<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW @ Apr 17 2008, 05:18 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Netted, I saw the posts you linked to elsewhere detailing your ideas for a Brand S&T that involved Nenad, Marcus, and a pick. I'm curious as to how you (and others) would rank Brand in terms of big men today.
He's had nice stats, but his teams have really never done very well. Has he ever been to the playoffs more than once? I've never really followed his career but have watched him a lot since his comeback late this year in anticipation the Nets might try to acquire him. In that limited exposure, he's really not doing much in the post. Most of his inside scoring has been off of offensive put backs, and he seems to be shooting the short jumper more than playing with his back to the basket. He doesn't look particularly fluid moving to me, and I'm struck anew at how undersized (in height) he looks to be a big-time PF. But I also realize how incredibly unfair it is to let only this most recent impression govern my assessments when he's just now coming back from a severe injury.
He would obviously be a huge upgrade up front for the Nets, even at his current level of play, since he can both defend, rebound, and score. But I'm just wondering how folks that watch a lot of ball rank him vis-a-vis the Al Jeffersons, Garnetts, Stoudemires, O'Neals, etc., not in terms of athleticism/size but in terms of efficacy inside.</div>
FOMW, I'm interested in that too. I admit haven't seen more than a handful of games with him playing, but I've checked out 82games.com. What I've found matches your observation. Elton Brand seems to be more a jump shooter than an inside player, and increasingly so:
2002-2003:
<font size=-1>Shot selection</font>
<table width=290 bgcolor=cccccc border=0 cellspacing=1>
<tr bgcolor=e5e5e5>
<td width=50 bgcolor=33cc33><center>
<font size=-1>Shot</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Att.</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>eFG%</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Ast'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Blk'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Pts</font></center></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Jump</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 53% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.375 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 67% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 6% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 5.7 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Close</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 35% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.571 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 55% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 9% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 5.8 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Dunk</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 8% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.971 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 78% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 2.2 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Tips</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.650 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0.8 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=f0f0df>
<td><center><font size=-1>Inside</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 47% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.644 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 55% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 7% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 8.9 </font></td>
</tr>
</table>
2003-2004:
<font size=-1>Shot selection</font>
<table width=290 bgcolor=cccccc border=0 cellspacing=1>
<tr bgcolor=e5e5e5>
<td width=50 bgcolor=33cc33><center>
<font size=-1>Shot</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Att.</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>eFG%</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Ast'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Blk'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Pts</font></center></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Jump</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 58% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.389 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 62% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 6.4 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Close</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 35% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.609 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 57% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 13% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 6.0 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Dunk</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.972 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 66% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 1.0 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Tips</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.553 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0.6 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=f0f0df>
<td><center><font size=-1>Inside</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 42% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.635 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 54% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 11% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 7.6 </font></td>
</tr>
</table>
2004-2005:
<font size=-1>Shot selection</font>
<table width=290 bgcolor=cccccc border=0 cellspacing=1>
<tr bgcolor=e5e5e5>
<td width=50 bgcolor=33cc33><center>
<font size=-1>Shot</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Att.</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>eFG%</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Ast'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Blk'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Pts</font></center></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Jump</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 62% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.418 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 71% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 8.0 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Close</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 30% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.582 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 56% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 13% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 5.3 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Dunk</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 6% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.959 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 70% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 1.8 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Tips</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 2% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.630 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0.4 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=f0f0df>
<td><center><font size=-1>Inside</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 38% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.644 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 56% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 11% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 7.5 </font></td>
</tr>
</table>
2005-2006:
<font size=-1>Shot selection</font>
<table width=290 bgcolor=cccccc border=0 cellspacing=1>
<tr bgcolor=e5e5e5>
<td width=50 bgcolor=33cc33><center>
<font size=-1>Shot</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Att.</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>eFG%</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Ast'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Blk'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Pts</font></center></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Jump</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 70% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.475 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 63% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>12.1 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Close</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 24% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.615 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 54% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 11% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 5.3 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Dunk</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.933 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 66% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 1.4 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Tips</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 2% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.500 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0.3 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=f0f0df>
<td><center><font size=-1>Inside</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 30% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.654 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 54% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 9% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 7.0 </font></td>
</tr>
</table>
2006-2007:
<font size=-1>Shot selection</font>
<table width=290 bgcolor=cccccc border=0 cellspacing=1>
<tr bgcolor=e5e5e5>
<td width=50 bgcolor=33cc33><center>
<font size=-1>Shot</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Att.</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>eFG%</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Ast'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Blk'd</font></center></td>
<td width=48><center>
<font size=-1>Pts</font></center></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Jump</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 70% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.470 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 66% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>10.0 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Close</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 23% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.626 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 57% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 12% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 4.3 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Dunk</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 5% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.968 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 65% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 3% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 1.5 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=ffffff>
<td><center><font size=-1>Tips</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 2% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.591 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 0.3 </font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=f0f0df>
<td><center><font size=-1>Inside</font></center></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 30% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1>.683 </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 56% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 9% </font></td>
<td align=right><font size=-1> 6.2 </font></td>
</tr>
</table>
Brand went from having 47% of his shots come from inside in 2002-2003, to 30% in the past two seasons (2005-2006, 2006-2007). What I'm not sure, however, is if these stats include attempts that are fouled, or just only attempts that becomes a make or miss. He does get to the line a "fair" amount of times... 6-7 for his career, which is pretty good, and I'd assume those aren't fouls on his jumpshots.