I agree with pretty much everything you've written about Smith.
There are a couple of other players he reminds me of, however.
Bob McAdoo.
Like Mac, he is a big guy with unlimited range and, most importantly, he is utterly dependent upon a playmaker to give him the ball in a spot that is conducive to getting his shot off. Go back and look at some old video of McAdoo. He had that same deep stroke, but the same essential weakness: he cannot create his own shot. Mac eventually settled into his best role I think - with the Lakers as an off the bench scorer, where his job was to just come in and fire away.
Shane Battier.
Smith is bigger and a bit more athletic, with a bit more variety and range on his shots, but their games are very similar. Good defender, great shooter, but unable to create his own offense.
The last play of the Florida game illustrated exactly why his huge flaw - weak handle and inability to create his own shot - is such a killer. Auburn couldn't trust him to just receive a pass and get his own shot, so they pass to the guard who is probably assigned to look for Smith. Smith couldn't get free for the pass so...
The real value of the big guys who can shoot and create is that you can always just give them the ball and they can get a shot. Somehow, someway.
I don't know if Smith will ever be able to acquire that skill. Maybe. And if he does, look out. But it is a big question. And the issue becomes: do you want to pick a bigger Shane Battier as the No. 1 choice in this draft with Paolo and Holmgren and Ivey sitting there?
so I have decided to take him In Orlando. Which means we will not get him.
So if he's getting Kevin Durant comps, do you think he can play a little bit of 3 in the NBA? Can he guard wings?
If he's a 3/4 then hell yes he go 1st.
I agree with pretty much everything you've written about Smith.
There are a couple of other players he reminds me of, however.
Bob McAdoo.
Like Mac, he is a big guy with unlimited range and, most importantly, he is utterly dependent upon a playmaker to give him the ball in a spot that is conducive to getting his shot off. Go back and look at some old video of McAdoo. He had that same deep stroke, but the same essential weakness: he cannot create his own shot. Mac eventually settled into his best role I think - with the Lakers as an off the bench scorer, where his job was to just come in and fire away.
Shane Battier.
Smith is bigger and a bit more athletic, with a bit more variety and range on his shots, but their games are very similar. Good defender, great shooter, but unable to create his own offense.
The last play of the Florida game illustrated exactly why his huge flaw - weak handle and inability to create his own shot - is such a killer. Auburn couldn't trust him to just receive a pass and get his own shot, so they pass to the guard who is probably assigned to look for Smith. Smith couldn't get free for the pass so...
The real value of the big guys who can shoot and create is that you can always just give them the ball and they can get a shot. Somehow, someway.
I don't know if Smith will ever be able to acquire that skill. Maybe. And if he does, look out. But it is a big question. And the issue becomes: do you want to pick a bigger Shane Battier as the No. 1 choice in this draft with Paolo and Holmgren and Ivey sitting there?