Tune In: The Nick Smith Jr Thread

[wilson115]

Reason for optimism, we just saw a 6'4" non-playmaking guard start multiple games in the playoffs all because he's good at the same things NSJ is: hustling on D and making it rain from three. Ironic Joe's spent most of his rookie contract fighting for minutes with some of the same people ahead of NSJ on the depth chart right now...

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[MasterIchiro]

Coach Lee saw good things in NSJ first SL game despite 4-17. I thought he stood out as well. He belongs.

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[Diop]

His defensive effort on the perimeter has looked good.

[Rich4114]

NSJ looks like he's a man on a mission. Having someone like him take a leap to a productive rotational player would do wonders for this team.

[Bassman]

I do think NSJ shows improvement. I want to see the remainder of his work through SL before judging too much. He’s doing basketball with a little more awareness, seems to be defending better, and is looking to pass a bit more. Can see why coach is expressing acknowledgement of his work. Still, he forces some shots or just takes bad ones at times, and just strikes me as a microwave that’s either on or off. Plus he’s doing this at summer league scrub level, which doesn’t bode well for his bad shooting %.

I like NSJ and want him to keep growing. As of now I don’t see him being more than a third guard at best. That’s still good production if he can just find consistency…something he still needs to show over time.

[JMAC3]

He is 7/27 so far in SL and it feels like he has missed a lot of open 3s, which is probably the part of his game I am most confident in. He has done a good job on the boards, flashed some playmaking and has been more aggressive getting in the lane. He still hasn't been able to get all the way to rim which is my biggest concern.

[Rich4114]

He is 7/27 so far in SL and it feels like he has missed a lot of open 3s, which is probably the part of his game I am most confident in. He has done a good job on the boards, flashed some playmaking and has been more aggressive getting in the lane. He still hasn't been able to get all the way to rim which is my biggest concern.

He has all of the moves to create space and get to his spot, he does need to figure out how to finish / absorb contact and take better shots. He seems to be great in catch and shoot situations too. Have to remember he's still really young, missed most of his NCAA year due to injury and barely played last season due to Clifford being our coach. I think he's a prime breakout candidate with a ceiling of scorer off the bench.

[MasterIchiro]

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[MasterIchiro]

Clearly NSJ isn't the combo guard who fashions himself too important to play defense.

He's looking to play both sides of the ball, showing versatility and strong work ethic.

As a top HS recruit, he was a good bet in the late first round. I think he could blossom into a starter after passing through 6th man role.

Monk is projected to start for the Kings. It didn't happen overnight for Monk. At baseline Malik is more athletic, skilled as a 3-level scoring talent, but NSJ has a better starting point in terms of attitude. Plus Cliff is out of the way and Lee seems to like what he sees in NSJ.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Clearly NSJ isn't the combo guard who fashions himself too important to play defense.

He's looking to play both sides of the ball, showing versatility and strong work ethic.

As a top HS recruit, he was a good bet in the late first round. I think he could blossom into a starter after passing through 6th man role.

Monk is projected to start for the Kings. It didn't happen overnight for Monk. At baseline Malik is more athletic, skilled as a 3-level scoring talent, but NSJ has a better starting point in terms of attitude. Plus Cliff is out of the way and Lee seems to like what he sees in NSJ.

NSJ is a far better shooter than Monk was at the same stage too

[MasterIchiro]

Clearly NSJ isn't the combo guard who fashions himself too important to play defense.

He's looking to play both sides of the ball, showing versatility and strong work ethic.

As a top HS recruit, he was a good bet in the late first round. I think he could blossom into a starter after passing through 6th man role.

Monk is projected to start for the Kings. It didn't happen overnight for Monk. At baseline Malik is more athletic, skilled as a 3-level scoring talent, but NSJ has a better starting point in terms of attitude. Plus Cliff is out of the way and Lee seems to like what he sees in NSJ.

NSJ is a far better shooter than Monk was at the same stage too

Off the catch. But Monk is a natural movement shooter. Put in the right situation, that shot with its poetic form was always going to flourish. He keeps the defense on their toes whether he's on ball or not. Because he doesn't need a set shot every time.

Nick is struggling mightly in the midrange because he's having to shoot off the dribble. But he has nice hops on his jump shot and pretty arc. He just needs to relax into his timing off the dribble and will start to collect those points.

The last of the levels of 3-level scoring is rim pressure. Long road ahead. First knock down 3's and midrange.

[lmcguir15]

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It's cool to see Lee care a lot about a fringe NBA guy -- imagine once he's able to reach the upper crust of this roster. Getting everyone bought in will go a long way in the win and development columns.

[MasterIchiro]

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It's cool to see Lee care a lot about a fringe NBA guy -- imagine once he's able to reach the upper crust of this roster. Getting everyone bought in will go a long way in the win and development columns.

His predecessors are not blameless, but it's great that the Hornets finally removed the clog in Clifford's trademark clogged toilet offense that belongs in 1985.

NSJ shared the same common demoninator with Bouknight (2 years) , and before him Monk (2 years) overseeing their development pathway (note: Steve openly admitted he thinks "practice" is where prospects best learn the game not actually, ya know, actual game time).

I just don't see Lee burying NSJ in a practice uniform and expecting the game to slow down despite not giving him actual in-game minutes with any continuity and trust.

Monk waited in line behind MCW and uber flop King, PJ Hairston who couldn't win clean against a high schooler playing a pickup game at the YMCA.

Clifford is a gimmick, running a used vacuum cleaner salesman business in a neighborhood where every homeowner living on every last corner of every single street removed their rugs 10 years ago and bought the Swiffer.

Bryce looks like some Gen Z aspiring actor you see doing a Verizon commercial or one for Progressive Insurance. On the basketball court.

He literally looks like a seasoned actor playing the part of a basketball player in some cheesy commercial. Pretending to know how to play, without actually knowing how to play.

I will be dawned, duped and bamboozled cold if NSJ were stuck behind that young man beyond 1 season, due to length and perceived defense (which Bryce sucked at).

But finally, we seem like we are going to actually deepen our investments in a combination guard who, though small, frail, and inexperienced on defense, holds tremendous upside as an isolation scorer who can with their deep bags take over whole quarters, halfs or full games.

[amcoolio]

We need a name for the thread, any ideas?

Anybody think he looks exactly like skinny Stefon Diggs? Especially with the mustache

[SWedd523]

Next 2 Man Up

[JDR720]

Nick Nick Nick, Nick Nick, Nick Nickelodeon: The Nick Smith Thread

Maybe that's too long.

[Walt Cronkite]

Early in the season Collins pointed out that #8 Smith Jr will be used by two different people in subsequent years and I've never been able to shake the visual that MJ made Nick reuse Dennis' jersey. Dennis Smith's hand-me-downs? One of you guys with kids have anything clever with Nick Jr?

Name is quite generic, like Charles Lee. Makes it tough.

[fatlever]

It's a bit of a stretch to point any fingers at cliff for bouk's failure.

Bouk was not mentally ready, and did not seem to have the desire to improve. Nothing about that is cliffs fault.

Cliff has a lot of warts, but bouks failure ain't one of them.

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[amcoolio]

It's a bit of a stretch to point any fingers at cliff for bouk's failure.

Bouk was not mentally ready, and did not seem to have the desire to improve. Nothing about that is cliffs fault.

Cliff has a lot of warts, but bouks failure ain't one of them.

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Bouk isn't even in the SL. There's something wrong or he just doesn't care about basketball. F the UConn fans for thinking its our fault

[MPM]

Afraid of the paint:
NS-Trey:
Mr. Smith goes to F’inTown: