Amen Thompson is the Rockets' REAL franchise player

TLDR version: its too soon to even go there speculating on the future of FVV or his need to this team

Given the extreme uncertainty over the future development of all of our young guys, I would argue there was little consideration for FVV's future with the org outside of the immediate need to get these younger players prepared for their future. I'm sure the team will consider him as an option bringing him back but the number of factors to go into that decision make it virtually impossible to consider it as a plan just yet. For instance, off the top of my head I would wonder 2/3 years from now:

• will we have a guy prepared to be our PG of the future on the roster
• is that Amen or maybe someone we haven't even drafted yet(because 'who' dictates cap allocation when their first post rookie deal will come up)?
• how badly has FVV declined by then and in what ways has he declined?
• Is FVV willing to take a bench role on a team...even if that team may not be a serious title contending team just yet?
• How much will FVV expect to make?
• .....and how much cap room will we have left after we pay the rookies who we think will pan out for us
• what gaps will our roster have at that point and how serious are each?
• is backup PG even a need?

...there is just no way to plan for FVV's next contract with the org because it depends on so many factors entirely outside of FVV or the team's direct control. Obviously they want everyone to be the best version of themselves, but the reality is we probably will only hit on a couple of these guys and WHO hits(let's say 2 - 3 TOPS of Jalen,Jabari, Amen, Sengun, Tari, Cam) really impacts the cap math and need.

 

Yeah - I tend to think in the next 2-3 years a handful of KPJ, Jabari, Jalen, Amen, Cam, Sengun will get traded to do exactly as you suggest - find more appropriate pieces for what we perceive our core to be emerging(or blow it up if none of them). I think we won't have to make that decision until the Jalen/Sengun year at earliest and after THAT is going to be where Stone is going to have to define himself as a GM. I think it's easier to trade a young player for something useful once they are making something approaching max dollars so that means you gotta find a way to get those rookies on great deals off their rookie contracts...but if you offer them too much and find them hard to offload, you risk cluttering too much cap room on guys who prevent you from retaining maybe one of the even younger players who has turned transcendent.

Its like when OKC had Harden/Durant/Westbrook but paying Ibaka made them consider trading Harden. Imagine if Houston offers Sengun, Jalen, and Jabari all max deals but Amen makes a LEAP in season 3 and learns to shoot and then you find Fertitta balking at going deep into the luxury tax and Stone let's say can't find takers for Sengun's contract because he continues to be a minus defensively especially in crunch time minutes. I don't think you have to squint very hard to see a scenario like that happening so I'm very interested in how the next few years play out. Play it right and we are a solid playoff team 5 years from now, play it wrong and you can be anything from a very short lived contending Thunder team or even worse a Kings like team stuck in drafting good but not great players.

 

To me, the two young players who show the most "DOG" in them are Amen and Cam....

I predict one of those two will eventually be THE GUY in Houston.

DD

 

AMEN, AUSAR THOMPSON COACH CHEWS OUT HOOPS STARS... In New Prime Video Series
https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/05/amen...-picks-chewed-out-coach-prime-new-docuseries/

Clip of Amen and Ausar getting chewed out by their OTE coach. One Shot is on Amazon Prime.

 

Twins are the most unselfish players I have ever seen. Wtf is he talking about

 

Yep right? Both let the other guy score 28, what unselfish guys.

 

Great coaching, they came back and won the game

 

Gotta watch that documentary tonight. I still seriously can’t tell them apart yet.

 

Those two could meet at the game between Detroit and Houston swap teams just for $hits and giggles and no one would be able to tell the difference.

 

It'd be fun to see them guarding each other.

 

I'm pretty sure the Morris Twins pulled that off in a playoff game, while Keef played for DC and Marcus for Detroit.

 

Crazy 1st episode drama. Interesting to see how the twins react to this idiot teammate that’s crying.

 

If you can tell who the bigger one is, that's Ausar. Good luck. lol.

 

Talking about Ausar? He is getting more minutes than Amen.

 

Amen has the bigger afro.

 

I watched a few episodes of Overtime's tv series last night. It was interesting being able to get to know the twins a little more and what OTE is all about:

1. You can only tell the twins apart by their hair. They have the same hairstyle but Amen's hair is a little longer/wilder than his brother.

2. Although majority of the players in the league are younger than the twins, I didn't know that OTE has ex NBA players as their GM (Damien Wilkins) and coaching staff. That changes everything. The arena was filled with NBA scouts every game with current NBA players and stars often watching games.

3. The twins were praised by past and current stars like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Penny Hardaway, etc. This makes me feel even better about the Rockets selecting Amen. NBA players and scouts have had an eye on the twins for a long time.

4. The twins were chewed out because Amen liked to penetrate the paint, sometimes talking on multiple defenders and wasn't moving the ball around. Missing players who were wide open. They're unselfish players, but have such great chemistry with each other, sometimes it looked as if they were only looking out for each other. Amen seemed to prefer passing to cutters going to the basket vs finding open shooters from three.

5. Amen doesn't like being called out at all. The coach who went in on the two became more upset because Amen wouldn't stop talking back after he asked him to be quiet. The assistant coach said "I'm not the one." I took that as Amen getting away with acting like that with other coaches. OTE being a new league, the twins were their prized players and catered to them. It'll be interesting to see how Amen responds to authority/constructive criticism in the NBA.

6. Amen has been good with the media, but became better because of training at OTE. He initially expressed not wanting to talk to the media Marshawn Lynch style.

7. Many players in the league take huge chances by opting to get paid instead of going on scholarship. If they opt for pay then they lose their college eligibility. One player in particular was frustrated with the twins and whined a lot because he felt he wasn't getting the ball enough. Players who lose their college eligibility have more pressure to showcase what they can do so they can make it to the NBA.

Overall this is a good show and definitely helps put OTE on the map. It's a really nice program. Even though the twins were older than most of the players there, the constant developmental training with ex NBA players is what matters to me most. Amen used to have a hard time finishing with his left hand. In the summer league with the Rockets he finished with ease w/ his left hand. He's going to be a (good) problem in the league, especially with being surrounded by better talent than at OTE. I need the NBA season to start already. I can't wait to see how much better the Rockets will be.

 

been so long

 

My heart is warm now.

 

Could have been better.

His preparation is basically 1 Summer League Game, 5 future Preseason Games, Scrimmages for the Big Season.