposing defenses) to attack. When defenders have to stay closer to you, it creates opportunities not only for you but your teammates around you. We want to maximize spacing to get to the rim. And then find open 3s. This isn’t something just the Hornets are trying to do, but we showed last season we’re committed to this style. Our shot profile is now where we want it.”
RB: You said one of the few pluses in the season ending prematurely was opening up time for you to also evaluate draft prospects. Considering the Hornets moved up to No. 3 in the draft lottery, what are your perceptions of this draft field?
Borrego: “This draft isn’t getting hype other drafts have. But in every draft there is talent. We just have to dig through it, and figure out what is best for us. I believe there is talent there. There is high character. A player who will really add value to our program.
“A lot of these guys have not played a lot of basketball; the college season was cut short. There are some international factors in this, as well.
“Mitch (Kupchak, the general manager) and I have dialogue every day. I’m excited about the third pick and the 32nd pick, as well. That’s a really good pick for us. The more I dig in, the more I like.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Hornets’ Devonte Graham had a hole in his game last season. How he can fill that gap."
