Detroit Pistons 2020 NBA Draft Profile: Theo Maledon

Theo Maledon’s weaknesses

At the end of the day, it feels all too easy to analyze Maledon’s game and chalk whatever weaknesses you do find up to the fact that he’s only 18. But in some cases, that’s actually a fair excuse.

For example, something that will come with experience is his ability to better take care of the ball. He’s often committing careless turnovers that in order to make a significant impact in the NBA, he’ll have to cut down on. He’s currently averaging 2.0 turnovers per game.

One of the biggest things that Maledon has to focus on is the mental aspect of his game. If he can improve as a leader (which he’s made progress in recent years) and amplify his confidence with the ball in his hands then an NBA organization could have something special.

Until then, it seems like he sometimes allows himself to get into his own head. It creates a tentativeness with his shot selection. On January 17th of this year against Anadolu Efes, Maledon struggled to find his spots at finished the game with just 5 points on 25 percent shooting.

The good news is that he still elevated his teammates by dishing out 10 assists and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Another issue that needs some work is his infrequent trips to the free-throw line. He’ll play a stretch of games where he’s attempting four, five or six shots at the line, but then immediately after that he won’t shoot a free throw for a week.

When he’s attacking the basket he’s usually playing under the rim. There’s substantial opportunity for him to grow as a finisher which in turn will give him more and-one opportunities. If he’s able to better create and absorb contact at the rim, it’ll create more versatility in his offensive game.

When he does get to the line, he can be efficient. It’s just a matter of how much he can get there.