Not really looking to fill positions of need right now with so many needs. Draft the best player available, get rid of guys we know aren't apart of our future. Watch the picks play and identify the positions of need as we start "committing" to players.
Having Sengun man the middle defensively would be a long term disaster. He ultimately needs to be surrounded by a defensive beast at the 5 or he needs to come off the bench in a Mehmet Okur type role. Honestly, even with someone like Chet at the 5, I don't think there is enough defense to start Sengun at the 4.... I think he is destined to be a really good bench player. As for the point guard spot, the Rockets could look to Ty Ty Washington with the Nets pick or decide to let Jaden Ivey run the point if they take him.
Wood is an above average center overall - a good offensive player, a very average defender, and a below average rebounder especially on the offensive glass - probably because he doesn't have the highest motor and is relatively weak. His perimeter defense is poor. But he is good at contesting shots. He would be ok if he were surrounded by other players - part of the problem is that the team is so young around him, and is so small, that it exposes a lot of his weaknesses in a glaring way. He's not a rim protector and never will be one. As he ages he will have a role off the bench but he is too good of an offensive player right now to serve that role. So yeah, I think you have to trade him to a team where his defensive deficiencies won't be exposed so much. Miami makes a lot of sense for him.
That shot made me LOL .... Wood is such a terrible defender, I don't think he's playable as the lone big man - you need a big who can defend the paint / rim while not being a disaster from 3 so Wood can play as a plus sized wing instead of a center. The Theis experiment didn't work but a lot of that was playing alongside other non shooters - particularly Tate. Wood was the best shooter in that lineup at 36%. Tate & Theis shooting 30% or less wasn't good enough. Replace Tate with someone hitting better than 36% and the outcome probably changes.
Long term, what's your assessment on Sengun? I know you stated above that you see him more in a super sub of sorts but do you think Okur is more of a baseline or the ceiling for him? His best years in Utah were pretty damn good.
Imagine him bringing some of that Bad Boy Piston energy to the Rockets. It worked great in the WNBA. He built all those championships teams into bullies. This organization NEEDS that type of mentality in the worst way.
we need a center more than a pg. All the opposing centers are putting Wilt Chamberlain numbers against us.
If he is as good as Okur I will be very happy. I think Sengun has a higher ceiling than what Okur did in the NBA, but I think there are serious limitations that make Sengun reaching his perceived ceiling unlikely. Sengun has real limitations defensively and as a shot altering player that is required to play the 5 as a starter. That means he needs to play the 4, and there are defensive limitations there as well.... so I think he is a super sub player. His passing and creative scoring will keep him on the floor in some match ups.
A lot of his problem is effort related. He doesn't really extend the effort to do the small things that impact winning. He is concerned with getting his numbers because that will get him paid. The question is whether the effort would improve on a contender. I tend to think that he would improve his effort, at least for awhile on a contender.
Wood talks like he's big **** at the Center position. **** this guy. Gumby is getting tossed around in the paint and no team gives a ****. If we had some protecting our paint, I think we would of been more competitive in these games. But I'm all for the tank, so keep it up Wood.
I'll admit that I'm a Sengun stan of sorts--I think his impact on the team, offensively, down the road will far outweigh his deficiencies on the other side of the court. If he can be an average defender but also put up the type of offense I hope he can (20-10 guy, stretches the defense with 1-2 3s a game, 4-5 assists a game) I think having a defensive anchor like a Chet wouldn't torpedo our defense. Of course if we end up with Jabari or Banchero that calculus then becomes a bit different and I'll agree with you that Sengun might move to the super sub role on the assumption that Jabari is the better of the two players in the NBA (which isn't far fetched at the moment)
I don't think Sengun being on the Rockets is a great fit for him. On a team with better defenders, his defensive limitations would be less of a concern and he could possibly start. He had the potential to score 15-20 points a game if he improves his three point shooting and conditioning.
I think that you can make Sengun work as a starting center. Its not optimal but it can be done. If he is surrounded by other rim protectors I think it can work (Martin and, hopefully, Chet or Jabari). The real question for me is whether Sengun can improve his J enough to warrant the team accounting for his lack of Defense at the cup.
Right now we have the worst record in the league (thank God). Assuming we stay last.... that means we have a 52% chance of getting a top 4 pick and a 48% chance of being 5th. There is only like a 2 in 7 chance that the Rockets get a top 2 pick (Holmgren or Smith). With a top 4 pick, the Rockets are likely locked into one of: Holmgren/Smith/Ivey/Banchero. Holmgren and Smith are obvious good fits for the Rockets. Ivey and Banchero are more questionable fits. I actually like a back court of Ivey/Green but the Rockets may not.... and Banchero is a real question defensively for the Rockets as a fit. What becomes more interesting is what if the Rockets pick 5th? There is a coinflip chance of picking 5th.... Do they go for Griffin and try to run him at the 3? He has a long wingspan but the Rockets would be short at the 2/3 with Green and Griffin.... and if the Rockets roll with Sengun at the 4, the Rockets defensively will have some serious issues. Do the Rockets go for the potential of Sharpe? He has a lot of upside but drafting him likely means the rebuild will take a lot longer, and where do you play Sharpe? Do the Rockets try and trade the #5 pick for the two picks that the Blazers have? At #18 do the Rockets go after a point guard like Wesley or Montero? There are a lot of possibilities, but the fortunes of the Rockets in their rebuild again will largely hinge on where their lotto number comes up. The Rockets rebuild will look a lot better drafting 1-2 in this draft, compared to 5th....
I think it is more exaggerated for Sengun than someone like Green. Sengun's weaknesses are switching and protecting the paint and there are limitations to his improvement in those areas. Short of being a star offensively, his role and viability is going to be limited unless he is on a really good defensive team. So, I think unless the Rockets get better personnel defensively around him, he won't reach his ceiling. Green is showing enough offensively, that he is going to get minutes. Also, while Green isn't strong in his core, he is quick enough to defend a lot of guards.... especially if the Rockets get a point guard that can cover shooting guards. Green has better horizontal movement than he displayed in the G-League or earlier this year; so he should be able to guard point guards. Perhaps when Sengun gets stronger physically he surprises with his lateral quickness and he can cover 3's, which would be ideal. However, I don't think that will be the case. His lateral movement and quickness is already better than some expected but he moves like a 4 and not a real 3.
If the Rockets get Sengun and add a long, well above average defender at the 3, then it could work.... although transition could still be an issue, but Sengun could trigger the break. I think what is more likely is Sengun having an Eric Gordon role off the bench. His J has to improve, but I think it will.
At PG we don’t need a ball dominant guy unless we luck into a star either draft (Ivey) or trade because that’s the disgruntled guy who wants out. A Pat Beverly type that can hit the 3 and play defense would suffice next to Green if you let Jalen run the show. KPJ could be that guy but his shot is suspect. (The heck is wrong with his FTs?) At PF/C a guy like Capela would be fine who can rebound, block shots and switch. Sengun needs to be coached like a young Jokic. Let him run the offense from time to time. The key is having an all world SF next to Green as your star. LeBron, Durant, Butler, George. At that level. Tate is a good energy piece off the bench Maybe AJ Griffin if we end up at pick # 5.
We have no need for more guards, but we could use an extra big man, either a C or a PF that can shoot. The dream is either Chet or Jabari. Then the team just needs a few years to season properly.
