Brooklyn Nets: 2017-18 player grades for Allen Crabbe
By Alec Liebsch
Strengths
Crabbe’s main strengths are tied to his 3-point shooting. In an offense which emphasizes taking so many 3s, Crabbe’s marksmanship was welcomed.
He “only” converted on 37.8 percent of such looks in 2017-18, but this was almost certainly due to an uptick in attempts by nearly two-fold (up to 7.1 per game from 3.8 in 2016-17). As the best shooter on the team, Crabbe was the player most opposing teams planned around.
As the Nets get more consistent shooters into the rotation, Crabbe will have an easier time getting off open looks from downtown. Hitting nearly 38 percent of his seven 3-point attempts per game, which amounts to 2.7 makes on average, is no small feat. That’s approximately eight points per game just on 3s; with more consistent spacing around him, Crabbe can become even more deadly.
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Crabbe’s positive attributes don’t end with merely shooting, however. His defense is palpable, as he added 1.4 defensive win shares this season (only 0.4 less than his offensive WS). As a big wing, Crabbe has the ability to switch onto several positions capably, just like his wing counterpart.
His malleable defense, when paired with other flexible defenders, makes life much easier for the rest of the team on both ends. The old adage of “defense leads to offense” still rings true today, as Kenny Atkinson’s armada can pick apart passing lanes and force transition opportunities on the point-producing end.
Additionally, Crabbe is a capable passer. His assist-to-turnover ration was 1.5, which is great for a complementary ball-handler. That ability to run the offense in spurts of improvisation helps immensely when playing next to D’Angelo Russell, a guy who likes to operate off the ball on occasion.
This is much appreciated when the offense breaks down as well. When the first set of a play doesn’t work, Crabbe can create on a secondary pick-and-roll with one of the bigs:
The play at 0:27 is exactly how Crabbe can operate with the ball in his hands. The first roll by Jarrett Allen doesn’t work, but on a kick-out, the ball moves right back to Crabbe for a wide open 3. That kind of secondary playmaking is exactly what Atkinson wants in his egalitarian offense, and Crabbe is thriving in it.