1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Jabari Smith Jr. is the Rockets' franchise player

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Houston77, Jul 7, 2023.

  1. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2009
    Messages:
    26,526
    Likes Received:
    18,685
    Hes a O way player. Kenyon Martin Jr was more effective
     
  2. tehG l i d e

    tehG l i d e Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2009
    Messages:
    28,964
    Likes Received:
    23,488
    Jabari needs to better at role player things like making wide open 3s at a consistent rate and not getting targetted defensively before he starts trying to "explore his game".
     
    beardsanity713 likes this.
  3. Houston77

    Houston77 COOKIES AND CAKE, MY TEAM BAKED!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2018
    Messages:
    8,336
    Likes Received:
    21,074
    lol
     
    RB713 likes this.
  4. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    27,338
    Likes Received:
    17,672
    He's got to be more than a statue. Holiday is a better shooter. If all he's allowed to be on offense is a statue, put in Holiday. I get wanting to cut down JSJ acting as initial creator. He needs to be able to keep an advantage when one is created by others by either attacking by driving, shooting open shots, or passing the ball quickly. He needs to cut down the 4 or 5 ineffective dribbles from 15 feet, turnaround jumper attempt. If he gets stopped, he needs to just reset.

    JSJ frustrates me a lot. I think he's a good player now. He makes a few more negative plays than I like, but nothing like Green.
     
    RB713 likes this.
  5. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 1999
    Messages:
    15,923
    Likes Received:
    20,149
    i think Bari is still young and developing. But I haven’t seen a lot of improvement in his offensive decision-making, passing, and while his ball handling has improved, it’s still not good. He’s shooting efficiency is below what it should be after a hot start. To me it’s his defense that is the part of his game he’s improved the most. Despite the length and the tools, I think his upside is gonna be limited by his athleticism, instincts, Bball IQ, and I still think he’s got a ways to go developing his shooting touch. I like his potential as a high end role player, but I don’t feel nearly as good as I do about guys like Amen, Sengun and Reed. I wouldn’t lose sleep over trading Bari if we got really good value in return. But hopefully he’ll step up the 2nd half of the season.
     
    subtomic, A_3PO and LosPollosHermanos like this.
  6. the11mingdynasty

    Joined:
    May 30, 2005
    Messages:
    580
    Likes Received:
    627
    If Jabari truly wants to emulate KD, he has to be able to have hang time on his pull-ups and fadeaways. It’s amazing how KD changes the angle of his shots by hanging in the air. Pretty cool to see it up close.
     
    Aruba77 likes this.
  7. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    27,338
    Likes Received:
    17,672
    Agree with a lot. I think he's making negative plays on offense that look like growing pains to me (handle is a lot better, but he's doing things that he doesn't have the handle for yet). I'd like a leap in processing.
     
    Aruba77 likes this.
  8. AlperenSengun

    AlperenSengun Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2021
    Messages:
    4,267
    Likes Received:
    7,906
    He improved his ball handling and looks less stiff overall. But he might be turning over the ball more since he tries much more now.
     
    Crashlanded19, Easy and Aruba77 like this.
  9. OremLK

    OremLK Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2010
    Messages:
    21,282
    Likes Received:
    19,851
    Yeah IDK guys, I've seen a leap in both the game processing and the ballhandling, and the numbers bear that out. His assist rate, while still low (understandable given his low usage rate) is basically double what it was last season, and he's also getting to the rim or the short midrange more often. He's scoring more efficiently overall, especially close to the basket. His 3P volume is up and his 3P% is basically tied with his career high.

    He's progressing. He's never going to be great at creating offense for himself or others, but it doesn't need to be, we have enough of that on the roster. His game is visibly more multi-faceted this season, though.

    He's never going to be a star, but he does have a real chance at becoming an elite two-way roleplayer in a hard-to-find, easy-to-slot-in archetype. Those guys are worth a lot of money.
     
    Arnel, Hakeemtheking and cmlmel77 like this.
  10. tehG l i d e

    tehG l i d e Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2009
    Messages:
    28,964
    Likes Received:
    23,488
    Ime kept him as the only starter in with the reserves after taking out the other starters when the rest of the game was supposed to be garbage time. He didn't do what he was supposed to do and the Nuggets cut the lead down to 10 with a few minutes left. Reminded me of the Pelicans game all over again. Do your damn Jabari. Ime left you in there for a reason.
     
  11. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 1999
    Messages:
    46,985
    Likes Received:
    34,235
    I watched the latest episode of FVV's Unguarded with KD as a guest, and the one player they talked about improving so much and was making KD & FVV drool was Jabari. KD was acting like they've just scratched the surface with him and that he's growing by leaps. He was saying we have to find a way to get him the ball more. FVV was like Jabari could average over 20 ppg on some sorry team. I think KD said Bari's been joining him in workouts, so hopefully that rubs off on him.
     
    Arnel, Easy, OremLK and 1 other person like this.
  12. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 1999
    Messages:
    15,923
    Likes Received:
    20,149
    to be clear, I’m still a believer in the elite role player outcome and I wouldn’t trade him for anything less than really significant value. But I’m frustrated that the shooting isn’t better and he has a career high in turnover percentage; he’s still not making good decisions with the ball. Like I said I think the defense is good and some slight improvement with the ball handling. Looks slightly more fluid with the ball. But I want more in year 4.

    if you can shoot at a high percentage I care much less about your IQ/on-ball decision-making, but Bari isn’t shooting at that level yet. I had hoped he would by yr 4.
     
    #2692 Aruba77, Dec 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2025 at 12:15 AM
    OremLK likes this.
  13. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    103,153
    Likes Received:
    51,684
    It does not make sense, because those same sorry teams are drafting players that are way better scorers and Bari also would not benefit from having KD around on a sorry team.

     
  14. Sonicbun8

    Sonicbun8 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2019
    Messages:
    264
    Likes Received:
    384
    He had nice game but people would still **** on him lol…. Goon’s the one with a bad game.
     
  15. zeeshan2

    zeeshan2 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2013
    Messages:
    57,485
    Likes Received:
    68,661
    dude got outplayed by keegan murray who went several picks after him who's an insanely bad 3 point shooter
     
    RB713 likes this.
  16. Mathloom

    Mathloom Shameless Optimist
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    21,467
    Likes Received:
    23,085
    Murray is a career 36.6% shooter, not sure where you got "insanely bad" from. He's a very good player trapped in a horrendous situation over there. He's also been the best defender in their starting lineup for years now, guarding opponents best players even though he's not that good at that.

    I only watched end of 4th and OT but yeah it looks like Jabari got his ass handed to him. The entire team was between +3 and -3. Jabari was -20.

    I think Udoka has no idea how to create a hierarchy on offense. The shots are out of control, everyone's doing whatever they want.

    Jabari shouldn't be allowed to do anything but catch and shoot + attack closeouts for the most part. After years of working on his handle, it's still not even good enough for an NBA bench player. I don't want him taking midrange or post anymore because he's a 6'11 guy who fades away on every jumper against defenders half his size. That's a supremely dumb shot and he can't seem to kick the habit.

    Her can't use court time for his unrealistic personal development anymore.
     
    #2696 Mathloom, Dec 22, 2025 at 12:23 AM
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2025 at 5:15 AM
    subtomic and cmlmel77 like this.
  17. zeeshan2

    zeeshan2 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2013
    Messages:
    57,485
    Likes Received:
    68,661
    He’s shooting 26 percent from 3 this year
     
  18. Reeko

    Reeko Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    54,263
    Likes Received:
    149,147
    Jabari is just an all around mediocre player, and he knows it too which is why he locked himself into a 5/122 rookie extension as a #3 overall pick
     
    GotGame15, Bo6 and cheke64 like this.
  19. Mathloom

    Mathloom Shameless Optimist
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    21,467
    Likes Received:
    23,085
    Right, but shooting poorly just recently - especially after injury - doesn't make a person an insanely bad shooter.

    He's taken a ton of 3's, there's a huge sample size.
     
  20. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    27,338
    Likes Received:
    17,672
    I've seen the ball-handling improve a lot, but he's also taking more risks (more positive plays, but more negative plays as well). I think the improved ball-handling is helping with the assists. The processing has improved slightly. JSJ typically shoots, drives, or passes out to reset the offense. I just don't see enough receiving passes and immediately passes to someone else to think the processing has made a big jump.

    I think the ball-handling will make him a much better player as he works out the kinks.
     

Share This Page