Jalen Smith

[Yuma]

To be fair, his dunking transferred over from college.

 

[GatorAZ]

Dude is going to play less than Nader lol.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Dude is going to play less than Nader lol.

Nader is certainly more NBA ready but our positional needs might dictate we play our way through Jalen's rawness.

 

[GatorAZ]

Nader is certainly more NBA ready but our positional needs might dictate we play our way through Jalen's rawness.

I’d rather play Nader at PF.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I’d rather play Nader at PF.

Use really small print when you say that, we don't want to give them any ideas.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’d rather play Nader at PF.

You might well see Nader at power forward or even small ball center. The Suns thought about it and gave Nader a look when he returned from injury. He could well play a lot more this upcoming season. Although Nader is only 6'5" he weighs 225 pounds.

 

[Hoop Head]

You might well see Nader at power forward or even small ball center. The Suns thought about it and gave Nader a look when he returned from injury. He could well play a lot more this upcoming season. Although Nader is only 6'5" he weighs 225 pounds.

I wouldn't put too much stock in anyone's billed weight. It's been discussed before that it's often incorrect, like Jalen Smith recently pointed out. What's more important than a players listed weight is how they look in certain situations and I don't recall seeing Nader being pushed around when he was on the floor last year so mentioning his weight really doesn't add anything to the conversation, IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

Dude is going to play less than Nader lol.

I'm thinking a change in hairstyle couldn't hurt.

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[GatorAZ]

You might well see Nader at power forward or even small ball center. The Suns thought about it and gave Nader a look when he returned from injury. He could well play a lot more this upcoming season. Although Nader is only 6'5" he weighs 225 pounds.

Nader’s wingspan is 7’1” which is close to Craig’s (although I can’t find an official listing for Craig). Nader is built like strong safety.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nader’s wingspan is 7’1” which is close to Craig’s (although I can’t find an official listing for Craig). Nader is built like strong safety.

And he likes to play inside as well. I'm very pleased the Suns were able to bring Nader back for a guaranteed $2 million this season with a team option for next season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And he likes to play inside as well. I'm very pleased the Suns were able to bring Nader back for a guaranteed $2 million this season with a team option for next season.

More than anything I like his ability to penetrate, I just hope he improves as a finisher. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense when he's playing as a wing or a shooting guard.

 

[Mainstreet]

More than anything I like his ability to penetrate, I just hope he improves as a finisher. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense when he's playing as a wing or a shooting guard.

With a full season I expect Nader to be a solid contributor. I like the way he can play inside and outside. He shows no fear when attacking the basket.

 

[Hoop Head]

And he likes to play inside as well. I'm very pleased the Suns were able to bring Nader back for a guaranteed $2 million this season with a team option for next season.

That was a good signing. In addition to that I don't think James Jones gets enough credit for getting him in the CP3 trade either. I thought he'd be waived after the trade and never see a minute of action, just one of those throw-ins most trades. He's proven to be a solid contributor though, even if he's a fringe rotation player.

He's the ideal 3rd stringer because he has the skill to be a 2nd stringer elsewhere. Thankfully he's here willing to play his role though because having guys like him willing to take a lesser role helps the team as a whole. Its often the difference between good teams and true contenders.

 

[Raze]

I know it's a short stint, but Jalen has made the most of his minutes in his last three games.

In 27 mpg he's averaging:
15 ppg
10 rpg
1 bpg
.7 spg
58% FG
33% 3FG
87% FT

 

[Finito]

I know it's a short stint, but Jalen has made the most of his minutes in his last three games.

In 27 mpg he's averaging:
15 ppg
10 rpg
1 bpg
.7 spg
58% FG
33% 3FG
87% FT

Seems like way more than 1 block. He challenges everything. I’ve loved what I’ve seen from him. He’s been the bright spot from this Covid thing.

I better never see Nader in the court ever again

 

[Mainstreet]

Seems like way more than 1 block. He challenges everything. I’ve loved what I’ve seen from him. He’s been the bright spot from this Covid thing.

I better never see Nader in the court ever again

I'm not sure Nader is coming back. There isn't a smidgen of news about it.

Stix is showing why the Suns drafted him.

 

[Vacard]

And too bad the Suns won’t keep him, smh

 

[NashDishesDimes]

He looked good in summer league i thought too. I dont really understand why hes been just premantently dog housed…

 

[Mainstreet]

He looked good in summer league i thought too. I dont really understand why hes been just premantently dog housed…

I think the Suns were trying to showcase Stix in summer league for a trade, so yes I think they gave up on him pretty early.

The irony of this, he is a much better player now than he was in summer league.

When the Suns play Stix at center he is a solid young talent with the ability to improve. He just needs a chance to play. Eventually I think he will become a power forward. Too bad the Suns didn't choose to wait.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He looked good in summer league i thought too. I dont really understand why hes been just premantently dog housed…

He earned his lack of playing time, he was horrible in practice and not much better in games. And while he rebounded well in summer league, he wasn't very good there either and that was against weak competition.

I hope he continues his current run and recently he's shown enough that I wish we'd extended him but he gave us plenty of reasons to not do so. Just like Josh Jackson, Kendall Marshall and Earl Clark gave us good reason to not offer the 3rd year extension (according to a Realgm poster they were the most recent NBA players to not get their 3rd year extension offer).

 

[Finito]

He earned his lack of playing time, he was horrible in practice and not much better in games. And while he rebounded well in summer league, he wasn't very good there either and that was against weak competition.

I hope he continues his current run and recently he's shown enough that I wish we'd extended him but he gave us plenty of reasons to not do so. Just like Josh Jackson, Kendall Marshall and Earl Clark gave us good reason to not offer the 3rd year extension (according to a Realgm poster they were the most recent NBA players to not get their 3rd year extension offer).

Wait hold on. How do you know he’s horrible in practice? By all accounts he works his ass off and his teammates/Monty love him.

He wasn’t very good in summer league? Didn’t he lead it in rebounding and make summer league 1st team?

See the difference with Stix and those guys is you drafted Stix knowing he was a project who wasn’t physically ready to play in the NBA.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wait hold on. How do you know he’s horrible in practice? By all accounts he works his ass off and his teammates/Monty love him.

He wasn’t very good in summer league? Didn’t he lead it in rebounding and make summer league 1st team?

See the difference with Stix and those guys is you drafted Stix knowing he was a project who wasn’t physically ready to play in the NBA.

Actually I thought I read it here (along with elsewhere) back when his extension option expired. I searched and couldn't find it in older threads so I'll search the internet for the comments.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I couldn't find the comments about Jalen looking bad in practice from 3 or 4 months ago but I did find this recent post on RGM (by lilfishi22) "In the latest Empire of the Suns podcast, Kellan Olson mentioned Jalen didn't look good in practice and in the limited minutes he was given."

 

[Mainstreet]

I couldn't find the comments about Jalen looking bad in practice from 3 or 4 months ago but I did find this recent post on RGM (by lilfishi22) "In the latest Empire of the Suns podcast, Kellan Olson mentioned Jalen didn't look good in practice and in the limited minutes he was given."

What does said RealGM poster say about Landry Shamet earning twice the money next season than Stix would have earned if the Suns had picked up his option?

That's where the money went and more.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What does said RealGM poster say about Landry Shamet earning twice the money next season than Stix would have earned if the Suns had picked up his option?

That's where the money went and more.

Kind of irrelevant AFAIC.

You seem to be convinced that they skimped on Jalen so they could pay Shamet and I don't see it that way. Had Smith shown anything they would have paid him. Maybe it would have kept us from going after Shamet but I doubt the reverse is true. We needed a backup guard but not as much as we needed another big man, if Smith showed that he could fill that position we'd have jumped to extend him IMO.

I think we should have given him more opportunities but I understand why we didn't, we were in win-now mode. His development was hampered by Covid and an injury and let's face it, he was pretty bad when we tried going the G League route with him to try and get him some real PT. So, things didn't work out and that's too bad. I just don't see it as this huge mistake that so many are now framing it as. It was a judgement call and it was not without merit at the time.