Mid-range jumpers have become basketball pariahs since the rise of analytics, and not without reason. They’re still inefficient shots in aggregate, but not all mid-range shots are created equal.
NBA offenses are trying to put pressure on the front of the rim, which produces the most efficient shots in the game; dunks, layups, kick-out threes, and free throws. Defenses are trying to prevent those attempts and force the offense to take long, contested two’s instead. Sometimes the defense wins that battle, and it’s important to have players who can still produce when that happens.
Brandon Ingram has prioritized those shots instead of taking them as a last resort though, and it’s become a problem.