Did OP base it on one game? He/she/they referenced the pre season game but was all the analysis from one game or a year’s worth of body of work? It isn’t that apparent that the OP is assessing him on one game.
Chuck was an elite defender in college. It’s not just something he picked up after turning pro. He had special defensive instincts and talent right from the beginning. Sengun also showed some things defensively last year, so I wouldn’t right him off on that end. I don’t think he has the same lateral mobility and instincts that Chuck had, though.
Off ball? What do you mean by he is “ineffective off ball”? Just need some clarification since big men play differently than guards. They’re not running around screens and flares to get open. They’re doing the up/down screens etc. Or getting pick and pops. Is that what you mean?
But he still has to play drop coverage in pick and roll situations and this is where teams kill him. He isn’t Robert Williams or Jarrett Allen with a long wingspan re routing penetrating guards and making them think twice. This is the issue. We all want him to be good and succeed and have an emotional attachment but reality paints a much different picture.
Didn’t see the game but Sengun is Sengun. Teams weren’t afraid to drive on him in pick and roll situations or on the baseline last year. He doesn’t deter players from going to the hole. This is the issue and it is very apparent. This team doesn’t have an anchor in the middle. Good teams in the league all have an active big that is long and can deter shots. Even looney has a lot of tenacity down low. Sengun is not that but an anomaly with craftiness and some post skills. Interesting player he is but not what teams need in terms of 5 that can defend the paint.
Yes that’s the key is to keep in check whatever emotional attachment or bias we have about Sengun to be able to objectively assess him. Perhaps the OP was too negative or harsh but the reality is while skilled offensively he isn’t a good defender and problematic for this team. The coaching staff and GM likely knows this already but willing to experiment and develop another year so this is where we’re at.
So wait... after 1 poor preseason game, Sengun is done? What happens if he goes beast mode on the next game? Do we sign him for 10 years at 40M per?
Is one year really enough to assess someone? Especially someone coming over from another basketball league? The dude is 20, from another country and wasn't a complete bust from day 1. In fact, for all intents and purposes, he had a great rookie year. You're saying for everyone to be objective, but OP wants to trade a developing player on a team-friendly contract after one year of solid rookie play. That's not objective at all. That's just a rash decision based off one preseason game. If Sengun was a Hasheem Thabeet-like player from day 1, I'd have no problem with entertaining a trade. But if you had no idea who Sengun was and stumbled onto OP's opinion, you'd expect Sengun to have a garbage rookie year or something. Which isn't what happened, last season. Sengun may never turn out to be good defensively. Sure. Sengun may never turn out to be Jokic 2.0 like we all hope. Sure. But how are we going to know that after one year of play? What if he flips a switch and becomes our best player? Should really give non-bust rookies some time before deciding anything major. Players on their rookie deals are hardly traded in their second year because it's 1) too early to tell if they're good or bad, much less how good or how bad and 2) you're not going to get anything good in return, since finances have to match.
Well the issues with him are things that can’t really be fixed, like being 6’9” and slow. We’re not saying he’s not good or won’t be, we’re saying he’s not the kind of 5 we need. It’s only gonna get worse when we become a playoff team. Nobody except a couple of teams play that style anymore. We want a long athletic 5 that can anchor the defense.
Testing if my account still works... Also its the preseason. Nothing to judge yet for being a starting center in the NBA, we need time to even evaluate him.
Maybe you're right. But he showed enough last season that he can be fantastic on the offensive end. He's really young so have to give him time to develop, but his passing skills are rare. He is defensively weak on the perimeter - but a lot of that can be made up for with the right defensive scheme that rotates well when he gets blown by. You don't need a rim protector in the modern NBA, and again, he's young and his 3 point shot may very well develop. We have to judge him on what he will be in 5 years, not what we see today. Plus we're in no hurry to win, so he is fine as the starting center. For now.
I am not sure if this is intentional, but implying a basketball player typing ebonics can't spell is about as big of a dogwhistle as you can blow.
Robert Williams and Jarett Allen can't score and pass the way Sengun does either. It is much easier to have a Jarett Allen type of player hell we have Bruno Fernando, Boban, Favors and the WCS all signed to the team currently. This forum is extemely patient with Green and Jalen had half a season of terrible games. Sengun has one bad showing in preseason suddenly he can't be the starter like wtf dude. Plus the dude is rusty and prob high just having done a dental procedure. His last couple of games prior to this: 13/5/3 in 20 mins 17/2/3 in 33 mins 14/11/5 in 36 mins This dude can't be a starter? lol. If you wanna say he'll be never be an all star ok maybe, but to say he can't be a starter level player when he is doing this at just 20 yrs old seems unrealistic to me.
Just one pre season game. He may end up best served coming off the bench but its not likely hes as big of a liability on the floor as he was against the heat. That was easily his worst game as a rocket. If hes going to be playing like that he doesnt even need a roster spot.
