Carleton Scott

Carleton Scott

Scott was with the Nets in both summer league and training camp last season, which was quite the turnaround from a man who started his career in the less-than-stellar outlets of Portugal and Austria. (Great places, just not great basketball leagues.) After being waived, he went to the D-League, and averaged 11.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game for the Springfield Armor. However, he did so on sub-40% shooting, continuing to cast up the jumpers and rely on transition opportunities offensively, adding no post-up or dribble-drive games of note. Additionally, he's also not that good of a defender - he just looks as though he should be. Scott intrigues with his athleticism and jumpshot combination, but it's not enough.

Carleton Scott - Scott was not expected to declare, and is now not expected to be drafted. He will turn 23 before the season begins, and may have declared mindful of his unliklehood of being drafted, simply hoping to get underway with a professional career. Fair enough. But that doesn't make him any greater of a draft candidate. Scott blocks shots and shoots threes, with not a whole lot going on in between. He plays like a face-up power forward in the body of a senior, favouring the interior on defense and the perimeter on offense, with little desire and/or ability to post-up and not a great driving game, nor much success with the perimeter defense game. If it's not a transition finish, a putback dunk or a catch-and-shoot three, Scott struggles with it. There is a chance that his fine stroke could see him be an energy player off the bench - that range gives him an advantage over, say, DeAngelo Casto - yet it's not a big chance.

Up front, Notre Dame doesn't have a great deal of size. Power forward Carleton Scott and centre Tyrone Nash both have the frame and athleticism best suited for small forwards. Yet this doesn't prevent them from their significant defensive impacts. Scott uses his good athleticism to be the team's best shot blocking presence and a good defender of perimeter forwards, while Nash uses energy and effort to play good post defense on those far bigger than he. Nash can also make shots around the basket, drive from the high post, and expand the playbook with his great passing game, while Scott plays on the perimeter, running the court and hitting three pointers. Once they leave here, both will make some money in the professional game. Starting small forward Tim Abromaitis, meanwhile, enjoys a size advantage for his position. Standing 6'8 and 235lbs, Abromaitis is best as a shooter, although he can also take slower forwards off the dribble as well. He is second in points on the high-scoring Irish team, and has decided to try and rebound this season, pulling down an acceptable 6 boards in 34 minutes per game. Abromaitis is less athletic than Ravern Johnson or Linas Kleiza, and smaller than Chandler Parsons, but he's bigger than Jimmy Butler, and a better shooter than Joe Trapani. Like the aforementioned Nash and Scott duo, he will make some money in the professional game.