The counting numbers are very similar. They even play about the same amount of minutes per game. But I would not trade Tari for Ausar. Ausar is basically a lesser version of Amen. They are twins in the full meaning of the word. They have the same strengths and the same weaknesses, only Amen is better at the strengths. In other words, Ausar's strength would give us diminishing returns and would not solve our weaknesses.
Can’t wait for the iko article in 2 hours about how stone was offered 3 first round picks for Tate but decided that he is too important to the team. lol. I’m mean damn I know we are doing better than expected but if nothing happens I will start to believe that stone is afraid to trade. I know we can get someone on the buy out market but damn throw out a first for a shooter or a pg or even a rim running big. We only have young players we don’t need 2 rookies every year. We have holes that need filling even without touching the “core”
He has definitely “called” a number of things but he doesn’t do what CH and Cyber who pop in to call something shortly before it happens and the trade process has already been initiated usually. He’s giving a bucket of names he’s heard are targets and or available. As he’s said he’s not directly tied to anyone in the Rockets org and has in with players/people across the league. Listing who’s available or who we’re interested in isn’t going to have a high actualization rate, and he does everything in riddle. So it’s bound to upset some info fiends but honestly if some don’t care for it just leave him alone instead of calling him a fraud for taking his time to share with us.
So thinking through all these trades that have gone down, I think the Suns finish late lotto with basically the roster they’ve got (maybe a marginal trade today but nothing that changes the dynamic of their team this season). Houston has a late lotto pick to play with. No reason to draft that pick unless a Sengun, Tari or Cam are sitting there. Should help us improve the team in trade this offseason. Also as has been mentioned, our 2029 Mavs pick swap just got a lot more valuable. Lastly, I liked that we added a 2nd rounder, but hope we can use that with expirings to improve the team on the margins. If not, at least we are accumulating assets for future moves. I hate that the Lakers, Spurs and Warriors got better, but I really like that the Suns didn’t.
Would not trade for Ausar at this time, especially for Tari. But both Ausar + Tari are very underrated connectors on top of being elite defenders.
I like Ausar Thompson as a defender a lot, but the reason Amen was more highly thought of in their draft class was scouts thought Amen could eventually become a 6’6 player with point guard skills. Ausar was always viewed as having elite 3&D potential if he developed an outside shot.
I thought Cyberx was tied to Nene's camp and was coming more from the agent side of the house - or am I confusing him with a different "insider"? They all are kind of running together at this point. Vague updates, maybe a 20% or less 'success' rate which isn't to say they are wrong, but that things fall apart and we can never really know which is which. I appreciate the conversations but I also don't put a ton of stock into them like some posters here.
True, but he's also a better passer than he gets credit for, same for Tari. Amen is just special in that area.
See how we go in the playoffs and trade that pick on draft night to upgrade (get a starting Point??) If we can get a backup point and C at the deadline (or buyout market), great. But our future this year is in the young guys
If you assume they don't both get better at shooting. Tari is better right now, except he has yet to play even close to a full season. His leg is a concern. Having to get injury rest at his age is a concern. Only the Rockets and Tari know the risks.
When injured, the timeline was 6 - 8 weeks. Always assuming for the worst, I think that would put him at the beginning of March? Couple that with Fred VanVleet's injury and yeah, not good.
It's the burden of being a REAL source. He is not going to betray those confidences in any way that could jeopardize the organization's plans. If I had that information, I could completely disagree with Stone but I would do the same thing as ch44. Right or wrong the organization has a reason for what they do.
