He's already a great test for the star main team players to go up against. Coaches probably love him by providing such a high level defensive challenge to star level offensive players who need great defenders on them to ever actually probably sharpen their skills.
If we want to maximize Amen I agree with you. He has to play the 1. Playing him at a forward spot with a healthy Sengun would lower his impact. We are loaded at the 3 anyway. Surrounding him at the 1 and Sengun at the 5 with shooters is the only way this ultimately works. We don't want Amen standing at the 3 point line waiting on kick outs. He needs to be the one kicking it out to our shooters. Personally I have no doubt that he can pull this off.
I agree the Rockets are loaded at the three. I would just point out that his speed and skill advantage was destroying forwards this past season while his size advantage was not doing the same to point guards.
I don’t think the designations of PG, SG, and even SF are really that important. Fortunately, Amen can play effectively at least 1-4 and 1-5 in small ball. I think he will be the primary ball handler on offense if/when FVV leaves. We are fortunate to have 4 players that can initiate the offense in the half-court: Alpi, FVV, Amen, Jalen. Matchups and different offensive sets will determine whose turn it is. Amen will guard the other team’s best offensive player at SG, SF, or PF whenever he is in the game. Sometimes he might guard the PG, but with our current team makeup that will fall to FVV, Jalen, and Sheppard most often.
Whether you want to say primary ball handler, PG, etc, Amen was destroying teams by getting the ball on rolls or cuts in which he could slither his way to the rim with ease or pass if the defense collapsed in. I don't think his shooting will improve quickly enough for him to be the primary ballhandler when FVV leaves unless FVV is extended.
But the problem is that this role he excelled in last season is not a star player. We already see the peak value of said player, which was Clint Capela. A very good role player but still role player. If we are talking floor, what we saw last year when Sengun went out would be it. But in terms of what made him the 4th pick of the draft, he's gotta be in a playmaking role. Or he's gotta shoot. Mostly if he can shoot he pretty much unlocks everything else though.
I would say his role post ASB was more close to Draymond Green than Capella. I guess a more athletic draymond Green would be a Draymond Green who also is a dangerous lob threat and general finisher at the rim. He did a lot more dynamic stuff than Clint Capella but he obviously wasn't a primary ball handler which was FVV and Jalen. A lot of short roll playmaking which is what Draymond specializes in. That definitely can be a star. A far more athletically gifted Draymond Green is a multiple time all-star.
There are dozens of "far more athletically gifted Draymond Greens" in the NBA. And several goes into the NBA each year. What make Draymond a star aren't his athletic gifts. Those gifts got him picked in the 2nd round.
It’s a legitimate concern. I just think he will improve his shooting at least in the mid range and with floaters to suffice as soon as this year. we can be patient with letting go of fvv, because I believe booker and Gianni’s are the only two difference makers even remotely available in the next two years.
His role would be the same as Giannis's. While Giannis does it by strength, Amen would do it with speed, agility, and passing. Giannis is a star. Edit: this isn't to say he's that impactful so far consistently, but he had that kind of impact sometimes with little experience. To me, he's got the potential to be unstoppable in the short roll in which he can drive, pass, or shoot mid range. If Sheppard is able to be a point guard that runs a PnR well, the Sheppard-Amen PnR will be devastating as Reed's shooting ability will force his man to go over the screen forcing Amen's man to help. Granted, that's a big if.
The kid has "it" and he will continue to improve. He plays basketball and we are lucky to be able to watch him over the coming years.
