[2022 NBA Draft/1-3] Jabari Smith Jr., F, Auburn

Of all the young players we currently have, Jabari is the least I worry about. His bust potential is the lowest among these kids. His problems (shooting and strength) are the most fixable. I don't consider his handles as a problem. It's a bonus you would like if he improves on it but he'll be fine as is. It's not as bad as some people make it.

More importantly, he seems to have the right mindset. He may or may not turn into a superstar. But he will be a very valuable player for a long time.

 

What do you consider a Bust?

And do you factor in where they were drafted because it's almost unheard of a wing picked at #3 who can't create their own shot and can't finish efficiently at the rim.

 

The KPJ bunch are CLASSIC!

Trade Jalen. He and Jr are redundant (after a month of COMBO preachin).

And that Bari...

Can't wait to see Bari and J Green in their 4th yr. The skies the limit IF you limit the BS going forward. Culture is everything.

 

Some of us realized very quickly that Jabari was never going to be a #1, let alone #2 option on a contending team. Just hoping that his 3-point shot levels out, he can improve his strength and finishing a bit, and can switch on defense effectively. I'd be happy with a Rashard Lewis w/ better defense at this point, which could ultimately be his realistic ceiling.

 

Who the heck is advocating trading Green?

The sky is the limit for KPJ as well, it's a doofus like you that thinks he can't get any better as if he is terrible now.

 

Is he a wing now? I don't think draft positions matter after a couple of years. Bust in my opinion is when you can't make an impact on a winning team playing major minutes. Kwame Brown is a bust, but Wiggins isn't, he eventually became a 3 and D player on a championship team, even though that was not what he was projected to be.

If all else fails and Jabari keeps improving his defense and 3 point shooting, he might become a Wiggins, Brooke Lopez, Bridges type of player, which can be slotted into any contending team. But that hinges on his shooting and continued improvement on defense

 

If he is not a wing what is he?

Wiggins and Lopez have shown the ability to be a major part of the offense and go to players and both showed more skills than Smith even as rookies, Bridges was not a top 3 pick.

Wiggins became more than a 3 and D player on a championship team he was probably the 2nd best player on that championship team and did more than just 3 and D.

 

Doofus...

Great one.

Sends me back.

Fools calling out 1st and 2nd year players for lack of growth after supporting others even after (fill in the blank) ish for 2 plus yrs is classic.

 

Smith has always been listed as a PF, and he's playing as a PF now.

Wiggins was a one of the most inefficient guards in his years with Minnesota.

He was not only 3 and D with GSW, he was more like D, slash and 3, which again did not hinge on himself creating much offense.

Lopez reinvented his game to focus on defense and 3's to become the 3-4th best player on a championship team.

My point is you can eat in this league just by specializing on defense and shoot 3's and you will make an impact on a contender. We have all seen how important Tucker and Ariza were.

 

PF and wings are interchangeable in todays NBA and do you really want to think of him as PF when he is so terrible at the rim?

Most of the NBA was inefficient when Wiggins was in Minnesota so I don't understand the issue?

If a guy is mostly a face up guy I call him a wing and Wiggins can create for himself as shown in the NBA finals he just does not have to because of the offense.

Lopez was an all NBA type of guy and then changed his game, yes I know you can eat in this league by specializing on defense and shoot 3's but are you going to pay that to the max if you are already not a contender and have not found that franchise player?

This does not happen in a vacuum and everybody is not G.S.

You can get a Tucker or an Ariza much cheaper than the 3rd pick and then pay them max money.

 

I am fine with either staying with the combo approach but we will need a POINT FORWARD like Amen Thompson, or trading one of KPJ or Green.

DD

 

Just for your reference. The league average TS% in 2018 for a shooting guard was 55% for shooting guards and small forwards. Andrew Wiggins shot 50% TS. The next season Wiggins shot 49% TS. These are stats for the last 2 years of his time in Minny in his athletic prime.

The league average TS% in 2022 for a SG was 54%.

I don't think the most of the NBA was inefficient when Wiggins was in Minny, he was just inefficient, by a long shot by any standard of measurement for efficiency. Yes Wiggins can create his offense, but he sucked at that, that's why GS didn't let him do any of that, and instead focused on his strength which is defense, slashing and 3's.

Also nobody is says you have to pay the max to Smith if he becomes only a 3 and D player, because the market won't pay him that. You don't have to pay your No. 3 pick anything, you can trade them too, you can even release them. No. 3 pick just gives you better odds, it doesn't guarantee anything.

 

I disagree bc it’s clear the other guys aren’t busts. They can still be a disappointment if they don’t improve moving forward, but none of them are busts. This year’s class has to prove they’re not, but I don’t think that’ll be the case with Jabari

 

Jabari can be a competent role player and a "bust" for where he was drafted. It's not mutually exclusive. No doubt at worse Jabari becomes Trevor Ariza which you want on any championship contender. But when you're picking top 3 you're expecting something a lot more.

 

Sounds great

 

Well not up to me...lol....

DD

 

So one of his biggest problems in your opinion is his shooting. The biggest reason he was a top 3 pick was because of his shooting. That is both ironic and sad. A few months ago he was a better scorer than Banchero because of a fraction of a point better TS%. In reality the two are shooting basically the same from 3 this year. For one it was his weakness, the other, his strength. Now it’s a weakness along with finishing and playmaking. We already knew he was limited and raw. The shooting was supposed to be so good that those other traits could be overlooked. Well, turns out he’s not “instantly Klay Thompson.” Turns out shooting is now also a weakness

 

The amount of people advocating for him to be the first pick in the draft LOL