Run KPJ Green Eason Banchero Sengun This year and see what it looks like. Personally, I think both Green and Sengun end up as slightly above average defenders down the road.
So another year of league-worst defense and shooting to hopefully lead to Wembenyama. I’m okay with that.
With Alpy and Paolo, could Eason fit in with them in the starting lineup? No traditional lineup, but tari covering any 3 or 4s which we wouldn't want paolo defending? Same thing paolo taking the weaker defender when he's on offense whether 3 or 4?
Kelly Iko is a Rockets beat writer who was quoting his Rockets FO sources regarding emphasis on defense. But it might mean Rockets believe Banchero IS an elite defender. Stone always finds a way to chap my cheeks.
This guy made this tweet last month, and looking at other tweets he put out he called something days to weeks in advance so he might have some sources.. maybe Banchero is who stone wanted all along and he wants to get Tari to cover for some of his weakness? Maybe we are putting out a few smoke screens in hopes OKC doesn't draft Banchero?
We need a veteran to play the starting 3 and for the 17th pick i would draft Walker Kessler to backup Sengun. Also, I would trade Wood and Gordon to get one of charlotte picks for Ousmane Dieng, Jeremy Sochan or Tari Eason
Picking Jabari Smith should be a no-brainer for the Magic. Chet is a bit of a gamble IMO because of his skinny frame. I can see him having injury issues. But if OKC passes on him, Houston would probably be happy to take that gamble. If both are gone by the third pick, I guess Banchero is the BPA, over Ivey. I see Banchero becoming a very solid starter in a few years. But he doesn't strike me as a potential game-changer, which you'd hope for in a top three pick.
I believe Jabari Smit would make every NBA team better right now - and probably for the best of his career he will be able to start for every team and make it better. But I think it will be a long shot for him to become the number 1 option on a contender. I believe Chet has the best chance of becoming a super star. His combination of size, wingspan, shooting, agility and defensive instincts are more than rare. At the same time he has the biggest bust potential - will he get bullied in the NBA, will teams be able to exploit him off of switches, will he be injury prone? I believe that Paolo has the best chance of becoming a number 1 option for a contender. He has the full package on offense with a great combination of size, low/high post game, passing and midrange. His biggest question marks are his defense, his 3pt shot (which isn‘t bad at 34% - it just isn‘t good either) and, how good he will be off the ball. I really don‘t have a true preference anymore. Jabari is the safe pick for me. Chet is high risk high reward pick and Paolo is somewhere in between. I am really glad we got the 3d and not the 4th pick…
That's obvious - 20/10 bigs who shoot 40% from 3 don't grow on trees. Wood's defensive issues are effort related - He CAN defend when he wants to, particularly well on the perimeter. What he isn't is a rim protector and asking him to be that is unfair to both parties. I said mid way thru last season that I wanted to see Wood play as the 3(SF) not the 4/5 before we dump him. With Sengun & Banchero (or even Chet) you can do just that and if you don't like the results you trade him at the deadline. Yes, I think you can play that lineup against some matchups, Eason can defend 1-5 .... Wood can guard wings .... its a matter of effort. The question is who can Sengun guard. I don't think that's a lineup you can play against every team but one that you can experiment with against bigger front lines. Not in a traditional sense, the direction the league is heading at the 5 spot is defenders who can switch to multiple positions rather than a traditional rim defender, unless you are very fortunate and find that rare big guy who can make those switches. Just watch the playoffs and DPOY Rudy Gobert getting played off the court by some scrub big who can hit corner 3's. Sengun needs to channel his inner ChuckWagon and learn to protect the rim from the ground ... while also being able to switch to 3's and 4's. I went back and watched a bunch of tape on Banchero's defense ..... He's actually pretty good when he flips the switch. I really like how he fights over the top of screens when defending on the ball .... and he's sneaky good as a weak side defender. He was really good at funneling his man to Williams ..... which for the most part was their scheme. He also has another level when the game is on the line ..... It's all about effort on his part and after listening to a couple recent interviews I think he knows its something he has to change in the NBA. I think we'll be happy with either Banchero or Chet ....
I’m starting to get scared on Chet. His upper body reminds me a bit of Hasheem Thabeet without any kind of muscle.
