The biggest factor will be taking the ball out of his hands. This past year he made exponetially more mistakes once he no longer had Joe Johnson to be the ball handler. He shouldn't be a point forward, he lacks the skills for it. But, he was forced to play that role a lot this year.
I'm sure Smith has heard this before. The critics have been saying this about him for his entire career. He seems to "get it" better now than before, but he still has lapses...
I really don't think that Josh Smith would be the third option! I think he would be the 4th behind Harden, Parsons, and Howard! He definitely wouldn't be the primary ball handler, I think you take away those decisions from him! If you get him the ball in the right positions he won't have the problem of shooting 25 foot jumpshots! He would fit this team just fine we need more defense on this team right now! Harden doesn't play much of it and neither does Lin! The only player that player that plays above average defense are Parsons and Asik! If we get Howard and Smith that makes up for Lin and Hardens non-defense! I'm sure if we do get Smith that we will keep Lin somehow!
I am certainly not in the loop, but I think am looking at that shot chart and thinking to myself, "what if he just stopped taking long jumpers?" or better yet, what if you just limit his shots all together. You are left with a defensive ace at the power forward position who can rebound. For an already elite offense, adding a rebounding and great defending four, only makes us better.
he had one season where they stressed it. told him to take no 3's. the problem is, he camps around that 20-22 foot line, and is content to jack up shots cuz he's open. i agree with you, if we could limit his shots as just a finisher with an occassional shot here and there, he'd be a huge asset to this team..because he's very good defensively and on the boards...but the big question that remains to be seen and has never been shown is if he can reign that in, and will he accept that sorta role. b/c even on a non-stacked team, that's his best role.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Correction: Josh Smith Emerges As Rockets' Backup Plan -- <a href="http://t.co/vDd12eb5gh">http://t.co/vDd12eb5gh</a></p>— RealGM (@RealGM) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealGM/statuses/352077996410155008">July 2, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
3 pointers aren't the problem, long jumpers are. You tell him to take 3's because even a 30% 3pt shooter has to be respected. a 35% 22ft jump shooter does not. Hell, you tell him every time he's open in the corner, he shoots that shot. in short, long jumpers are long jumpers, not 3 point shots.
I think it is pretty undisputed that if Josh Smith were on the Rockets, he'd be taking way fewer shots and have the ball much less often in his hands. How Smith would get up 16 FGAs a game on our team, w/ a usage rate of 28% is beyond me. At ATL, he was the go-to, so that makes sense...but on our team? Why would Smith rival HARDEN'S usage rate? please... And that in and of itself cuts down on his boneheaded offensive plays/bad shots. His defense would be unaffected, i.e., still amazing.
Josh Smith would be a great addition to the rockets for his defense alone. Pretty sure the offense won't revolve around him taking iso contested jumpers.
So let me get this straight. People say this team would be great regardless of whether or not they got Dwight Howard.... And people also say the one weak spot on this team last year was PF. Yet the idea of signing a very solid PF like Josh Smith to fill in that "one weak spot" is something a lot of you are against? Really? I just can't fathom the logic there.
Why would Josh Smith sit around and wait to be a "backup option" if Howard passes on the Rockets? I know it'd be a good team to land with but I suspect his ego would say, "You don't want me first? I'm gone."
You know, some people are more rational and actually understand teams have certain priorities especially if the priority is one of his friends.
Sadly I think this is exactly the type of guy JSmith is. Too stubborn and big of an ego to understand that any and every team that is capable of getting Dwight would go after Dwight first over Smith. But who knows, we will see how it all plays out.
so... in this case, why smith when asik can basically do the same thing at a cheaper price, and you wouldn't even need to trade anyone? that's why i really don't think smith makes any sense at all no matter how you see it (unless of course howard says smith or I sign somewhere else, which is not what he is saying, based on reports). we don't want smith to take too many 20ft jumpers 'cause he sucks at it but likes it. so we take that away and say take only shots at the basket, defend, and rebound. well, that's basically what asik does.
yes Iagree and have been saying this. An elite PF last year on this team would have gotten us at least 10 more wins and a high seed. Smith is about as elite as we can get. Strange how people think here.
