FALL 2023
Algorithmic NBA Player Acquisition
AUTHORS
Ryan S. Brill, University of Pennsylvania
Justin Hughes, University of Pennsylvania
Nathan Waldbaum, University of Pennsylvania
ABSTRACT
Player acquisition is one of the fundamental problems of basketball analytics. An analyst may be tempted to recommend simply acquiring the best available player, where best is defined by an all-encompassing skill metric. How a player fits with his teammates, however, is also important in determining the effectiveness of a lineup. Thus in this paper we model the effectiveness of a lineup as an interacting function of the offensive skill, defensive skill, and player archetype of all ten players on the court. We find that fit is indeed just as essential as skill in crafting a lineup.
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