Look at how Knicks are playing. They have a stretch 5 to get Wemby out the lane. They have 5 shooters. They have multiple guys that can both shoot and drive. Really not Rocket science.
Is a player who is a starter and serviceable role player that rebounds, defends, and provide scoring considered a bust giving you 15pts 7reb and almost a block a game? I believe that term is used too loosely to describe players. Busts to me are players who aren’t playing much despite being drafted high. They don’t impact winning and they aren’t in the rotation or find themselves out the league after a few years. J Okafor is a bust. Sochan is a bust. Kidd Gilchrest is a bust. Kevin Knox is a bust. Some people considered Andrew Wiggins a bust. What about guys like Patrick Williams, RJ Barret, Obi Toppin or Okoro? These guys all contribute to their team whether it’s defense, rebounding, or scoring and they all have roles and good enough to be played every game. I don’t think they should be considered busts at all. When people use that term they have huge expectations and when the players don’t reach whatever these people envisioned they’re thrown to the side and labeled bust despite contributing. Who really deserves to not be called a bust based on their draft position? Lonzo Ball, Kris Dunn, D Russell have had good careers despite not living up to the hype.
This is not about who the Rockets should acquire. It’s my observation of how the Spurs are losing. The Rockets don’t have the personnel. It’s not that hard to see or understand
Jabari's not a bust, but he's just not someone you pin your hopes on imo. They've invested a lot of minutes in him, and he's only shown himself to be mediocre. It's like with Jalen last year, you have to make a decision on whether or not the continued investment is worth it.
He’s a role player. He does his job. We have seen him improve in a few things including a mid range or paint shot. Sure the shooting can be better but how many times have he made key blocks or stops? Not everyone can be an all star or generational player. He isn’t a number 1 option. JG was supposed to be a top 2 scorer on our team handling a bulk of scoring and playmaking. His inconsistencies hurt us and so he’s gone
He'd be fine in a vacuum, but they have KD and Amen who would both be used more optimally at the 4. Fit matters for role players. You have to pick your best players and put the pieces around them to optimize the team. I think they should look to move him if an opportunity for a top guard is possible.
The funny thing is Giannis puts up huge numbers against Wemby in their matchaups. This is not to say get Giannis, I think the Bucks want teams to gut themselves to get him, it's whatever if we basically swap Alpi with him but otherwise...meh... But the point is Wemby's weakness is not just coming out and guarding the 5, it's also a big that can slash past him because that too takes him out of the paint. Giannis can't shoot at all but he can burst past Wemby and seal him off with his strength. Giannis also just runs through him many times, It's not just stretch 5 as people are pointing out, Chet was a stretch 5, in fact might be the best one in the league? But chet didn't chalenge Wemby at all, played scared, didn't drive at him at all, basically never made him move and expend energy on defense. It's really that combo of KAT that's giving Wemby these problems because Kat can hit the three AND Kat and blow right past him. Wemby is pretty much BBQ chicken for him because Wemby just doesn't have the strentgh to stop him from driving and while Wemby is agile for his height...you can still get past him. Difference is when someone the size of Kat or Giannis gets past him they are strong and big enough to basically seal him off, guards and forwards will just get their stuff blocked from the side or behind. I'm not really for trading for Giannis just because I don't know if that opens our window but if they are set on KD they pretty much need to make another move and sell off some of the young core to bring in another all-star.
I think if you can get Giannis (without selling the farm), you do. NOBODY thought KAT was gonna be the difference maker for NYC. Giannis's game is just like KAT, only better in almost every way.
He is 23 years old on a great contract and is a top 10 PF in the league. He has a frame that can support more muscle. He improved his handle and was more aggressive in looking for his shot one on one. He has been well worth the investment and there are more dividends on the horizon. I hope that he again adds muscle like he did last off-season, hopefully at least 10 lbs. He is a perfect stretch 4/5 for this team. Amen and Jabari are much clearer components of a core than Sengun that has two critical flaws that he must overcome to be a star. I think Sengun has the chance to be a special offensive player, so I would only trade him for a haul. He will always be a tweener on defense.
Jabari is the tweener. NBA finals forwards: OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Julian Champanie, and Devin Vassel lap him as athletes, the speed isn’t even comparable. NBA finals centers: Karl Anthony Towns and Victor Wembanyama were Allstar/all NBA centers with 40 pounds on him when they were 22. Jabari is still dueling with 40 year old Jeff Green for the 5 small ball center minutes a game. I don’t know how anyone can watch conference finals ball and see where Jabari fits in.
We don’t have those players. Tell me how trading Jabari gets us one. He is a role player and a good one right now. He has potential to be more. If his contract was Mobley like, I would understand your stance. We have a problem in our back court. We have a PG coming back that was one of the 5 worst Pg’s in the league the last he played and you want to trade a top 10 starter at his position for what? Are you one of the basketball savants that think Sengun is a PF or that FVV and Adams will take us to the promised land if we just get rid of our 22 year old PF with a body frame capable of filling out. Give me your idea of a value trade of Jabari that has any chance of happening.
They aren’t anything alike except body type (i guess). KAT can shoot from 3, Giannis is much faster and a better defensive player. KAT would be a great fit for us, Giannis would stink as a fit.
Yeah. Get rid of the role player power forward position altogether. Jabari/DFS/Capela is 43 million in tradeable salary. Do we really think Jabari is a better weak side rim protector and rebounder than Amen Thompson.. Amen was 2nd in the NBA in total dunks (a list dominated by Giannis, Mobley, Goberts for the past 5 years) Amen is a much closer match to the size, speed, and defensive profile of all the good teams 4s OG, Champanie, Jalen Williams. Those teams all prioritize the ball pressure and fluidity from the 4. Getting Amen closer to the basket with other actual fast POA defenders on the court will increase live ball turnovers and then Amen is one of the best grab and go players in the NBA. He’s the guy we want farming rebounds and speeding us up, not the only guy in the lineup that can’t dribble or pass. We also have a hall of famer that played the power forward on GSW death lineup. Best way to proceed (will sound strange but hear me out) Mentally lock in FVV as your starting 2 guard. now Amen, KD, Sengun is your front court. We’re getting faster, there’s no reasonable argument Jabari provides more than any of these 3. Now, we need a starting 2 way guard that can shoot, handle, and pressure the ball. All 5 starters can handle from now on. As far as trades there are a bunch. If Rockets fans unanimously think Jabari is a lock future championship level starter than 1 GM is bound to agree. add or remove picks if you don’t think the value is right or it’s unrealistic Derrick White works VJ Edgecombe works Jrue Holiday + picks work Kyrie Irving might work Ty Jerome + NAW + People want to stack these future draft picks what’s stopping us from drafting a big that can fill Jabari’s shoes anyway.
It’s a valid argument, but we just feel differently about the players. I believe that KD and FVV are over the hill, that Amen is our future initiator, and that Jabari will get stronger and, therefore, a prototypical stretch 4/5. How many picks are you giving up? Edgecomb is a pipe dream for anyone other than Amen and picks, Dallas better be giving up 3 or 4 picks to get Jabari and unload Irving. I like Jerome and NAW, but I’m not giving up picks for them and you damn sure better have a better plan than Kd at PF if you are trading Jabari for them. Another difference in our outlook is probably time frames. I don’t think we have a chance in hell to competing for a championship during the so-called “KD” window, especially if FVV is your pg.
