The "franchise player" debate has been settled. It's Amen.

I had a laker fan friend of mine message with, wow this amen Thompson player is legit good.

I guess game 7 really showcased him to ppl who never check the Rockets.

 

So much better listening to him vs mumble Jalen.

 

@OremLK you started an interesting debate, but like others I'm not sure we can anoint anyone our franchise player yet.

Personally, I see Amen as a potential better version of Scottie Pippen if he continues his shooting improvements. He's a monster defensively and should gather more recognition around the league next year. The one area that I think is leading our team with right now and I saw it in his face/actions multiple times last night is the "Will to Win". He takes it personally and he's willing to put it on his shoulders as well. This trait is embedded in all the really great ones. Despite the loss, glimpsing that last night really is encouraging for how he'll continue to develop. Personally, I wouldn't trade him period. Not even for Wemby, who seems to be too fragile.

Now for Sengun, first I don't buy that he doesn't fit with Amen. Good players can play with other good players. I believe they compliment each other and that with improvement in their shooting this should only become more evident. What continues to disappointment with Alpi is his body language. On one play, FVV jacked up a 3 while Alpi was running open on the wing. He was noticeably upset, he's got to focus his energy on the next play. He's got to get tougher, he had the perfect role model in Adams to learn the big man ways. With that said, Alpi is an artist on the court (more sculptor now) and the more he expands his game the more lethal he'll become if he can adopt the warrior mindset with that, he's going to become a force.

I believe we have the foundation for a "smart" basketball team. I'd would really like to see us invest in talented players with high BBIQs. In Reed Sheppard we have our future PG, who will help meld the talents of Amen and Sengun. He has to get minutes next year to make mistakes and grow.

Jabari can play well with a group like that and has the requisite BBIQ although his situational awareness and ball handling need work. Everyone else can be had in a trade and I would focus 2025 Draft Pick on filling in around those four.

 

This comparison misses the mark. By a lot. Amen's already way ahead of where Iguodala was. He's got real guard instincts, the kind of passing you can't teach, and he's locking people up on defense like he's been doing it for years. If you're sleeping on Amen, you're making a mistake.

 

Comparing him to Iguodala is no slight. Iggy was a one-time All-Star and was named to the All-Defensive Team twice. He also won four NBA championships. Was he their best player? No, but he was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2015, which is PRETTY decent. Also won an Olympic gold medal and a FIBA world championship. Shawn Marion, by the way, was a four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA and a one-time NBA champion.

Amen hopes to one day do any of that ****. And I hope he does! There are some signs he will get to their level, like his true shooting percentage, which is thus far bit better than Iguodala's career ts% of 57.9%. (Personally, I'd love to see him match Iguodala's career 3pt% of 33%. Amen shot 27.5% this season on fewer attempts than Iggy averaged for his career.)

But I don't think it's fair to say that he's "already better" than Andre Iguodala, even if he flashes more potential at times. This was his first year starting, and it wasn't even a full season. For what it's worth, Iguodala and Marion also lost their first playoff series. (They were both rookies.)

 

Amen and Sengun will be a powerful duo. We just need a shooting guard and honestly the team is complete.

 

I think a lot of people overrate and underrate our players for various reasons, but as great as I thought Amen was/is, I would be ecstatic if he could become as good a player as Grant Hill pre-injury. Along with Penny Hardaway, Grant was one of the "next in line" for Jordan's torch. He was also quite possibly the most or one of the 3 most complete players I can think of. By that I mean, he could handle the ball, he could shoot the ball, he was a +++ defender, he could pass the ball/play point when needed, he was unselfish, had crazy good BBIQ, etc. He was Scottie Pippen evolved in my eyes.

Amen does a lot of the things Grant did, but maybe not at the same level, except defense where I think Amen may be even better. He's still raw in many regards while Grant was finishing top-3 in MVP voting by his 2nd or 3rd season behind MJ and Karl Malone. Amen's biggest step up would be to somehow find a jumpshot and a tighter handle which I think Hill was better at both. Grant was smooth as hell in both of those areas. Grant also never threw annoying opponents back at their own bench as if to say "take your garbage out", though he did pull Alonzo Mourning down and risk death.

Just like everybody else, I would love for Amen to get some kind of consistent outside game, though.

 

If Alpi moved as fast as he thinks, a GM could risk building a team around him and cover up his flaws.
Amen almost there but needs better shooting
Jabari has mental blockers and needs better shooting
Cam has tunnel vision and takes a lot of focus and effort to play well with others

All these guys can get better and match expectations, but extending FVV means they have a lot more maturing to do before handing the keys over anytime soon.

 

Can Amen and Jalen coexist? I feel like if you want Amen to grow then Jalen can't, but Jalen still needs polishing despite his flashes of greatness.

 

Maybe. But know who Amen can coexist with? Asur. Stine get it dine.

 

That’s some Jordan **** right there. Goosebumps.

 

yeah Amen’s got it. Just need an 18-20 ft J or 3.

 

took on 5 guys. That’s crazy!

 

polishing? he needs a major overhaul

 

I think it is premature to say amen is the franchise player, to dismiss Sengun as one or to claim that they don’t fit well. Sengun’s trajectory right now is second best player in a contender but who knows whether he can make a jump or fall down. As for the fit, Sengun makes the game flow, excellent playmaker his position. This can open up a lot if we have a pg who can drive to the rim and/or a shooting threat from our shooting guard. Amen can literally fit in with anything as long as you have good offensive coach.

 

@Jontro

the one in the middle
I think she might be the franchise

 

Issues with senguin have less to do with him and more coaching. They enable him to do stupid ****.

I also see very little development or polishing of players.

just look at their ****ing FTs

 

Well said.

Sengun ain’t it lmfao. Jalen is a high talent bust. Amen is horsecock and has a real chance.

@Snow Villiers

 

If the Internet and ClutchFans existed 40 years ago:

The Houston Rockets’ franchise player is Craig Ehlo!