Hardy’s Charge Includes Maximizing Player Superpowers

Hardy has a lot of work to do in evaluating interconnected player skills. (Rick Egan, The Salt Lake Tribune)

Head coaches have a very tough job in that there are many different skills that they have to leverage and rely on. One of the most important tasks is building out solid rotations. This is often oversimplified by fans with their Twitter criticisms. You often see things like, “Why isn’t this young guy playing more?” and “The coach made a poor decision to take this guy out.” It’s not just as simple as, “Oh, this rotation needs an extra shooter. So let’s throw him in.” 

There’s a lot more that goes into those decisions, and it relies on another more difficult skill that head coaches have to master: understanding the interconnectedness of their players’ strengths and weaknesses in the context of their development timeline and their career arc, but also how those talents fit together with the other players on the team. Building rotation is about making those adjustments and complementing players’ weaknesses with the superpowers and strengths of others. 

For example, Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy has recently been playing Ochai Agbaji more frequently. But that comes at a cost because there are flaws in the rookie’s game that mean those minutes come at the expense of reduced ball handling, reduced decision-making, etc. Agbaji’s increased role does offer a boost in shooting, length, athleticism, and defense, but he’s still learning. So Hardy has to adjust his rotation in other ways to better complement an increased playing time for Agbaji. It’s not just about reducing minutes for vets and increasing time for young guys. What good does it do Agbaji to play if nobody on the floor with him can make reads or handle the ball? That won’t help him develop in the way that he needs, despite getting playing time. Playing time matters. Quality playing time matters more.

One of the things that make Hardy brilliant is that he seems to have a very good grasp on and something that  he talks about occasionally: a player’s “superpower.” Let’s evaluate some Jazz players based on their superpowers, their kryptonite, and what can be done to overcome that kryptonite as far as development goes. Note that some players’ superpowers come at an elite level and some may just be “good enough” at their particular superpower.

This is especially important analysis for the players who are most likely to be part of the next iteration of the team: Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, Talen Horton-Tucker.

Collin Sexton

Superpower: We begin with Sexton, who has one of the quickest first steps in the NBA, making it his unique superpower. Hardy is currently exploring whether Sexton can be a starting point guard for the team in the long term. He has the ability to shoot, score, and beat his opponent off the dribble. (He also looked to tweak his hamstring on Wednesday night, making his availability in the short term unclear.)

Kryptonite: However, to become a better point guard, he must leverage his strengths, especially his first step, to create for his teammates and become a better decision maker. His kryptonite is evident in those instances when he beats his guy and then has nowhere to go and only looks to pass as an escape hatch. This happens in transition or getting to the paint. He could benefit from using tools like the search dribble or a wider range of hesitation moves and footwork in the paint to find the next best pass.

Lauri Markkanen

Superpower: Next, we look at Markkanen, who can score from anywhere and is highly efficient while making few bad decisions. His superpower is his ability to get a shot off at any time and move off the ball effectively. And to be clear. His superpower comes at an elite level in the league. 

Lauri Markkanen, the second highest points per possession in the half-court of ANY player who uses 15+ half-court possessions a game. Dude isn’t just a cute MIP story, he’s a very very legit All-Star.

Just look at this whole-court efficiency… pic.twitter.com/E6CUjruUsF

— NBA University (@NBA_University) January 7, 2023

Kryptonite: However, his kryptonite is that he is not yet great at working in isolation or creating on the ball. Developing his ball-handling skills could help him in this area, but he may still need a primary creator to play alongside, even if he can develop this way. That said, he’s so good at scoring efficiently at multiple levels with VOLUME, that he will still be really, really good for a long time without improving beyond what he can do now.

Walker Kessler

Superpower: Kessler is a newcomer to the league, but he has already made an impact. He has a unique superpower in his ability to block shots and protect the rim, which is a crucial skill for a big man. He has a knack for timing and instinct that is rare, bordering on elite. 

Kryptonite: His kryptonite is his lack of control, which can make it challenging for him to keep in position, avoid jumping at pump fakes, and staying out of foul trouble. In fact, you may likely see him concurrently improve as a defender while seeing a reduction in total blocks and blocks per game. And it wouldn’t be a bad thing! Because it will mean he is playing more under control and focused on containment, rather than swatting a guy out of the gym.

Jordan Clarkson

Superpower: JC is one of the most unique players in the NBA, though he isn’t often discussed that way. Jordan leads the league in 4 point plays and fouls on three point attempts. He can hit shots in big ways and at big times. He’s an incredibly skilled isolation player. And yet none of these things identifies his true superpower, in this writer’s opinion. 

Jordan can get to the paint at will. He does it at his own pace and in his own way. Like he’s dancing to his own smooth jazz. He’s been doing it for years. But in past years, his primary goal seemed to be getting to his own mid range push shot in the paint, which he’s very good at doing, rather than finding something for his teammates. This year, he’s become a guy that gets into the paint at will, but then looks for others. Usually it’s Kessler or Markkanen. And he creates easy buckets. He throws lobs. He does short wrap-around passes. And they are pretty to watch. 

Kryptonite: JC still falls to his age-old weakness of getting too focused on his own shot. When he forgets himself and uses his ability for others, we see something amazing from Clarkson.

THT

Superpower: Horton-Tucker is someone that, despite his age, may not be on the next iteration of the Jazz. He’s a bit of a wildcard. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report has aptly noted, “THT will do between 2-6 things per game that make you believe. And then he will do nothing else.”

He has a lot of flash. He has this nifty spin move that covers like 13 feet in half a second. Sometimes he gets all the way to the cup and lays it in. Sometimes he ends up 15 feet from the basket. And sometimes he throws a wild layup off the glass that ends up 8 feet away. It’s a really good move. And it’s become his signature.  

Kryptonite: But he needs to refine that skill, and he’s also just not a very good shooter. He does a little of a lot of things, but his skills are relatively poor and he’s often out of control. He also just can’t shoot a lick (26% from three this season)

Some of these guys are locks to be on the Jazz when they aim to contend. Some, like JC or THT, are worth considering in the lens of superpowers because they could stay past their current contracts. But all of these interconnected skills are part of the rotation-building calculus that Hardy has to grapple with every day, and consequently they’re part of his own development as a coach.

Explored all of these superpowers (and kryptonites) will be a priority for the Jazz staff as we approach the end of the season, so they can make decisions about how to shape the roster moving forward.