The following is part of Raptors Republic’s series of pieces reviewing the season for the Toronto Raptors. You can find all the pieces in the series here.
As a second round draft pick, Jamal Shead was faced with an uphill battle from the moment his NBA career began. Being selected with the 45th overall pick in last year’s draft, it would have been perfectly normal for Shead to not stand out on the roster in any way, and resign himself to a spot on the end of the bench for the entire season, but that is not what occurred. Through his endless efforts on the defensive end, along with some encouraging signs on the offensive end as the season progressed, Shead has made a case for him being part of Toronto’s rotation and future moving forward.
In his rookie campaign he posted averages of 7.1 points per game, and 4.2 assists per game, on 40/32/78 splits. Shead’s offense can be best described as a work in progress. Coming out of Houston it was known that Shead’s offensive abilities were far from a finished product, and his rookie season showed that. As a three-point shooter, Shead shot 32 percent, but when you just look at his catch and shoot attempts, which were the bulk of his looks behind the arc, that number rises to 35 percent. Shead attempted about 3 threes per game, which showed that he was willing to get them up and improve his shot with numerous in-game reps. He didn’t take many threes off the dribble, with his average being about 0.8, but on these attempts he shot 24.2 percent, a clear area that he needs to improve in in order to grow his game offensively.
Another shortcoming in Shead’s offensive repertoire is his mid-range scoring. Standing at 6 feet tall, it is imperative to Shead’s development that he be able to score in between, since his size limits him from getting into the paint and finishing amongst the trees. He shot 28.2 percent from the mid-range this season. Shead was also pretty below average as a pick n’ roll ball handler, only earning 0.75 points per possession which is only good for the 26th percentile.
In order for Shead to progress further on offense, he has to be able to score consistently out of the pick n’ roll, whether it’s shooting threes out of them, or getting downhill and knocking in floaters or mid-range jumpers. Shead has a pretty functional handle, and he doesn’t have much trouble keeping the ball, it’s just that mechanically he has not shown much skill getting into his shot off the dribble.
Shead’s most positive area on offense is by far his playmaking. In a system where ball movement and assists are prioritized, Shead fully bought in and inserted himself perfectly as a cog when it pertains to playmaking. One thing that can’t be questioned about Shead is his effort level, and he was constantly finding cutters on the move, making the extra pass, passing the ball out of drives for good looks, and just making sure everyone was involved. Shead was top five in the league in assists off the bench, and his relentless efforts to move the ball did not go unnoticed.
Shead’s most notable NBA skill is his defense. His on ball pressure, attention to detail, and just overall effort on that end is what is going to empower him to earn a full time rotation spot. He is willing to pick up ball handlers full court, his screen navigation is strong at times, and off the ball he is solid as well. While his efforts on defense, especially as an on-ball defender are well intentioned and definitely work out at times, it also sometimes leads to breakdowns on his part.
With him pressing up into ball handlers so much, it leaves him susceptible to being blown by frequently. Shead’s motor on defense is encouraging but he still has some things to iron out on that end. Currently he plays at one speed on that end, and while that is helpful sometimes, it is also hurtful at other times, so if he can figure out when to turn it up and down it will help him immensely.
Overall, Shead had a good rookie season especially when you factor in his draft position. He definitely has plenty of things to work on, but he showed encouraging signs during his rookie campaign. His defense is what earned him plenty of minutes this year, and his playmaking fit into Toronto’s scheme perfectly. Although his future with Toronto is not certain, he did enough to earn some grace from the team moving forward.
