Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.
lol
you dont watch the games I see.
No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.
doing so with a blindfold on doesn't count.
your premise is faulty.
you personally had specific expectations of whatever player was taken at a #6 spot in a draft. your commentary indicates that you feel that type of player is always available at that slot and that because Marcus doesn't have the skills you adamantly believe should be present in all players taken at that slot that he then must be a failure.
each draft is different. there are different players of differing skillsets and each draft has a different depth of quality players. this is unescapable. thinking every draft has a player available at #6 who is going to be a surefire starter isn't realistic and that's on you, not Marcus or any other player taken at that slot. even in terms of the other players taken in the draft with Marcus, they're not world beaters. none of them.
you mention Randle as a starter and use him as a measuring stick but he's on a crap team with no one ahead of him on the depth roster. that's not a tribute to how good Randle is but how bad that roster is. I wouldn't trade Smart for Randle nor any of the other players taken in the couple of slots ahead of him to anywhere after him.
Do I wish Smart was a better shooter? absolutely. do I think he's a disappointment or failure? no.
You do realize an entire draft can bust right? Only his entire draft isn't a bust. Several players picked right around him are just better for him and would be better fits for us. I get people have an emotional attachment to him. I don't.
the draft isn't a bust, YOU are just disappointed based on your PERSONAL expectations.
Who exactly drafted around Marcus is better? please enlighten. Isn't Gordon, Exum, Randle or Vonleh. who's even close?
Who are you tell whether somebody is better? Back up the statements you make.
You please explain.
who am I? just another observer but one that doesn't place expectations on a player just because of his draft slot.
As for why I think Smart is better, that's MY personal opinion based on the following:
Smart --> we've seen him play. Top defender of his draft class. I can't imagine that would get a lot of debate but if someone can make a case for anyone else, please do. We've seen his offense --> outside shot is suspect. FT shooting is improving. Ball handling and passing are improving.
Career: 9.3 pts, 3.8 rbs, 3.7 asst, 3.6 VORP
His comparisons:
Aaron Gordon (#4)--> not the defender many expected. 9.7 pts, 5.3 rbs, 1.5 asst on a worse Orlando team. 2.4 VORP
Dante Exum (#5) --> hasn't accomplished a lot in the time he's been healthy. 5.4 pts, 1.8 rbs, 2.1 asst, -1.0 VORP
Julius Randle (#7) --> seems to get the most 'regret' posts in regards to Smart --> 12.2 pts, 9.4 rbs, 2.6 asst, 0.1 VORP. Plays a lot of minutes on a crappy Laker team. D is nonexistent. hasn't led the Lakers out of the their lottery misery.
Elfrid Payton (#10) --> worse 3pt and FT shooter than Smart -->10.8 pts, 4.2 rbs, 6.5 asst, 2.9 VORP. Starter on bad Orlando team.
Would anyone really consider Vonleh, Stauskas or Mcdermott as better players?
Someone could make a case for Saric, Lavine and Nurkic as better selections but none of them were rated as highly for their draft class. none of them fit the description of the type of player that the OP expected from a #6 pick (Saric's had one year in the league but if he turns out as good as Philly hopes, he'd have been the #4 player in this draft, not #6).