Could any 18-year-old center that ever lived have fixed last year's defense?

Birthdays: Paola Banchero November 12, 2002 // Alperen Sengun July 25, 2002

Sengun went through an enormous body transformation as an 18-year-old as he got his first professional experience in Europe playing as a center. Then, he's added one year of NBA life and play to that. It may be a little early to say what his limitations are as a defender.

Almost all the pundits were truly surprised by Sengun's quick hands and shot-blocking ability. The refs were clearly surprised as they gave him the prejudiced rookie treatment, which when we see how physical the game has become in the playoffs, at least 65% of Sengun's fouls were questionable at best.

 

Everyone just needs a little patience. We are so used to Morey dealing every player as if this is blackjack or something. Sengun could end up being a superstar or he could end up being just okay or he could end up somewhere in the middle. Time will tell but he needs time. No set number or years like everyone craves, just time. If almost any other fan base had him, they would be saying he was worth a top 5 pick or unavailable.

 

We would regret it a long time, totally against it.

 

Remind you all what Sengun did as an 18 year old in the Turkish league:

Points per game 19.2 (2nd in the league)
Total Points 557 (1st)
Rebounds per game 9.4 (2nd)
Total Offensive rebounds 119 (1st)
Block per game 1.7 (2nd)
Total Blocks 48 (2nd)
Total Steals 39 (8th)
FG% 64.6% (1st)
FT% 81.2 (10th)
eFG% 65.3% (1st)
TS% 74.1 (1st)

All of this while playing 28.3 minutes a night, which didn't even put him in the top 10 in minutes per game played. The kid then had to adjust to an entirely different and harder league but still managed to put up:

12.1 points
8.2 rebounds
3.6 assists
29.6 minutes per game
while shooting 45.6% from the floor in the 13 games that he did start.

I would be floored if Sengun starts next season and we don't see him average 17/10/5.

 

When the team at large isn't giving effort or focus, you will never be good defensively. Talent really has little bearing on that.

Simply being in a situation where everybody is playing their part can make a bad defender be tolerable (Steph Curry), or being in a trash situation can make potentially great defensive player look like garbage.

I think Sengun and Banchero can be decent defensive players in the right situation, but Sengun, Banchero and Green, will never, ever, be good defensively as a group. Sengun has upside, and should be highly valued, but if we can get high value in return it should be considered.

 

I agree in that you have to listen to offers for Sengun because he's not untouchable. That being said, however, what would be considered "high value"? In relation to this year's draft I wouldn't trade him for anything less than a Top 4 pick. Hell, if he entered the draft this year with another year of dominating the Turkish league I'm sure he'd go top 5. If we're talking about trading him for a player from last year's draft class (and doing so within reason like excluding Barnes, Mobley, Cunningham)...maybe Franz Wagner with the thought of drafting Paolo. If we're talking about packaging Sengun with picks for a veteran it'd have to be someone that's at least an all-star level player who's younger than 28.

 

He shouldn't be untouchable. He has flaws but should get better. I would entertain deals if the price is right. Sengun for #4 or #5? Sure, why not?

 

He’s the same age as the majority of this class, with a year in the league, an MVP in the 3rd best league in the world and a lot more room for physical change.
Trading him would be dumb

 

Could any 18 year old center fix last year's defense? Could any single player, regardless of age, fix the mess of last year's defense?

I think Alperen was included in the trade proposals based on the assumption that we are getting Paolo at #3. At the stage that we are at, we should be considering everything.
Personally, this draft feels like one where there is going to be a big surprise at the top. Just my gut feeling. If we ended up with Chet or Jabari, I wouldn't trade Sengun. But if we ended up with Paolo, and if there is a really good complimentary player available at a draft pick, and if there was a trade partner at that draft pick (that's a whole lot of if's)- then I do think we should consider trading Sengun to make it happen.

Unlike Wood. We should trade him no matter what

 

Operating under the assumption that Banchero is who we get. I'm only trading Sengun for a potential all star who is plus defensively.

I'm not sure how the Rockets view all of the candidates, but if they believe Murray, Sharpe or Ivey is that guy I'm fine trading Sengun to move up and get them. I am not trading him for any pick unless you are sure what player that pick will be.

FWIW, I don't think Sengun has enough current value to net a return worthy of my personal opinion of him, which is pretty high. I just loathe the pairing of him and Banchero as a potential frontcourt duo defensively. And if you don't think both of them will be on your best lineup together, then you should trade one of them. Banchero simply has better physical tools between the 2, although I think it's completely feasible Sengun ends up the better player.

 

This list of players in the past 30 years that have put up 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists per 100 possessions as a rookie, minimum number of games played 50:

Chris Webber
Ben Simmons
Lamar Odom
Nikola Jokic
Tom Gugliotta
Blake Griffin
Luka Doncic
LaMelo Ball
Alperen Sengun

All sans Sengun have made at least one All-Star team and a good number of these guys aren't athletic freaks with high verticals either.

Want to add in the 2.2 blocks that Sengun averages per 100 possessions? That list shrinks down to:

Webber
Sengun

Everyone that wants to prop up 10 rebounds 39% 3PT% for Christian Wood should look at this and have their collective minds blown.

 

No, they couldn't.

Yes, Sengun trade proposals are ridiculous.

People have no clue what Sengun's value is. (He is better than Paolo.)

 

Think most people got used to Morey keep making trades. I'm all for letting the young players grow. Build it like Boston and Memphis. They built their team through draft. Then trade for need.

 

Sengun is not untouchable. It depends on what we trade him for.

I'd trade him for Jokic or Embiid in a heartbeat.

 

So your solution is to continue to add, keep or ignore the net negative or net neutral defenders?

Your flex is even less of a flex.

 

Banchero+ like production but with Chet like efficiency.

 

Sengun is a very good player, who can create offense in half court and a elite passer. I would not trade him. Who would you trade him for? This draft is kinda weak after 6 players,

 

I'm a Sengun stan but I'd take a hard look at that trade. If you take Paolo 3rd taking Ivey 4th would be a pretty sizable win, even at the expense of giving up Sengun. That being said, I can really see Sengun turning into an All-Star, even an All-NBA player at a position where it's harder to find a player at that level than one at a guard/wing position.