Lopez would be an ideal backup for Alpi as a vet rim protector and 3 point specialist. The two could have shared the court also depending on matchups. If Brook didn’t balk on our offer this would certainly be a top 6 team in the west this year.
The problem is Brook was not going to be backup for Alpi if he signed with the Rockets. We're talking about the front office that benched Alperen Sengun for Bruno Fernando.
Yes. Lopez would have been the backup. But the same people who advocated for starting Bruno Fernando over Sengun automatically assumed Sengun would have gone to the bench, behind Lopez.
Confirmed: All starters except Brooks should be benched. All bench players except Eason should start.
Exactly !!! Because we all know +/- is the most important single game stat there is. Plus Ime has been horrible at distributing minutes anyway. I'm starting to question his basketball acumen.
The Rockets would have moved Sengun to PF and started Lopez at center, with Jabari Smith moving to the bench. The contract amount the Rockets offered Lopez certainly wasn’t for him to come off the bench, nor would Lopez have considered coming here for a bench role unless he was guaranteed starters’ minutes either way.
If money got Dillon Brooks to take fewer shots, I'm sure money would convince a 35 year old to come off the bench.
But why would he when he could get paid elsewhere and start? The idea that we will land a good starting center to play backup minutes is laughable. People need to gain some perspective.
So if he maintains these averages until the end of the season he would finish with very similar production to Sabonis' last season, which was good enough for him to make All-Star & All-NBA Third Team. Hope he keeps it up! (And takes another step forward next season.)
He may have been aware Alpi would be starting soon if not immediately and that was a factor in his decision
Even in a backup role I didn't like the Lopez deal. Too much money to an aging center who's heart wouldn't be in it anyway. How's his defense holding up in Milwaukee anyway? We need a rim runner. Not sure who's been moving up the rankings but need to target a 7 footer to groom under Landale for next season. What's nice is when Amen comes around we can just pay Fred less on an extension and he can be the bench PG.
If we're going young, why not pursue Wiseman from Detroit or Bassey from San Antonio. Would prefer either of those guys to Kai Jones.
No Kai and no Wiseman. Landale is better in that he's not dumpster diving for opioids right about now. Landale is fine right now but need to draft a replacement. Don't mind Capela but don't want to give much more than a few seconds for him.
I think the main factor was Houston was not a playoff team. If he knew we’d play like this, he’d probably sign.
