Jabari for BI

[K_chile22]

Boy I would rather hope Smith becomes the real plus defender you need next to Sengun, with enough offense to stay on the court rather than do this.

There are other ways to add a scorer if you feel the team needs that in the short term.

Well the thing is Tari is already that guy, Jabari is glaringly the odd man out and BI, even though I'm not a huge fan, is probably the best win now kind of guy you can get for him

[Texas Chuck]

I need to pay more attention to Eason then.

[Crazy-Canuck]

How about the dubs intercept and take Jabari and send jk to the pelicans.

[Ell Curry]

How about the dubs intercept and take Jabari and send jk to the pelicans.

I think a few teams would love to get involved in this. As a pro-tank Raptors fan, something like this for instance:

Pelicans - Poeltl, Dillon Brooks, Lesser of Raptors/Pacers 2026 1st
Raptors - Jabari Smith, A couple of Pelicans 2nds, Pelicans Minimum guy, Jeff Green/Steven Adams
Rockets - Ingram

Raptors cement the tank (we've been terrible so far, but 7th last in SRS and only 2 games back of the East pack of teams that will mostly populate the 5-10 range of draft slots, and that's with Barnes and Quickley having mostly been injured, so we'll probably end up back in that morass if we get healthy) with no proper center, get a young shooting big (good fit with Barnes and Mogbo) and we can probably trade Olynyk's expiring and a first for a center next year or more likely try to draft one in 2025 or 2026 and in the meantime we get lucky this summer with an MLE guy like Isaiah Jackson and he blossoms, or at this deadline make a Bruce Brown and 2nds for Capela deal to re-sign him as a bridge for the next couple of years, we're not contending for anything for at least another 2-3 seasons anyways.

[SNPA]

Boy I would rather hope Smith becomes the real plus defender you need next to Sengun, with enough offense to stay on the court rather than do this.

There are other ways to add a scorer if you feel the team needs that in the short term.

Well the thing is Tari is already that guy, Jabari is glaringly the odd man out and BI, even though I'm not a huge fan, is probably the best win now kind of guy you can get for him

What would Sac need to offer for Jabari?

[MoreyWins]

Boy I would rather hope Smith becomes the real plus defender you need next to Sengun, with enough offense to stay on the court rather than do this.

There are other ways to add a scorer if you feel the team needs that in the short term.

Well the thing is Tari is already that guy, Jabari is glaringly the odd man out and BI, even though I'm not a huge fan, is probably the best win now kind of guy you can get for him

What would Sac need to offer for Jabari?

Huerter would be the player Houston would want back. A protected first from Sacramento to Houston might equal out the trade values.

[Frankie]

Hmm interesting. Jabari does seem like he will end up being the odd man out from this core. I like him a lot but he leaves a lot to be desired. Eason appears to offer us everything we hoped we would get from Jabari.

I don't know if I like BI in Houston. I like him enough as a player, but I think our defence needs Brooks. He's our best defender still, even though Amen and Eason are right there with him as our best and most impactful defenders.

[SNPA]

Well the thing is Tari is already that guy, Jabari is glaringly the odd man out and BI, even though I'm not a huge fan, is probably the best win now kind of guy you can get for him

What would Sac need to offer for Jabari?

Huerter would be the player Houston would want back. A protected first from Sacramento to Houston might equal out the trade values.

That’d be an easy yes from this Kings fan.

[LarsV8]

Not trading Jabari for Kevin Huerter lol

[MoreyWins]

Not trading Jabari for Kevin Huerter lol

There's no place for Jabari to be a 20/10 guy when you want Sengun to get himself going, Jalen to get himself going, Sengun to get more minutes, Eason to get more minutes, and Amen to get more minutes. Huerter fits into Jabari's role on offense, he has good size on defense, and offers something sorely needed for this team which is a knockdown shooter. The Rockets already struggle to generate threes without FVV pullips, so adding an actual elite moving shooter will be a welcome sight. Jabari is already getting pressed about his starting spot, if he can't show why he was the #3 pick then extension talks will get real uncomfortable. He might get too expensive for the role he's boxed into.

[LarsV8]

There's no place for Jabari to be a 20/10 guy when you want Sengun to get himself going, Jalen to get himself going, Sengun to get more minutes, Eason to get more minutes, and Amen to get more minutes. Huerter fits into Jabari's role on offense, he has good size on defense, and offers something sorely needed for this team which is a knockdown shooter. The Rockets already struggle to generate threes without FVV pullips, so adding an actual elite moving shooter will be a welcome sight. Jabari is already getting pressed about his starting spot, if he can't show why he was the #3 pick then extension talks will get real uncomfortable. He might get too expensive for the role he's boxed into.

I am sorry, but you are missing the forest from the trees. You don't trade guys on rookie contracts with big potential for replacement level players. That is extremely poor asset management.

If Jabari doesn't live up to his expectations, they don't have to extend him, they can let him hit restricted free agency and let the market decide his value.

At some point, we will make a consolidation trade for a great player, and there will be plenty of "places".

[MoreyWins]

There's no place for Jabari to be a 20/10 guy when you want Sengun to get himself going, Jalen to get himself going, Sengun to get more minutes, Eason to get more minutes, and Amen to get more minutes. Huerter fits into Jabari's role on offense, he has good size on defense, and offers something sorely needed for this team which is a knockdown shooter. The Rockets already struggle to generate threes without FVV pullips, so adding an actual elite moving shooter will be a welcome sight. Jabari is already getting pressed about his starting spot, if he can't show why he was the #3 pick then extension talks will get real uncomfortable. He might get too expensive for the role he's boxed into.

I am sorry, but you are missing the forest from the trees. You don't trade guys on rookie contracts with big potential for replacement level players. That is extremely poor asset management.

If Jabari doesn't live up to his expectations, they don't have to extend him, they can let him hit restricted free agency and let the market decide his value.

At some point, we will make a consolidation trade for a great player, and there will be plenty of "places".

I hope you're watching Jabari closely tonight because there is legitimately nothing he does for the Rockets to warrant the minutes he gets. He looks like a replacement level player. Any type of basketball skill would be useful compared to what Jabari brings. I'll move him in a heartbeat to get the most out his hypothetical value as a former #3 overall pick.

[LarsV8]

I hope you're watching Jabari closely tonight because there is legitimately nothing he does for the Rockets to warrant the minutes he gets. He looks like a replacement level player. Any type of basketball skill would be useful compared to what Jabari brings. I'll move him in a heartbeat to get the most out his hypothetical value as a former #3 overall pick.

What warrants the minutes he gets is that he is 21 years old.

You don't seem to understand that young players need to be developed.

[YayBasketball]

Jabari+ Dillon Brooks for Brandon Ingram

Rockets consolidate a bit, get some offensive punch they really need, can hopefully keep BI at a non max deal

Pelicans don't want to pay BI so get a wing/big that fits with Zion potentially long term with two years cost control then rfa. Dillon is a helpful player but Nola still has a ton of wings so might need to go somewhere else.

This framework is really intriguing. And it seems pretty realistic given Bari's struggles and the Rockets' aim to take a leap in contention. And the Pelicans' crazy injury start.

Brooks to 3rd team makes more sense for sure. Although the idea of having the a-hole tough guy tone setter is actually needed in the Pels' organization. 3rd teams that make the most sense-- Bucks and Kings.

Bucks could deal Lopez straight up since Brooks makes just a tad under Lopez's salary. Would be a resetting of scheme for them to fix their defensive struggles, if Portis and Giannis can scale up to the 5 more regularly.

Then Kings could deal Huerter and Lyles for Brooks (and Theis or JRE). Gets them a defensive stopper and adds needed defensive toughness, allows Murray to bloom more on offense.

[wemby]

Problem with Jabari is the idea of him is much more enticing than the actual player, if he puts it together as a shooter and defender he can be a really valuable player, but there's also the risk he gets a ridiculous contract on potential alone and then becomes nearly untradeable. Risky proposition. I think the Rockets probably wait this one out, they can always dangle him as a trade chip or let him hit RFA.

[YayBasketball]

Jabari+ Dillon Brooks for Brandon Ingram

Rockets consolidate a bit, get some offensive punch they really need, can hopefully keep BI at a non max deal

Pelicans don't want to pay BI so get a wing/big that fits with Zion potentially long term with two years cost control then rfa. Dillon is a helpful player but Nola still has a ton of wings so might need to go somewhere else.

This framework is really intriguing. And it seems pretty realistic given Bari's struggles and the Rockets' aim to take a leap in contention. And the Pelicans' crazy injury start.

Brooks to 3rd team makes more sense for sure. Although the idea of having the a-hole tough guy tone setter is actually needed in the Pels' organization. 3rd teams that make the most sense-- Bucks and Kings.

Bucks could deal Lopez straight up since Brooks makes just a tad under Lopez's salary. Would be a resetting of scheme for them to fix their defensive struggles, if Portis and Giannis can scale up to the 5 more regularly.

Then Kings could deal Huerter and Lyles for Brooks (and Theis or JRE). Gets them a defensive stopper and adds needed defensive toughness, allows Murray to bloom more on offense.

Ingram, Lyles, Theis ---> HOU
Brooks, JRE ---> SAC
Smith, Huerter, Landale ---> NOP

Rockets consolidate and upgrade talent, get a legit scorer/playmaker with size in Ingram. Get him for a playoff contention run, could surprise and be the Pacers of the West this year (WCF team), then convince him to resign a favorable new deal rather than take a slightly bigger FA offer in a non-winning franchise like Pistons, Hornets, etc. This also frees up key roles for Eason and Amen. Getting Lyles is a nice bonus to replace the idea of Smith Jr.

Kings add a defensive wing with attitude to balance their offense-heavy roster. Brooks can make enough 3s to make it work. Maybe get a 2nd from HOU for taking Brooks' bigger, longer contract?

Pelicans take best offer for Ingram at this point, taking the talent gamble on Jabari Smith Jr. and hoping he can tap into his potential in a new situation. His ties to the area (his dad played at LSU, he played at Auburn a state over) are welcomed in New Orleans as the team tries to rebuild culture in what may be a lost/tanking season.

Sengun/ Adams/ Theis
Eason/ Lyles/ Tate/ Green
Ingram/ Whitmore
Green/ Amen
VanVleet/ Reed/ Holiday

Sabonis/ Len/ Orlando
Murray/ JRE
DeRozan/ Kessler
Brooks/ Monk
Fox/ Carter/ McCloughlin

Missi/ Landale/ Matkovic
Jabari/ (Zion)/ Green
Murphy/ Huerter/ Boston
Herb/ CJ/ Hawkins
Murray/ Jose

[YayBasketball]

Problem with Jabari is the idea of him is much more enticing than the actual player, if he puts it together as a shooter and defender he can be a really valuable player, but there's also the risk he gets a ridiculous contract on potential alone and then becomes nearly untradeable. Risky proposition. I think the Rockets probably wait this one out, they can always dangle him as a trade chip or let him hit RFA.

While that is true, some say he has untapped potential the likes of which even one Victor Wembanya has yet to even sniff. Let us remember, this one Jabari Smith Jr. was once considered the top overall pick in a loaded draft alongside such talents as Chetson Holmgreenus and Pablo Bancherou. The guy's father played in the NBA for goodness sakes. And yet the question remains, can he be a real game changer...