Was the plan with Brook Lopez always to play him WITH Alpi, not instead? Trade for a rim protector?

I don't think playing together was the plan.

My suspicion is that Lopez wasn't being brought in as a 30 minute guy, but rather as a 24 each type scenario. Neither guy can consistently guard the perimeter, so playing them together is tough.

Or maybe the FO were lining up a trade with Alpy to bring back something else? If so, that other teams GM is cursing Lopez!!

In the end, we can speculate, but glad Lopez didn't come here.

On rim protection: it sux, but we have to live without. Alpy is a C, I don't see him as effective as a 4. But having a backup big who offers the 2nd unit rim protection is a good option. It gives them more chance to attack the passing lanes.

 

You would have 3 non shooters if you put those guys with alpi and brooks, would be an offensive catastrophe

 

Oh Oh....SJC's on a thread starting binge, again...

 

First of all, from those trade proposals, you must be that dude in fantasy football who spams other guys with lowball offers (e.g. this week's hot waiver wire pickup for Christian McCaffery type trade offers).

Second of all, if Lopez was a Rocket, Sengun would have to go to the bench. They also brought in Dillon Brooks so either Sengun or Jabari would have to go to the bench. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing because it provides extra depth the Rockets sorely need. Sengun would've still been able to shine on the second unit, giving them the offensive spark they desperately needed. The dropoff from Sengun to Landale is a lot steeper than the dropoff from Lopez to Sengun would've been.

 

I think the plan was to have Apli back up Lopez. I also think if Lopez would of came here that would have changed by the end of the season once Ime saw what Sengun can do with his own eyes. Lopez would have become the backup. Either way I am glad it did not happen but we do need a rim protector to backup Alpi.

 

Eh, I wouldn't say better, but Sengun has definitely improved. Lopez protects the rim better than Sengun.

 

Rockets are better off without Lopez. As we see now, it's best for them to be totally committed to Alpi.

They dodged a bullet. I'm glad he changed his mind and went back on his word.

 

Brook Lopez used the Rockets as leverage to get what he wanted to play where he wanted to play. I think the Bucks dared him to get a deal he thought he deserved, and when they saw he was going to sign elsewhere, the balked and ponied up to retain him.

It’s typical of American Pro sports stars, no word to stand by, as fickle minded as a lurch.

 

Addition by non-addition. Rockets are better overall not getting Lopez. Thats even with prematurely dropping young players. Amen & Cam might have already played as many NBA minutes as KJ, TyTy, Garuba & Christopher (& Nix lols) combined this year. Their losses have been replenned & unfelt.

Rockets are already weak on rebounding. Lopez as big as he is, has always been a low rebounder. Rockets already have multiple players like that. Dillon Brooks has never had an NBA double digit rebounding game. Jalen is just weak at it. FVV too short. Jabari was barely adequate until recent weeks. Sengun is the only good rebounder on team except Tari. Lopez wouldnt even help much there. But probably woulda started over Sengun

 

Lopez would have been so good with Sengun. It would take away a lot of the size disadvantage we have.

He's been stretching the floor for Giannis for years, don't see how that's different with Sengun

 

If they play together, Jabari would have taken the back seat.

 

The plan was giving Lopez 28, Sengun 20 minutes.

 

Yeah, I think it would've been Alpi + Brook starting, but playing staggered minutes, with Jabari backing up both the 4 and the 5 to still get around 25mpg. Would have also solved the backup center problem in a roundabout way.

 

The plan was to play Lopez and think about alpi later. Lopez was the focus there, everything else was secondary. İme would probably recognize alpi’s talent anyway and they would play equal minutes. But that wasn’t the plan.

 

Maybe we'll end up with Atlanta's Clint Capela, the former Rocket, who would be perfect. Don't know if this has been posted, but it wouldn't surprise me if it has. I stumbled across an interesting tidbit when I tripped over the Space City Scoop:

Clint Capela's recent comments should have Rockets on Red Alert
By Anthony Duckett | Nov 13, 2023



Clint Capela drops bombshell about the Houston Rockets
Capela has averaged 9.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 56.9 percent from the field this season, proving that he's still capable of being highly effective and playing at a high level

Capela was in a Twitter Spaces and was asked about the possibility and/or interest in a Rockets reunion.

Capela stated, "It's not impossible — in terms of the business and in terms of my past there."

Capela added that he still has fairly good relationships within the organization while noting that the Rockets aren't quite as good as the 2017-18 team that led the league in wins (I think we'd all agree, Clint).

Contractually, Capela is under contract through 2025, and his 2023-24 annual figure is $20.6 million, while his 2024-25 annual number is $22.2 million. To make the salaries work, the Rockets could trade Jock Landale and Victor Oladipo's expiring salaries to the Hawks, and they'd likely be forced to throw in a second-round pick.

Landale couldn't be traded before December 15th, however, as he was signed in free agency. Having Capela as a lob threat on the second unit and defensive anchor around the rim would be much needed, and if Capela is interested in re-joining the team, it should be a no-brainer for the Rockets' brass to add him again.

https://spacecityscoop.com/posts/clint-capela-recent-comments-rockets-red-alert