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Brice Sensabaugh was the only third-year Utah Jazz player who played at Salt Lake City Summer League. Taylor Hendricks wasn’t playing because he’s still ramping up following his season-ending injury from last year. Keyonte George wasn’t playing because ... well, I don’t know why.
It’s hard not to see the summer assignment for Sensabaugh as the Jazz still figure out if he has NBA staying power. I’m certain it’s hard for him to see it as anything other than the decision makers still having doubts about him.
And what Jazz assistant coach Scott Morrison said the team wanted from Sensabaugh was marked improvement in making what are called “point-five decisions.” That’s a decision made in 0.5 seconds or less.
It is obvious to anyone who has seen Sensabaugh play that he is an incredible shooter, and that’s a super power that can give him NBA longevity. But, the turnovers, the weak ball handling, the subpar defense — those are things that could negate his shooting prowess and keep him off the floor.
The good thing is that Sensabaugh is incredibly self-aware and fully understands what a future in the NBA could look like for him. He’s probably not going to be an All-Star and he’s probably not going to get a ton of recognition, but there is a place for him.
In order to cement his place, he needs to lean into his identity as an NBA sniper, learn to get rid of the ball fast and try harder than everyone else on the defensive end.
The shooting part is easy. He’s already got that covered. He needs to really hammer in the habit of not doing too much with the ball. Shoot and pass should be his top priorities, and dribbling should be a last resort and shouldn’t happen too much.
On the defensive side, Sensabaugh is smart, but he’s not as fast nor athletic as some other players. He’s not going to end up being a lock-down, top-tier defender, but he can work harder than others and stay on the court because of effort and intellect.
There are other players who might need to work on other parts of their game and who haven’t quite figured out how to carve out their place in the NBA, but Sensabaugh is in a unique spot. There is a lane for him, and it’s wide open. Teams always need shooters who are not negative defenders. If he can cut the fat from the rest of his game, he won’t have anyone doubting his staying power.
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