Getting to Know The New Guys: Brandan Wright
The Boston Celtics may have traded Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell to the Dallas Mavericks, but they did not do so for a handful of magic beans. Boston did get some intriguing players in return, most notably Brandan Wright, who instantly makes Boston’s front court better, especially on the defensive end.
I asked Jay Knodell, the editor at The Smoking Cuban, to give me the scroop on Boston’s newest player, and here is what Jay wrote:
Brandan Wright
Wright’s freakish athletic ability and 7’4” wingspan serve him well. He’s great in the pick-and-roll, has soft hands, and finishes around the rim as well as anyone. He’s leading the league in field goal percentage at a robust 75%, and has a PER of 26.1, fourth best in the association.
But his impact is limited to the painted area offensively. He doesn’t possess a reliable jump shot, and rarely even looks to take one. 70% of his shot attempts come within three feet of the hoop. Even so, that impact should not be understated. His thunderous lob finishes have sparked many a run for the Mavericks.
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His athleticism combined with his high-energy play enable Wright to be effective on the offensive boards. Half of his rebounds come on that end. And he’s learned the art of the “tip-out” from his (former) teammate Tyson Chandler well. But his lack of strength seems to be a problem for him on the defensive glass. He’s often muscled out of position, even when he boxes out.
He isn’t a great individual post defender but is phenomenal rotating from the weak side as a help defender. He’s blocking nearly two shots a game in only 18 minutes, erasing the mistakes made by poor perimeter defenders. He does a good job keeping the ball in play when he blocks a shot, a la Bill Russell, and it often leads to transition offense. If you’re looking for someone to block a shot on one end, run the floor and catch a lob for a dunk on the other end, Wright is your guy.
At $5 million dollars Wright may be the biggest bargain in the NBA. Of course, his deal only runs through the end of this season. If I were Danny Ainge I would do my best to extend him if the price is reasonable. He’s relatively young at 27 years old, and provides the type of rim protection Boston lacks.
For those of you who want to follow Rondo’s career with the Mavericks, make sure you give Jay (@jknodell4) and the site (@thesmokingcuban) a follow on Twitter!