You are definitely offensive heavy on your star players. DPOY with good offense is a star as well. Your assessment of Amen says “currently”. Is that giving you an out if he develops a better shot or have you pretty much determined over a 30 game sample size that he will never be a star? 4 or 5 out has been a thing for a few years as the league copy catted the Warriors. With the new cap rules, I think we will see yet another evolution of the game. I agree with your philosophy of multi-talented wing players being the core of any good team. I also think you will see more and more defensive teams being successful. Not being able to afford 2-3 superstars will lead to more well balanced players being desired, because guarding the perimeter will become paramount. Amen was the best 3pt defender in the league last year (although a limited sample side). My prediction is the league will revert to more of a Laker’s show-time transition style of basketball over the next several years as the Uber-athletic wings take over. Teams like Boston that shoot lights out from all positions and play great defensive only come around once in a great while. By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team play both sides of the ball in my 67 years of life as well as Boston did this past year.
There's salary cap, which is 140.588M for 2024-25 season. Luxury tax threshold is at 170.814M. For every dollar you're over the threshold, you'll have to pay $1.50 luxury tax. Then there's second apron, which is 17.5M over the luxury threshold. This will have lot of restrictions on trade and signing free agents. Like if you finished 2024-25 season over second apron, then you can't trade your 2032 first round pick. So you really don't want to hit the second apron. It will be difficult to keep all our young core if they really reach their potential. Even Fran Wagner is getting a max extension now. Jalen is going to get max if he's more consistent for next season. I don't know how much Jabari will be getting.
The 01-02 Kings could have been that kind of team had they not gotten screwed by the refs against the Lakers.
Definition of star (NBA) is open to each persons interpretation. Doncic is off the charger s on offense.......but is seen as a liability on defense. KAT is seen by many as good on offense.....not so much on defense on the perimeter. If most coaches go with a 9 man rotation in the regular season, every fan would love having all 9 players as standout offensive and defensive gems.....but it's not feasible. Most players are that well rounded in their games. Evan Turner was asked if he works on his defense? He laughed and said, show an NBA player getting paid big bucks while being great at defense while lacking offensively. I can't say that he's wrong. The Harden, KAT, Doncic get paid a boat load while the Tony Allen, Sefalosha, Bruce Bowen get shown the door out of the league. Someone that says I used the word never in a posting would have to show me that posting. I never use never because even a broken clock is right twice a day.....also never is so infinite. I said Scoot Henderson would take a few years to be able to shoot 3's. People argued with me, nah, naw, he training with Steph Curry, man. Scoot went on to shoot 29.5% in 49 games. Last 13 games brought up his average for the season. But I'm told not to judge Jalen Green on 20 games, so you can't judge Scoot on 13 games. Before we drafted Amen I said it would take him 2 to 3 years to show a decent jump shot. Tilman wants us to win now. Amen is a paint clogger on offense. If Jabari, Amen, Tari could be greater facilitators, they could be bumped up to star level. But the days of one player dominating the ball most of the game doesn't win. Amen needs to develop a jump shot. Provide spacing for his teammates. You can dig up my receipts on Amen pre draft.
I was just commenting on the fact you labeled some players “star potential” and Amen “rotational”. That implies that you don’t think Amen will develop a jump shot and become a star. I also think Amen needs to develop a shot. So it means he has star potential if he develops a shot. You didn’t put a time-frame on your assements.
A star player is the hardest part of the equation to achieve. It would not matter how well our youth would complement said player if we can’t get him. I don’t know if this is “the cart before horse” or “the chicken and egg”. The star comes first then build around said player. We have been Silased to add additional players (potential stars) but in doing such we don’t know what we really already have. Our “hope” may already be wearing Rocket red. So you are right to say let them grow. Here is the rub. The coaching is what blends it altogether. MikeDanToni could craft an offense that would make everyone shine. Revolutionizing the league yet another time. I think ever coach has merit and skills. Creative minds needed to blend all of our talents together. Holding players accountable is great but soon we will need more. This is one of the most exciting time to be a fan.
Before you say I'm bitter or mad....I'm not. Just having a conversation with you. I find Amen good enough to say Good rotational player because he can play defense (PG thru PF.....stretch 5) Good Roll-Man in PnR if we provide spacing Will be able to dribble drive if spacing provided. I like a 6'7" framed PG. Allows me to have a big team across the board and switch everything on defense. I didn't want the Rockets to draft Amen because he is a project at PG; but many here wanted him to be a floor general. Many of those people have given up on him at point guard; but I haven't. Time frames are hard to predict.......Westbrook has never learned to shoot and Jason Kidd took a few seasons. I'm not saying Amen won't be a star....I just need him to be a threat from rim, mid range, and 3-pt line. Amen shot 68% from the FT line. Stars get fouled a lot and make teams pay for fouling them.
Not a problem. Just too early for me to assume star. By mid season or next summer I could put him in a defined role.....and at what position
I think this years Celtics is a good example of what we can hope happens. 1. 2 of our core develop into max players ala Brown and Tatum. My money is on Sengun and Jabari, but I can imagine a world where Cam or Jalen ascend. 2. Our second tier role players win most of the nightly battles. Tari, Amen, and Shephard especially. 3. We get close several times and finally trade for all-stars like Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. 4. Plan the parade. That's my path! Or at least the one I'm hoping for.
Same age comparison: I'm not saying it is inevitable that he gets better than he is today. But it is inevitable .
I would be beyond ecstatic if Sengun is better Han Webber. If he reaches Webber status I will be thrilled. His floor is what he is now.
Sorry, but no lineup featuring Jabrari and Dillon are getting anywhere close to sniffing the Finals in the West. FVV, Green, Sengun, and Thompson are the only players on this squad who would possibly start on a true contender. That’s a good start, but not going to cut making the Finals in the near future. Udoka knows it and a trade will be incoming soon enough.
Doing virtually nothing other than trading for injured Adams is not a path to a championship, I think Stone also missed couple other deadline trades in those years... Other things are hard to predict but Stone and Fertitta have been too patient to the degree other teams have done more in 1 season than Stone in 2 or 3. If you let Udoka be the coach, the semi GM and the developmental coach then you are overwhelming him. And you need to hand over half of Stone's money to Ime. His luck is that half of the NBA is not giving hundred percent in the regular season.
I bet you Jabari will be on the Rockets when the 2030’s roll around. With a lot of winning in between now and then as well.
