The Amare for Smith rumors seem to be heating up according to ESPN!

[DominiqueWilkins]

Nice try but Amare looks like this.

[Joker]

Co-sign. As much as I think Smith's man defense is overrated on this board, I think Amare is far worse.

But Amare is known for his offensive prowness. I never understood who you guys bring up defense for Amare when he does a better job on Centers than Horford. Amare better position is Center. He was the best in the league at that time and he was coming off of a major knee surgery. Last year was a bad year for Amare but Wade had one the season before and you seen what this season was for Wade. Be real guys, some of you are in dreamland with Smoove.

Edited June 29, 2009 by nbasuperstar40

[AtLaS]

But Amare is known for his offensive prowness. I never understood who you guys bring up defense for Amare when he does a better job on Centers than Horford. Amare better position is Center. He was the best in the league at that time and he was coming off of a major knee surgery. Last year was a bad year for Amare but Wade had one the season before and you seen what this season was for Wade. Be real guys, some of you are in dreamland with Smoove.

Like I said, I would definitely do the trade. Amare gives us a legit inside presence and another dominant scorer to pair with JJ.

But, we are only talking about the defensive side. Smith is no Duncan on defense but he's much better than Amare. I don't know where you got the idea that Amare is a better center defender than Horford, or that Amare's best position is center because it's not true. Amare doesn't even want to play center and has publically said it. Amare would routinely get abused by average centers because of his lack of D, and PFs for that matter. He's just not a good defender.

[cwill1410]

But Amare is known for his offensive prowness. I never understood who you guys bring up defense for Amare when he does a better job on Centers than Horford. Amare better position is Center. He was the best in the league at that time and he was coming off of a major knee surgery. Last year was a bad year for Amare but Wade had one the season before and you seen what this season was for Wade. Be real guys, some of you are in dreamland with Smoove.

Agreed. The only thing i am going to miss from Smith is his highlight dunks. He gets the majority of his blocks on fast break. You guys give him to much credit when its 1 vs 1 . Most the time the offensive player gets by him.

[Joker]

Like I said, I would definitely do the trade. Amare gives us a legit inside presence and another dominant scorer to pair with JJ.

But, we are only talking about the defensive side. Smith is no Duncan on defense but he's much better than Amare. I don't know where you got the idea that Amare is a better center defender than Horford, or that Amare's best position is center because it's not true. Amare doesn't even want to play center and has publically said it. Amare would routinely get abused by average centers because of his lack of D, and PFs for that matter. He's just not a good defender.

Amare playing Center in Atlanta is different then in Pho. He was playing Center next to Boris Diaw. He wasn't playing Center when Lopez got drafted by Phx. Teams focused a lot on Amare at Center with all types of doubles and made him play physical nightly. That will not be the case in Atlanta. Horford is too respectable of a post talent to do that to Amare. It's not like he's playing Center with a SF sized guy in the post.

[mrhonline]

I never understood who you guys bring up defense for Amare when he does a better job on Centers than Horford. Amare better position is Center.

No, he doesn't.

[Joker]

No, he doesn't.

Depending on the size and skill of the Center, Horford can be taking out of his game at Center. That rarely happens to Amare at Center.

[AtLaS]

Amare playing Center in Atlanta is different then in Pho. He was playing Center next to Boris Diaw.

Amare played C with Marion at the PF position for almost 3 years. Marion isn't huge, but he's bigger and a much better defender/rebounder than Diaw.

He wasn't playing Center when Lopez got drafted by Phx. Teams focused a lot on Amare at Center with all types of doubles and made him play physical nightly. That will not be the case in Atlanta. Horford is too respectable of a post talent to do that to Amare. It's not like he's playing Center with a SF sized guy in the post.

That's not my point. Amare can score whether he's playing PF or Center. I'm talking about the defensive side of the ball and Amare is bad, and he's even worse defensively when playing center. Certainly a worse defender than Horford at the position.

[mrhonline]

Depending on the size and skill of the Center, Horford can be taking out of his game at Center. That rarely happens to Amare at Center.

Are you talking about offensively? Or defensively?

I'm saying that Horford is a far better defender at CR than Amare.

[Joker]

Amare played C with Marion at the PF position for almost 3 years. Marion isn't huge, but he's bigger and a much better defender/rebounder than Diaw.

That's not my point. Amare can score whether he's playing PF or Center. I'm talking about the defensive side of the ball and Amare is bad, and he's even worse defensively when playing center. Certainly a worse defender than Horford at the position.

That's true, but both Marion and Diaw are SF in terms of frame and skills. How great does he have to be on the ball with Horford. It's not like Wade a good on ball defender. When you are an elite scorer, okay defense is good enough. I believe Amare can do that. Horford struggles v. size and skilled Centers unlike Amare. Horford is better v. PF's then Amare in terms of defense.

Edited June 29, 2009 by nbasuperstar40

[Joker]

Are you talking about offensively? Or defensively?

I'm saying that Horford is a far better defender at CR than Amare.

Both sides of the ball, I watched Amare stay on his game v. the best Centers in the league, in fact it brings out the best in him. I watch Horford dominate the Bulls and Kings but once we play v. a team with size at Center (Cleveland) and skill (Houston, Orlando, Tor). He struggles badly and can't adjust. He's a PF, who is talented enough to be effective at Center. Amare is a Center, who is talented enough to be effective at PF.

[Admin]

I'm going to have to say that you are ABSOLUTELY incorrect here. Amare is a terrible, terrible man defender. His positioning is honestly one of the worst for an interior player in the NBA. I don't think you've watched Amare play that much defense if you're making this statement.

His fundamentals are just bad, as is his effort. He plays the majority of his defense with his hands down and consistently lets people get open layups. A simple move by a big man and he's beat. He is always one of the best big men in terms of not fouling out and that is why. He just lets them go rather than playing physical.

Perhaps it was just D'antoni's system and his lack of preaching and teaching of defense but Amare has not shown any ability to be a good positional defender or given enough effort to think he would start now. It's sad because he has the ability to be a good defender, but he's not.

EDIT: But, just for the record I would do the trade.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion but I ABSOLUTELY disagree with you here. I don't see how anyone can think that Amare can do everything so fundamentally soundly (shooting, rebounding, etc.) and then be fundamentally poor defensively. That just doesn't add up and it's not what I've seen when I've watched him. Now I don't think he's a great defender or a great positional defender but compared to Josh and only speaking about his fundamentals he is better.

[Admin]

Are you talking about offensively? Or defensively?

I'm saying that Horford is a far better defender at CR than Amare.

Yep I agree with that, Horford is really underrated as a defensive player. He would definitely be our center with Amare at PF if this trade happens.

[MaceCase]

“I love Terry Porter, his method,” Stoudemire says in the interview. “His way of coaching is going to be great for us. You know, he’s extremely focused on the defensive end, something that we haven’t practiced at all in the previous three years, and now we’re definitely practicing and improving on the defensive end.”

Of course my BS meter is pinging on this quote but there may be some truth to it in terms of why he is so disinterested on defense when his physical talents would suggest otherwise. In the end though, what matters more is point differential.

[Admin]

Agreed. The only thing i am going to miss from Smith is his highlight dunks. He gets the majority of his blocks on fast break. You guys give him to much credit when its 1 vs 1 . Most the time the offensive player gets by him.

And I believe that's because he lets it happen. He is capable of not allowing his man to get by him but he wants to get the block from behind too much and then someone has to rotate over to try and stop the drive which is usually Horford or the center in the game. It totally breaks our defense down.

I'd definitely miss his highlight dunks and highlight blocks but I'd be glad to not see him pouting or crying to the refs anymore. That's a true killer for our team.

[Joker]

Yep I agree with that, Horford is really underrated as a defensive player. He would definitely be our center with Amare at PF if this trade happens.

Horford not a Center just like Amare not a PF. Amare struggles at PF for a reason.

To be honest, it doesn't matter, with Horford they will be interchangeable at their positions in the post. Both are great off the pick and roll. I suspect on defense that Amare will guard the Center.

Edited June 29, 2009 by nbasuperstar40

[Admin]

Horford not a Center just like Amare not a PF. Amare struggles at PF for a reason.

I didn't say Horford is a center, I said if this trade happened that Horford would be our center and Amare would be the PF. You can believe that or not but I'd bet the farm on it being true.

[Crank]

I think people are underestimating what Amare brings to the table here.

We are not talking about just an all star bigman who can score . This is a bigman that was FIRST TEAM ALL NBA and the moment he becomes a Hawk would be the best offensive bigman in the East. Amare can pass and has seen every double team imaginable and gets to the line .

The nba is a superstars league and Amare instantly ups our swagger rating ten fold .

Lets go down last years all star roster at the C-f spot shall we :smile:

Lebron

Kg

Howard

Granger

Pierce

Bosh

lewis

Getting Amare pushes us into a top two seed with the right follow up moves .

It counters the Magic getting VC

It counters Clevland getting Shaq

and it forces the Celts to rethink seriously about making a move

[Joker]

If we get Lopez as well then we could resign Marvin and Bibby.

Crazy talented lineup

Bibby/Teague

JJ/Crawford

Marvin/Evans

Horford/Marvin

Amare/Lopez

Edited June 29, 2009 by nbasuperstar40

[FrankWhite]

For me, making the huge assumption of health not being a concern, what the discussion seems to boil down to is a question of whether Smith's defensive presence is of greater value than Amare's offensive prowess. I don't think there's any question that what Stoudemire brings to the team is more sorely needed than what Smith does. We were not a very good defensive team last year with Josh anyway, and especially in the playoffs, we were exposed as being soft inside. So you're not going to get a great offensive and defensive big man out there. There's no KG on the market right now. If you can get him, get Amare. He's not going to stop people defensively, but he sure as hell can get the opposing big man in foul trouble, which is more than Smith can do shooting long jumpers at a 25% clip.

Stoudemire makes you a dominant offensive team in the East. That's enough to get you over 50 wins and a shot at winning the conference.