Brooklyn Nets 2018-19 Primer: Will Shabazz Napier be Nets off-ball weapon?
Shabazz Napier came to the Brooklyn Nets this summer as a free agent because he saw them as a team “on the rise.” Can he be an off-ball weapon in 2018-19?
When making his decision of where he wanted to play this season, Shabazz Napier saw an opportunity with the Brooklyn Nets, who he said are a team that is “on the rise.,” per Tom Dowd of NBA.com.
Ultimately what sealed the deal in Napier’s choice to come to Brooklyn was coach Kenny Atkinson voicing that he wanted to use Napier as an off-ball threat on offense.
Napier wants to be a contributor in Brooklyn right away and the Nets system will give him the opportunity to put up his best numbers ever.
The outlook for Napier this season is that he is in the right system under Atkinson to not only grow, but put up his best numbers on offense both on- and off-ball.
With that being said, Napier has already established his presence in the NBA, but this season he might just be the Nets best off-ball player they have had in years.
When reporters asked the NBA Veteran about his choice to come to Brooklyn, he said:
"“I felt like that was part of my game, position-less basketball, going up and down, getting the ball moving fast, being able to run to the corners and have somebody else handle the ball.”"
It seems that right away Atkinson and Napier could put together some great opportunities on offense, as up-and-down basketball, corner 3s and sharing the basketball are the cornerstones of Atkinson’s coaching style.
Even though his primary role was leading the point with the second team, Napier became used to splitting the backcourt with superstar point guard, Damian Lillard, similarly in Brooklyn he will be expected to use that experience with D’Angelo Russell.
The fit with Napier seems too good to be true, as all signs in his game point to him being an incredible contributor for the Nets this season. He will have tons of opportunities for catch-and-shoot 3s in Brooklyn.
With more than half of his 81 3s made last season were in catch-and-shoot situations, those numbers are sure to rise under Atkinson’s offense.
With Napier’s quick first step, he is expected to lead the second unit as a point guard, so that Caris LeVert can play where he belongs as a wing with the starters.
Though the Nets are viewed as not having set “positions” on the floor, Napier running the point off the bench will really free up LeVert as an offensive threat, which will be huge.
In the end, Atkinson and general manager Sean Marks are so lucky to have landed Shabazz Napier.
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Between his ability to lead an offense off the bench, run a high-octane offensive scheme, play solid defense and make his 3s, the Nets are sure to use Napier in a large role this season in efforts to maximize his potential in Brooklyn.