At Age 26 Who Will Be Better

[Deeman]

He not even a better shot blocker then Big Ben now, a couple years Ben was 10 times better shot blocker. Shot blocking goes so much further then a stat.

Umm Smith has 786 blocks so far in his career how is he not an elite shot blocker? He has been top 5 in the league in blocks for the pass 3 years. There is a lot of things you can say about Josh, but you can't sit here and say Ben Wallace is a better shot blocker than Smoove.

[Deeman]

He not even a better shot blocker then Big Ben now, a couple years Ben was 10 times better shot blocker. Shot blocking goes so much further then a stat.

Umm Smith has 786 blocks so far in his career how is he not an elite shot blocker? He has been top 5 in the league in blocks for the pass 3 years. There is a lot of things. Edit: My post keep duplicating for some reason, I guess its because I'm on my cellphone doing this.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Deeman

[Traceman]

I disagree. For this team, I would have to take Carmelo. He's one of the league's best scorers, and is a solid rebounder. Carmelo is the better player right now, easily.

Carmelo is better than Smoove PERIOD. A lot of people want to call him a "chucker" but he shot 49% from the field last year and he was #13 in the NBA overall in efficiency rating. Smoove is a FAR better shotblocker and a SLIGHTLY better rebounder but Carmelo is so much better offensively that it is not even worth discussing. As good as JJ is, if Carmelo were here, Carmelo would be the CLEAR go to guy on offense and JJ would be option #2.

[EazyRoc]

He not even a better shot blocker then Big Ben now, a couple years Ben was 10 times better shot blocker. Shot blocking goes so much further then a stat.

Whoa, you're in denial. Shotblocking doesn't go further than a stat. Because you either block the shot or not. It's not about who contests shots the best, which there is no stat for. It's about who is the better shot blocker, and the only way to determine who is the better shot blocker is to look at how many blocks said person has. Josh Smith is arguably the best shot blocker to ever play the game, and you've made yourself believe that Ben f'in Wallace is a better shot blocker than him ?

Drop the vendetta.

Edited August 5, 2008 by EazyRoc

[Cwell]

He not even a better shot blocker then Big Ben now, a couple years Ben was 10 times better shot blocker. Shot blocking goes so much further then a stat.

LMAO

[tmac13]

Carmelo is better than Smoove PERIOD. A lot of people want to call him a "chucker" but he shot 49% from the field last year and he was #13 in the NBA overall in efficiency rating. Smoove is a FAR better shotblocker and a SLIGHTLY better rebounder but Carmelo is so much better offensively that it is not even worth discussing. As good as JJ is, if Carmelo were here, Carmelo would be the CLEAR go to guy on offense and JJ would be option #2.

I find it funny how people on this board always bash Carmelo Anthony. The same people all hope and pray Smoove is the next Dominique. . The ironic part of this is that the player who most currently plays like Dominique did is Carmelo Anthony. Their games are VERY similar as well as how they are viewed around the NBA. Smoove will NEVER be the player Carmelo is. Carmelo is a very good, approaching great offensive player.

[EazyRoc]

Carmelo is a great offensive player right now. The only people I think are better than him are Kobe Bryant and LeBron James (Future HoFers), so he's great in my eyes. Smith is good, and if he continues to improve he'll be a very good offensive player. You're right, though. Smith will never be as good as 'Melo offensively.

[Traceman]

I find it funny how people on this board always bash Carmelo Anthony. The same people all hope and pray Smoove is the next Dominique. . The ironic part of this is that the player who most currently plays like Dominique did is Carmelo Anthony. Their games are VERY similar as well as how they are viewed around the NBA. Smoove will NEVER be the player Carmelo is. Carmelo is a very good, approaching great offensive player.

GREAT observation on the similarities betwen Melo and Nique. I agree with you 100%. Nique was vastly underrated by a lot of people who didn't play in the NBA but his great contemporaries (Bird, Magic, Jordan, etc) all respected him and considered him to be a great player. Melo has that same respect among his peers as well and they consider him one of the best players in the NBA.

[Vol4ever]

Horford or Smoove? I think most of u know where i am on this issue. smoove can only get better (much better). horford will get better. but based on ceiling its no contest, smith is the only five tool player in the NBA. horford is a rebouder, he may develop into a scorer, but will he ever average 18 points a game? i question that. smoove does that now. it's not just the numbers i'm looking at actual play on the court. the aggressive nature of smith gives the edge over most players in the league. believe me, i love horford, but if i'm starting a team right now, and looking toward the future, i choose smoove over horford. there were times this past year that smoove was unstoppable, will horford ever be unstoppable, i don't think so. choosing horford over smoove is choosing solid over extraordinary

I'll go with Al all the way!

[Swish]

You might want to reexamine that for a minute.

[Buzzard]

QUOTE (foeteen14 @ Aug 1 2008, 03:02 AM)

Horford or Smoove? I think most of u know where i am on this issue. smoove can only get better (much better). horford will get better. but based on ceiling its no contest, smith is the only five tool player in the NBA. horford is a rebouder, he may develop into a scorer, but will he ever average 18 points a game? i question that. smoove does that now. it's not just the numbers i'm looking at actual play on the court. the aggressive nature of smith gives the edge over most players in the league. believe me, i love horford, but if i'm starting a team right now, and looking toward the future, i choose smoove over horford. there were times this past year that smoove was unstoppable, will horford ever be unstoppable, i don't think so. choosing horford over smoove is choosing solid over extraordinary

Smoove is an extraordinary jumper, an extraordinary shot blocker, and a extraordinary fantasy player; but he is not an extraordinary PF. If he were, someone would have made him an extraordinary offer by now. Instead we are talking about 60 to 72 mill tops. Phily took Brand over Smoove, the Clips and Golden State did not go hard after Smoove with a Brand type offer when they could. Only a few fantasy basketball players and disillusioned Hawks fans think Smoove is in the same league as a Brand, who is, when healthy, an extraordinary PF.

If we could have worked out a SNT of Smoove for Brand, Sund would be close to a lock for GM of the year next season. Instead its Philly, if they sign Andre Iguodala, who will be the most improved team in the East this year. Bank on it.

Smoove is a little above average; but his improved production next season will not make us the most improved team in the East. But we can be better if Smoove improves, Horford improves, and Marvin can continue to improve.

I really think our front line can be better next year. Smoove at 17 to 18 a game, Marvin at 16 to 17 a game, and Horf getting 11 to 14 a game. None of that is extraordinary but it is solid across the board...

Edited August 6, 2008 by jamesdcrockett

[Swish]

jamesd...is not 72 mil an extraordinary offer for a 22 yo player? Come on man, Smoove has all the tools and is headed straight for extraordinary on his current "Career path". Fastest NBA player ever to 600 blocks, nearly averaging a double double, and in my IMO (something that is overlooked too IMO) is the best candidate next to maybe LBJ the league currently has for a quadruple double. Sounds impossible, I know, but I can actually envision him giving a 15/10/10/10 blks game someday. You probably can too.

We really could harp all day on Smoove's credentials. Some however choose to b**** about his jump shooting.

[Vol4ever]

Umm Smith has 786 blocks so far in his career how is he not an elite shot blocker? He has been top 5 in the league in blocks for the pass 3 years. There is a lot of things you can say about Josh, but you can't sit here and say Ben Wallace is a better shot blocker than Smoove.

You're right Smoove is the best shot blocker in the league at this point. Ben Wallace has never come close to Smoove.

[exodus]

Smoove is an extraordinary jumper, an extraordinary shot blocker, and a extraordinary fantasy player; but he is not an extraordinary PF. If he were, someone would have made him an extraordinary offer by now.

How many offers from other teams did the other top RFAs (Okafor., Biedrins, Gordan, Deng, Ellis) get from other teams? Zero

Smith is 11th in the league in PER among 4s and he is the best defender we have.

On the other hand Horfords PER is 28th in the league among centers (a weak position leaguewide) behind such notables as Stromile Swift, Andre Blatche, Dampier, Foster and Turiaf. And Horford isn't near the defender Smith is.

Smith is easily better than Horford now and probably always will be.

Edited August 6, 2008 by exodus

[HawkNJersey]

I just hope Al, becomes as productive...as Smoove was this year....

[Buzzard]

jamesd...is not 72 mil an extraordinary offer for a 22 yo player? Come on man, Smoove has all the tools and is headed straight for extraordinary on his current "Career path". Fastest NBA player ever to 600 blocks, nearly averaging a double double, and in my IMO (something that is overlooked too IMO) is the best candidate next to maybe LBJ the league currently has for a quadruple double. Sounds impossible, I know, but I can actually envision him giving a 15/10/10/10 blks game someday. You probably can too.

We really could harp all day on Smoove's credentials. Some however choose to b**** about his jump shooting.

He is not signed for 72 mill yet; and he may only get 60 to 65 mill at best. No one overlooks his blocks; it is the only part of his game that stands out. You just put to much emphasis on that and not enough on his rebounding and scoring. And yes, he is a good assist man but he also a high turnover man as well. Smoove prefers the jumpshot. If he cannot hit one consistently that is always going to effect his performance; and in my humble opinion makes him look a little dumb when it comes to his BBall IQ....

In four years:

He has not improved his jumpshot

He has not improved his shot selection

He has not improved his high turnover rate

He only improved .8 in scoring last year and his rebounds were down .4

None of the above is a good indicator of a player on the rise. Smoove will be solid starter throughout his career; but greatness does not appear to be in the playbook. Not even close...

[Buzzard]

How many offers from other teams did the other top RFAs (Okafor., Biedrins, Gordan, Deng, Ellis) get from other teams? Zero

Smith is 11th in the league in PER among 4s and he is the best defender we have.

On the other hand Horfords PER is 28th in the league among centers (a weak position leaguewide) behind such notables as Stromile Swift, Andre Blatche, Dampier, Foster and Turiaf. And Horford isn't near the defender Smith is.

Smith is easily better than Horford now and probably always will be.

Per,per, per, per, per....sounds more like whine, whine, whine, whine, whine. How did Horford rank among centers in RPG as a rookie? Not per, but NBA roster stats for centers....

Ex if you are telling me you would rather have Swift, Damp, Blatche, Foster, or Turiaf over Horford based on (makes me sick to say it) "per", you are a nutjob in a shell. And if you are not telling me that, then obviously these per stats you like to throw out don't mean s*** in the real world...

[exodus]

In four years:

He has not improved his jumpshot

He has not improved his shot selection

He has not improved his high turnover rate

He only improved .8 in scoring last year and his rebounds were down .4

None of the above is a good indicator of a player on the rise. Smoove will be solid starter throughout his career; but greatness does not appear to be in the playbook. Not even close...

This past season he set career highs for points and fg%. In 06/07 he shot 43.9% from the field and this year shot 45.7% in spite of his woeful, and frequent, outside shooting. Obviously he is making improvements in other areas offensively.

[exodus]

Per,per, per, per, per....sounds more like whine, whine, whine, whine, whine. How did Horford rank among centers in RPG as a rookie? Not per, but NBA roster stats for centers....

Ex if you are telling me you would rather have Swift, Damp, Blatche, Foster, or Turiaf over Horford based on (makes me sick to say it) "per", you are a nutjob in a shell. And if you are not telling me that, then obviously these per stats you like to throw out don't mean s*** in the real world...

Reality sure does suck, doesn't it? There is no hiding from 10 ppg in 31 minutes. That is straight lame.

You want to focus on rebounding while ignoring everything else. Horford didn't even score well in relation to fellow rookies.

Damp and Foster are veterans that are most likely starting their downslide. Blatche and Turiaf were low picks but they have some experience.

The fact is that Horford's year wasn't that special. Just averaging 9.7 rebounds in 31 minutes doesn't mean it is smooth sailing to the All-Star game.

How did Horford rank among centers in RPG as a rookie?

He ranked 14th in rebounding rate (hollingers per minute stat) among centers.

Edited August 6, 2008 by exodus

[Swish]

He is not signed for 72 mill yet; and he may only get 60 to 65 mill at best. No one overlooks his blocks; it is the only part of his game that stands out. You just put to much emphasis on that and not enough on his rebounding and scoring. And yes, he is a good assist man but he also a high turnover man as well. Smoove prefers the jumpshot. If he cannot hit one consistently that is always going to effect his performance; and in my humble opinion makes him look a little dumb when it comes to his BBall IQ....

In four years:

He has not improved his jumpshot

He has not improved his shot selection

He has not improved his high turnover rate

He only improved .8 in scoring last year and his rebounds were down .4

None of the above is a good indicator of a player on the rise. Smoove will be solid starter throughout his career; but greatness does not appear to be in the playbook. Not even close...

Dude...I don't need to focus on his rebounding. 8.2 boards next to Big Al is plenty for me. And saying he hasn't improved his jumper is pure BS as exodus proved.

Greatness just whacked your a** and you didn't even feel it. Smoove (getting attitude in check hopefully) can be the next KG.