How a lot does Goran Dragic have left within the tank? On one hand, he may very well be the playoff-tested gamer who finally ends up being the crown jewel of the buyout market. There was a purpose a number of groups confirmed curiosity earlier than he finally landed with the Nets on Monday. On the opposite, he was shelved after solely 5 video games and 90 whole minutes by a Raptors crew determined for rotational depth.
Nick Nurse famous early within the season that rookie Dalano Banton and second 12 months participant Malachi Flynn deserved minutes over the veteran Dragic. His teammates additionally appeared like they had been tuning him out to a point.
He didn’t come again after this pic.twitter.com/wUnFgZJCQh
— 🍿 (@The_6ix_man) January 30, 2022
Dragic has seen a gradual decline in his recreation for the previous few years. His former coach, Erik Spolestra, advised the Miami Herald that whereas he was unhappy to see Dragic traded for Kyle Lowry within the offseason, “On the finish of the day, it is a bottom-line enterprise. It’s about profitable.”
Ouch.
Nonetheless, there’s some purpose why the Nets selected to take a flier on Dragic. He can present some depth behind Kyrie Irving, who might be eligible for less than eight of the crew’s remaining video games except issues change with vaccine mandates. With Kevin Durant nonetheless out and Ben Simmons nonetheless ramping up, there is a noticeable hole to fill past simply backing up Irving.
NBA LEAGUE PASS: Signal as much as unlock dwell out-of-market video games (7-day free trial)
Dragic’s slippage is most noticeable on the defensive finish of the ground. He does have moments the place he can nonetheless be pesky with energetic palms. However for probably the most half, he struggles to remain strong in entrance of gamers and he can’t recover from screens properly any extra. He doesn’t strain the ball and he can’t play good point-of-attack protection. Maybe the Nets can dwell with this if he performs alongside Simmons, Durant, Andre Drummond, and Nic Claxton to wash stuff up behind him. However he’s going to get blown by quite a bit whereas he is guarding the ball.
That lack of mobility is obvious on the opposite facet of the ball too. Dragic continues to be wily in pick-and-rolls. He can snake them, get his defender in jail, and get off beauty towards smaller gamers. The passing imaginative and prescient continues to be there. However he can’t create separation off the dribble any extra. Each drive is contested.
When his veteran craft doesn’t work, there’s not a lot else for him to fall again on as a ball handler. Although as soon as thought of among the best guard finishers within the league, these days are lengthy gone. The speedy decline began final season and swiftly carried over to this 12 months.
Dragic can nonetheless convey some capturing capacity, which might be useful when he performs off the ball. He hit solely 4-of-13 makes an attempt with the Raptors this 12 months, however he was a strong 37 % final 12 months with the Warmth and is a profession 36.4 % 3-point shooter.
MORE: Watch NBA video games dwell with Sling TV (3-day free trial; U.S. solely)
On the finish of the day, this was a low-cost transfer for the Nets that offers them some insurance coverage for when Irving can’t play. Jevon Carter was waived to make room for Dragic. He wasn’t precisely lighting the world on fireplace both. Perhaps with some contemporary legs, the Nets can get a greater model of Dragic. The model that confirmed up within the 2020 bubble with Miami can be a boon and the kind of addition who can tip the scales in a good sequence. His All-Star season was solely 4 years in the past, and the Nets have had first rate success including older veterans that seemed like they is perhaps finished.
Dragic is a brilliant veteran that is aware of how one can play, and if he can regain a little bit extra mobility like he was displaying just a few years in the past, then he might find yourself being an honest decide up for the Nets.