PROTECT THE PAINT

It has been report by NBA Fanhouse that the Denver Nuggets have placed J.R. Smith on the trading block. Smith is a solid player, but who would want to take on all the psychological baggage that comes with him?

For starters, Smith is inconsistent from year to year, fluctuating from one year to the next. Who wants inconsistency? How do you build with that?

Which J.R. Smith will show up for your team?

Also, it seems like it always takes him the first half of the season to warm up, then start to perform well. Here is a look at his numbers for the 2009-10 season:

Sure everyone likes a strong finisher, but what kind of impact will this have on a team’s first half record?  His scoring is slightly better on higher shooting percentages across the board, but do you really want 46 games at a lower performance level, knowing this is how the guy is and that is what to expect?

Even a few wins make a difference and can cost your team a prime slot in the playoffs.

Smith is also known for a history of not getting along with his coach, George Karl. Disruptive teammates can cause major distractions to team chemistry. The Nuggets have a pension for maximizing the talents of players possessing the “thug” mentality, so what sort of degradation in performance and behavior should a potential trade suitor expect?

Smith has shown us all otherworldly talents on the basketball court. He shows us flashes of absolute brilliance with enough frequency to rekindle the hope that he will someday put it all together. Probably so much for a team to take him via trade and cross their fingers. Realistically though, Smith is entering his 7th year and about to turn 25 in September.

Smith represents the ultimate high risk, high reward potential. The bad attitude and immaturity issues can be a huge detriment, and will likely eliminate him from conservative management.

That being said, where could J.R. Smith end up?

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