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Say theoretically both are FA's right now, and you only can get one of them. You're offering them both for the same money, which player would you want on your team if you could sign only one of them now?

LaMarcus Aldridge
Portland Trail Blazers
Position: F-C
Height: 6-11 Weight: 245
College: Texas
Player file | Team stats
AGE: 23 in 1 month
2007-08 Statistics
PPG 17.8
RPG 7.6
APG 1.6
SPG 0.7
BPG 1.2
FG% 0.484
FT% 0.762
3P% 0.143
MPG 34.9

VS

Josh Smith
Atlanta Hawks
Position: F
Height: 6-9 Weight: 235
High School: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)
Player file | Team stats
AGE: 23 in 6 months
2007-08 Statistics
PPG 17.2
RPG 8.2
APG 3.4
SPG 1.5
BPG 2.8
FG% 0.457
FT% 0.710
3P% 0.253
MPG 35.5

I voted LMA because if I am going to pay I guy 10+ million a year, which they will get. They must be able to be a go to guy on offense and a defensive anchor at the PF position.

Josh has proven to have a diverse range of skills but as a PF he doesnt have a great post game, as a SF he cannot hit the outside jumper. His blocking ability is impressive but so is a player in LMA that can defend at the rim. To me thats far more valueable then a weak side shot blocker like Josh Smith. Offensively LMA is more efficient and can create for other out of the post. This area of the game needs improvement but its not out of the question that he can the number one option offensively. He patterns his game after Tim Duncan and you can see it when he is analyzing the defensive positioning of his opponents on the block. Josh Smith will not be a go-to offensive player. He doesnt have the court vision or mental aptitude to be that type of player. He definately has the edge defensively over LMA at this point on a man to man basis.

Given everything they are fairly even talent wise but I feel LMA has more value due to his ability to be a true PF. A post game, outsider jumper, weak side defender, and solid man defender all in one. He also plays the game smart and is the kind of person you want to represnt your franchise.

Josh Smith is a talented athlete but seems to be lacking the qualities you need in a leader.

Right now, I'd take Josh Smith. He has more impact on the game thanks to his shotblocking. He also draws enough fouls and gets to the rim enough to hold his own on offense. Aldridge might fit better with a more complete team. He's the better shooter and will probably become the more effective offensive player. He also makes better decisions and his size will let him play a more traditional role.

I'll take Josh Smith on the Raptors because he would be the perfect small forward for us. We don't need LMA because of Bosh and Bargs.

^Smith is ineffective at the SF, and excels while playing PF.

This thread comes down, to me, if you want an offensive or defensive oriented forward on your team.

I think Josh might be the better player, but as a PF, Aldridge is easier to fit into a team needing a true PF...

I also think Josh's passing ability goes unnoticed, his assist numbers are always nice for a guy who doesn't have the ball so much.

I think Aldridge would fit better on most teams, but if you have a guy who is great offensive player in the paint, and a good rebounder(Like Al Jefferson maybe, despite being a 4), Smith is a wonderful fit. Someone like Yao comes to mind too.

Up tempo teams would like Josh too, not just for his ability to run the break, but to start them.

Tough one I'd have to say. I'm going to say Aldrige, I've seen him play A LOT, and let me tell you this guy is going to be a VERY good player in the future. He is long, decently athletic, skilled, and his defense isn't bad at all. Josh Smith would be a perfect fit on a fast break team like NOKGAI stated. Someone like the Warriors, Suns, Sixers, and well also the Hawks would be the main teams that he'd flourish on. He'd still be a very good player on an average half court team, but his potential would truly be shown on a fast break team.

Josh Smith I think is clearly the better overall player but if I have to put one of them at PF its not him.

I think it really just depends on what your teams needs. Josh Smith would be a GREAT fit on the Magic

NO-KG-AI wrote:I think Josh might be the better player, but as a PF, Aldridge is easier to fit into a team needing a true PF...

I think Aldridge would fit better on most teams, but if you have a guy who is great offensive player in the paint, and a good rebounder(Like Al Jefferson maybe, despite being a 4), Smith is a wonderful fit. Someone like Yao comes to mind too.

Up tempo teams would like Josh too, not just for his ability to run the break, but to start them.

Do you think Smith would be a better option next to Greg Oden than LMA?

LMA is the fastest player from end to end for Portland. He would certainly fit in very well for an uptemp team. Given Portlands style of play that part of his game can be overlooked very easily.

Odonism wrote:

NO-KG-AI wrote:I think Josh might be the better player, but as a PF, Aldridge is easier to fit into a team needing a true PF...

I think Aldridge would fit better on most teams, but if you have a guy who is great offensive player in the paint, and a good rebounder(Like Al Jefferson maybe, despite being a 4), Smith is a wonderful fit. Someone like Yao comes to mind too.

Up tempo teams would like Josh too, not just for his ability to run the break, but to start them.

Do you think Smith would be a better option next to Greg Oden than LMA?

LMA is the fastest player from end to end for Portland. He would certainly fit in very well for an uptemp team. Given Portlands style of play that part of his game can be overlooked very easily.

No, I like LMA with Oden better, his jump shot is going to create a lot of space for Oden, and Smith's shotblocking(by far his best quality) isn't needed with Oden down there.

I think Smooth is the better player...but you can't teach size, and there is just something about being 6'11" that is very attractive. And I kinda get the feeling that while Smith can clearly still improve that he probably won't make any more drastic leaps in production/impact. Aldridge I feel like can still get quite a bit better.

So tough call, but I think I'd roll with Aldridge even though I actually like Smith better.

farzi wrote:^Smith is ineffective at the SF, and excels while playing PF.

This thread comes down, to me, if you want an offensive or defensive oriented forward on your team.

I guess that's true. I think LMA is the better player and I like him more, but the Raptors have no space for him.

Odenism wrote:LMA is the fastest player from end to end for Portland. He would certainly fit in very well for an uptemp team. Given Portlands style of play that part of his game can be overlooked very easily.

This can't be emphasized enough. On the rare occasions that Portland fast-breaked last year he was almost always the farthest down the court. Plus he has the handles and IQ to know what to do with the ball once he got it.

Voting Aldridge because his game compliments Oden's a lot better than Smith's does.

Josh Smith is the more complete package, although LMA is a more well-rounded offensive player.

I can see why teams with different needs would go for each because they are good at different things.

Smith is the more effective help defender and defensive rebounder. He also is the stronger inside player, scoring significantly more points at a higher percentage from "inside" shots as well as drawing FTs at a noticably better clip. Smith also gets far more assists, possibly because fewer of his shots come from jumpers and he is more likely to draw the defense.

On the flip side, LMA has a better offensive rebound rate. He has a faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar (aaaar) more accurate jumper that he uses quite a bit more than Smith. The flip side to not getting inside as often, or drawing the free throws, or making the passes is that LMA manages to have a very low TO rate as opposed to Smith who has a pretty high one. Aldridge is a decent defender although certainly not a game changer.

They have very similar TS% because Smith gets to the line a lot more.

If you are a team like Portland or SA, I could see why you would want an Aldridge type of player because you already have a defensive anchor and you can use a big man like Aldridge who takes 65% of his shots outside the painted area. If you are a team lacking an ultra-efficient shotblocking big, you probably want Smith because he does a much better job at creating for his teamates, guarding the paing, and getting defensive boards.

As far as potential. I think it is more likely that Smith's %'s go up and TOs go down (all it would take is to get a SF with a consistent jumper so Smith can move off the wing) than for Aldridge to decide that he wants to play inside more.

Regardless, they are equal on offense and Smith is a much bigger force on D.

I think Smith is definitely the better player right now, and by a decent margin, but I'd rather have Aldridge.

A tough one. Aldridge probably fits better with most teams because he's 6'11 and more a traditional PF that can also play C.

Smith is the better defender, passer, rebounder. Aldridge is a better shooter, but his size and ability to fit with teams is extremely valuable. Aldridge is a better fit for Portland, he may even be a better fit for Atlanta.

However, if Smith develops a consistent midrange J, he will be a DANGEROUS scorer. His ability to take bigs off the dribble is Amare like, but defenders back off of him (leaving the midrange jumper wide open) so much that it's tougher to take them off the dribble. Defenders rarely keep up with Smith when they play up on him. That's why every game Smith hits his jumpers he has a HUGE game. They both have a ton of potential, it's really a matter of who reaches theirs.