Gentle reminder, Giannis doesn't want to play center. That's why Bucks had Lopez, Bobby Portis, and currently Turner. He's like A.D., he prefers not to bang as a center. This means, if he comes here, he'll have to plair with Adams or Clint. His basketball reference page, has him listed every position but the big C: "Power Forward, Small Forward, Point Guard, and Shooting Guard" Also, in all these proposed deal, it's hilarious that Thansis is constantly included.
Right now Kon is more productive, but on a garbage team, playing a LOT more mins. He is even better than Harper at using his body. His 3-point shooting as a rookie shocks me. Kon is the smartest freshman college BB player I've ever watched. Long term though, I think Harper has more upside and could end up being a top 5-10, MVP-contender type player down the line. Once he masters the mid-range and develops a good 3-point shot, he will be unguardable. Ace Bailey is well behind the top 3 IMO. I'd have to think a long while where I'd redraft him.
Remember when Daddy Ball was constantly talking all kinds of stuff? Yeah, me neither. eta: I found the best interview
You may be right, but to make it sound as if it's a simple decision is where I disagree. Kon is flirting with 50/40/90 on higher volume with more minutes. He has fewer scoring threats on his team and is playing against starters vs Harper playing against backups. Also, Kon is playing for the worst run NBA franchise over the last 30 years, vs the Spurs, which is arguably the best run franchise over the last 30 years. Time will tell if you're right, and I value your opinion, but I think it's premature of you to speak for every NBA GM.
Any hypothetical proposal that has the Rockets trading Alpi and a bunch of draft picks for Giannis is stupid as hell. Would easily compete with CP3 plus draft picks for Westbrick as one of the worst trades in Rockets history. Oddly enough, Giannis is just a larger version of Westbrick...
I do not think they are doing that, Stone is just dangling it out there to remind everyone that Houston is a hot spot.... He doesn't need to be on his toes all the time though, like that inferiority complex dude. Fear of Missing Out. FOMO.
You are speaking with hindsight. On a draft we dont know how it will translate into the NBA yet right? The big pg archetype of Dylan Harper is a lot more translatable than Kon. Cade, Ball bros, Haliburton, Amen etc Harper would go before Kon for every GM. Kon is the white shooter archetype sometimes it works like Austin Reaves sometimes you get a high end role player like Battier and sometimes you get a bust.
It pays to be in the conversation regardless. You can always say no and they were asking too much in the end. But Giannis is most likely going to go to a rival like the Spurs or Warriors or something. So you have to make sure your rival teams do not get a steal for a player that caliber. But yeah I’ve begun to sour on Giannis for Sengun plus picks being a clear upgrade. Don’t get me wrong… it’s a clear upgrade in talent but at least in the short term it’s far from clear that it’s an upgrade in our short term ability to win especially with KD healthy as our go-to perimeter scorer in crunch time. Kind of like Pau being so important to those Kobe Lakers teams I pretty much view Sengun as that valuable a cog in our offense. Swapping him for Giannis likely upgrades the defense and really is a great opportunity for Jabari to basically play the Sengun role more or less, but it really makes the offense far less dynamic and more robotic in nature relying much more on half court iso ball. I don’t love the deal mostly for that reason.
If the Rockets want him, they can have him. No one can beat a package of Sengun, VanVleet, and a pick or two. Sheppard / Holiday / Davison Thompson / DFS / Okogie Durant / Smith, Jr. / Tate Antetokounmpo / Eason / Green Adams / Capela That's the most dominate defense in the NBA with 2 of the most efficient scorers in NBA history. Swapping Sengun for Giannis is not an easy decision. The question is, are you committed to winning a championship with Durant? If the answer is yes, then this is your move. If the answer is no, then Sengun in the better guy long-term.
If I’m Milwaukee, and Castle and Harper and obviously Wemby are all of limits, then a Spurs trade is a non-starter. The Bucks will want young talent not a big contract, semi star in Fox, or Sochan, Johnson, any of their other just a guys. I don’t get the Knicks rumors with KAT either. If they trade Giannis they need to tank, hard. Vets like KAT by himself just put you on the mediocrity treadmill.Same with the Trae Young Atlanta package. If no one is willing to give up young talent like Castle, Harper, Sengun, and Amen then I think the Rockets are in the drivers seat with next tier young talent in Bari, Tari, and Reed. FVV, Bari, Tari and picks for Giannis. Reed/Okogie Amen/Holliday Durant/DFS Giannis/Adams Sengun/Capela The rebounding and paint scoring would be off the charts. Giannis would love being able to stick at PF with our trio of bigs. Spacing of course is the issue. Ultimately you’re just swapping Bari for Giannis. FVV isn’t playing and Tari is always injured and likely gone as a FA soon anyway.
Kon seems like the offensive counterpart to Amen. Do it all forward that can be a secondary playmaker, not truly a lead ball handler/PG type. If Kon develops away from Ball into more of an assist guy, he could be a lesser Cade type. Jumbo PG without elite athleticism. He’s definitely not “white shooter” He’s a ball player. Still wouldn’t take him over Harper
