Analyzing what Eric Paschall can do to improve for next season

Eric Paschall is a skilled scorer, but developing his shooting will help him be even more versatile for the Warriors.

Eric Paschall is going to earn his buckets, whether it’s driving to the rim for a dunk or pulling up for a midrange jumper.

Paschall’s rookie season is officially finished, as the NBA and NBPA approved a 22-team format to reboot the season in Orlando. The Golden State Warriors, which possess the league’s worst record, won’t be part of the 22 teams.

With an abundant amount of time to develop, Paschall should focus on refining one area of his game. He has proved he can score, with his ability to slash his best asset. He scored 14.0 points per game on 49.7% shooting, and according to NBA.com stats official leaders, he ranks fourth among rookies in scoring.

 

With the Warriors boasting an offense based in off-ball actions, screens and misdirection, Paschall should continue to thrive next season. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson create space for any player to perform what they’re best at, and Paschall should have plenty of opportunities to weave his way through the lane for buckets.

But he can elevate his impact if he improves his shooting. During his rookie season, Paschall shot 28.7% from the 3-point line on 2.2 attempts a game. According to NBA.com stats, Paschall shot 30.4% on catch and shoot 3-pointers. 

Paschall will need to work on catch and shoot 3-pointers the most. Next season won’t be like this past one where he has the ball in his hands relatively often.

He had the third-highest usage percentage on the Warriors for players who played at least 30 games, per NBA.com stats; D’Angelo Russell and Alec Burks had the two highest before they were traded in February.

Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green will return to being the main focus areas in the offense, and with them drawing attention, Paschall will be open for 3-pointers. He’ll need to make them to maximize his role.

Despite his lack of effective 3-point shooting, Paschall has shown he doesn’t have a terrible jump shot. He has a quality midrange jumper, as he shot 46.7% on shots 15-19 feet from the hoop, per NBA.com stats. He shot 42.9% on shots 10-14 feet from the hoop.

When next season begins, Paschall will need to continue his scoring ways. He’ll need to continue attacking his defenders and forcing them on their heels. As a solid rebounder and distributor, he’ll need to continue being effective in those areas as well.

But for him to be even more valuable, his shooting will need to improve for the Warriors to march back to relevancy.

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