This brief article will go over some of the most useful things I think you can do with my Position-Adjusted Classification system.

First of all, the common fan is most likely not familiar with every single player in the NBA.  Face it: it’s very difficult to see every team play.  The great thing about PAC is that it can give you a brief description of how a player plays (at least offensively).  Even better, you can look for other players (focus on the same position, of course) to get a better idea.  Combine that with my Composite Score rating system and you can get a good snapshot of any NBA player.  Keep in mind that it’s not perfect.  There is no substitute for watching a player in action with your own eyes. 

Second, if you happen to work for a team or just want to play general manager on your own, PAC has some great uses.  Teams generally don’t just try to stockpile as much talent as possible.  Instead, they acquire players to fill different roles based on their current personnel and style of play.  Here’s an example:

Let’s say your team has a couple of great scorers that love to take the ball to the basket.  In addition, you’ve had some struggles with turnovers and could use a shooting guard who can help bring up the ball.  What to do?  Simply look down the PAC list for “Ball-Handlers With Range – Low Usage Rate.”  This will give you the long-distance shooting ball-handlers that don’t demand the ball.  Just what you were looking for!  Once you’ve got a few names, go to the Composite Score section to find the best offensive, defensive, or overall players of the bunch.  The next time I update my Composite Score numbers I will be sure to include PAC along with it. 

Finally, PAC is just fun to look at (at least to nerds like me, anyways).  You can do so many things with the data.  What kinds of players do the best teams have?  What types did the Celtics use to win the championship?  Perhaps a look at the types of players on a team will explain why they are struggling in certain areas.  The possibilities are endless.

Once again, if you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at [email protected]. 

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