For 20 years my personal record for dumbest thing I ever heard was someone being shocked Thanksgiving fell on a Thursday that year. This Jabari Smith Jr./Kevin Durant comparison just broke it.
I think it’s inconsistent and I don’t think he’s amazing on the perimeter but I think that he’s very good on the interior, he has grown as a shop blocker and I think he’s effective from about the rim to 12 feet out or so. I also think it is important to note that he is a very effective defensive rebounder, which also factors into that a lot. I do not think that he is switchable enough to where we want him on amazing perimeter offensive players but he can hold his own. Mostly I want him close to the rim.
Jabari must read clutchfans everyday, to pump himself up every game. No where on KDs level. Even at this age.Kd was hitting clutch shots against the Spurs with OKC, when he was Jabari's age. Jabari is a smudge better than Tari. Ime has these dudes guarding guards getting torched. Jabari will always be a role player, that should come off the bench. He will never sniff an all-star game and an all nba team. His best projection Michael Kidd-Gilchrist! Better sale now!
Kevin Durant is one of the best players to ever play in the NBA. One of the absolute best. A top 5 scorer of all time....at worst. He just had an amazing season and the most efficient scoring season in Rockets history. Although I don't agree, I understand arguments about wanting him gone because of team chemistry issues and age.... But saying him and Jabari are the same player and that being the reason he needs to go is peak off-season foolery. I really don't think Jabari nor KD are even close to the biggest issues with this team.
I get what you’re saying, both have similar movement weaknesses. Starting both together is too slow and can’t match up. Ball won’t move enough. Too much time allocation to a bad playoff alignment. Both have too big of contracts and too high trade value to come off the bench. No, Jabari can’t play center in real games against real teams. Trading one should be first on the agenda but neither probably will and we’ll be cooked before the season even starts.
Youre right for this season but his best career is 100 which I dont think Bari can achieve. Whats funny is Sengun is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA but Clutchfans seems to think he cant play defense lol 1 Alperen Sengun 111.4 2025-26 HOU 72 33.3 20.4 8.9 6.2 1.2 1.1 8.1 15.6 51.9 0.6 1.8 30.5 3.6 5.2 69.1 56.9 3.0 5.9 3.2 2,398 1,466 640 445 85 77 227 238 +205 2 Tari Eason 111.5 2025-26 HOU 60 25.8 10.5 6.3 1.5 1.2 0.5 4.0 9.7 41.6 1.6 4.3 35.8 0.9 1.1 77.6 51.4 2.1 4.2 1.4 1,549 627 376 90 72 28 81 138 +167 3 Reed Sheppard 112.1 2025-26 HOU 82 26.2 13.5 2.9 3.4 1.5 0.7 5.0 11.5 43.0 2.8 7.0 39.4 0.8 1.0 80.2 56.4 0.3 2.6 1.5 2,147 1,110 238 277 122 54 123 166 +281 4 Amen Thompson 113.5 2025-26 HOU 79 37.4 18.3 7.8 5.3 1.5 0.6 7.1 13.2 53.4 0.3 1.5 21.6 3.8 4.9 77.9 59.4 3.0 4.8 2.4 2,953 1,443 614 420 119 48 190 175 +368 5 Jabari Smith Jr. 114.2 2025-26 HOU 77 35.1 15.8 6.9 1.9 0.7 0.9 5.7 12.6 45.0 2.3 6.3 36.3 2.1 2.7 77.5 57.0 1.4 5.5 1.4 2,705 1,215 529 143 56 71 105 192 +264 6 Josh Okogie 114.3 2025-26 HOU 78 17.4 4.5 2.6 0.9 0.8 0.2 1.6 3.8 42.5 0.8 2.1 38.5 0.5 0.9 59.4 54.4 1.0 1.5 0.5 1,354 353 200 69 63 16 41 107 +69 7 Kevin Durant 114.9 2025-26 HOU 78 36.4 26.0 5.5 4.8 0.8 0.9 9.2 17.6 52.0 2.4 5.8 41.3 5.2 6.0 87.4 64.1 0.5 4.9 3.2 2,840 2,026 426 372 62 71 246 142 +340
Let me know the last time Durant has contested someone at the rim. Or actually defended someone in space. Or closed out on a shooter. Or hustled back for a chasedown block. They aren't comparable defenders. In a vacuum....sure. But game by game, quarter by quarter Durant might be our worst defender not named Reed.
Man, people have some wild posts. But I do think Jabari took a big step this past season. I wouldn’t trade him unless it was just an absolutely lopsided deal.
