How is the best shooter in a draft class unable to make open shots in year 3 I don’t get it
December 27, 2025
How is the best shooter in a draft class unable to make open shots in year 3 I don’t get it
19 comments
Maybe the coaching staff has complicated his game too much feel like he’s doing too much out there on offence and defence when things could be so much simpler
It could be a timing thing, maybe not ready yet, maybe a lot going on in his head, maybe overly excited, possibly fatigued, there are many reasons Dick struggles.
I see him drive the basket off a fake far too often. Not a great dribbler or a strong finisher, often gets stopped or blocked. His job is to shoot, so he ought to try shooting. Maybe coaching, maybe him, but either way, he is playing away from his strength.
Must be the system
He’s just too in his head it happens
probably a mental thing
he’s gone from mostly starting and getting a consistent 30mpg last season to getting a couple small stints off the bench per game this season. rhythm and confidence is probably shot
BECAUSE HE PUT ON A TON OF MUSCLE AND THE WEIGHT OF THE BALL FEELS DIFFERENT NOW AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET USED TO IT
You see him rush his shot all the time even when he’s wide open. The coaching staff is not helping him in any way.
There’s really not that much to it. Even in his best year, Gradey was an NBA average 3p shooter. That is all with a fairly easy shot diet (mostly catch and shoot, not much pull-up).
He doesn’t have a great way to get open. He’s never shown much range beyond the 3p line and also doesn’t make a lot of contested shots. He’s limited at what he can do as a shooter and has only made his easy threes at an okay rate.
It’s a make or miss league Doug, basically.
His balls just aren’t dropping 🤷♂️
Mental yes, but I also wonder if it’s management again trying to make a player somebody that they’re not. Remember Precious? He came off to me as a high energy type of player (Faried as an example).
But what did management/coaching do? They tried to get him to play like Scottie Barnes lite. Being an above average passes at the position no way in hell means he should be playing point forward 🤣.
I feel for Gradey, the problem is, they’re still hoping they can get the consistent 3 and D winger out of him, and that just isn’t his game. Sometimes, you just need to focus in on a players niche. Gradey doesn’t need to be the 3/D starter they hope for. Focus on his shooting and he can become that deadly shooting winger who’s first or second off the bench. Otherwise, it’ll just lead to more and more disappointment for both Gradey, and us
all the so called shooters from that class failed. Howard, Dick, Hawkins. Not just Dick
Because the NBA game is too fast for Gradey. The game seems to never have slowed down for him when you watch him on the court.
Confidence, or lack thereof.
That said, great shooters are mentally tough. TBD if he is and can shake this off
Raps also moved heavily into iso ball even though the movement offence was why they rattled off 13 wins. Hopefully with rj and yak back everyone fits back in and he can play with more movement instead of spotting up in corner.
He went limp.
gradey wasn’t a good 3 point shooter in his first and second year so him also not being good in his third year isn’t that shocking. i don’t think it’s a mental thing like other people say because his shot never conveyed in the first place, he’s still 22 so there’s always hope but as of now he doesn’t look like an nba player
I’ve watched most of the games this season and the bulk of his misses are front of rim. I think this is due to him trying to control the power he has gained with the added muscle mass. His 3’s were always so clean and his shot was beautiful so I think it is just a matter of reps and then confidence.
Can’t we just turn him into our Sam Hauser for now? Just focus on open 3s on offense. Pass if the shot is not there.
19 comments
Maybe the coaching staff has complicated his game too much feel like he’s doing too much out there on offence and defence when things could be so much simpler
It could be a timing thing, maybe not ready yet, maybe a lot going on in his head, maybe overly excited, possibly fatigued, there are many reasons Dick struggles.
I see him drive the basket off a fake far too often. Not a great dribbler or a strong finisher, often gets stopped or blocked. His job is to shoot, so he ought to try shooting. Maybe coaching, maybe him, but either way, he is playing away from his strength.
Must be the system
He’s just too in his head it happens
probably a mental thing
he’s gone from mostly starting and getting a consistent 30mpg last season to getting a couple small stints off the bench per game this season. rhythm and confidence is probably shot
BECAUSE HE PUT ON A TON OF MUSCLE AND THE WEIGHT OF THE BALL FEELS DIFFERENT NOW AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET USED TO IT
You see him rush his shot all the time even when he’s wide open. The coaching staff is not helping him in any way.
There’s really not that much to it. Even in his best year, Gradey was an NBA average 3p shooter. That is all with a fairly easy shot diet (mostly catch and shoot, not much pull-up).
He doesn’t have a great way to get open. He’s never shown much range beyond the 3p line and also doesn’t make a lot of contested shots. He’s limited at what he can do as a shooter and has only made his easy threes at an okay rate.
It’s a make or miss league Doug, basically.
His balls just aren’t dropping 🤷♂️
Mental yes, but I also wonder if it’s management again trying to make a player somebody that they’re not. Remember Precious? He came off to me as a high energy type of player (Faried as an example).
But what did management/coaching do? They tried to get him to play like Scottie Barnes lite. Being an above average passes at the position no way in hell means he should be playing point forward 🤣.
I feel for Gradey, the problem is, they’re still hoping they can get the consistent 3 and D winger out of him, and that just isn’t his game. Sometimes, you just need to focus in on a players niche. Gradey doesn’t need to be the 3/D starter they hope for. Focus on his shooting and he can become that deadly shooting winger who’s first or second off the bench. Otherwise, it’ll just lead to more and more disappointment for both Gradey, and us
all the so called shooters from that class failed. Howard, Dick, Hawkins. Not just Dick
Because the NBA game is too fast for Gradey. The game seems to never have slowed down for him when you watch him on the court.
Confidence, or lack thereof.
That said, great shooters are mentally tough. TBD if he is and can shake this off
Raps also moved heavily into iso ball even though the movement offence was why they rattled off 13 wins. Hopefully with rj and yak back everyone fits back in and he can play with more movement instead of spotting up in corner.
He went limp.
gradey wasn’t a good 3 point shooter in his first and second year so him also not being good in his third year isn’t that shocking. i don’t think it’s a mental thing like other people say because his shot never conveyed in the first place, he’s still 22 so there’s always hope but as of now he doesn’t look like an nba player
I’ve watched most of the games this season and the bulk of his misses are front of rim. I think this is due to him trying to control the power he has gained with the added muscle mass. His 3’s were always so clean and his shot was beautiful so I think it is just a matter of reps and then confidence.
Can’t we just turn him into our Sam Hauser for now? Just focus on open 3s on offense. Pass if the shot is not there.