I hate threads like this, let’s keep both. Because we have both and both are solid players you need to win
Bari and Giannis plays the same spot. Bari could be a bench shooter with Giannis, whereas Tari could play with basically anyone at any spot. I mean Tari shot .342 and Bari .352 from 3. That's not that significant especially since Tari scores the same points and rebounds in less minutes
I do not want to trade Tari and I probably wouldn’t unless the medical is going to be a lingering issue through his career.
Bari has the most upside while Tari is the better/more impactful player now and most likely the near term.
This is not a debate. The obvious answer is Jabari and its the choice the Rockets would make if they were faced with this dilemma.
probably keep Jabari just because he has more potential.. Tari's bbiq is too low to ever be great but he makes up for that by playing very physical and hard. A lot of times playing that hard can be game-changing.. other time because of the bad bbiq can cause us to be in trouble (like fouling 3pt shooters).
I’ve never bought Jabari as anything more than a rotation guy. Sure, the concept of him (6’11 sniper who can defend multiple positions on the perimeter) sounds amazing, but on the actual court, there’s just so many deficiencies in his skills, mental approach and physical capabilities. The end result has been thoroughly underwhelming for a #3 pick and I struggle to see the potential for him to be more than he already is. I’m not saying he can’t improve his current strengths, but I see no latent skills/talents that he can build upon. Sure we could run a few plays that end with him taking the shot, but there’s only so many ways you can provide touches for a guy who can’t dribble, can’t set screens, can’t make an entry pass, can’t finish on the break and shows no instinct for either cutting or rotating off the ball. Tari on the other hand may be a less disciplined player who makes bone-headed mistakes at times, but he’s also a genuine defensive playmaker who can also shoot respectably, drive a little and can finish around the basket (though he often misses bunnies ala Alpi). That being said, his leg may remain a question mark for his whole career and limit his availability. For both players, their future with the team should hinge somewhat on their costs. Both seem like good but not great role players and paying them anything more would be poor cap management. If I had to choose one, I’d pick Tari because I see his defensive playmaking as harder to replace than anything Jabari offers. I also suspect Jabari has more value as a trade asset due to his height and draft position - I would be inclined to use other team’s overestimation of his potential to get ourselves a better player.
Yeah I thought about a poll but it was late and I was too intoxicated to figure it out. No problem, Jabari Smith is the clear winner.
Keep them both. Folks say we can’t. Why not? Stone is supposed to be “the contract guy”. Turn Jalen’s overpaid near max money into Bari and Tari extensions. If there’s even a whiff of a chance that paying Jalen endangers our ability to keep either of those guys the rockets have made a big mistake. You don’t pay Jalen or Fred over extending those guys. That’s like $80 mil in backcourt salary to raid.
I don't doubt that Stone is a contract guy and that he can whisper to their ears..... His strong suit is slightly pay them less.......and overpay veterans.
I think the financial angle is probably what should determine the choice. If either is willing to take what seems like a discount to stay with the team, then that's the player I choose to extend. I also agree that Jabari's room for growth is mostly just upgrading stuff he already does well- improving shooting efficiency, defending and rebounding. I don't believe Jabari will ever be able to create for himself. Even driving off of closeouts may be beyond him. His ceiling is a really good role player. That can be a valuable thing but I don't see how he's ever scoring 20 ppg on a good team.
Eason is across the board a vastly better player than Bari. (i am also a Bari fan btw, but we are comparing the two). Here is the statistical head-to-head: https://stathead.com/basketball/ver...025&player_id1=smithja05&player_id2=easonta01 It's not even close and there are sufficient minutes played this year to make the direct comparison. Bari is younger though so add two seasons to him and maybe it's a different outcome, but right now Bari is actually a BPM negative. Neither were particularly great in the playoffs. The person who fell off a cliff was Green.
