Yep, I'd hardly call the commentary of his ex-fans and spurned suitor-fans telling. For an example of why that's a useless rating method, you don't have to leave the GARM. In June Chandler Parsons was the league's best role player. In August he was an overrated no-defense-playing primadonna who was also the most overpaid player in the NBA.
My thought on the D-Mo thing is pretty simple. It's clear he has some talent. And he seems to be putting it all together this year. But as a player it's your job to flat out kick butt. Dominate in practice. Kill it with the game minutes you get. Make it impossible to ignore. If you truly have all-star level talent and work ethic more times than not you'll get your shots.
You let those guys punk you like that? You could have told the Detriot guy that at least we didn't sign him for max, and we can cut him before the end of the season only spending $2 million.
I'm not ready to give up on Josh Smith just yet, and that's amazing considering I have hated him as a player for as long as I can remember. Haymitch on Josh Smith, dating back to 2012: Spoiler So here's to hoping we can figure something out. Right now he's playing scared and unsure of himself, but I'm hopeful he will turn it around once he gets used to the team and new teammates.
Hmm... Will you flip back if Smith comes around? I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but there are a lot of arguments for trying it, I mean look at the list of teams that all wanted him. Also if you think the Rockets were that fragile to begin with on "team chemistry" then we might as well stop watching them now. Also... Spurs fans, haha. I live in Austin, but don't even bother talking to some of them, it's like they only follow the teams that are winning, and weren't Spurs fans till 99. I only know a few outside of SA that can name a player other than Duncan/Parker/Ginobli. I'm surprised after you took all their money that you still listened to their opinion.
It's a work in progress and no doubt this guy has talent. I just think that if Pap never got injured and Dmo was still starting and rolling the team is just that much better without Smith. Only welcome addition thus far is Corey Brewer. He's a substantial game changer.
To be fair though, the whole premise of your thread was that the Rockets had become deeper, more versatile, and overall better "after this latest round of additions.' And we already knew Smoove would be playing heavy minutes (as opposed to Joey Dorsey spot minutes lol) at that time because he'd just finished his first game when you made that thread. No shame in admitting you knee-jerked after his good game and are knee-jerking in the completely polar opposite direction after two not-so-good games. You're far from the only one -- you're just the only one who has a thread memorializing it.
I am hopeful that he can work it out, and the coaches can get the most out of him, but I worry that he has played a certain way so long that he won't be able to adapt, and it will ultimately hurt the team overall. I do believe that a bigs rotation of Howard, TJones and Dmo is better than any combination with JSmith in it.... Still, I hope we can get something out of him - and losing Black was unexpected, Dorsey should have gotten the boot, IMO. DD
I agree with nearly all of that. I'm eager to see how the next few games unfold, however. Hopefully he can get out of his own head a little more tonight. Almost like you could see him overthinking these past 2 games, which is never good.
Okay, something I easily agree with, I do like Black, and would have preferred Dorsey to go. But the whole guaranteed/non-guaranteed contract made it more of a money decision, and no one was going to pick up Dorsey off waivers... I also hope once Jones is back the Rockets have a really solid rotation without Joey. I thought Smith/Howard's free throws were bad until I looked up Dorsey's %.
