Could the Charlotte Hornets add Reed Sheppard into the backcourt with LaMelo Ball?
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Those that behold Reed Sheppard in a positive light see a potential lead guard with a limitless ceiling. Those that behold Sheppard in a negative light see an undersized guard in a big man’s league that will struggle to find a long-term role.
He hit 56.4% of his catch and shoot threes, and poured them in at a 57.4% rate when he was ungarded. An ungodly number. His mechanics are about as smooth as it gets for such a young player. Our very own James Plowright did a deep dive into his shooting statistics, and they all point to a prospect with elite shooting touch.If new head coach Charles Lee runs an offense like his current boss, Joe Mazzulla, Sheppard would have a sure-fire role in Charlotte.
His fit as a secondary ball-handler sharing the floor with LaMelo Ball is tantalizing. They are both smart basketball player that thrive in transition. A Reed Sheppard and LaMelo Ball back court be free-flowing, and each of their strengths both overlap and compliment the other well. Rim pressure would lack, but Brandon Miller's individual creation ability and high-flying athleticism would fix that problem easily.
Smaller guards had similar question marks early in their careers. Those two, and countless others, developed great touch around the rim, the ability to finish off both feet, and overall craft that mitigated their lack of size. Now, I'm not saying Sheppard will develop into a Nash or a Curry, but relentlessly working on that touch and craft around the rim will raise his ceiling immensely.
Sheppard will undoubtedly be attacked by opposing offenses early on in his career, but his understanding of space on defense, his competitive fire, and his good hands give teams something to gamble on. I am of the belief that Ball and Sheppard can both co-exist, and play off of each other. In minutes where they share the floor, the Hornets offense would be humming. Both players are elite shooters. They could spot up while the other one initates the offense. Both players are smart proccessors and great passers. In those spot up scenarios, they could keep the ball flowing while the other creates. It would be a symphony on offense that Charlotte hasn't seen in some time.
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