Scouting Report: The BayHawks hold the keys to Tyler Harvey’s future in the NBA
With the rise in popularity of the D-League has come a trend among second round picks in the NBA Draft: The domestic draft-and-stash.
A lot of these decisions are made before the draft even takes place. Teams reach out to these players and their representatives to discuss the possibility of using a pick on them with the caveat that they must spend their rookie year in the D-League.
One domestic draft-and-stash player this year is Tyler Harvey of the Orlando Magic. Harvey was selected 51st overall in the 2015 NBA Draft and will sign with the D-League, assuring his place with the Erie BayHawks.
Harvey did not come into the draft as a well-known name among casual fans. He attended Eastern Washington University and while he led the NCAA is scoring last season with 23.1 points per game, he didn’t garner much national notoriety until the draft arrived. Nonetheless, the D-League is a quirky, guard-friendly league — Harvey should pick up where he left off in the college ranks. Whether or not he can improve upon his deficiencies and mold himself into a viable role player, however, is key for his future as an NBA player.
Offense
At 6-4, Harvey is a deadly outside shooter. He attempted 7.2 3-pointers per game over his three years at Eastern Washington, making them at a remarkable 43.2 percent. Not only can he knock down the long ball as soon as he crosses halfcourt, but he has a lightning quick release that allows him to get his shot off even against longer defenders. Add in the high release point and it’s easy to see why he’s so lethal from outside.
Everything else in Harvey’s offensive repertoire plays off of his jump shot.
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Harvey is a decent-ball handler but has a tendency to get himself into trouble by over-dribbling. When he does make one quick move, he’s able to create enough distance to stop and pop or get by his opponent to attack the lane. Defenders have to respect his outside shot and he does well to keep them off balance with head fakes and shot fakes to free up space.
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Harvey is unique in the sense that he shoots very well off the dribble. A lot of great shooters are quality catch and shoot players, yet adding a dribble throws a monkey wrench into their whole outfit. Tyler is able to make a quick dribble move, get his defender off balance and rise up to knock down a pull up 2, 3 or even a step back from time-to-time. According to DraftExpress, Harvey was the second best off-the-dribble shooter in the country last season, converting such shots at a 51.8 percent clip.
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He has the ability to make his teammates better but we rarely saw much of it because he chose to put the team on his back by handling the bulk of the scoring. While he can create for himself, he will need to improve his effectiveness as far as creating for others at the next level. Having said that, even though he usually passes out of necessity instead of by choice, he has shown good vision both in the halfcourt and on the fastbreak.
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Defense
This is an area that is sorely lacking for Harvey.
In college, his role was to score in heavy doses, which meant his effort on the defensive end was often missing. Everyone loves wingspan when it works in a player’s favor, but it’s the opposite case for Harvey — he only boasts a 6-5 wingspan, which raises red flags when it comes to his ceiling. To make matters worse, he regularly has his hands by his side and not in passing lanes, where he could make it difficult for his man to attempt any sort of pass.
Perhaps the most disheartening aspect of Harvey’s defensive game is that he sometimes gives up on a play. For example, if his man beat him off the dribble, rather than continue to hound him and attempt to get back into some resemblance of a defensive position, he would simply let his man go unabated. Clearly this will need to be rectified for him to be successful in the pro ranks.
Focus areas for rookie season
The most endearing quality Harvey has is that his shooting motion brings back memories of a young Michael Redd. He has all the tools on offense and while there are some who think he’s undersized to play the shooting guard spot in the NBA, I disagree. His quick release and high release point allows him to get his shot off against most defenders he faces and that will continue at the next level.
The defense is poor right now. He’s often out of position and, frankly, the effort simply isn’t there. The Magic would be wise to have Harvey focus on fundamentals on the defensive end because he needs to prove that he can hold his own. He has the ability. Now, it’s a matter of will.
Last season the BayHawks played the game at a much slower pace (97.85) than most of the D-League. They finished 15th in the league in terms of pace, 13th in points per game, 16th in field goal attempts and 14th in 3-point attempts per game. Possessions in Erie are at a premium. Harvey may still lead Erie in scoring this season, but it will not be because of sacrificing energy spent on defense. Coach Bill Peterson will push him to put in the effort needed to help the team win and, most importantly, help him grow and mature as an all-around player.