Jabari Smith Jr. - Auburn

[Colbinii]

A better defending Iggy is an absolute monster. Like best defender in the league if Wemby didn’t exist.

Yes, and in a situation where his impact is more realized as he is with Jabari/Green/Eason/Brooks with a good defensive coach. It's like if 24 year-old Iggy was on Golden State instead of 31 year-old Iggy.

If I'm Houston I'm offloading Sengun. He needs the ball too much to be effective, and doesn't fit the defensive identity of this team. He's like GS David Lee.

Nah, Sengun is much better than David Lee.

Sengun is at 3.1 OBPM while David Lee's peak with the Warriors was 1.4 OBPM.

David Lee Peaked at 23 USG% and 16.5 AST%.
Sengun is at 27 USG% and 25.1 AST%.

Sengun is closer to Domantas Sabonis and the team around him should resemble more of the Kings. Now, Kings always have 4 shooters next to Sabonis. Literally every player Sabonis has played minutes with can shoot the 3 ball.

The current push-pull with Amen/Sengun is that neither can stretch the floor, and you can see it in their respective offensive ratings together compared to when they play without one another.

But, do you really want to emulate the Kings? I think Jalen Green has more to offer than Malik Monk and Jabari Smith Jr's potential defensive presence eclipses Keegan Murray's, but ultimately Amen will need to be able to shoot to succeed long-term next to Sabonis.

It is interesting to see what the Rockets decide moving forward and if the two [Amen and Sengun] can co-exist.

[JMAC3]

There are really takes in this thread from 3 months ago how Jabari is better than Paolo still lol.

The take lock is nuts on this board. Meanwhile Paolo looked like a star in the playoffs.

[JMAC3]

Can we finally admit Paolo is far superior to Jabari or are there still folks that want to hold out hope here?

[JMAC3]

Interested here. Are Rockets fans still in the camp that Jabari is a better prospect than Amen Thompson moving forward?

[CptCrunch]

Interested here. Are Rockets fans still in the camp that Jabari is a better prospect than Amen Thompson moving forward?

Jabari is still a better prospect. He is just having a down 15 games in a much reduced role largely due Tari Eason rising up to become the 2nd best player on the Rockets.

Until Amen learns to shoot; his ceiling is a 7th man off the bench playing good defense as a small ball PF on defense, secondary guard on offense.

Jabari has the shot. He just needs confidence and body development to become a positive impact starter. Jabari is having a bad year; I assume he will get shipped out when Rockets are forced to consolidate their young players for a star, Giannis anyone?

3 of those might go as they lack the cap to resign all of them. Green and Sengun has been paid.

This is probably my rank of Rockets prospects
Sengun
Sheppard
Eason
Green
Jabari
Thompson
Whitmore

[NO-KG-AI]

Are we allowed to be concerned about his inability to create off the dribble and get shots at the rim/free throw line yet?

I wanted to ask how old he has to be for us to not get flamed for thinking it was concerning and saw the dude is still only 21. He really is still a baby lol.

[Big J]

Some of us here really missed on this dude. Cough cough.

[SeattleJazzFan]

hilarious to look back on this thread to see how some us who dared question some of his warts were shouted down by some of the dudes with the loudest voices on this site. and how in hindsight we were spot on and absolutely right to be concerned with those things.

but mostly funny how sure of themselves some folks were on him. one guy saying this is a guy you absolutely tank for. lol.

i liked jabari, he was always in the conversation for #1 for me, but good heavens, it's as of so many dudes on this site decide they either like or don't like a prospect and after that have blinders on once that decision has been made. if they like the prospect, the dude can do no wrong. if they don't like the prospect, we must only focus on flaws. pretty fascinating really.

it's okay to be wrong about a prospect, but the arrogance of some people in these prospect discussions is hysterical.

[azcatz11]

hilarious to look back on this thread to see how some us who dared question some of his warts were shouted down by some of the dudes with the loudest voices on this site. and how in hindsight we were spot on and absolutely right to be concerned with those things.

but mostly funny how sure of themselves some folks were on him. one guy saying this is a guy you absolutely tank for. lol.

i liked jabari, he was always in the conversation for #1 for me, but good heavens, it's as of so many dudes on this site decide they either like or don't like a prospect and after that have blinders on once that decision has been made. if they like the prospect, the dude can do no wrong. if they don't like the prospect, we must only focus on flaws. pretty fascinating really.

it's okay to be wrong about a prospect, but the arrogance of some people in these prospect discussions is hysterical.

I'm pretty surprised he's been disappointment. He's one of the best college players I've seen the past 10 years. I don't watch Houston that much but is it just his lack of athleticism?

[BlazersBroncos]

I dont think its athleticism. When I watch him he seems to just not be that agressive on either side of the ball. He 'floats' alot and doesnt stay engaged.

Throwback - but he sort of reminds me of Joe Smith in the above way. Super talented guy that ends up just being a barely-above-replacement level starting guy.

[Big J]

It's his lack of athleticism & physicality paired with him having a poor BBIQ. Kind of a death pairing.

[EMG518]

I have had plenty of misses but I was dead on in this thread for the first 20+ pages pre draft.

[SeattleJazzFan]

hilarious to look back on this thread to see how some us who dared question some of his warts were shouted down by some of the dudes with the loudest voices on this site. and how in hindsight we were spot on and absolutely right to be concerned with those things.

but mostly funny how sure of themselves some folks were on him. one guy saying this is a guy you absolutely tank for. lol.

i liked jabari, he was always in the conversation for #1 for me, but good heavens, it's as of so many dudes on this site decide they either like or don't like a prospect and after that have blinders on once that decision has been made. if they like the prospect, the dude can do no wrong. if they don't like the prospect, we must only focus on flaws. pretty fascinating really.

it's okay to be wrong about a prospect, but the arrogance of some people in these prospect discussions is hysterical.

I'm pretty surprised he's been disappointment. He's one of the best college players I've seen the past 10 years. I don't watch Houston that much but is it just his lack of athleticism?

he was just always sort of a one trick pony on offense. a great jump shooter, but no variety to his offensive game - all he did was take jumpers, most of them tough jumpers (as an Ace Bailey fan, i have some of the same concerns tbh). he gets to the nba the shot doesn't fall, he's left with nothing. to his credit, he plays hard so he defends pretty well and gets rebounds. he's not a useless player, just a guy who at his size and athleticism needed more variety to his offensive arsenal.

[ROballer]

He had all the chances in the world to work it out in Houston.

I always said Eason is 5x better and it was evident from their rookie year. Smith played way more and started strictly on politics alone(draft position). Eason crushed him in all advanced and per minutes stats.

Now he got hurt and lost his job, he's never getting it back again. Houston is a worlds better team with either Eason/Amen starting that it was with this guy.

They're both dogs. Smith isn't.

A trade is surely coming up.

[blog_pistons]

Well, for an adequate price I would really like to see it in Detroit. Sometimes contexts don't help you develop your game.

[HadAnEffectHere]

This has been a pretty terrible year in general for the 2022 draft other than Jalen Williams.

I guess Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren also have been fine?

[ReggiesKnicks]

This has been a pretty terrible year in general for the 2022 draft other than Jalen Williams.

I guess Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren also have been fine?

Not really, maybe the top end?

Nembhard, Christie, Jovic, Braun, Eason and Daniels all look like they can realistically blossom into consistent starters.

[greg4012]

Jabari seems homeless in the NBA as someone who is not built to bang with center and doesn't have close to requisite handle or playmaking to be a versatile forward. Among all forwards in the NBA that have played at least 20 games this season and average at least 15 mpg, Jabari is LAST in assist%. 156th out of 156 forwards.

All he does is rebound at an average rate, shoot anything that comes his way (and score at below average efficiency), and serve as length on the floor (average to below average defensively)

[BlazersBroncos]

Jabari seems homeless in the NBA as someone who is not built to bang with center and doesn't have close to requisite handle or playmaking to be a versatile forward. Among all forwards in the NBA that have played at least 20 games this season and average at least 15 mpg, Jabari is LAST in assist%. 156th out of 156 forwards.

All he does is rebound at an average rate, shoot anything that comes his way (and score at below average efficiency), and serve as length on the floor (average to below average defensively)

I think HOU needs to pick a lane between Eason and Jabari - and the easy choice is Eason.

Use Jabari, who still has some value (IMO about equal to the 10th pick or so) along with salary ballast and some picks to make that all-in move.

[greg4012]

Jabari seems homeless in the NBA as someone who is not built to bang with center and doesn't have close to requisite handle or playmaking to be a versatile forward. Among all forwards in the NBA that have played at least 20 games this season and average at least 15 mpg, Jabari is LAST in assist%. 156th out of 156 forwards.

All he does is rebound at an average rate, shoot anything that comes his way (and score at below average efficiency), and serve as length on the floor (average to below average defensively)

I think HOU needs to pick a lane between Eason and Jabari - and the easy choice is Eason.

Use Jabari, who still has some value (IMO about equal to the 10th pick or so) along with salary ballast and some picks to make that all-in move.

I agree that Houston should try to get value for Jabari and roll with Eason. I don't agree as to your valuation for Jabari--whom is facing the end of his rookie contract and will be due to get paid by whatever team takes him on. But, if Houston can fleece a team at that value they absolutely should.