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Today, a friend and I were discussing the Knicks and Nuggets. Started with who our teams in 2k are at the moment.. Anyways, the conversation quickly diverted to JR. My friend said that if JR had a better work ethic, he would be amongst the top tier players in the league. What do you guys think about that statement? I responded by saying I found him to naturally be a streaky shooter and that his work ethic can't be terrible.

Work ethic isn't the problem it's his brain and consistency.

And he's been playing very smart basketball since the trade. If he were starting and playing 30+ minutes he'd be averaging 20 ppg+ and possibly all star numbers.

I really hope we can re-sign him... though I get a feeling he'll be a Bull next season.

In year's past I can see the work ethic thing being used against him, but this past off-season he spent in the gym working/playing with the Louisville Cardinals basketball team. It's where his little brother plays. If you were to have followed him on twitter over the summer, there really weren't many days that went by where he wasn't heading to a gym somewhere to work on his game.

Like eathb said, it is more of a between the ears thing then a putting in work thing, and this year he has been a pretty solid player all season long for the most part. He is JR so he is going to slip up every now and then, but it has been his best season to date imo. He is starting to get it if that is possible

If JR had Jason Kidd's basketball mind, he would be the best player to ever live. It's not a question of his work ethic, but his decision making.

lol JR Smith worth ethic is insane.... he is a gym rat, how do you think he got so good, Rick Patino said he was one of the hardest working practice players he has ever seen.... You don't get a stroke like that sitting on the couch all day.

LOL @ that

oh lol that gif is amazing...who is that guy/assistant on the lakers bench?

His work ethic might not be a problem, but its not great either. In his first couple years in Denver he was criticized for being the guy that showed up at the same time as the vets (Camby, AI, Melo) to practice when every other young player and bench player (Kleiza, D Jones etc) would be there an hour early.

It also seems like he consistently gets benched a few time every season for being late to shoot arounds.

PowerBull wrote:oh lol that gif is amazing...who is that guy/assistant on the lakers bench?

kurt rambis

I think that JR has great work ethic, just bad judgment. I would love for the Bulls to make a play for him this off-season. I think he and Felton are the odd man out and the Nuggets will try to get up in the draft to get a really good young PF.

Do you guys think CJ Watson and a first round pick would be enough to get Smith? I could see Felton and Smith traded for a bunch of draft pick. Then those picks and the other picks the Nuggets have acquired being packaged together to get in the top 10 or 5 in this draft. The Lakers, Hawks and Pistons would would all probably consider trading a couple picks for Felton.

Do you guys know how many draft picks you guys have in the next couple years and from who? Also would you like the Nuggets to do something like this and try to go for a top PF in this year's draft while also adding a legitimate backup point guard like CJ Watson to replace Felton?

heir_jordan22 wrote:I think that JR has great work ethic, just bad judgment. I would love for the Bulls to make a play for him this off-season. I think he and Felton are the odd man out and the Nuggets will try to get up in the draft to get a really good young PF.

Do you guys think CJ Watson and a first round pick would be enough to get Smith? I could see Felton and Smith traded for a bunch of draft pick. Then those picks and the other picks the Nuggets have acquired being packaged together to get in the top 10 or 5 in this draft. The Lakers, Hawks and Pistons would would all probably consider trading a couple picks for Felton.

Do you guys know how many draft picks you guys have in the next couple years and from who? Also would you like the Nuggets to do something like this and try to go for a top PF in this year's draft while also adding a legitimate backup point guard like CJ Watson to replace Felton?

JR is a free agent, he can go anywhere he wants, so there is no need to trade for him.

With the likelihood of the no MLE this off-season in the new CBA there will probably be a lot of free agents that will be involved in sign and trades or will be traded for before the free agency period starts. If something like what I recently proposed were to happen then the Nuggets would end up with a rotation similar to

Lawson/Watson
Afflalo/Chandler
Gallinari/Chandler
top 10 or 5 pick/Harrington
Nene/Mozgov/Anderson

You don't think a scenario like this could occur?

^^^I would rather keep JR, Kmart and Felton over that lineup, but that's me. I am also a bit of a JR homer

So you wouldn't want to have Derrick Williams on your tea as the starter? if you have 3 first rounders this year you could package them all for a top 7 pick IMO

heir_jordan22 wrote:So you wouldn't want to have Derrick Williams on your tea as the starter? if you have 3 first rounders this year you could package them all for a top 7 pick IMO

trade 2 starting quality players, and our pick for a top 7 pick? Does that sound like a deal to you when either of those players should bring back a top 10 pick alone.

Ok so if you trade Felton for a 10 pick or something, then trade Smith for another pick and a backup PG, that allows you to trade up in the draft and have a guaranteed shot at Williams. It's no secret that Felton wants to go somewhere where he will start. So if you trade Smith and Felton and get a PG and a special player like Derrick Williams then you have done a good job IMO, especially since you have a good 3 man rotation at SG/SF with Afflalo, Gallinari and Chandler (they can each play 30-35 minutes a night).

heir_jordan22 wrote:Ok so if you trade Felton for a 10 pick or something, then trade Smith for another pick and a backup PG, that allows you to trade up in the draft and have a guaranteed shot at Williams. It's no secret that Felton wants to go somewhere where he will start. So if you trade Smith and Felton and get a PG and a special player like Derrick Williams then you have done a good job IMO, especially since you have a good 3 man rotation at SG/SF with Afflalo, Gallinari and Chandler (they can each play 30-35 minutes a night).

If a player is special in this draft the odds they are drafted at 10th or worse is laughable, you will be lucky to get one or two in the entire draft and those usually do not come outside of the top 5 even in a good draft. there is no way in hell I would trade 2 starting quality players and a pick for anything less then the 1st pick, and this year that is even iffy.

heir_jordan22 wrote:Ok so if you trade Felton for a 10 pick or something, then trade Smith for another pick and a backup PG, that allows you to trade up in the draft and have a guaranteed shot at Williams. It's no secret that Felton wants to go somewhere where he will start. So if you trade Smith and Felton and get a PG and a special player like Derrick Williams then you have done a good job IMO, especially since you have a good 3 man rotation at SG/SF with Afflalo, Gallinari and Chandler (they can each play 30-35 minutes a night).

I'd Like You To Show Me A Team That Would Trade Williams For Two Picks And A Backup PG. The Reason The Nuggets or Many Other Teams Haven't Traded Up In The Draft In Recent Years Is Because The Price Is Too Steep. And Even In The Worst Draft In A Few Years There's No Chance Felton Can Bring Back A Lottery Pick. I Don't Care If He Averages 20 & 12 In The Playoffs, There's No Chance.

nuggetsnation wrote:

heir_jordan22 wrote:Ok so if you trade Felton for a 10 pick or something, then trade Smith for another pick and a backup PG, that allows you to trade up in the draft and have a guaranteed shot at Williams. It's no secret that Felton wants to go somewhere where he will start. So if you trade Smith and Felton and get a PG and a special player like Derrick Williams then you have done a good job IMO, especially since you have a good 3 man rotation at SG/SF with Afflalo, Gallinari and Chandler (they can each play 30-35 minutes a night).

I'd Like You To Show Me A Team That Would Trade Williams For Two Picks And A Backup PG. The Reason The Nuggets or Many Other Teams Haven't Traded Up In The Draft In Recent Years Is Because The Price Is Too Steep. And Even In The Worst Draft In A Few Years There's No Chance Felton Can Bring Back A Lottery Pick. I Don't Care If He Averages 20 & 12 In The Playoffs, There's No Chance.

You may want to do some research there have been plenty of players that brought back a top 10 pick that were on Felton's level. Take a look at the Miller to Washington, and the Jrich to Charlotte trades for examples.