Combo guard has poor connotations associated with it. I think people immediately think 2 guard skills in a point guard body. Is that really the case with Smith? I'm asking by the way, cuz I have no idea. From what I'm reading, the guy has legit point guard skills as well who is versatile enough to play some two. That seems a positive. Terry Porter was a combo guard by this definition. Giving up Miller and Rudy is hardly paying out the ass though. Maybe you mean, there were better deals out there.....but who knows.
He has legit PG skills but so does Williams. Williams was a better shooter and is way more explosive, so I just don't get the pick.
Scores a ton, but takes a lot of possessions to do it. Horrid 1.6 A/T ratio in college. Short. He's like the definition of combo guard.
To me, that sounds like they could play together instead of getting in each others way. I think that's a positive.
Did Duke need him to score a lot? Miller's turnovers seem to go up when he puts his scoring cap on. You're right, that's a bad ratio for a point.
Part of my issue with him is that he hasn't played that much PG. He ran the team pretty well this year, but ... that's about 3/4 of one college season. I'm not sure that it will translate into being able to play the point in the NBA. Ed O.
::bump:: With the 10th player (or so) going down with another (joint) injury I thought it would be appropriate time to bump this thread after they laughed off a sports kinesiologis diagnoses and opinion back in 2008 and everything this kinesiologis said would happen is happening.
Also, what the common fan knew last summer (draft/trades) were right and as clear as it was then it's even more so now. Great management team we have here in Portland.
I've watched Smith intently since he started getting a little PT. He has shown me absolutely NOTHING. He's a 4 year Duke guy, too. WTF? How could they pass on Faried like that?
It's nice for me to read an older thread and not feel like my past self was a total moron. It gives my present self confidence that I've got a chance to avoid seeming like a moron to my future self. Ed O.
I didn't like the Smith pick, but I didn't think the Miller/Felton deal was that bad because they got a solid PG for an aging veteran. I thought Felton was solid anyway. Just be glad Felton only had a 1 year deal..... The Blazers can redeem themselves by signing Dragic or Williams this offseason, and if we retain JJ Hickson, I think that will make up for the Faried blunder. Nolan Smith needs to go to D-league till his rookie contract expires, then go to Europe.
