At least according to D69 at clubblazers he is ... http://www.clubblazers.com/post30425.html#p30425 He suggested something like Miller, Pryz, Babbitt and New Orleans 1st round pick, which seems a little bit "light" especially when you're talking about competing with 12 other teams. I dunno, I think this would be a helluva move by Cho. Smith is kind of a hothead at times, but holy crap does he defend and he'd certainly add another dimension to this team as combo-forward, that could easily play alongside LMA, Camby, or Oden. It would also make the team a little less reliant on Oden to come back and be healthy 70+ games a year Maybe something like this would be enough (with the New Orleans pick thrown in too): http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=279zq9e
I think Smith is one of those guys you could probably play at the 3 spot ... he's certainly explosive and athletic enough to cover that position.
Nothing against Josh Smith, but where do you play him? He is going to be okay coming off the bench? I don't think so. I thought Atlanta tried that and it didn't work so well. He is pretty big for a three.
I hate Bibby's game, but I guess you'd have to live with him as the penciled in starter (unless Armon really shows us something in the next few months). If you don't take back Bibby and keep Miller then my guess is that you would have to part with Nico ... that would be one bitter, bitter pill, but I'd probably do it, considering that I think Smith is a premier defender. Here's a miller-less trade scenario with Nic going out: http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=3yqkz7a Regardless of what the "Hollinger's analysis" thing says, I think that's pretty close to fair
He's a classic tweener on the offensive end. I wouldn't start him over Batum. Josh Smith is also a career 27% from three.
I can see Prz being involved as it would mean LMA will need minutes at the 5 to accomodate someone like Smith who is a better PF then a SF because of his lack of an outside shot. As a PF he really makes a team athletic. Not sure we can afford to get rid of Miller right now though for a back up. By February we will know more about Batum, but I would think Rudy would be a better piece than Miller to be included. Miller would be great for Smith as he excells at the alley oops.
God that's tempting, but if it's a cost-cutting move, it seems to me we should be able to do it without trading Nico. Two #1s and some expirings.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=25d8a2d Joel, Babbitt, Rudy, and a number one for Smith. Cuts cost for them, gives them a couple of young guys and a draft pick. I'd start Smith at small forward and bring Nico off the bench. Smith would take up minutes as a backup power forward to give more minutes to Batum. Miller/Johnson/Mills Roy/Matthews/Williams Smith/Batum Aldridge/Cunningham Camby/Oden/Oberto Rotation: Miller, Roy, Smith, Aldridge, Camby, Oden (when healthy), Batum, Matthews, Johnson. Starters Miller logs 30 minutes at the point (18 minutes available) Roy logs 35 minutes at the two (13 minutes available) Smith logs 25 minutes at the three (23 minutes available) Aldridge logs 35 minutes at the four (13 minutes available) Camby logs 25 minutes at the five (23 minutes available) Johnson logs 10 minutes at the backup point guard (10 minutes total) Matthews logs 8 minutes at the point, 13 minutes at the two (21 minutes total) Batum logs 23 minutes at the small forward (23 minutes total) Smith logs 10 minutes at the four (35 minutes total) Camby logs 3 minutes at the four (28 minutes total) Oden logs 23 minutes at the five (23 minutes total) Final minutes Miller (30 minutes) Roy (35 minutes) Smith (35 minutes) Aldridge (35 minutes) Camby (28 minutes total) Johnson (10 minutes total) Matthews (21 minutes total) Batum (23 minutes total) Oden (23 minutes total) I think that's a good amount of minutes for Oden until he's healthy and back in shape. The luxury of Camby is that we don't need Oden in the game all the time. His minutes can go up if he's having a good game. Batum has been inconsistent, so adding someone like Smith would take the pressure off and he could play a backup role, coming in and providing defense and scoring off the bench. This strengthens our bench quite a bit. Matthews gets 21 minutes, which isn't a lot, and he might complain about it. It's possible that Johnson would sacrifice minutes for Matthews. I think 35 minutes is a good number for Roy, Aldridge, and Smith.
If it didn't involve Batum and the team could line up a deal to send Aldridge out for a good, young point guard...this has some intriguing possibility.
I like Smith's game and all. I just don't think he's a good fit on this team and eventually think Batum will be a better player.
Okay, let's say hypothetically that Aldridge is able to maintain this physical play that we've seen the last couple games. I wouldn't want to trade Aldridge because I think he could be good insurance in case Oden never pans out. Camby only has a couple seasons left in the tanks, and without a healthy Oden this team doesn't have a very bright future at the five. If, and it's a big if, Aldridge has truly changed his game, he could eventually play the five and a guy like Smith could take over the four. That's just me hypothesizing though.
I love Nic and all, but I think Nic's ceiling is the kind of season Smith produced last year. As for the concerns about him fitting on this team, is it style or personality that you object to?
I think Nic is a much smarter player though and more skilled offensively. The main thing that intrigues me about Smith is his defensive game, Batum can be just as good and has a more diverse offensive game. I like having a wing that can step out and hit the 3, as well.
That'a sort of my train of thought. I say go ahead and keep Oden if you can and take whatever he can give you, but by doing this I think you open up the possibility of actually contending this year, and even in the future with Camby retired you're left with a hypothetical front-court with Smith and a (supposedly) more rugged LMA. This allows Oden to give you 25ish minutes and 55-65 games (you hope) and still be impactful, but you're no longer relying completely on this one injury plagued guy to keep your championship aspirations afloat. In effect Smith becomes Lamar Odom to LMA's Pau Gasol. I'll be completely honest, I'm deeply in favor of any trade that takes the onus of a championship off of Greg's shoulders.
Eventually I think Nic could be one helluva player, but I do wonder about his ability to be consistently aggressive. Something else to consider about Smith, he's a very deft passer for a big man, so this idea that Nic is smarter or more diverse might be true overall, but I think you undersell just how diverse Smith can be. Regardless, I would try to hold on to Nic if I could, but if it really boiled down to giving up Nic to get Smith I'd have to think long and hard about it if I were in Cho's shoes.
