Denver Nuggets: Should The Nuggets Look At Other SG Options?
Randy Foye‘s Denver Nuggets career has not gotten off to the start that he or management anticipated. Through 12 games, the eight-year man out of Villanova has struggled in almost all aspects of the game. Foye is on pace for a career-low shooting percentage, free throw percentage, points per game. However one aspect of his game has carried over: 3-point shooting.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/25/2013.
As you can see, he is below his career averages in almost all major statistical categories. What has caused Foye to get off to a slow start? Shot selection. Take a look at this his shot selection this year:
Randy Foye shot chart 2013-14.
Credit: NBA.com/stats
Now lets compare it to last year’s shot selection; when Roye was a member of the Utah Jazz:
Randy Foye 2012-13 shot chart. Credit: NBA.com/stats
As you can see, Foye has been getting away from his game. In 2012-13 Foye found the most success when he shot the 3-ball from the center or left hand side. In fact, out of the 434 3-pointers he put up, 240 of them were from the center or left hand side. That accounts for 55 percent of his 3-point shots. So far this season only 46 percent of his shots have been from that area. Additionally Foye has been getting away from his mid-range game. Last year Foye shot 139 mid-range jumpers, making 38 percent of them. So 20 percent of his shots were mid-range ones. So far this year, Foye has been shooting 37.5 percent (6-for-16), so about the same rate. The problem? He is taking fewer mid-range shots. Out of the 110 shots he has taken, 16 of them have been mid-range jumpers, so 14.5 percent. Conclusion to be made from this: Foye is taking about 6 percent less mid-range jump shots this year.
The shooting guard position has been a struggle for the Nuggets. With the slow start from Foye and the slow development of French guard Evan Fournier, the Nuggets have a gaping hole at two guard. There are some options out there. Ben Gordon comes to mind. He has played only one game this season, so the Bobcats might be eager to dump him. C.J. Miles might become available as the Cavaliers fall further away from the playoff picture. This trade talk is all hypothetical though. If the Foye and Fournier start playing better, the Nuggets might not need to take a move, but if they continue struggle it will be a different story.
[slider_pro id=”8″]