Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan’s scheme fit

The Brooklyn Nets utilized the pick-and-roll quite a bit last season. Will things change with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan in the fold?

Brooklyn Nets fans may still be on cloud nine following the success in free agency, but it’s worth considering how those signings will fit the team’s offensive schemes next season.

(Credit to NBA.com for statistics and juggernaut, house of highlights, 2K Kenny highlights and hoop intellect for GIFS)

D’Angelo Russell was already a significant offensive presence last season, but Caris LeVert’s injury elevated his role to another level. For the season as a whole, the now-Golden State Warrior posted the fifth highest usage rate in the NBA behind James Harden, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

A lot of Russell’s possessions came as a pick-and-roll (P&R) ball-handler. Per NBA.com, only one player (Kemba Walker) utilized the P&R more on a per game basis.

Driven by Russell, but also Spencer Dinwiddie and LeVert, Brooklyn was fifth in P&R ball-handler possessions per game (10th in efficiency on these plays).

The Nets also ranked highly in the number of plays involving the P&R roll-man, ranking 10th in per game possessions last season. This was led by Jarrett Allen, who was 10th in per game roll-man possessions.

Last season’s high usage of the P&R wasn’t entirely new, but Russell drove more playmaking by the P&R ball-handler. The Nets were fifth in roll man possessions the prior season but were only 16th in ball-handler possessions.

Should Nets fans expect the same number of pick-and-rolls next season with the additions of Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan?

Kyrie Irving

Irving was 27th last season in P&R ball-handler possessions (compared to Russell’s second) but was more efficient on these plays, posting a points-per-possession of 0.99 compared to 0.89 for Russell.

Among players that averaged greater than or equal to five of these possessions per game, Irving was 10th in efficiency vs. 30th for Russell. Irving is likely the better scorer in these scenarios, whereas Russell is probably more effective as a passer.

DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan may not be the same player he was when he posterized Brandon Knight back in 2013, but he still seems to be an effective P&R roll-man. He posted the sixth best points per possession on these plays last season.

The Brooklyn Nets offense will inevitably look a little different than last season’s. If Kenny Atkinson wants to maintain a P&R-heavy offense, however, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan should fit into this fairly seamlessly.

Fun Facts:

Going through the NBA.com data, there were a few other interesting Nets tidbits that jumped out.

-Along with running a lot of pick-and-rolls, the Nets also ran a lot of isolation possessions last season. Brooklyn averaged the fifth most isolation possessions per game and ranked fourth in points per possession on these plays.

-Kyrie Irving was 16th last season in isolation possessions per game at 3.0. Among 16 players that averaged three or more of these possessions, he was 6th in points per possession at 0.98 (James Harden was first at 1.11).

-Among players that averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season and recorded at least 10 isolation possessions, Nets forward Rodions Kurucs was first in the entire league in isolation points per possession at 1.70.

-Brooklyn was last in post-up possessions per game last season, averaging only 1.0 per contest. The San Antonio Spurs were first in the NBA at 13.3 per game.