This body type with no handle and lacking explosiveness isn’t just a limitation it’s a complete detriment in 4th quarters and playoff ball. It not just an okay they don’t dribble well and won’t be isolation scorers capable of getting their own, it affects the flow of the game so much deeper than that. Every good team has already figured it out and is playing with 4 fast/fluid athletes and a center. The 7 foot limited athlete power forward has been slowly disappearing from the game since the early 2000s. You’re playing down a guy that can get open, receive the ball, and maintain flow, comfort, and control in an offensive possession. On defense you’re down a body type that can prevent a point of relief from getting open, you’re down a body type that can get in close to a ball handler and get them uncomfortable and stationary thinking only of not losing the ball rather than comfortably handling and looking up to make a play. It turns into a pressure game, where the comfortable team always wins and if your the team with the tall limited athlete power forward, your likely the team losing the game. It drives me crazy how people talk about Jabari Smith Jr and solely judge him on the plays he finishes the possession with a jumpshot or contesting a shot, and completely ignore all the game flow that happens in between. I’m a good ultimate frisbee player been playing for 10 years. It’s a game all about quick cut, get open, make a difficult catch, turn, make a quick and creative pass. I see how much just having one player down who’s weak in these areas can wreck the flow and cause an L. I see all these principals in how good teams like the Spurs, OKC, and the Knicks play. They are fast, fluid, and comfortable collectively as a group. Their MVP candidates and best players get the credit for the difference from the untrained eyes but they win the pressure game collectively as a team. The Rockets issue is being compounded by adding KD to the mix, though atleast he gets the volume necessary of using his strengths in shooting over shorter players to counter act it. Without that volume, he’d be a liability too. We’ve been a bad offense known for collapses the entire 4 years that Jabari has been a 30 minute per game starter and guys that have no idea what they’re talking about will look you dead in the eye and tell you he’s not part of the problem. TS% or his wide open stand still jump shot looks good and contest with long arms at the end of a defensive possession looks good 9 times a game. It’s embarrassing. If we keep segmenting the game like this and claiming it’s one guys job “the PG” or blaming whoever the best player is we’re going to keep getting our ass kicked.
Ament disappeared a lot in games where you wouldn't notice he was there. Jabari never did at Auburn. Wish he would just go rogue on Ime and just start jacking it up 15-20 times a game. Jabari was a miles better prospect coming out of Auburn.
Dog we have #39 and #53 Acuff and Ament are amiss Is this because you have become a Thunder fan and are thinking about Ament with their pick at 12?
To me, Bari hasn't shown enough in 4 years to prove that he's worth the continued investment of minutes. I'd rather allocate those minutes to a player that at least has a chance to be a centerpiece. Amen and Sengun have shown enough and have earned their minutes imo. Reed has two years to show more. Tari's a role player and should be considered as a bench player going forward. This is made worse by having KD on the roster. His weaknesses are best hidden at the 4, but you've got to play Jabari there because he literally can't play another position. He's too slow to play as a wing, and too small to play center. I agree with @StrawberryJamm above more generally. This team would be better served with a more dynamic player at the 4. And the best way to do that given the current roster is to move KD to that position and replace Jabari with a dynamic guard. I also think Amen should be considered a 3/4 and there should be two pure guards at the 1-2 with a potential frontcourt of Amen/KD/Sengun.
Jabari is a perfectly fine starter on your roster - he's obviously not the type of player we were hoping for at the 3rd pick but I think he is at least an average NBA starter and he is paid basically that plus a little bit more to assume more consistency/growth. I think he is probably a fairly solid trade piece all said. If you accept who he is as a player( a solid but not exceptional 3 and D players), the consistency is really the hardest thing to accept about him and it is likely something that will even out over the course of the current contract because it often does as players with the types of reps Jabari has turn to vets. I agree he can be upgraded FOR SURE but honestly upgrading Jabari is the least of our problems right now. I would make him available if we are acquiring a difference maker and the team we are trading with wants him, but we really lost the plot if we think Jabari alone is holding this team down. I can buy trading him for a piece who solves some of our playmaking and ball handling troubles but otherwise, trading to get that player in another position just opens up a hole at PF.
Bari was a legit top 3 prospect coming out of college. Ament..is not. If your comp is homeless man’s Jabari, stay in school.
I agree with alot of what you posted. If you're a tall avg athlete like Jabari, you need to be able to punish a 6'6 wing guy when he's guarding you. You have to develop a post or mid post game to make teams pay. If not , what's the point of being tall? He still haven't gotten better at his weaknesses
Giannis, Portis, Trent Jr for Sengun, Thompson, Adams and a couple of picks. Resign Tari and Okoge and go play ball. It works financially for both teams via cap. Helps Bucks rebuild in East and helps Rockets contend in the west. 3 yr window for the Rockets.
