Developing KP as a scorer

[SleepingHero]

He is a bad screen setter, doesn't really make contact, takes bad angles, doesn't have the feel of how to roll, etc.

Totally agree. KP doesn't screen at all. He loves to slip it and float out to the top of the key for a 3. In NYK it was a bread and butter play where he would almost ALWAYS slip the screen and the guard would have to pass out of the double to KP who was wide open for 3. 

This play does work though. The problem is that KP always does it. And there has to be some variety, especially in the flow offense. 

I suppose the question could be poised, can KP ever become a strong screen setter? And perhaps IF KP becomes a very real 3 point threat (think 40+%) does the defensive attention he will most definitely draw when he slips the screen, be better than a hard screen he could set in the first place? 

If KP forces the off guard wing to rotate to him being wide open for 3, that leaves the off guard (usually Curry) spotting up for 3, and gives Luka the chance to make his favorite cross court skip pass. That is exactly the kind of rotations you want the defense to be forced into. Choose between a Luka drive, a KP 3, or a Curry 3.

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Has KP regressed because he's still working his way back into it? Or is it because he's being underutilized? I'm not too sure yet. But no matter I'd like to see KP get the ball more and shoot back what he was shooting before these last 3 games.

Man, this is exactly the question I'd like to get to. I asked it in the gamethread to those saying he's not playing in the "flow" of the offense, or is too passive and similar takes. I don't see that at all and would really like an explanation as to what those guys are seeing, with specifics, since I'm watching the same games they are watching. I DO see the ball being worked opposite his side of the court quite a bit, as well as ball handlers not specifically working to get him the ball when he is working to get open. 

I thought at the beginning of the season that we would see a ton more pick and roll/pop with Luka and KP than we are seeing. To answer the OP question, I think that should be the end of game go-to "move" with 3-point shooters (Curry/Brunson/Kleber) and off-ball cutters (DFS/Wright/Powell) doing their thing as another target to go-to in case that play is stymied.

Yeah I don't see what the others are claiming to see where KP isn't playing within the "flow."  To me he isn't getting any established opportunities early on, which leads to him finding his shot from minute 12:00 to 6:00 in the 2nd when Luka is out, which looks like chucking. And lets be real, he does take quite a few of contested shots, but the fact that he's the only real offensive threat when Luka is off the floor, its understandable the defensive attention he receives. 

As to why he doesn't receive those opportunities I don't know. Whether that be by design or lack of, I do notice that guards don't give it to him in the pinch post. Or when they drive it themselves and missing easy mismatches KP has. But even with those blatant examples of KP getting ignored, he's still getting around 15 shot attempts per game these last 3 games. 

I'm leaning more towards a mix of underutilization and him working his way back into game shape as the reasons why KP has regressed a bit from the first 3 games. Its obvious that KP needs to build his stamina a bit more, a point of criticism he's received every year in NYK, which makes me a little doubtful it'll ever happen. And even then it's not like he's gassed (the only time I felt he was truly gassed was the end of the Pelican game). The lack of plays being called for him is the real puzzling thing. 

Carlisle runs the same 3 general motion plays that involve horns at the top of the key, or the classic guard/big pick and roll, or where the ball handler gives a drop off to the 2 guard, who then gets screened by a big (we saw that a lot with THJ/KP/and Brunson last night where THJ drove it every time.) 

I would love for Carlisle to actually take advantage of KP's size and run a lob play for him or just to actually make a point to find him wide open for 3 when he slips every screen. 

But again, its REALLY early to make any hard and fast decisions. So far KP has been playing remarkably well for coming back. 21ppg, 8rpg, and almost 3(!!) bpg, are all-star worthy numbers.