Please by all means, take the time to do some research and show us his new measurements. Look, I am fine with signing him for a low amount, but buyer beware, this is SHINY OBJECT IN THE STREAM mentality. The guy is a garbage player these days, and a headcase - a potential clubhouse cancer. And turnover is disruptive, look how poorly we played against Atlanta after Cisco a popular clubhouse guy was let go..... Everytime you have turnover, it is disruptive.....I agree with everyone who says he is better than Dorsey - but he is not better than TJo, Dmo, DHo and is far different than Black...who is a big man rebounder. The question is, would Josh Smith make the Rockets better - clearly the one of 4 years ago would but the one shooting below 40% this year, and below 50% at the FT line wouldn't.... He is in serious decline, now I realize it is low risk, but weigh that against having him take minutes from guys like Pappa and DMo who are in ascension...and to me, it screams...TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK at what it does to the rotation and roster. It is not as cut and dried as some folks are thinking..at least to me, seems shiny object in the stream mentality. DD
i would have thought that should have been obvious but obviously not. josh smith apparently stayed the same size after 18 and 10 years later
Please show us proof that he has grown - will happily concede the point once you actually have one. DD
I think what you and many people are overlooking is how well Josh Smith should fit with a team that doesn't shoot long and mid range jump shots. Smith taking those shots is by far the biggest hole in his game. People can scream about 3s all they want but he takes less than 2 a game for his career. Josh Smith taking 2-3 3s a game and no jumpers can be a really good player even if his athleticism has declined. I am pretty sure that's why Morey has continually pursued him over the last year and a half.
People still 2nd guess morey like they know more than him, this is what kills me over with laughter. Stop regurgitating the same narrative about Josh Smith without using your brains. "he shoots too many 2s" "His IQ is low" "His 3pt % is too low" Every situation is different. Did any of you stop and consider why? Not saying that all of the above criticism is wrong (I don’t agree with the Low IQ),but still…ever consider why those are perceived true? He was drafted by a bad team that relied on him to be a star out the gate with Atlanta. They needed him to be a scorer and the number 1 option in ATL and the same really in Detroit. It's similar to the Ariza scenario and many of the same people complaining now about Josh, complained about Ariza this summer; not wanting him here because of the same reasons. Never taking in consideration that the situation is different. When we signed Ariza the first time, they were hoping he would be a 2nd tier scoring option and that's not who he was. ATL and Detroit should have never relied on Josh to be a number 1 or 2 option because that's not who he is/was. He shows flashes, but not enough to warranty the load. The Rockets will not need him to be #1 or #2; just use his God given gifts to rebound, block shots, defend and get in transition. He can do that and flourish without the added pressure of being the man! I'm shocked that people can’t use logic and see past basic narrative. Why do you keep questioning Morey to be proven wrong almost everytime? Lol You just can’t peg people and try to keep them in the box they are in without giving them a chance. "he shoots too many 2's; that's not what we do" Do you think the coaches/ Morey know that? How hard is it to say, “Josh we don't need that here unless you are 5 feet from the basket; we have shooters. We need you to concentrate on what made you a five star prospect; your athleticism and defense" You put him around a lot of talent (really for the first time) and give him a role where he can still flourish without being the 1st or 2nd option and watch him shine. It’s a no brainer guys, plus Detroit still pays 90% of the bill and people still have an issue with it??
...add to that the fact Houston has a history of being willing to gamble on talent if the risk is relatively low. Thinking back to other perceived garbage players Houston has acquired with some risk attached over the years - Bonzi Wells(past prime, locker cancer), Ron Artest(past prime, low efficiency, cancer, crazy), Hasheem Thabeet(questionable talent), Stromile Swift(questionable talent), Vin Baker(alcoholic, past prime), etc. Ron Artest in particular was known as a low efficiency volume scorer who was past his prime defensively and considered a cancer. His history of craziness aside, he's not a bad comp to the current perception of Josh Smith.
Dude, there are 96 minutes available at the 4/5 spots. Dwight and DMo can't cover all those minutes and our small 4's (Kostas, etc.) cannot match up defensively against the big 4's in the West. We gotta have a third big for those defensive matchups. We're not going to find better value for basically the minimum than Josh Smith.
This has devolved into a Smith vs DMo debate? We can have both, folks. For less than the cost of Terry's salary combined. Stop complaining.
That is the ONLY reason I would consider signing him and jettising Dorsey. If TJo was expected back - I would not get close to Josh Smith, at all. Folks are just excited that a formerly decent player is available...I get that - but for me, he is a very big risk..not financially but chemically. DD
Right, I don't think Smith is status quo, I mean he's worth a shot to upgrade the roster, especially for free at a 1/4 of the season done. But honestly after watching the Rockets org enough over the years I can tell you even if Houston gets him and it destroys the team chemistry, did we really lose that much to begin with? I mean I don't want the team destroyed or something, but I'm growing tired of being sold on the team going places in the offseason only to watch them fold in the first round. I think it's worth the risk even if it doesn't pan out, it's not like we have Hakeem still, and we can always rebuild around Harden.
...anything to prevent Black & Dorsey from being in that rotation. They have barely been tolerable in the regular season but in the playoffs they will kill this team if they have to spend any time on the court. The talent just isn't there and we can't have that as our alternative if the refs give Dwight or Dmo a few quick fouls. Against Blake Griffin, Aldridge, Zbo, Duncan, etc - that would kill us.
Ron Artest at least helped get us out of the first round... Everyone else on your list is right, haha. I remember Swift was being touted as being a new superstar...
I disagree - I think it is a matter of having a couple of playmakers on the floor....instead of whom we run out there now. If you had Canaan and Pappa on the floor with Dmo or DHo on the post - you have something. It is when you have Terry and Ariza out there, that we have no one that can create or penetrate. It is simply a matter of having the RIGHT personnel on the floor when Harden is out. DD
He has also NEVER played with anyone like Harden or Howard before. He will not be relied upon for scoring in Houston. His job will not be to score, his job will be to focus on other things, defense, transition, hustle plays. This is a much better fit than the Pistons or the Hawks teams. Also who else will the Rockets spend their BAE on?
He makes a lot of sense even if Jones is healthy. You sign him for the BAE and see if he fits. If he doesn't you cut him and move on. But if he does fit you now have Jones to package in a deal to upgrade the team. The Rockets don't have to commit long term to Smith at all.
Smith would be a huge addition to this team - listen he is a headache on offense with the way he tries to act like he is Steph Curry out there, but he is a very good/elite defender at the 4 spot and is an athletic finisher at the rim. Smith isnt too bad in the post (this is on my recollection of watching Hawks games in the past) - he isnt DMo of course but if the coaching staff and all can convince Smith to get more inside than outside I think the signing would pay huge dividends. Smith 3 seasons ago lead the league in defensive win shares If Smith continues his boneheaded ways on offense though - the team isnt risking a lot financially to just cut him again if needed or if they have to trade him later (i think he would be eligible to be traded 60 days after signing right?) Smith for 10+ a year is a team killer at the BAE its well worth the risk IMO especially when we are so short of big men in the west. If Jones does come back then moving DMo to backup center and having a combo of Jones/DMo be the backup 4/5 would be great. A lot will see how Smith buys into a team that has expectations. He hasn't been on a team like that before and if he is willing to adjust his game offensively for something bigger. His best FG% came 5 years ago when he shot the fewest 3s of his career per game (0.1 per game). If he is able to average under 1 3 point attempt per game if he signs here I think everything will be ok when it comes to his offense. Whatever offense we do have is designed to stay away from the midrange and go inside and shoot 3s. If he keeps away from the 3 then all thats left is the inside. Most importantly - even though he can handle the ball a bit - the ball handling will be primarily in the hands of the guards and he will be looked upon just to finish plays and not create them the way he probably had to in detroit and took it upon himself to do in atlanta. It will be interesting to see where he is mentally since he would be playing with his best friend and with a HOF power forward coach. I think that will help in his maturation (weird saying that since he is a 10 year vet) greatly. this is a classic low risk high reward situation and it would be silly not to take it. This is even less of a risk than the Terrence Williams trade as really the Rockets are only giving up their BAE and not a future first round pick.
Smith is perfect example of a guy who plays well enough in a 2nd or 3rd option role to warrant a large contract and then falters when expected to suddenly play like a 1st option. That is exactly why Cuban said he "fits the type" of player they like to bring in. Guys who can thrive playing a complimentary role instead of being asked to be superstars. Cuban has been getting guys like this for years. Shawn Marion, Lamar Odom, Monta Ellis. Didn't work out trying to carry the load on your crappy team? Come to Dallas and take a backseat and we'll give you a good home.
