http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110626/sports/706269774/#ixzz1QUpGAorU Article also briefly mentions DeShawn Stevenson.
If they do, they're smokin' some good stuff. Absolutely no reason to believe that J.R. Smith is going to be anything other than what he's been for 7 seasons...an undisciplined, uncoachable studly-talented player. That's Smith, take him or leave him, but don't be stupid enough to think you'll change him.
Exactly, he's been on a championshp contender for the last three years and was a Fuckup. Why would he change all of a sudden?
Didn't bother to read the source, but this is one of the most unsatisfying speculative pieces I've ever seen. Talk about setting the bar low -- this is low quality info, and therefore highly irritating. Still, JR, I'll take you just the way you are.
We've talked about this before, and now I'm inclined to agree with you completely. JR might be worth it, but he's not going to change his tune all of a sudden. He's an idiot. Period.
He's part of why they were a playoff team, especially after the trade of Melo and Billups, and he scored ~10 points in 15 minutes/game in the playoffs on 43% 3pt shooting.
He also played 15 minutes a game. Even after Carmelo and Chauncey left. Surely there was an elevated need for offensive prowess with their departures. If JR Smith is too loosey-goosey for George Karl, I'd imagine he won't cut it for Thibs. Adding another 15 min/game guy at SG is not going to solve the issue.
Karl doesn't like the guy, at least that's what the Nuggets fans I know have to say about it. They _really_ wanted to see Smith play a lot more. Thibs ain't PJax, but a great coach like PJax could get a guy like Rodman to produce. I expect Thibs to be a great coach, or we need someone else. Rodman and Smith have two similarities. They're both highly skilled, and they're both boneheads.
JR. Here is the upside. You absolutely must account for him when he's on the court as he can erupt at any moment. I have seen him play some of the best defense I have ever seen anyone play on Kobe in the Western Conference finals 2 years ago. The negative publicity that surounds JR could be a static runner that keeps the media distracted and maybe creates a bit of a buffer for some , much in the way, that Rodmans antics provided benefit to those Bulls teams. He's a genuine game winner when he's on. The only thing to expect from JR is internal discipline such as turning up to training and pre games on time and not being disruptive when he's on team time. The other basketball related stuff of what happens on the floor I am sure Thibs can deal with. I see him , cautiously, as a 24mmg rotation player with the balance of minutes played by Ronnie Brewer and with Keith Bogans firmly kept as 3rd string break glass in case of emergency status. So long Raz Deng, Korver and JButtBlindside as the 3 rotation, with Korver seeing situational shooting minutes across either wing spot as the situation demands. Certainly against the Heat in the playoffs , if JButtBlindside develops and proves the goods as a 2 way role sub as advertised , then running a wing defense of Deng, Brewer and JButtBlindside balanced off against JR and Korver's wing offense could be the ticket. CJ however needs to step the fuck up and maintain the rage when he comes in to spell Derrick
FWIW, I think the comparisons between JR and Rodman are not very good. Rodman, for all of his off court stupidity, was damn smart on the court when it mattered the most. He had occasional antics, but he excelled at the ABC's and 123's of the game as well as anyone. JR Smith, on the other hand, has displayed a chronic inability to reliably perform the same way. And from what I can tell, it doesn't seem to be something he turns on and off......the light bulb is always off.
Man, this lockout thing sucks. Anyway, I think I've been clear that I'm not a JR Smith fan...I'd rather have someone who's talented and coachable if possible. Still, let's just say that the Bulls sign Smith, because, well, there just aren't any other reasonable alternatives. This could happen. I assume that he'd come via free agency using the MLE. Of course, this requires an assumption that the MLE continues to exist. In any case, he'd be an addition to the current roster...the Bulls would still have Brewer and Korver. They could still have Bogans if they wanted him. I would want him. To me, Korver's the guy who would no longer fit so I'd do what I could to deal Korver. Korver's key value to the Bulls last season was to be the offensive focal point of the "Bench Mob" (from the SF position) and to play SG during the closing minutes of games. "Good J.R." is a more dangerous offensive threat than Korver and a better defender. Brewer and/or maybe Butler can provide the 8-10 SF mpg when Deng takes a blow. Korver played 20mpg and my plan would be to give Smith those minutes. Bogans played 18mpg and I'd plan to give Smith about 10 of those...more when he's "Good J.R." and less when he isn't. Brewer played 22mpg and can certainly play more. On "Bad J.R." nights, we'd see more Bogans. None of Smith's coaches have had much success starting Smith, but that would be my plan going in. If this comes to pass, may the Good Lord help and protect us from selfish and stupid basketball...Amen.
In addition to Rosenthal's comments on the difference between Rodman's and Smith's game, I think we also have to allow for the very real possibility that J.R. Smith is a legimitately bad person. Rodman would go on week long benders but that's the type of thing that was bad for him, not for his community. After being involved in a criminal driving violation that resulted in the death of one of his buddies, J.R. Smtih racked up two more speeding tickets and three license suspensions in New Jersey. Nevermind the not so secret, secret that he is member of the Bloods. If I were the Bulls and continually worried, as they should be, about how the team will represent them in the community, there is no way in hell I would let him near the team. I just don't see it happening.
