Everything You Need to Know About NBA-Bound Brazilian Marcelo Huertas
After a sterling career overseas, Brazilian combo guard Marcelo Huertas is ready to give the NBA a try.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the 31-year-old will be free of the mobility-hindering buyout provisions with current employer FC Barcelona this June, and he believes "this is the right time" to test his skills in the world's most competitive league.
Based on his performance to this point, that sounds about right.
| Age | 31 |
| Height | 6'3" |
| Weight | 185 lbs |
| Position | PG/SG |
| 2014-15 Euroleague Stats | 7.6 points, 4.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 0.5 steals |
| 2014-15 ACB Stats | 7.4 points, 4.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals |
Huertas has spent the last six years in the Spanish ACB league, which is probably the most competitive non-NBA league in the world. Though his numbers this season—7.4 points and 4.9 assists per game—won't cause widespread swooning, Huertas profiles as a solid backup guard.
He showed us some flash with this tricky ball fake against Egypt in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup:
And he dropped a lefty behind-the-back dime to Andersen Varejao later in that same contest:
Those highlights are good indicators of where Huertas' strengths lie. He has excellent vision and handles the ball creatively. Where he's weaker, according to most of his numbers from recent international competition, is as a shooter from three-point land.
He converted just 33.3 percent of his triples in the 2014 World Cup, according to Eurobasket.com. In the 2012 London Olympics, he made only 26.3 percent from deep. Those are limited samples, but Huertas' long-range performance for Barca in 28 games this season indicates they're representative of his actual ability.
He hit just 29.6 percent of his triples in the ACB this year.
To be fair, he hit over 40 percent of his attempts in various Spanish leagues from 2009 to 2012, per Draft Express. But his recent accuracy has dipped, and you have to remember Huertas put up those rates with a shorter line than the one he'll see in the NBA.
Everybody loves a crafty game manager, but it's difficult to envision team-altering offensive play from a point guard who isn't a legitimate three-point threat. Ask Rajon Rondo how that goes.
Despite a questionable shot from deep, Huertas is an exciting player who can drill mid-range jumpers and run the pick-and-roll.
Yahoo Sports' Dan Devine had this to say after the 2012 Olympics:
"Huertas' pace in the halfcourt, control in the pick-and-roll game, court vision in transition and ability to complete passes others might not attempt made him a gripping watch throughout the tournament, and while Brazil came up just shy of the medal round, Huertas showed in the five-point loss to Argentina that he's willing and able to call his own number when needed, scoring 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting.
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If you're looking for a potential comparison, Huertas has one for you.
By his own admission, per Wojnarowski, he's got some Pablo Prigioni in him: "Prigoni is the guy most likely to get compared to me, because our career trajectory had been similar in Europe. And like him, I can run a team without worrying about scoring.”
Plenty of NBA teams could use a steady, clever distributor off the bench.
Even amid the current playoff field, doesn't it look like the Cleveland Cavaliers might need someone more dynamic than Matthew Dellavedova off the bench? And what about the San Antonio Spurs? What if Cory Joseph doesn't get a qualifying offer? And even if he does, what if Tony Parker's role needs to shrink as he ages?
Huertas could step right into that organization's international conglomerate of talent pretty easily.
Both the Cavs and Spurs have Brazilians already on the roster, which could further entice Huertas to sign.
It's too early to tell where Huertas might end up, but it seems clear he has a place in the NBA.
He'll get a chance to prove it next year.
