Am I the only one worried the Smoove has not

[Peoriabird]

shown improvement in his offense this year?

Seems like the board has been so focused on Marvin's summer that Smoove's so called new post moves or lack there of have not been the focus of this board in the preseason! Heck even Woodson had to yank him last night for taking all of those bad outside shots. I think that we are going to have to forget about Josh Smith as a reliable second scorer because he truly doesn't have the skills. Don't get me wrong, Smoove is a wonderful athlete whom the Hawks need on the team defensively but offensively, he is probably no more than a complimentary player. He desperately needs to improve his shot selection and his basketball IQ to not be a liability on offense and to get his shooting percentage up to where it is comparable to other power forwards in the league. Also, according to posters that attended the game, his man defense could stand some major improvements also.

[atlien]

I agree with much of what you said, and I definitely wanna see some improvement on offense before handing him a max deal.

I mean, as much as I would hate to see it happen, if he doesnt develop offensively, we may have to entertain the idea of trading him for a legit 5.

If Marvin has a breakout year and looks great, and Horford plays well at the 4 (but cant play much at the 5), then trading Smoove for a guy like Gasol could make sense.

Hopefully tho, a line-up of Marvin, Smoove and Horford works going forward.

Don't get me wrong though, I wanna keep Smoove here his entire career. But, until he shows signs that his offense has matured/can mature/develop some, he is not untouchable.

[KB21]

Yep. I always felt that Marvin would become the second scoring option on the team anyway. Marvin's offensive skills dwarf Josh Smith's. Josh has a problem where he falls in love with the jump shot.

I consider Josh to be the Andruw Jones of this team. Andruw Jones fell in love with pulling the ball, and he would try to pull pitches on the outside corner of the plate too much. Josh has fallen in love with shooting jump shots and trying to be a small forward. He doesn't have the skills to do either, and I think in the long run, you will see a guy that will underachieve on offense because he keeps doing those things. This is why the Hawks aren't jumping to resign him just yet, IMO.

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

Don't get me wrong though, I wanna keep Smoove here his entire career.

---

Agree, he is from the area and has tons of potential but it just seems as though something is missing upstairs! Hopefully he is just cruising because it is pre-season! But on second though, he shouldn't have that option as a young player.

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

This is why the Hawks aren't jumping to resign him just yet, IMO.

---

So why is the rest of the board convinced that he is this second scorer and a no trade piece of the Hawks.

[exodus]

Smith has accomplished a lot the last two years. Frankly i don't think the preseason is that important for him and JJ. I think it is much more important for Marvin and the other guys who haven't established themselves.

[DJlaysitup]

Here's the thing. JSmoove was a project out of HS that was basically taken due to some mad athletic skills and his Atlanta connection. He was a no-brainer shot-in-the-dark by a clueless BK. He shouldn't have to be in the conversation as far as being a second scoring option - the simple fact that he has made the starting lineup is major ups for JS. The guys who should be the second scoring options are the guys taken at 2 - 5 - 6 in previous drafts. Putting pressure on JS for making HUGE strides from HS is BS IMHO. The pressure should be on JC/MW/SW.

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

The guys who should be the second scoring options are the guys taken at 2 - 5 - 6 in previous drafts. Putting pressure on JS for making HUGE strides from HS is BS IMHO. The pressure should be on JC/MW/SW.

---

Based on your logic, Washington should not look to Arenas ahead of Brenden Haywood as a scoring option which doesn't make sense. Draft position is only important during the draft. Afterwards it doesn't dictate where and how much time a player get on the floor because you don't know what you have sometimes until later. Once you know what you have, then you can start to assign roles and I'm just not ready to assign the role of dependable efficient scorer to Josh Smith yet.

[Diesel]

SHHHHHH!!!

We're supposed to be under the assumption that Smoove spent more time working with Dream and None working with Murphy. You know Smoove is supposed to be a better PF with a low post game now. You know all it takes is half a summer.

SHHHH!!!

Don't blow it. You're going to make people realize that Smoove is still a Sf in application.

[AnakinJoe]

Huh? Why shouldn't we expect Smith to consistently produce at levels he has shown in the past? Because 3 years ago he was a HS player drafted out of the lottery? Exactly when does a guy's draft status lose all relevance? In the work world, does anyone care about your college GPA 2-3 years into your professional life? Do they say, "we don't expect this guy to do his work at a high level, because 3 years ago he only had a 3.1 GPA"? Smith chose to enter a league with grown men. He opted to compete with older players. If he weren't ready, then he should have gone to college. He has clearly shown the talent and production to be an All-Star level player. We're supposed to let him off the hook to maintain that performance because of his pedigree (or lack thereof) entering the league 3 years ago? Now that's BS.

[Diesel]

Quote:

---

The guys who should be the second scoring options are the guys taken at 2 - 5 - 6 in previous drafts.

---

Smoove Draft was far more stronger than the others... Especially Shelden's. Smoove draft was the last one with HSers... so all of the better HSers came out. Guys like Jefferson, JR Smith, Swift, etc. Not to mention guys like Iguodala, Deng, etc. IN short, I don't see Smoove's draft place as being a reason why he shouldn't be our second scorer.

I think the reason why Marvin needs to be better is not just draft position, but it's the context of why we picked Marvin. We picked Marvin when we had 6 Sfs on the team already and we needed a PG. That context suggests that he should be great somewhere along the way!

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

SHHHH!!!

Don't blow it. You're going to make people realize that Smoove is still a Sf in application.

---

Didn't say that either because he can't shoot from the outside consistently or dribble. What I am saying is that Smoove has not progressed offensively this year and I am concerned!

[Diesel]

IF you're playing a Forward position and you're not able to play offense in the post nor do you play defense in the post well... You're probably not the PF.

Not every Sf has to be Larry Bird.

Over his career, I doubt that Dr. J ever shot over 30% from the 3 pt line... But he wasn't a PF!

[coachx]

Quote:

---

I consider Josh to be the Andruw Jones of this team. Andruw Jones fell in love with pulling the ball, and he would try to pull pitches on the outside corner of the plate too much. Josh has fallen in love with shooting jump shots and trying to be a small forward. He doesn't have the skills to do either, and I think in the long run, you will see a guy that will underachieve on offense because he keeps doing those things. This is why the Hawks aren't jumping to resign him just yet, IMO.

---

I agree 100%. I like the Andruw Jones analogy. Smith will occaisonly bust out and have a big offensive game(only when his jumper is falling). So I agree that offensively he is basically a .250 hitter with home run power to compare him in baseball terms. His defense, like Andruw, makes up for his inconsistency on offense.

I really hope he starts TRYING to score in the post. What angers me is that he does not even attempt to post up. At least try it a time or two each quarter if you are going to call yourself a PF.

If Smoove keeps up his irratic jump shooting.........Marvin will take the SF job (if he continues 18 PPG and 50 %FG) and Horford will take the PF job b/c they both play more effeciently and consistently for their respective postion then does Smoove. In reality an energy player is all Smith would be on a championship team. He is simply too irratic for a Popovich, Sloan, Brown, Jackson, type of championship coach to give him any trust in a 1/2 court offense. They would all start Smoove but would not be asking him to score on plays designed for him.

Offensively Smoove is basically a sub 40% jump shooter with no post game. His points and FG % are dependent on trasition dunks.

I am not trying to bust on Smoove, just callen' um' like I see um'. He is 22 and offensive growth will develop more and more.

In all actuality the 3 form a pretty good 3 headed foward monster. When the year is over we then no if Smoove is really superior to Marvin &/or Horford. They each do their own thing well:

1. Marvin - potential to be protypical big SF scorer

2. Horford - potential to be prototypical PF with back to the basket game.

3. Smoove - unconventional but extremely gifted. Sky is the limit. Is a Foward, you can call him a PF or SF since he can play either foward spot defensively. Must define a skill st offensively that allows tobe moreefficient as a SF or PF. If Smoove had Marvin's shooting touch he but nothing less then WOW !

Basically Smoove's versatility to play both foward spots is what make him special and is what the team needs. In the same breath how hard is it for 6'9'', 240 lb guy to shoot a baby hook over another 6'9'' 240 lb guy ?

[AtLaS]

Quote:

---

What I am saying is that Smoove has not progressed offensively this year and I am concerned!

---

So, based on 5 preseason games, NONE of which you have seen, Smith hasn't progressed at all offensively? OK.

[AtLaS]

Quote:

---

Marvin's offensive skills dwarf Josh Smith's.

---

Name one thing other than midrange shooting that Marvin does considerably better than Smith.

[thesheedera]

Josh Smith has bought himself some slump like grace periods with his emergence as a true NBA stud over the last few seasons.

[HawksFan87]

When Marvin plays like this when the games count then we can say he is the better player. But even if he scores more points Smoove is still the most important player on this team..... And this is preseason. Most of you guys have only listened to the games online, being there in person and listening on the radio is different.

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

Josh Smith has bought himself some slump like grace periods with his emergence as a true NBA stud over the last few seasons.

---

I'm not sure I understand your statement about being a stud over the past 2 season? You talk like he was considered for the all star team at some point as a Hawk. The fact still remains is that a lot of experts outside of Atlanta still don't like his game at all!

[AtLaS]

Quote:

---

The fact still remains is that a lot of experts outside of Atlanta still don't like his game at all!

---

For example..... ?