It seems that many clutchfans believe that trading Sengun or Jalen is inevitable to better build around Amen. And most think it will be Sengun because he can’t shoot and we need better spacing. But I’m curious if anyone thinks the three could work together assuming: 1). Jalen becomes a perennial 36% 3pt shooter (he’s about there this yr) 2). Sengun never becomes a good shooter 3). Amen never becomes a good shooter 4). The other two starters are elite shooters What do folks think? Is it possible to win a chip with two non-shooters?
I swear I leave this forum for a few weeks and there's always some dumb post at the top when I come back. SO asinine.
We have not had an All-Star in half a decade, when we finally get one they will just trade him away? This is the same front office that has been too scared to choose any player outside of the draft position everyone else says they should be in. The same front office that just goes based on what ESPN says to draft, and too scared to even get a backup PG for injury insurance for Fred . This team has not had a home grown All-Star since Hakeem (drafted 40 years ago lol), yeah they will just move him for the next Tyson Chandler because that guy will be a better fit.
I don't know why people act as if this is a shocking question to ask. There is a inherent spacing issue with Amen and Sengun kn the floor together that this team needs to figure out of this is our "big three" going forward. Amen has shown marked improvement in two seasons with his jump shot so there is hope that eventually this problem will solve itself hopefully.
The beauty of Amen is that you don’t have to build around Amen. He can play literally any position and his shooting is quickly approaching passable. He is already close enough that I expect next season he will be able to consistently knock down a corner 3 and the variety of middies he takes. In any case he can’t be completely ignored on the outside because he can be inside dunking in a blink of an eye. Jalen is already heavily guarded everywhere on the court and Dillon, Fred, Jabari and Tari all need to be guarded at the 3. As @hp has shown, the spacing issues are at least as much from set design and execution as from shooting. So they can absolutely build a great team around Sengun, Amen, Green if all three keep the trajectory they are on. Especially Green - he’s the key as he is the only one capable of “clear out and let him have it” 3-level scoring in the crunch. He’s not there yet, but he’s close and getting closer. Cam in theory can be that also but he’s clearly a long way away based on total team play and attitude. But if (when) Jalen is fully there at top-10 SG level, it won’t even take elite shooters - just “keep everyone honest” level with good play design. All of that said, another 3-level scorer would help a lot. Durant as a bridge while we see how Green and Cam develop would be ideal.
There is no taking a shortcut. It's disrespectful to the basketball gods thinking you can skip the trials and tribulations the post season has to offer. In reality, The 77 Blazers were the last team to win with their core being around 24. Curry's 2015 team, 26 yrs. That means at least three more seasons of getting battle tested. I know the insufferable fans don't like hearing that, but the game is the game. Who knows. By then, everyone might request a trade. Is that what gets y'all excited more than enjoying the rise to contention. Seems so.
Sengun is allstar and the one of three best centers in NBA(others Jokic and Wemby) in terms of affecting and gravity. Jalen and Amen need to find ways to adapt to Sengun, not Sengun. l believe some morons in this thread still dont get it: lt is Sengun's gravity, iq that will make this team achieve its goals. All this double big line up is especially done for unleashing Sengun's creativity at 4, not for just defensive reasons. We have a center Who might avereage tripple double as stat.. 20 points, 10 points, 10 asists at worst.. if guards shoot better.. Sengun and Amen comes first, Jalen is still question mark.. Jalen does not give me enough trust to be starting SG for a contender or playoff level team. He needs to show me, still trade basit...
I think at least one of Amen and Alpi needs to become a passable shooter and Jalen's improvement needs to be sustained/built upon. Teams packing the paint against us has become a regular occurrence, and it works too well, too often, even when it's bad teams doing the paint-packing. In the playoffs it's going to get even tougher against locked-in, elite defenses who are heavily gameplanning for us. I think Amen is going to become a shooter though. He's progressed by leaps and bounds in just a single year in the league. He'll get there by year four or five, and that will unlock everything for him to become our primary ballhandler/initiator. I definitely wouldn't trade Alpi away at this time. That could be a future possibility, but cross that bridge when we come to it. Still have to let the core develop a bit and see how things turn out before we make any permanent decisions like that.
If by "most think it'll be Sengun" you mean the 5 Jalen superfans that half this board has on ignore?
I have little doubt Amen will develop as an outside shooter. Alpi absolutely must eliminate the yips and make defenses pay for every wide open 15-ft or less jumper they offer him. He does not need a 3-pt shot (sure, it would help). If the Rockets ride this core into the future, the only way they win a championship is if one (or both) of Amen or Jalen develops and becomes the clear alpha on offense.
I think Amen will naturally become the alpha and I think Jalen will become a solid #2 with streaks of popping off I really liked Sengun but this year has rubbed me the wrong way and the double big line up shows maybe we could get away without him / paying him. I would really like to draft Maluach as a possible plan B. Sengun looks like he can barely jump sometimes and I’m not paying him to be a PF with no outside shot
Very good post! If all things stay the same; 1) Assuming Amen is the PG 2) Assuming we get a center to play next to Sengun who can spread the court. 3) And assuming we get a shooter at the SF position but Brooks is doing a good job as of now
