Joseph Treutlein
One of the best shooters in the D-League at 42% from behind the arc on 6.6 attempts per game, Chris Lofton has made some subtle improvements to his game since his time in college, starting with his improved frame, as he's in the best shape of his career at the moment.
Offensively, Lofton is very much a role player with more than half his field goal attempts coming from behind the three-point arc and doing little of his own shot creation. He does a great job knocking down both open spot-up shots and coming off screens, moving well off the ball and showing great discipline with his decision-making as evidenced by his extremely low turnover numbers.
Lofton does little in terms of creating shots for himself or others, not really possessing the speed off the dribble to consistently take his man, something that limits his production and leads to some drastic swings in his game-to-game point totals. He needs plays run for him to get his points, though he does a good job moving off the ball and spacing the floor even when the ball isn't coming his way.
While Lofton's always been able to make contributions offensively, he's also been known as somewhat of a liability defensively. He's now playing the best defense of his career, putting in a ton of effort and showing great awareness off the ball, picking off passes and doing as good a job he can in man defense. While his size will always be problematic if matched against opposing shooting guards, his toughness and instincts are making up for his lack of lateral quickness and length to a certain extent.
Looking forward, Lofton could be a call-up candidate for a ten day contract in the right situation, as his spot shooting, hustle, and basketball IQ are appealing, especially for wide open offenses or teams with oversized point guards who can cross match in the backcourt defensively. His long term potential is certainly limited, but it wouldn't be surprising if he gets a chance to make a roster at some point.
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