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CSNNW has learned that former #Blazers F Craig Smith (The Rhino) is in preliminary talks with the Indiana Pacers. Nothing imminent.
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CSNNW has learned that former #Blazers F Craig Smith (The Rhino) is in preliminary talks with the Indiana Pacers. Nothing imminent. -
Re: Craig Smith?
Already beat ya to it within the Offseason Rumors and Speculation thread!!! -
Re: Craig Smith?
Hollinger analysis on Insider...
+ Short, crafty, powerful power forward with great feel for scoring in paint.
+ Unusually good at shooting floaters. Poor shooter and rebounder.
+ Conditioning an issue. High foul rate. Strong, but struggles defending long bigs.
Smith remains one of the league's most underrated performers, because his flaws are obvious (he's short, stocky and can't jump or shoot), while his positives are subtle. Smith is a tremendous finisher in the paint area despite his lack of size, shooting 55.3 percent last season -- his fourth straight year above 55. Around the rim is his specialty: Despite being vertically challenged, he shot 67.3 percent in the basket area and drew a high rate of fouls. Moreover, he is as good as any big man I've ever seen at shooting floaters -- often off a quick move from the high post. Last season, he was 28-of-48 from 3-to-9 feet; while that's a small sample size, it's not uncommon territory for him.
Defensively, Smith compensates by fouling early and often -- only three power forwards did so more often than his 5.73 per 40 minutes -- and certainly his matchups need to be managed carefully. However, his numbers are quite competent; Synergy, adjusted plus-minus and 82games.com all show him to be a middle-of-the-pack defensive power forward. While that probably overstate things -- he was placed in situations where his defense was least likely to be exposed -- it shows his basketball acumen helps offset some of his physical limitations.
I'm not saying he's a star by any means. But he's a productive player on a bargain contract, one that the league largely overlooked in free agency twice because he didn't look like a basketball player.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
Better than Tyler. Right?Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
sounds better than Tyler was last season, i'm for signing him to a bargain contract.
Augustin/Green/Lance/Smith/Mahinmi is something I could get behind and would certainly take over our bench last season.Goodbye Captain, My Captain. I wish you had the chance to sink or swim with your ship on its quest for the "ship".Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
I'd still rather have Fez.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
Nothing I see about the guy makes me think he's proven he'd be an upgrade to TH. I'd be more interested at letting Pendergraph have a crack at 2nd unit PF than this guy, assuming Tyler continues to underwhelm. This would essentially be a DEEP bench signing.I'd rather die standing up than live on my knees.
-Emiliano ZapataComment
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Re: Craig Smith?
Given the size of TH's contract (over 3mil this year), the onus of proof will actually start to fall on him, and whether his cost is justifiable. This is a very, very important year for him.
When you start to question whether Smith or Pendegraph, end of the bench guys, are good value compared to Hansbrough, you know it's time for Hansbrough to show the full package, if there's one.Last edited by docpaul; 07-31-2012, 04:19 PM.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
Craig Smith is not getting playing time over Tyler if both are on the roster. I can guarantee that.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
I like Craig Smith when he was with the TWolves. He used to always eat the Pacers up on the inside. He's a better finisher around the basket as a big man than anyone on the team other than David West.
He's a scrappy and underrated player. I wouldn't say he's a poor rebounder since he hasn't ever been a player that's played many minutes. He's not a great rebounder either but with the Pacers style of play he could be effective on the offensive glass. More effective than Lou Amoundson and Tyler at converting those offensive boards into points, IMO.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
I got excited, then I realized you didn't write Greg Smith.
Meh.First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
dont care. will be one of the last guys on the bench if we sign himCounting down the days untill DJ Augustin's contract expires.Comment
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Re: Craig Smith?
The new Fes/Solo/endofbenchguywhogetstalkedabouttoodamnmuch
"I've got an idea--an idea so smart that my head would explode if I even began to know what I'm talking about." - Peter Griffin
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