If we can add Giannis it will certainly mean Sengun is on his way out. I don’t really like the fit of Giannis on this team, but if you can get him you just have to and figure a way to build a team with him and Amen as the core of the core. I think the Rockets should concentrate on adding a PF that can shoot and defend and move Jabari to SF. Sengun needs to continue to work on a passable 3 point shot. JJJ would be ideal, but most certainly won’t be available. I really don’t know who could be that difference maker in the near future. Flagg would be perfect, but no way the NBA lets that happen. Booker would be a nightmare and put us on the mediocrity hamster wheel for 3-4 years. Stone really has his work cut out. My biggest fear is he extends FVV and pretty much runs it back by adding another rookie at the 8 or 9 spot and leave it up to Ime to solve the offensive issues (which he is incapable of). Maybe whoever we get in the draft will surprise us and be a star in the making.
The Mavs are not a small market team. The Luka deal happened because someone acted irrationally. Small market teams would have loved to jump on the Luka deal. The Wolves have the highest payroll in the league. The 2nd apron was designed to punish teams that spend like the Wolves. Long term, I still don't think the deal is good for NY. I think this deal may end up a lose-lose deal.
I feel like you and I saw separation in our thinking of Rockets rebuilding; but are meeting more to the center recently. Giannis on offense is best backtracking to the mid court line and getting a running start . He has a knack for making contact near the free throw line, spinning off of contact or Euro- stepping his way to the basket. If he doesn't dunk it, he lays it up. If it does not go in, he gets the put back since he is right in position for the rebound put back. Therefore teams build a 3-man wall at the free throw line to stop Giannis. Amen is just a shorter version. Jalen Green can do the same if a Sengun defender is not camped out in the paint protecting the rim. Dante played well at Center, in 18 minutes had 9 rebounds, +2 (+/-), couple of lob threat dunks.....which helped Reed unlock his game. I've always said that Sengun is the problem as not being a 3-point shooters of lob threat. Providing that vertical lob threat spacing. Giannis can be in the paint and lob threat. Amen can be in the paint and a lob threat. Sengun not so much. To me Jabari can play at SF but he also has the tight hips. You know I would have preferred Jerami Grant or Cameron Johnson. Grant played great next to Jokic and it's hard to judge Grant on two tanking teams since. No player looks good on a tanking team. We have the: *older star divas that want a contract near $55M....subject to more injuries. *middle of the road.... ** *younger stars/potential stars.....their teams not not letting them go. **the Jerami Grant, John Collins, Cameron Johnson are not over the hill and don't demand $55M. That's who I am focused on. Giannis is the one star I might target, but I'm guessing it has to be $33M Sengun contract plus others to match the Giannis contract.
If we don’t trade Sengun, I think the archetype you are targeting is the right move. Not sure I love the guys you have identified especially Grant, but I get the gist. Collins is my favorite of those 3. Could Naz Reid feel that role, or is he too slow footed? We would have to out-bid the Wolves which wouldn’t be easy. Boston is going to have to break up their team eventually. Any possibilities there? Let’s say we have the 9th pick in the draft. Who would be ideal for the role, even though it probably wouldn’t pay off next year?
Cam Johnson would look good as a Rocket if he focused on Amen-Sengun. I'm not too happy with his defense slipping in Brooklyn, but he's a shooter. If not looking at stars, I'm partial to: Keon Ellis Rai Hachimura Nickeil Alexander-Walker Naz Reid Whether internal or external, I think Amen will need someone to help on the ball either as a primary or secondary ballhandler.
Didn't include: Washington, Charlotte, Utah, New Orleans, Toronto and Brooklyn because they don't seem interested in getting to 30 wins. No idea what Philadelphia will end up doing. ____________________________________ 8. Chicago................24 - 37 9. San Antonio.........25 - 34 10. Portland.............28 - 34 11.Suns (Hou)..........28 - 34 ...Atlanta (Spurs)......28 - 33 13.Dallas..................32 - 30 14.Minn (Utah).........33 - 29 15.Orlando................29 - 33 16.Miami (OKC)........29 - 31 17.Clippers (OKC).....32 - 28 ...Sacramento (ATL)..32 - 28 19.Warriors (Miami)..33 - 28 ____________________________________ Have to hope that Portland wants to be in the Play In and thus swap places with Dallas. Phoenix does have a tough schedule to finish the season, so there is still hope they can stay in the neighborhood of #10. Not expecting much help from San Antonio and Chicago.
I would be really nervous if we traded for Giannis. Like, I'd get it, he's still an MVP-contending player. But he would cost a ton of assets (like probably all or nearly all of our tradeable draft picks, Sengun, and maybe one more young player). The fit is about as bad as it gets for a top 5 player, and he hasn't exactly been all that healthy the last few years, and just turned 30. That's the type of trade that can really blow up in your face if you're a GM. It could also win you a championship. Quite the gamble.
Agreed. Big gamble, but Giannis and Amen is probably better than Amen and Sengun. It would be hard to pass up. You would absolutely have to sign a big that can shoot 3’s.
Giannis not playing for Rockets without Alperen. And perhaps not without Amen either. Those are the only 2 Rockets he's praised each time they've played.
The Lakers don't care because they aren't eligible to pay Luka the supermax. So they don't have to. Wolves got rid of KAT to attempt to manage that 2A. It is rough. You can't add MLE players or aggregate in trades, so the only option is to draft (if you have picks), min salary, or move your contracts to upgrade - which uses the only real way of adding affordable talent (tour picks). Oh, and if a 2A team for 3 out of 5 years your first round draft pick is automatically 30. Let's see how it plays out - I imagine we see teams ducking it.
Giannis loves Amen + Alperen. "At the end of the day like you don't want to have a league that's soft," Antetokounmpo said when asked about the play. "I love guys that play hard. I love guys that they're great competitors." "I'm one of those guys. Sometimes your competitive nature gets in the way [of] making the best decision, the best judgment at the time. And I feel like he wanted to make it a hard foul, but he grabbed my neck. But there's no hard feelings." https://www.si.com/nba/bucks/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-loved-amen-thompson-s-flagrant-foul
Giannis is still hunting championships, he would not agree a trade to Rockets if it means losing Alp or most of core talent. All stars want to play with other all stars + on winning teams.
Like many here, I wanted Naz Reid to be a Rocket last summer. Naz has a player option this summer. He would be opting out of $15M. Can have the same role here. If the Rockets are not in position to draft Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper, I would like the Rockets to move back in the draft. There are 4 players in looking at: Rasheer Fleming ( PF ) 6'9", 4.3 (3PA), 42.9% (3P%) [power, bouncy, shot tends to come across body] Danny Wolf (C/PF) 7'0", 3.0 (3PA), 33.7% (3P%) [ PG skills] Johni Broome (C/PF) 6'10", 2.1 (3PA), 29.0% (3P%) [power, looks like he can develop a 3Pt shot] Alex Karaban (SF/PF) 6'7", 6.0 (3PA), 34.0% (3P%) [elite spacer, put defenders around him to help] ___________ Fleming Wolf Broome (Steven Adams is a free agent this summer) Karaban (I wanted him last year but he returned to college)
these guys are all late 1st rounders. Could probably acquire a late 1st relatively easily. I’d like to use our pick as part of a package for a significant upgrade if it’s not in the top 4. Or else we should convert the pick into a future asset. I don’t see a rookie getting on the court for this team next year unless there is a significant consolidation trade.
Unless Rockets have top 4 pick, I'd advocate trading to middle 1st round for 2026 FRP. This would give Rockets greater flexibility in consolidation trade. And Fleming, Wolf or Mikes Byrd would be great fits on this current team. But the most glaring need on this team are trades for elite 3P shooting + a superstar perimeter creator.
Yes I agree, but teams like to have a backup on guys that are headed into free agency. Steven Adams UFA VanVleet (team option of $40-something Mil) Reed Sheppard drafted in anticipation plus Amen learning point. Jalen Green asked to learn combo guard stuff. Jabari eligible for an extension at end of this season (as Jalen & Sengun were last summer) Leverage. Tari eligible for an extension at end of this season (as Jalen & Sengun were last summer) Leverage Tate is UFA Jeff Green is UFA McVeigh, I believe is a free agent this summer. I see Karaban as a replacement.
