Dennis Smith Jr

[Finito]

a season ago it would of been unthinkable the Mavs would be willing to trade Smith.

But now they have Luca who looks like a phenom and is ball dominate and Smith can't play off the ball. Rumors are swirling that the PG is on the block.

Just a kill time topic but do you want Smith(on a rookie contract) and what would you give up for him.

Bleacher report threw this out there.

Mavs get: Josh Jackson, Okobo and the Miluwakee 1.

Suns get: Dennis Smith Jr, Salah Mejri

 

[slinslin]

laughable

why would we give up all that for Dennis Smith?

Why would we give up Josh Jackson and throw in more? Totally absurd.

If Smith can't play off the ball how would that work with Booker?

 

[Sunburn]

Would he fit well next to Booker?

 

[Finito]

laughable

why would we give up all that for Dennis Smith?

Why would we give up Josh Jackson and throw in more? Totally absurd.

If Smith can't play off the ball how would that work with Booker?

Because he's a PG and Booker plays off the ball. Duh

 

[AzStevenCal]

Because he's a PG and Booker plays off the ball. Duh

He's a highlight reel but he's a bad point guard with a surgically repaired knee. We could have just kept Bledsoe if we wanted an injury risk PG that turns it over almost as often as he assists. If we had Smith, Booker would still have to do most of the distributing. It might work if Dennis improved his ability to play off the ball but if he did that, the Mavs wouldn't be considering moving on from him already.

 

[SirStefan32]

That's way too much to trade. I've watched a lot of Mavs this year, and I think Smith is actually a pretty good player. That said, Doncic looks much better when Smith is on the bench. Doncic and Booker are actually quite similar when it comes to their style of play, so I would be concerned about the fit there. At the same time, Suns are in such a bad shape at PG spot that I am not sure it can hurt short-term. Suns could use someone who can score, bring the ball up the floor, and pass it to Booker or throw it to Ayton. Long-term, Smith is an injury risk, but he could provide some short-term help if he doesn't cost too much. The reason he fell to Dallas was injury concerns, if I remember correctly. The question is really how much he'd cost and whether or not there is a better alternative out there.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Long-term, Smith is an injury risk, but he could provide some short-term help if he doesn't cost too much. The reason he fell to Dallas was injury concerns, if I remember correctly. The question is really how much he'd cost and whether or not there is a better alternative out there.

Injury concerns plus questions about his ability to consistently involve his teammates. His per 36 stats show him with 6 assists and 3.6 turnovers which almost exactly matches his college stats. Very similar numbers to Eric Bledsoe although Bledsoe was/is a significantly more efficient scorer. I have to admit, given how similar they are as players and how much you disliked Bledsoe's game, I'm surprised that you actually like DJjr as a player?

 

[SirStefan32]

Injury concerns plus questions about his ability to consistently involve his teammates. His per 36 stats show him with 6 assists and 3.6 turnovers which almost exactly matches his college stats. Very similar numbers to Eric Bledsoe although Bledsoe was/is a significantly more efficient scorer. I have to admit, given how similar they are as players and how much you disliked Bledsoe's game, I'm surprised that you actually like DJjr as a player?

I probably appeared to have disliked Bledsoe more than I actually did because it was such a contrast to most of the board back then. I am OK with Bledsoe and Bledsoe-type players as long as they are on reasonable contracts and are third of fourth option on a team.

My issues with Bledsoe in Phoenix early on:

• He was gifted the keys to the team, and basically ended up costing us Dragic, whom I like very much. It all worked out- frankly we have Ayton and Bridges today BECAUSE he cost us Dragic, so all is good, but at the time I really did not like it.
  
• He was grossly overrated as a defender by the fans here on this board. Fans remembered his defense in LA off the bench, and they just would not see how bad he was defensively here.
  
• He thought he was better than he was. I think that in his mind, he is as good as Westbrook, and he played like he thought he was Westbrook. The problem was that he is no Westbrook.
  
• I did not like how he handled the free agency, and I thought the Suns overpaid for a walking injury waiting to happen.

Later on, he gave up on the team, wanted a max contract, and all that nice stuff, but by that time, 90% of the board finally saw through him.

I am OK with DSJ on a small contract, with full understanding that the Suns main scoring options are Booker, Ayton, and Warren, and then Oubre and DSJ. Now if they were to sign him to a four-year contract at $12/ year and make him the first option, I'd get cranky and not like him at all.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[slinslin]

Because he's a PG and Booker plays off the ball. Duh

What exactly gives you the impression that Booker plays off the ball?

 

[Errntknght]

What exactly gives you the impression that Booker plays off the ball?

He's not playing off the ball as much as we would like. If we were to get DSJr I would imagine the plan is to move Book off the ball to a considerable extent and have Smith running the offense. It might not be a good plan if the two of them are not happy the way it works out. That would be my concern about going for a deal.

 

[Proximo]

a season ago it would of been unthinkable the Mavs would be willing to trade Smith.

But now they have Luca who looks like a phenom and is ball dominate and Smith can't play off the ball. Rumors are swirling that the PG is on the block.

Just a kill time topic but do you want Smith(on a rookie contract) and what would you give up for him.

Bleacher report threw this out there.

Mavs get: Josh Jackson, Okobo and the Miluwakee 1.

Suns get: Dennis Smith Jr, Salah Mejri

That is interesting. That is not far off - but I don't think I would include the Milwaukee 1.

I really like Okobo, probably a lot more than most. I feel like he has outstanding offensive potential. I personally would trade Melton over him, although I know most would disagree.

That deal is something the suns would have to consider - but if they do that they have to keep oubre.

 

[Finito]

What exactly gives you the impression that Booker plays off the ball?

Booker isn't a primary ball handler. He's not a natural point guard that's why.

 

[Finito]

You can't take Smith at what he's done this year. He's been horrible playing with Luca that's why there considering moving him.

I think it's unfair to compare Smith to Bledsoe. Talent wasn't Bedsoes problem the problem was everything else.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Booker isn't a primary ball handler. He's not a natural point guard that's why.

And booker doesn’t have special explosiveness to break down a defense. DSJ does have that. The kind of speed and athleticism that makes a defense scramble. I’m not saying DSJ is the answer and I’m not even certain I’d trade for him, but he would certainly bring a speed element we don’t really have outside of JJ.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe McDonough envisioned Booker as a primary ball handler like Harden although I think wanted to add a point guard before he was fired.

“I think, yeah, in terms of the efficiency that Harden plays with. How he scores so efficiently from the three-point line, at the rim and the free throw line. That should be the prototype for Devin offensively, in terms of offensive efficiency,” General Manager Ryan McDonough told me on Media Day. “Harden has become a guy too as he’s grown and matured his playmaking has developed. Maybe led the league or was one of the league leaders in assists two years ago before Chris Paul came in and alleviated some of the playmaking from him.”

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...he-prototype-for-devin-booker-nba-news-column

 

[Proximo]

I think Booker completely has the ability to play off ball.

The question is would that be better for the team if our PG was Dennis Smith - and I'm not sure it would be because I don't think he is a good enough distributor.

Smith is the better player than Jackson, and would take the minutes of okobo so this would improve the Suns I would think.

The question really is can Smith become a more efficient player, he actually was much better last season shooting wise, but other parts of his game have improved this season. The other question is can the suns get someone better in free agency. I think the answer to that is probably not.

I think I would actually take Smith over Deangelo Russell, at least he is comparable. I would prefer Brogdan, but I don't think he is actually obtainable. I like him better than Rubio and Rozier for sure.

Yeah, I think if that is a real deal the suns should maybe do it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You can't take Smith at what he's done this year. He's been horrible playing with Luca that's why there considering moving him.

I think it's unfair to compare Smith to Bledsoe. Talent wasn't Bedsoes problem the problem was everything else.

Take a look at Smith's stats from the year before and in college too, they paint a similar picture.

As for Bledsoe, I was one of his supporters. I turned on him when he failed to progress and stopped playing hard on D. But even so, he was still a pretty good player for us. I don't think Smith is quite as good as Eric but perhaps he won't have the inconsistent effort that plagued Bledsoe here. And he doesn't have Rich Paul as his agent so at least there's that. But I'd still pass on him even if I liked his game. I just want no part of a young player with a torn ACL on his resume, especially not one that relies so heavily on speed and athleticism.

 

[Proximo]

That's way too much to trade. I've watched a lot of Mavs this year, and I think Smith is actually a pretty good player. That said, Doncic looks much better when Smith is on the bench. Doncic and Booker are actually quite similar when it comes to their style of play, so I would be concerned about the fit there. At the same time, Suns are in such a bad shape at PG spot that I am not sure it can hurt short-term. Suns could use someone who can score, bring the ball up the floor, and pass it to Booker or throw it to Ayton. Long-term, Smith is an injury risk, but he could provide some short-term help if he doesn't cost too much. The reason he fell to Dallas was injury concerns, if I remember correctly. The question is really how much he'd cost and whether or not there is a better alternative out there.

Why is it way to much to trade?

Smith has proven he is a better player than Jackson, we have much more need at pg than wing to boot. Actually the Center they are throwing into that deal doesn't look too bad statistically either.

ACL surgery is not a big deal anymore. There are thousands of athletes performing at 100% their pre injury level.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Why is it way to much to trade?

Smith has proven he is a better player than Jackson, we have much more need at pg than wing to boot. Actually the Center they are throwing into that deal doesn't look too bad statistically either.

ACL surgery is not a big deal anymore. There are thousands of athletes performing at 100% their pre injury level.

Smith has proven to be a bad player thus far in his career, Jackson has been a little worse. The gap just isn't that big though and I'd say Josh has more up-side even if you don't factor in the ACL surgery.

As for the "thousands of athletes", we're talking about a pro basketball player and there are a lot of horror stories to go along with the post ACL successes. D Wade counts as both. He's put together a great career despite it but there's no denying he would have been far more consistently effective had it not been for his knee problems. And when you have an ACL tear in your teens, the likelihood of arthritis disrupting the prime of your career is quite significant. It's almost better to have it happen at 25 or so.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think it's way too early to call Dennis Smith Jr. a "bad player."

 

[Proximo]

Smith has proven to be a bad player thus far in his career, Jackson has been a little worse. The gap just isn't that big though and I'd say Josh has more up-side even if you don't factor in the ACL surgery.

As for the "thousands of athletes", we're talking about a pro basketball player and there are a lot of horror stories to go along with the post ACL successes. D Wade counts as both. He's put together a great career despite it but there's no denying he would have been far more consistently effective had it not been for his knee problems. And when you have an ACL tear in your teens, the likelihood of arthritis disrupting the prime of your career is quite significant. It's almost better to have it happen at 25 or so.

It's just not accurate to call him a bad player. Last year he was one of the top 3 or 4 rookies, and his numbers this year while down shooting wise have not cratered like Jackson's have.

Is he a below average player currently - yes. Josh Jackson has literally been one of the 5 worst players statistically all year. The gap is not small.

They both have a a bunch of potential, but Smith has shown more so far and he is a pg. Is he the ideal pg for the Suns - no. Is he probably the best they can obtain for a reasonable price - yes most likely.

 

[95pro]

And booker doesn’t have special explosiveness to break down a defense. DSJ does have that. The kind of speed and athleticism that makes a defense scramble. I’m not saying DSJ is the answer and I’m not even certain I’d trade for him, but he would certainly bring a speed element we don’t really have outside of JJ.

Thank you. I agree with lack of explosiveness and speed element comments.

 

[95pro]

Can Smith JR shoot better than JJ?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I would be cool with it, but if the trade involves JJ than it needs to essentially be a one for one swap.

 

[SirStefan32]

Can Smith JR shoot better than JJ?

Yes, but in all fairness, everyone can shoot better than JJ.