Indiana Pacers: 2017-18 player grades for Victor Oladipo

Weaknesses

It’s tough to look at anything Oladipo did this season and frown upon it, especially considering the league-wide expectations before it started. That said, this is still just a 26-year-old player who has room to improve his game.

For starters, despite a career best year from long range, Oladipo isn’t yet a weapon from distance that opposing defenses need to bend what they do to deal with. Of the 66 players who attempted at least five 3-pointers per game this season, Oladipo’s 37.1 percent success rate ranked 37th. That number needs to creep closer to and eventually over the 40 percent mark, where the Stephen Currys and Kyrie Irvings of the world exist.

One way Indiana could help with that effort would be to add another shot creator on offense that could free up easier looks for Vic. Only three percent of his shots this season were from the corners, among the lowest rates among wings in the league. Given that Oladipo shot 54 percent from those spots, it would seem to behoove him and the Pacers if he took more.

Oladipo could also benefit by getting to the line more and converting at a higher rate when he got there. His 4.9 free throw attempts per game were less than half of James Harden‘s league-leading total, and his 79.9 percentage from the charity stripe is below league-average for his position.