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Empty Post Success for JaVale McGee

All too often, a player’s value is correlated to that player’s ability to create shots out of a certain position, or to make open shots out of specific offensive movements.  For many post players, either the ability to operate when they receive the ball in the post or when they catch the ball in a pick & pop situation is the gold standard against which they are measured.  An inability to function out of the post is derided and ridiculed.

During his time with the Washington Wizards, JaVale McGee was consistently maligned for never living up to what many assumed was his considerable potential.  His forays in the post often ended with an off-balance sky-hook from twelve feet that would be difficult for a seasoned post scorer, let alone a raw athlete like McGee.  However, this is more of a case of misplaced expectations on the part of coaches, fans, and the media than it is on McGee’s actual ability.

The reality is that JaVale McGee has already discovered a better offensive role during his time in Denver.  Most post players are taught to get to the strongside block and post there, looking for an entry pass, receiving the ball, finding cutters, then going to work.  However, in Denver, a lot of McGee’s time is spent on the weakside in what would traditionally be called an empty post set.

This empty post tactic is a basic tenet of dribble drive motion offense.  In many ways, a vacated strongside post unlocks the floor and gives more room to penetrators on the strong side.  It also forces McGee’s defender to set up in a help position a lot of the time, which opens up a lot of opportunities for McGee that do not involve creating his own opportunity.

Weakside positioning means that McGee’s responsibilities include screening away from the ball (an easy task for him to handle), cutting and diving when there is penetration to an open area for a potential dump-off and easy score, and the mandate to go to the offensive glass.  His positioning on the weakside means his defender is constantly in help, which is a difficult place to be when a shot goes up: McGee can crash hard and often, and is in great position to finish plays from there.

As McGee grows more and more accustomed to his role in their attack pattern, he will be more involved as a post scorer as well.  But it will not be in a traditional way.  Instead, McGee will be best served by staying on the weakside, then sealing his defender on any skip passes, giving him the chance to receive post entry passes and go to work against a recovering defense.  This is much more likely to result in a play at the rim, where he operates best.

Finding the best way to utilize a player’s specific skill-set within the confines of a larger offensive framework is a challenge for every team.  In JaVale McGee’s case, Denver seems to be discovering that a less traditional approach makes him much more likely to reach performance expectations.

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