Yes, the height is an arbitrary cut off, just like the highly overrated triple-double is arbitrary. My point is that having the size and the ability to do some things is not just novelty but a good combination. Wemby is great not just because he is tall. It's the combination of his size and mobility and handle and being able to shoot from outside. If Wemby was 6'10 with the same skillset, he would probably still be very good (something like a better shooting Banchero?) but not as great as he is. With FVV and Reed, you can do the "player under 6'3" thing. I don't want to spend time digging through the stats for a list. I agree that a list like that would not be very meaningful. Comparing a list of "small guard" would be more meaningful.
See my reply to Joe Joe. It's not just a trade off. It's the weight of the trade off. How much better Player X is over Player Y in shooting? How much better in rebounding? How much better in playing defense? If the shooting is much better but the defense is slightly worse, then it's one thing. If the shooting is slightly worse but the defense is much better, then it's another thing to consider.
My response using novelty was solely on the 6'10+ shooter with something rebounds. Being 6'10+ helps JSJ do the things he does. It gives him an advantage, but he is not competing solely against 6'10 players. There are guys that I would get for shooting shorter than 6'10. There are guys shorter than 6'10 that I would get for rebounds and defense. There are guys that I would get to be the offensive engine shorter than Paolo to be the offensive engine. Getting a specific combination in a player is an advantage, but it only works if the package is better than the alternatives, even those that don't fit the specific combination. Also, one player doesn't have to have all those skills. On Wemby, if one day he woke up and magically became 6'10, with a similar reduction in arm length and mass, he would not survive in the NBA with his current skills. Maybe he would develop differently if he developed shorter. Given his current skills, he would not be able to get his shot off from behind the three-point line, much less inside it. He depends on his length to recover, and for the most part his defensive skill on denying drives from the perimeter is worse than Reed Sheppard's. He just lets people dribble by him, knowing that all it takes is one step to block a shot from behind the player. At 6'10, that technique doesn't work, and gets targeted worse than Reed such that he probably can't play 1-4. He would likely still be able to get some blocks as a help defender, but at 6'10 and a thin frame, he would get destroyed by centers such that he can't play center. I didn't see an arbitrary condition in your previous post in discussing Reed and FVV. If throwing an arbitrary criterion like smaller than 6-3, that would create a novelty, though lack of height is usually a disadvantage.
So, you would rather have JSJ over Chet? My response was clearly based on a novelty criteria created to fit JSJ and exclude players that could play with the same other 4 players on the court as JSJ and be better players. I would play Murphy over JSJ in the Rockets current starting lineup. I would play Chet. I would play Wemby. I would play a healthy FVV over JSJ. I would play Anunoby, Ant, Giannis, Leonard, Markennan, Tatum, Brown, Knueppel, Wagner, JW, Siakim just to name a few of the higher ends players over JSJ in similar lineups despite not meeting the novelty criteria. The Rockets are not limited to guys that can do 3 or 4 specific things as well as JSJ and be 6'10+. In other words, the Rockets are not limited to novelty combination of skills of JSJ. I'm not saying these combinations are hurtful or bad. I'm saying having a specific combination of skills or physical traits that are rare does not make a player better than players that don't have that unique set of skills. A player still has to be better. Paolo is obviously better with his ball-handling skills than if he didn't have them. My comparison to Paolo is that I think he often gets treated as better than he is because of his size, when there are smaller players that are better offensive engines and similar-sized players that are better defenders and rebounders. There is no requirement that the offensive engine has to be as big as Paolo. By going with the novelty package, the Magic have a worse offensive engine, defender, and rebounder by playing Paolo as all three.
Did I ever say that? I've been saying since their draft that Chet is the best player in that class. If injury risk was not an issue, I'd take Chet over anybody, including Jalen Williams. If all you are objecting is the arbitrary height of 6'10, then I actually see that you don't disagree with me that much. There are points in your long replies to me (thanks for spending the time and making the effort) I may have reservations, but I just don't have the time to answer point by point. Some of the players you listed over Smith are star players. No objection there. Some others I would disagree with you. But it's kind of subjective. I do want to response to the FVV over Bari comment though. I am not sure how the starting lineup would look if you simply replace Bari with FVV. Who is the 5th starter, Okogie/Tari/Reed?
Joe Joe's main point was that there are players under 6'10" that he would prefer over Jabari. That's why I brought up Al Horford, who did everything at a higher level than Jabari but was a few inches shorter. There literally isn't a single trade off in that comparison other than height, which isn't relevant to their basketball quality. This conversation stems from Jabari being on an "exclusive" list. A list that includes Jabari and Ware, but excludes Wemby and Chet. Clearly, the criteria for that list is rather arbitrary instead of considering overall quality like you say we should.
The one thing that has impressed me the most about Jabari is how his scoring has sky-rocketed 3 ppg since his Rookie year. I mean, that's a whole extra 3 pointer PER GAME on average. Should have gone #1.
Bump not going to lie, Jabari is looking good out there. Jabari Smith Jr. has averaged 19.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 3 games in the 2026 playoffs.
Build a team around Shooting 5/Adams Smith Amen Reed FVV Only Amen can really create his own shot, although I would say Smith can certainly take the ball in the post and hit the turnaround as a drawn up play. I would still want Thompson handling the ball a ton with this group of players, but we would definitely need an additional wing that can drive/dish/finish.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Jabari. As long as he focuses on what he does well, and eliminates what he does poorly he has been good.
19.2 / 7.8 / 1.6 on 40% from 3 for the series and some monster blocks. Looks like a different player out there.
I've literally read hundreds of posts here about Bari being a bust despite his being only 22 years-old. Think of those posts before you claim that Reed is afraid, too weak, or otherwise overrated.
Bari is been playing great. I'm glad Udoka went away from using Capela completely and just putting Bari at the 5 when Sengun sits. It takes Ime waaaay too long to recognize and make adjustments quickly, but I'm glad he made it.
sounds like Bari has taken a leadership roll. I bet he was tired of KD's bullshit. KD is just a guy not a leader.
Same Bari. But no Kancerous Khemistry Killer Krushing Kore Konfidence. Presence of an old head, the coach loves, calling you re-tar-d is perhaps not an ideal mentor for a 22 yr old - unless you're grooming a sociopath. #AmericaFirst #RocketsFirst #KDFLast #KDFKhemistryKryptonite
Man, Jabari is making me proud out there. He has been SOLID in this series. Even in the losses. I hope this is him turning a corner - but even if it isn't, there are much worse things than being a kind of Robert Horry type player who is solid but not spectacular in the regular season but then really steps it up in the playoffs.
