The 2018 NBA Manifesto
R.J. Hunter
SG – 6’5, 185lbs - 24 years old - 3 years of experience
In 47 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Hunter certainly got his shots up. Of course he did; that’s what he does.
In 30.4 minutes of 47 G-League contests, Hunter averaged 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 36.8% from three-point range on only a smidge less than ten attempts per game. He has always been more about volume than efficiency, yet the sheer power of that volume counts for something.
Beyond gunning up all these three-pointers off the catch (normally preceded by a fairly low amount of movement on his part), the rest of Hunter’s game is harder to project at the NBA level. He likes to handle the ball up top and slow the pace in the half-court, but if he is not putting up a jumper of his own at the end of the possession, then he is making only fairly simple swing and roll passes. He is a refeed and bail-out option, yes, but not a creator or handler of note. And while he does try defensively, his lack of great speed is a bit of a problem, and he also tends to get caught looking when not on the ball. That same lack of top level athleticism affects his projection as a shooter, too; considering his shot is more about volume than efficiency, and considering other shooters with similar efficiencies and/or volumes have better speed and movement to get their shots away, Hunter is not at the top of the shooter pile.
Hunter could in theory have the same sort of NBA career that Troy Daniels is currently having. But I think we were all hoping for a bit more than that.
Player Plan: Has a second year on his two-way deal that I would release him from.
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SG – 6’5, 185lbs - 24 years old - 3 years of experience
In 47 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Hunter certainly got his shots up. Of course he did; that’s what he does.
In 30.4 minutes of 47 G-League contests, Hunter averaged 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 36.8% from three-point range on only a smidge less than ten attempts per game. He has always been more about volume than efficiency, yet the sheer power of that volume counts for something.
Beyond gunning up all these three-pointers off the catch (normally preceded by a fairly low amount of movement on his part), the rest of Hunter’s game is harder to project at the NBA level. He likes to handle the ball up top and slow the pace in the half-court, but if he is not putting up a jumper of his own at the end of the possession, then he is making only fairly simple swing and roll passes. He is a refeed and bail-out option, yes, but not a creator or handler of note. And while he does try defensively, his lack of great speed is a bit of a problem, and he also tends to get caught looking when not on the ball. That same lack of top level athleticism affects his projection as a shooter, too; considering his shot is more about volume than efficiency, and considering other shooters with similar efficiencies and/or volumes have better speed and movement to get their shots away, Hunter is not at the top of the shooter pile.
Hunter could in theory have the same sort of NBA career that Troy Daniels is currently having. But I think we were all hoping for a bit more than that.
Player Plan: Has a second year on his two-way deal that I would release him from.
