Alperen Sengun is the Rockets' franchise player

@Nook is a stubborn guy, and I think he's being unreasonable about Sengun. That's not unsurprising though. He mercilessly bashed Stone for years, and went after me a few times for having the audacity to actually defend Stone. Now, Nook has had to backtrack a bit, but that has basically amounted to an acknowledgement that Stone may not be the worst GM in history.

He's also consistently maintained that Sengun does not have superstar upside. Here's a post from July of this year:

.
https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/superstar-potential.320453/page-8#post-14732281

He also wanted to trade the farm -- including Sengun -- to move up so we could draft Ivey and Banchero.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/...explore-trading-up-to-4.316010/#post-14112354

Now, Nook is far from the only poster with these types of takes. I may even have been guilty a few times. But the vast majority of people have come around and acknowledge that Sengun, far and away, has the best chance of becoming a top 10 player, is our current franchise player, and players throughout the league are acknowledging these facts. Nook, for whatever reason, will not believe it unless he sees it.

 

He talks a lot about how happy he is for providing a good life for his family. A good kid TBH.

"I needed to improve my defense, and this year, my defense improved a few clicks"

Ime is the best coach he worked with... Not just Ime but the whole coaching staff.

On the court Fred is his guy. "A true leader".

"I don't have a goal to become one of the NBA's greatest players, top 10, 50, 500 whatever... I will try to do my best always. I want to be a good example for the kids and prove them they can become anything they want if they work hard."

 

I respectfully disagree. Not that I think it’s a secretly great draft but I don’t think this roster is as deep with talent as some think in that there just is no playing time so why not trade picks.

I think we are at the point though where drafting to need is a thing we should be doing more of. Taking swings at young bigs, a true backup pg etc. If you are just gonna draft another undersized 4 like Tate or an undersized wing who can’t shoot then sure… I prefer trading the pick but that’s just because that’s you have a bad GM which is the root of the problem. BPA is a thing for sure but stacking 8 young players playing for 2 rotation spots is bad drafting.

 

I've posted this before, but HOW can you look at these historical stats and argue that Sengun doesn't have "superstar upside?"

 

I mean right now Sengun isn’t what I would consider a superstar franchise cornerstone but I do think he’s an all star talent who you can run your offense through.

Not making comparisons in skill level but it would be like having Karl Malone but preferring Hakeem. Sengun is no Jokic or Embiid talent wise mostly because of his size and athleticism, but I do think it’s smart to still look at ways to maximize his talent with the right pairings. If a Sengun, FVV + team this year and next shows that its ceiling is 40 to 45 wins and a first round exit then we go from there but right now we should just see what we can do to maximize what we have.

HOWEVER this year I don’t want to decimate our draft assets just to have a team whose ceiling is really just scrappy good team who might make some noise in the first two rounds.

 

I legitimately don't understand these posts. Yes, Sengun isn't Jokic or Embiid NOW, but he's putting up way better numbers than Joker did at 21, and Embiid didn't even play at 21. Embiid and Joker didn't start putting up Sengun's numbers this season until they were 23.

I swear, the only fans who doubt Sengun's superstar potential are Rockets' fans.

 

Please tell me how intense of praise I need to levy at Sengun for you and the Sengun cult to be happy? I literally told you that I want to take the rest of and next season to maximize a Sengun centric team and see how good it can get, and you respond as if I called your mom ugly.

It’s okay that Sengun doesn’t project with the ceiling that an Embiid or a Hakeem etc would have. That’s totally fine. He’s a young prospect that’s doesn't appear to have the high ceiling a prospect like that would have but he’s earned the teams trust to at least maximize his potential and see how good the team could be.

So stop getting your panties in a wad. Some folks don’t have to have a cult like opinion on everything and reserve the right to just be objective.

 

And honestly if I was Alpi and went on these forums and found out how bizarre some fans are about him I personally would be freaked out. It’s like Kathy Bates from Misery obsessed.

 

I find this interesting actually. I only bought a Sengun jersey in their first season because he was the bright spot that year. Year 2 I got the JG4 jersey and this year so far I've bought a Sengun, Brooks and Smith jerseys. I actually would've thought more people were rocking the 28, maybe more of us overseas fans are the ones buying them all?

 

You're not objective. Your point essentially implying that Sengun's ceiling is lower than Hakeem, Joker, and Embiid objectively baseless because he is putting up historical numbers comparable to Hakeem, Embiid, and Joker at ages similar to Sengun. Hell, better in a lot of ways. Now, I'm not saying that Sengun will be as successful as Hakeem, Embiid, and Joker. Frankly, he probably won't. But posts like yours placing an artificial ceiling on him despite him putting up unprecedented numbers given his age are baffling, and you can make your point without doing so. I swear, every other fanbase oversells their prospects, and only this one downplays potential.

 

Yeah of course there are the Tom Brady type of examples in sports all the time. Yes it’s possible that Sengun overachieves in his career because of what’s going on between the ears, hard work, etc. I really hope he does too obviously as a diehard Rockets fan.

However I’m also allowed to have an objective opinion at the same time about his ceiling to take over games in the way a top 5 to 10 player can where the talent level just overcomes even the best defenses you can throw at him. You saw it last night even with an aged Durant. Those of us old enough who saw Hakeem know it. All of us saw Kobe, etc. It’s just my personal opinion THAT IM ALLOWED TO HAVE that Sengun just doesn’t have that type of ceiling and that’s totally fine. I’m good rolling with a Senhub centric team for a couple of years to see how good it can be since it’s probably out best option to be competitive. I’d love to be proven wrong that he can reach a Hakeem type of level. That would be fantastic.

If you are someone that just cannot accept anything other than cult like worship then I feel sorry for those folks.

 

And if you're someone who can only defend their argument by saying "I watched Hakeem," then I feel sorry for you.

 

Look up the word “Project”. I’m not placing a ceiling on anyone. He should feel more than happy to blow by what I or anyone in the media or GM’s or coaches “project” on him.

I personally don’t see it in terms of top 5 superstar talent but that’s my opinion. However I’m also saying that he’s good and proven enough to where the team SHOULD maximize a Senghub centric team for a few years to see how good that team can be (ie: giving him and the rest of the team a chance to blow past PROJECTIONS) yet you cannot even except that this would be someone else’s opinion because it’s not cult like enough for you.

Get a grip man. It’s just a game and Sengun is just a man. He’s not a golden god you need to worship and defend the honor of.

Relax!

 

I swear, posters like you crack me up.

You: Posts opinion
Others: Post counter-opinions
You: "Why are y'all posting your opinions about my opinions??? I'm just posting opinions! Stop posting your opinions!"

 

I think you mean subjective opinion.

 

LOL. "Objective opinion..."