If Jabari bulks up and continues to be dependable as a shooter he would be the perfect modern stretch big.
I love it and I've been saying this since early in the season. Fans needs to stop looking at him like a 3/4 who can't dribble and more like a 4/5 who can dribble a little bit. This guy can play the 4 or 5 equally well and is a perfect pairing with any kind of big man once he gets stronger. He is going to be able to protect the rim and the perimeter while making your C chase him in 3pt and mid range (around tons of screens if our coach is awake). I estimate by the start of his 3rd season he's going to be able to protect that rim. This REALLY helps Sengun. He can take his time learning to anchor the defense himself against backups instead of starters. It's impossible to have a good defense without a good anchor so it might be a net benefit to the team for Sengun to be a mediocre defender at PF rather than at C. They don't get in each other's way and play very well off each other. This is not a threat to Sengun's career, it's just more weapons for the team and we'll need them all. Everything Jabari says in interviews is pretty intelligent and mature. If he walks the walk, we're solid.
The only problem with that frontline is, you will get killed on the defensive end. We saw Smith having problems with Boston's wings on the perimeter, Wemby would probably have the same problems with most wing players and defense is Sengun's weakness.
The first sign of knowing there is a problem is to seek HELP. SOFs don't know they're delusional, angry and combative.
I'm a little surprised you can actually read clutchfans. If you ignore everyone that attempts to correct your posts, the entire site must be blank.
Bout time. He should be the backup center period. Why are the Rockets six months late on everything the fans already know
The only problem with that analogy is I just don't see Sengun as a PF, only as a Center. He doesnt have the foot speed to guard today's PF. However, I do see him as a backup Center. As you said, he has trouble guarding starting centers but he excels against backup centers and players his size. I think Sengun is a good player, I see him more as a 6 - 8 player on a Championship team, not like most SOFs, who thinks he is an All - Star or future HOF.
The only problem with that analogy is I just don't see Sengun as a PF, only as a Center. He doesnt have the foot speed to guard today's PF. However, I do see him as a backup Center. As you said, he has trouble guarding starting centers but he excels against backup centers and players his size. I think Sengun is a good player, I see him more as a 6 - 8 player on a Championship team, not like most SOFs, who thinks he is an All - Star or future HOF.
you cant know how he will improve his skills in 3-4 years.. you are right now he is a backup center for a contender team god bless houston rockets is not a contender team
It's not the right way to think about it. A championship is impossible with an average defensive anchor. You can win a championship with one below average defender on the floor. That's a realistic target for him at PF. The reason you do this is because of the value he brings on offense if you can hide him as much as possible on defense. We did this successfully with Harden for years. If you have a guy who might one day get you 20-25 points and 5-10 assists efficiently with a functioning 3pt sho then it's worth doing this. I believe Sengun can do this by age 24 but everyone is so fascinated by the fact that he's not there right now. At the rate he's improving I don't know why anyone would be surprised. If he develops a 3pt shot, I bet he makes an All Star game.
Jabari was the primary defender on Jason Tatum who scored 22 points on 22 shots. He averages 30 points on 21.5 shots. No problems with Jabari's defense. On offense Wemby can be the SF. He only needs to be the C on defense. If he's got the C and Jabari's for the best forward then Sengun is left with the worst frontcourt player. Like a PJ Tucker or something. Can totally work out.
You're basing this on one good defensive game by Jabari. The numbers say Jabari has not been a good defender this year and his defensive rating is just barely better than Sengun. I'm glad Jabari had a couple good games but lets not crown him DPOY yet when most of the season he's been equally as bad as everyone else on the team.
Jalen also had the worst plus/minus in the league last year and Jabari had a terrible one this year. You don't draft players based on their advanced stats in college, you draft them on potential. You don't grade rookies on advanced stats either. Jabari projects as DPOY level player. If you look at the "advanced stats" they'd probably say Sengun is a better defender. But anyone with eyeballs can see that they're not in the same stratosphere when it comes to defensive ability.
Show us the league rankings that show Jabari has not been a good defender this season. When you say he's not a good defender, you're comparing him to the league. Let's see the comparative stats/rankings. Anyone who watches a game can see clear as day he's going to be an excellent defender. I'm not going to base my prediction on the noisiest stat I can possibly imagine. Other than a currently elite defensive anchor, no one is not looking bad in this defense.
Fans are reading way too much into this. First, he isn't taking a job away from Sengun. Sengun isn't really a center anyway. He doesn't keep players out of the lane or alter shots like a center does. That is why if the Rockets get Victor W, he will be the center - they can call themselves all guards if they want, it doesn't matter because it would be Victor W keeping the lane clear. Second, Smith will be able to play center in certain line ups, but he isn't really a traditional center either, so he is likely not going to get 30 minutes a game their either. He is also too go at guarding on the perimeter, so in a lot of cases he is going to defend 3's and very mobile 4's. There will be plenty of minutes for Jabari and Sengun, and that includes if the Rockets get lucky and end up with Victor W. In fact, adding Victor W is the best possible thing to happen to Sengun and Smith.
Jabari has been very much up and down defensively this season. He has at times looked like a genuine stopper and other times he has been abused defensively. Having said that, Jabari Smith is clearly a more talented and better defender than Sengun - if for no other reason than Jabari is quick enough to switch and guard on the perimeter and Sengun just isn't.
