So. Move Jabari to SF. What it does is add a decent defensive big and another shooter. I wouldn’t even stop there. Trade FVV, Tari or Cam, #20 for Durant and let Jabari come off the bench. Amen, Durant, Jabari, Nat, Sengun. You have your closer and will have at least 3 shooters on the court at all times.
I generally agree those guys are all tradable in the right deal, but I would put Jabari the lowest on this list in terms of my desire to trade him. Even though I generally agree with your assessment of his talent level--he's kind of been just fine so far--I think a 6'11", two-way jump shooter is a pretty rare archetype that really fits extremely well with Amen and Alpi. As for whether we should consolidate--maybe? I don't think it would be a bad thing at all to trade two of these players (or one plus the #10 pick) for an upgrade to the rotation. But it depends on who we can get and who's going out. Our all-around youth does give us an advantage--other teams have to work to get better, but we will have some improvement just from guys developing. We don't have to make a deal. It's just that we'd probably be leaving some value on the table by letting players languish on the bench who are capable of more.
I think you have an unjustifiedly high opinion of Jalen Green (and i actually think youre a lot more measured than other posters). Going into his 5th year he has less to his name than Jordan Poole. We cant keep on crossing our fingers every year hoping his athleticism manifests into intelligence. Like people expected with Boogie Cousins or Michael Beasley. It's just not happening. There is likely a less than 5% chance Jalen ever develops into a star. Especially considering Amen and Sengun have surpassed him as the primaries. Reed is going to take his shots as well next year. We need to start developing around our franchise players with players that actually accent them and not detract from them (which is what Jalen does at this point as a ball dominant, unintelligent, streaky, small, inefficient shooter). Another target is Charlotte at #4. Do they really want to develop another rookie or get someone that can help now? Because VJ Edgecomb is absolutely tantalizing to me as a sort of micro-Amen with better shooting. Jalen is also good insurance to run the offense when Ball misses his standard 40 games. #10 - Green - Eason or Whitmore - Landale for #4 - Salaun - Nurkic Basically trying to get the dumb players off this team.
If they take the Cam option I'd do that in a second. Not sure Jalen's enough to jump us up to #4 though, it'd be great if he was.
Knowing the league is corrupt… we get the wink wink next lottery Jaylen Green For Rui Hachimura & Gabe Vincent sign Grimes. Bring him home on a fair 3yr contract.
Rockets in: Cam Johnson, HOU 2025 1RP Nets in: Dillon Brooks, BRK 2027 1RP Nets exchange one of a surplus of 2025 1st round picks (would prefer MIL pick at #19) for their own pick in 2027 via swap. Rockets upgrade from Brooks and can package the 2025 PHX pick with salary (FVV, Landale, etc.) and maybe another pick (future HOU 1RP or either 2029 PHX/DAL 1RP) to get Kevin Durant, a Trailblazers trade package (Simons, R.Williams, Thybulle), a Bulls trade package (K.White, Lonzo Ball, Collins but would prefer Vucevic) or some other feasible trade package. Phoenix/Nets trade PG: Thompson, Reed SG: Green, Whitmore SF: Johnson, Eason PF: Durant, Smith C: Sengun Trailblazers/Nets trade PG: Simons, Reed SG: Green, Whitmore SF: Johnson, Eason, Thybulle PF: Thompson, Smith C: Sengun, R.Williams Bulls/Nets trade PG: K.White, Reed SG: Green, Whitmore SF: Johnson, Eason, Ball PF: Thompson, Smith C: Sengun, Collins
Dallas won the lottery after a lopsided trade that helped the league and we stayed in the top 3 for year after year after Harden was sent to the Nets and sent the proceeds to the Cavs. Both helped the league with marketing and balancing out the league. so the lottery in return helps the teams that help the league with higher lottery picks.
Still a couple of years but it's time to look at weeding out who the team and management have had enough time to get a good assessment of and while other teams still think they are young enough or have potential enough to be molded in their image.
I view Jayden as a budding superstar in the right system.Think what a pair of Luka and him could be. Jorden needed Pippen. Stockton & Malone. Green is not alpha but he is a top beta. We have seen Green have stretches of brilliance. MVPish at times. Think about supernova Green getting Laker and Warrior officiating it just keeps leveling up Green is a cash cow that has never been milked. Think about the Philippines and how much money the Lakers could bring into the league. Jaylen and his mannerisms if marked in the right way could tap into yet another potential market. More money.
I don't disagree with that ... but it also shouldn't preclude the team taking a shot at a lottery talent, especially when the team lacks a #1 option and that lottery pick is the best way to acquire said #1 option. Jakucionis & Demin both have that potential as lead guards .... We have time to develop them before the core of the team reaches prime time. Everyone seems to believe that at some point we must / will trade for that #1 option but who knows when or IF that ever happens - there likely has to be a star that wants to be here and then the outgoing assets - what remains in the ashes of that? Until we have that #1 option, we need to keep taking swings in the lottery every chance we get and who knows when the next opportunity will be? PHX may not be as dysfunctional next year, That Dallas pick no longer looks like a guaranteed lottery pick, The Brooklyn pick might not be as early if they get this draft right ....
Lmao ok, jalen and luka have nothing in common. One is the 4th best player in the league one has never sniffed the top 50 (or top 100 even).
Good points and I'm not against using the pick if they see a guy they are sold on. My question was if y'all saw anyone in that 10th pick range who was superior to anyone we have drafted in the list above it. I am sure someone later than the top 3-4 players will be a legit player but who knows. What i'd love to see everyone's thoughts on is if Jalen, Jabari, Tari, Cam and Reed were in this draft but we only knew about them what we knew when we drafted them, where do you think they would rank in the first round vs the current crop of talent.
It is both. Acting like the window hasn't started just shortens the window the same as trading too many picks can shorten the window on the other end. Amen and Sengun are already really good and well underpaid. If Stone can't find good deals, sure waiting would be good fallback. After 2 more seasons, it is going to be much harder to add talent externally as Amen's next contract should push the Rockets easily into the 1st apron. This assumes no consolidation trade. I get the Rockets lost in the first round, but they are still likely in the 2nd tier of teams despite not fitting, playing 2-3 non shooters often, and not having a player that is currently an offensive engine. I would not plan on Amen and/or Sengun not being ready next season.
My contention simply refutes the idea that we don't have time to develop a draft pick this year, Some don't like the idea of picking a high ceiling prospect that's going to need a year or two to develop and rather want to trade the pick or draft a higher floor older prospect who can contribute right away. We still have time to develop players between now and when Sengun / Amen / Jabari reach their prime years - even if a guy doesn't get a lot of minutes as a rookie, this team is 2-3 years away from those guys being at their absolute best.
Another situation why there is a confusion about the window and Udoka ain't sure if he should develop or straight up play his 8 man rotations.
