If Marko Jaric is considered a PG by many, then...

[mrhonline]

...why do those same people refuse to believe JJ can't play PG? Neither player may be a "pure" PG, but no one is claiming that about JJ, right?

(BHD would wonder, "Do you have to be white, short, and/or European to play PG?).

Fans seem to have first impressions of players and then never adjust them. You get some of the same shock when you say that Josh Smith could play PF:

"Smoove as a PF? He's a SF!" Ask said person to clarify, and, well, they can't...

[Wretch]

Well, I'm going off of what Suns fans were saying on their board. ANd honestly, it had little to do with whether or not he could play PG for us. The fact is, one of the reasons why they're upset about losing him is because he's their backup PG...

I'll take that.

[Packfill]

I don't know enough about Jaric to comment on his skills other then the fact that he started on an NBA team as a point guard, but my only hesitation with JJ is that he has not demonstrated an ability to drive the lane and create opportunities for himself or others. Not all point guards can do this, and certaintly you can be a successful point guard even at the NBA level without this skill, but if I had my pick I would want my point guard to have this ability.

[Nicholasp27]

how do u know he hasn't demonstrated that ability?

did u watch him man the point for 30-odd games in 04 after the marbury trade and see his pg style leading a western team with nobody but marion (amare oft-injured) to a 50% record when they were a lottery team for the year?

[dpic73]

I could definitely see J Smith transforming into a PF. If Stoudemire can play center, Smith can definitely be a PF. As a matter of fact, he's not much smaller than Amare and definitely has the frame to fill out and plays bigger than a SF. He should model his game after Amare as they have similar skills... Good rebounder, great shot blocker, power, great hops.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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Well, I'm going off of what Suns fans were saying on their board. ANd honestly, it had little to do with whether or not he could play PG for us. The fact is, one of the reasons why they're upset about losing him is because

he's their backup PG...

I'll take that.

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I will take that as well, now add in the fact he is 6'8" and I will take that all day long....

We will have a hell of a backcourt with him and Chilz, no Deron, no Paul, ... no big deal!

Now if Marvin and Smoove can give us the same type of awesome frontline we are going to be tough to matchup with for quite a few years to come!

[Packfill]

I am just going off of what I have seen of him - both from his college days and his NBA days. I am not saying he can't do it just that he has not done it consistently throughout his career. And I doubt I watched any of the games he played point two years ago, I am sure I had something better to do.

I still think he can play point guard, but like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Larry Hughes, Steve Smith, etc., he is better off at the off-guard.

[Plainview1981]

Seems as though alot of people think the hawks

will suffer even more so on defense. It's believed

that a combo of JJ/Childress is too slow to guard

PG's and SG's.

[delanceyj]

I think Childress is quick enough to cover the point on defense.. and if Smoove is playing PF, he can be there to swat away anything that gets by..

[Diesel]

Normally, it's bad news to have your best Shooter/top scorer = your PG..

Normally, you want a guy like that to be able to set up and hit the big shot at the end of the game. Normally you want a guy like that to score in the flow of the game. You don't want a guy like that to be the main scorer (normally)... Normally great scorers are not good distributors.. NOTICE I said Distributor, not passer. Anybody can pass. Diaw can pass, but can he distribute the ball and run the offense?? No.

The good news is that Rondo is on the way if this doesn't work out.

I'm hoping for:

Rondo/JJ/Chillz/Al/Nene'

as next years starting 5!

And

Salim/Smoove/Marvin/Pachulia off the bench!

[drzachary]

Quote:

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I'm hoping for:

Rondo/JJ/Chillz/Al/Nene'

as next years starting 5!

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So you want the Hawks to re-sign Al? I guess that mostly depends on Smoove's development.

[Diesel]

The way I look at it is this..

Marvin is no better than Al. IN fact, he's the same player but I don't know if he's a better player. I tend to think that Al has him beat.

Smoove is a Sf. I want to believe that his size and some part s of how he plays the game would change that, but it doesn't. If Smoove does become a Pf, he will be like KMart... A guy with finishing skill but lacks other parts of the game. And that might work.

So, in all honesty, it might be best to hold on to Al even through resigning him...

Because if Al resigns with us, he won't get that much so we can always find a good trade for Al.

I just am not so quick to Dump Al for some of the talentless jokers left. I would trade Al for Magloire. I would trade Al for a few others who fit our need and who has UPSIDE... But I would still worry about the PF spot. I don't think Smoove or Marvin are ready to be PFs.

[Nicholasp27]

again, if smoove has to play sf, that puts him out on the perimeter where either

a) he doesn't help with weakside blocks, thus neutralizing much of his value

b) he does help with weakside blocks, leaving his man open for a quick dish out and score (u did see that a lot last year, did u not)

plus, smoove is more amare/kmart/kemp-like

i think marvin/smoove will be our future forward tandem with marvin more in the post on offense and smoove guarding whichever opposing forward plays in the paint

[Diesel]

The first wrong presumption is that the Sf is on the perimeter...

Smoove could be just like Marion. A guy who doesn't have to play on the Perimeter. Like in the old days.. Sfs usually play on the Wing.. In fact, Dominique's game started deteriorating when he played on the perimeter more than he slashed in the lane. In our case, Smoove would just be expected to finish and Slash and develop a midrange game. The finishing and slashing are things he already do. It's the midrange game he has to work on.

I don't think Smoove is anywhere close to Amare.. But good try.

I think Smoove is closer to Kmart.. But the thing about Kmart and young Shawn Kemp is that they both wilted when they played against big bodied PFs.. The Pfs these days are no cake walk. Smoove vs. Dirk, Rasheed, CWebb, KG, Duncan...

I guarantee you that if we get to important games and have to play these guys, they will take Smoove to the post and eat his lunch.

Smoove also has another problem. Certain SFs will fly right by him. I think of Tayshun and R Lewis. Guys who know how to put the ball on the floor will hurt Smoove too. But I would rather have Smoove beat on the floor (whereby he can get some help defenders) than smoove beat in the post where a man plays most of the time on an island.

[Nicholasp27]

did u even read my post?

i said that smoove needs to defend WHICHEVER forward plays in the paint...thus NOT be on the perimeter, regardless of if it's the sf or pf...

and didn't u watch him guard kg? or ANY time he played pf/c? he did well

[Final_quest]

Quote:

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I still think he can play point guard, but like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Larry Hughes, Steve Smith, etc., he is better off at the off-guard.

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I hope JJ can be our franchise point guard, but I have a feeling he will ultimately play off guard.

Just looking at the odds I also have the suspicion that at least one of Childress, Smoove, and Marvin will not turn out to be an NBA starter. Childress seems the most likely to stick because he has a solid game. Smoove and Marvin are still both players with potential.

If my conjecture plays out that means eventually JJ and Childress will shift to SG and SF. I could see a guard rotation involving Salim, JJ, and a more pure PG.