I agree it isn't a good fit at all defensively, it is in fact a terrible fit. I wouldn't give up on Sengun but I would definitely see what his value is around the draft. If I can deal him for a pick to get someone like Tari Eason, Jeremy Sochan or Ousman Dieng; then I likely do it. If I can come out of this draft with Banchero, one of the best wings and whoever I want at 17, then I like the defensive fit a lot better. He has genuine conditioning issues. Sengun is fine defensively with a defender like Holmgren next to him... but we aren't getting him most likely.
They are definitely redundant weaknesses, they are not rim protectors or shot altering players.... and that isn't a skill you can really develop a whole lot. You don't want both of those guys on the floor together at the same time or you will get destroyed defensively. If you draft Banchero you will want him to play 30+ minutes a game long term and that means very little minutes for Sengun.
How can I trust these guys? They don't even have their jerseys in Glass frames. Just give me DD on the mic with bad lighting every day of the week! *I listened though
If we draft Banchero and believe Sengun/Banchero won't work out together what is more valuable: Sengun running the offense as a 6th man or trading him for a potential starting C or SF with excellent defense?
I'd go with seeing how good Sengun is before trading him. Even if Paolo and Sengun are a horrible fit, I expect Sengun will be more prized next offseason than this offseason.
I'm all on board for Paolo, but I don't really buy this argument. For every Tatum, there's a Trey Young, LaMelo Ball, etc., guys who just continue to be one-way players in the NBA. There's also guys like Donovan Mitchell, who were projected to be good defenders but ended up being offensive-oriented players when they had to carry the offense for their team. Paolo may improve defensively in the NBA, but that will be on him.
You keep talking about Holmgren's potential but he was a more productive college player than anyone else in contention for the #1 pick.
Injuries have played a large part in what teams are still in the playoffs.... but the Celtics and Heat both have rim protectors, they are modern rim protectors that do not to be taken off the court when teams go small or switch. That is the type of player that the Rockets need inside. Holmgren is that type of player. Robert Williams and Bam Adebayo both are All NBA Second Team defenders and shot altering players that can switch really well defensively. I don't know many people that want traditional rim protectors. There are also a lot of very very good individual defenders left in the playoffs. Boston has: Smart, Williams, Horford and White. The Heat have: Adebayo, Butler, Tucker, Lowry The Warriors have: Green, Thompson, Looney The Mavericks are a bit of an outlier and are harder to explain, and fit your model better. If anything, the playoffs have shown that for the most part teams can only cover up the defensive short comings of so many players.
LMAO You're such a propagandist hack. You are the apotheosis of dog whistle. You are arguing that the elite 3P shooting of Chet (39%) and Jabari (43%) is a NEGATIVE??? That Paolo shooting fewer 3P and at a worse % is because he is high IQ instead of the obvious - he's just not very good from distance. Get your Trump lying projecting ass out of here fool. I used to tell you to "do better" but you're too far gone now.
If anything what's the playoffs have proven year after year is that the team with the most plus defenders on the roster usually will win. Take the Jazz for example. Gobert gets clowned a lot and people say that he's a liability in certain situations but he's playing with 4 non plus defenders most of the time. The dude has to be the first and last line of defense for that team. Outside of Donovan Mitchell putting up 40-50 points a night, Utah couldn't win enough to keep advancing through the playoffs. Chet can't change the Rockets' entire defense philosophy/culture over night but he definitely lowers the learning curve.
Chet is an efficient player no doubt, but to say he was the most productive college player is a little hyperbole no? For reference Paolo Banchero has almost as many made FGs (245) as field goal attempts for Chet! (280). Paolo also produced more points (665) by a wide margin than Chet (424). Asking Chet to ramp up his shooting numbers at the NBA level and still expect his efficiency to follow him is something I'd like to watch play out. Big reason why its hard for me to see him as a #1 option for any team.
Yeah that was another one of my questions is will Sengun have a higher trade value draft day (value includes what flexibility at picking who we want in a draft day trade) or at the deadline or in the future. Do we run the risk of hurting his value by playing him in a situation where he won't thrive. Right now it's a mystery as to whether or not it will work. By playing him and it not working you slowly open up the curtain of potential difficulties with fit in today's game. Alternatively by trading him now you run the risk of trading away a talent like Sengun for an unknown player and having a carousel of unknowns make rounds in and out of Houston -- which isn't uncommon for rebuilds. These aren't wishes from me or anything just questions worth asking. Ultimately he could still thrive here and Banchero and Sengun could work. I'm pretty skeptical on that happening. Fact is he is still extremely young, has very high IQ, is unselfish, has shown to play well with Green, and certainly has outplayed his 2021 draft position.
I’m surprised at you Nook. Trading Sengun for the possibility that Eason or Sochan are going to be better is crazy. If Banchero is the pick you try and make it work next season and then decide what to do if it is as dire as you’re predicting. There is just as much possibility that Sengun is better than Banchero, than the other way around. Sengun had the best post offensive by percentage in the league last year. His defense is not nearly as bad as panned and there is the possibility that Banchero’s is not as bad as being previewed as well. Every year guys get hyped up in the draft. Eason wasn’t even on most folks radar until a few week’s ago and is still being mocked to 17. It is a much better idea to put together a package to move up or for a defensive veteran than to move Sengun for unproven players.
Eason could play 3 or 4. And so could Banchero. Their positions would be interchangeable if they played together imo.
I could go in either direction, yours or @Nook - and I'm a big Sengun believer. Nook idea would fastrack the rebuild instead of another wait and see season. 2024 is coming up fast, rebuild needs to be 90% done by then.
THIS^^^^ Kudos to you for your infinite patience with his constant disinformation. I thought at one point he was simply ignorant, but it seems purposeful more and more.
TEAM DEFENSE. As far as rim protection if "blocks" is the marker that explains that archetype then is 1 block per game considered "good" ?? That is where Bam and Green sit in the playoffs. Robert Williams doubles both of those guys at 2bpg in the playoffs. Kevon Looney is only playing 19 minutes per game and had 0.3 blocks per game. Bam is the only relevant name there who plays a significant amount of minutes (32.9) and he is averaging 0.9 blocks per game in the playoffs. Smart is an effective offensive player moreso than Bam IMO as he is able to steer the ship in spurts for the C's. Top players in terms of playoff minutes per team: GS = Thompson, Curry, Wiggins, Green, Poole, Porter Jr, LOONEY MIA= Butler, ADEBAYO, Strus, Tucker, Lowry, Herro, Oladiopo BOS = Tatum, Brown, Smart, Horford, Grant Williams, Derick White, ROBERT WILLIAMS DAL = Bullock, Finney SMith, Doncic, Brunson, Dinwiddie, Kleber, Powell Im not refuting the importance of team defense Im actually proposing that as the bigger catalyst for defensive impact in the playoffs over "rim protection" and defensive specialists. Seems to me those teams have preferred to have guys on the court that can score vs defend according to the minutes distribution. Would have to dig around and see if there are any coaching quotes to support that. Chet should be that type of player I would agree. He wont be winning many 1 on 1 battles in space, but he should thrive as a help defender from the jump. Can he be an offensive weapon in the playoffs used more than a spot up shooter? Remains to be seen. The injuries you mention should have Houston thinking about who is their #2 in that situation.
