Grading Jevon Carter's Sophomore Season in the NBA
The 2019-20 NBA regular season is looking more and more likely to be cancelled every waking minute. With that being said, it only seems fitting to recap Jevon Carter's sophomore season in the NBA.
I had the opportunity to cover and watch Carter for the majority of the season. While watching, I noticed several offensive and defensive tendencies that I loved as I really don't have many negative takes to dissect. However, there are a couple aspects of Carter's game that, if improved, could really take him to the next level in this league. I want to first, compliment Carter on an incredible season as he took advantage of every opportunity that he was given, all while having to deal with the nuance of living in a new city. Before COVID-19 stole the show, Carter had earned a significant increase in minutes.
Carter played in 50 games totaling - 4.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game and shot 40% from the floor and 39.3% from behind the arc. He improved in every facet of the game and has showed that he holds value in this league.
Offensive Grade: B-
Forget the numbers. I have always been a guy that knows the importance of statistics. However, strictly following stats is for the casual fan.
Carter could improve his mid-range game marginally. His 39.3% from three is really exciting to see. Why? Well, the main concern in Memphis was his shooting. Carter is Westbrook-esque in the sense that he doesn't take a night off. However, similar to Westbrook, Carter goes so hard that his shooting can be a little inconsistent. However, Carter became much more efficient on the offensive end this season. He raised his field goal percentage up 5%, as well as his three-point shooting up 3%.
Don't sleep on those numbers. Those numbers are a key factor into why Carter received an A- from me. It showed that he knows what his biggest struggle was from his rookie campaign and that he worked on it.
Aside from the percentages, Carter knows how to move with and without the basketball. A lot of times, Booker is the iso guy. He really isn't looking for the best looks for his teammates', but that's why Booker is an all-star. However, Carter has navigated that offense to the point that he knows the exact positioning he needs to be in to get open looks from behind the arc. That is another reason why he is shooting almost 40% from the perimeter. The bulk of Carter's looks are open. Carter also moves well in transition, knows where to be and has improved with every nuance he faced this season.
Navigating all of that, it's really a shame that Mountaineer fans didn't get to see Carter finish the regular season. Shoutout corona.
Defensive Grade: A+
I promise I am not just being bias. Turn on the tape and you'll understand. The Suns rank 19th in the league defensively. Without Carter, I would assume they'd be closer to the bottom. Similar to the offensive end, Carter navigates the defense. He is essentially the quarterback on that end. He knows how to navigate his way through advanced switches and doesn't make many mistakes.
Carter averaged 0.8 steals per game this year. I have reason to believe that had this season been able to conclude, Carter would have raised that even higher simply from being on the court more.
The biggest flaw doesn't come from Carter, but his teammates. The Suns just aren't a defensive minded team. Making it hard for a defensive star to thrive on that end. However, Carter is still able to do it. That's the sole reason he earned such a high grade from me. Again, just turn the tape on and you'll understand what I am trying to articulate.
Overall Grade: A
While he improved his points, rebounds and assists marginally, Carter is young. The potential is through the roof. He has showed his worth in this league. Most importantly, showed that Memphis made a mistake in letting him go.
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