The Rockets are headed for mediocrity much quicker than everyone realizes. Amen has a puncher's shot of being a top 10 player but will likely be a superstar defender with a limited offensive game. Sengun is projecting to be a continual all star level guy (everything depends on how much further he can improve with his limited physical attributes, he's undersized at the five and nothing is going to change that, adding a reliable 3 point shot could change things so your view on him is really the X factor, I'm lower on him now than i was a year ago despite the all star appearance). No one else out of the drafted 7 is projecting to be more than a role player. I'm glad Jabari shot 45% from three in 10 MPG in a playoff series, he can't put the ball on the court and make a play, his handles just won't ever be good enough to be a self creator. Tari has not made any significant strides which is dissapointing. Whitmore throws fits on the bench. Jalen is the most up and down player i can ever remember. Reed Sheppard had 5 or 6 good games but appeared timid and undersized in many others. This is an actual MVP level player in their prime. No one on this roster will reach these heights. They just don't have it. The Spurs have a much better core going forward with a potential MVP level guy. The Mavericks have a player coming in on a different stratosphere. The Thunder have a better core. The Rockets are on a quick path to becoming a treadmill team or at best a perennial 4/5 seed. I'm glad they were the 2nd seed separated from the play-in by 3 games. They lost to a better team that was the 7th seed. If you watched every game, you would know other than Amen's hot streak there was nothing even remotely jaw dropping about any particular player's play. Even as a very raw rookie, you can see Giannis was destined for stardom. Only Amen would flash like this in highlight videos at this time. I think you make sure you keep Amen and you try to keep as many of the other 6 prospects as you can and hope that 4/5 picks is enough to compensate but sadly, I think you make this aggressive move now and compete for the next 3 years and then re-assess because while things can change season to season OKC/San Antonio/Dallas do all appear to have the brighter future, strike now and try to grab a championship because like we saw in the Harden era, those aren't easy to come by and right now there is a very short window with no absolute dynasty. Boston is out of the picture next year and the Thunder appear very beatable. Obviously, the best case scenario is Sengun and Amen stay and the Rockets find a way to get Giannis added to those three and figure out spacing later, but it's sadly not realistic. An added benefit from having an ACTUAL superstar in their prime is whichever prospects are still here will benefit more than you can imagine. Giannis makes teams pay when they double him. Every single player who is still here will benefit from Giannis and it's possible someone out of Jabari/Jalen/Sheppard/Whitmore/Eason take a huge leap and become an allstar themselves just due to the amount of attention Giannis will take.
Unfortunately FVV is likely here to stay for the next few years. Running it back would consist of Reed getting more and more minutes behind FVV to the point he is on the floor more than FVV. They should move Jabari back into the starting lineup and let Amen start at the 3. They should also be looking for an upgrade to Jalen.
I actually agree with this take. People keep talking about "shortening our window" like Amen and Sengun are remotely on a level with their peers as future stars. I'm not convinced they will even have a window in their prime, they're not those tier of players. Giannis is. He's a top 3-5 player in the NBA. As long as we could retain enough of our team to stay competitive and swap a couple other pieces out for fit, Giannis actually gives us a window. See if we can get 1 now and then try and find someone that'll help us compete in the West once Giannis is done.
If the package for Giannis is Alperen + Bari or Tari + Cam + all the picks it is heavily Bucks fav trade.
Amen, if healthy, will be good enough on offense to be a #1 option on a contending team. He's flashed some really special things as a downhill scorer, it's just a matter of getting that jump shot going and continuing to polish his offensive game--both of which I think he will do. For me it's more a question of "when" and "for how long" than "if". So with that in mind, if I'm Stone, I'm wary about completely exploding the roster and our flexibility for Giannis. I want to be able to build around Amen during his peak years. I think there's a price where it makes sense though. But I'm not shipping out like, Sengun + Jabari + Tari + every single draft pick we're allowed to trade, or any package approaching that. I'm offering Sengun, Tari, and a few FRPs, take it or leave it.
Yeah this is fair. I don't think we can do it if we just become Giannis' new underperforming team. But if we can do it whilst retaining the majority of what we have to either keep to compete or swap out for a better fit then it's worth it with the current landscape what it is.
Yea with much thought better to just keep the team. Hope they do, but im sure there alot of temptation Hell its Giannis 2nd best player in the league. but .... Yea Houston better off gathering assets and not gutting the team wait until the right star becomes aval.. Giannis is probably going to be injury prone and hes 31? He is going to cost alot to obtain. You talking about losing most of your team Identity just to what pair him with Jalen ? lol Probably not what he will want either, than you probably lose most of our bench that was reason the rockets where a 2nd seed to began with Bari and Eason defense. So it may be expensive. if he comes to the west it probably be spurs. They have so many picks they could throw at Milwaukee, and im sure they will They will be the next dominate force for long time with okc right behind is Houston, once they figure out the SG job, and either move Green to 6th man role or trade him .
Upgrade the shooting guard spot and move Amen to the 3. Bring Jabari back to start at the 4. Reed plays more in year 2 and we have a real shooting guard that takes load off of FVV and Sengun to score. we do that we’re ready for battle
Feel like the Rockets are in purgatory. An obvious trade that makes us much better doesn't seem out there at this point, but The team as-is has some serious offensive flaws. I mean, we couldn't beat the Spare Parts Warriors, who got dusted by the T-Wolves. Both major routes that the team could go on have some significant risks.
I'm assuming this probably stems from the notion that the Rockets have the best current young player that they would be WILLING to offer in a deal in Sengun or Jalen. The Bucks have no ability to tank unless they get their picks back from NOLA. So folks here are assuming the Bucks will be wanting to center this deal around getting a player, or players back who will help them remain competitive, get younger, and also give them abilities to develop young talent they cannot get in the draft with their own picks. Probably still is the Rockets unless Milwaukee is in love with Fox with SA, OKC puts Chet or Jalen Williams in the deal, or there is a NOLA 3 way deal that sees Zion and their picks go back to Milwaukee, and Zion is who they target. Otherwise Sengun and Jalen are probably the best two players for their needs. ... Also as a side, I think the NBA betting markets are suspect for insider trading type of sketch. So it's not something to write off later on, but at this point I do still think it's kind of early and probably just based on speculation of who has the best young win now player to offer, and as of now.. that's Houston, and it doesn't seem close.
Can't say I agree at all. I think you're underestimating Amen's third year leap and his future. Spurs might have the best prospect in the world in Wemby, but that doesn't make us stuck on the mediocre treadmill.
Amen is a far better scorer in his second season than Giannis' second season. In the playoffs Amen put up 16 points on 12 shots > Giannis 3rd NBA season was 17 points on 12 shots. Stop putting a cap on our players. You've never seen them in mediocre spacing. People want to keep acting like they knew Giannis would be a 30ppg scorer when not even the Milwaukee fan base expected that. Giannis offensive career took off from the moment they took the C out of the paint. First John Henson at C and then Brook Lopez. Since his 3rd season no one has ever occupied the paint while Giannis is on the floor. Before that he had not eclipsed 17ppg in 3 seasons. It's so stupid. All the things we're going to do to make Giannis function (stagger Amen, put 4 shooters around them, play at a fast pace) >> this stuff would improve our own players too. In fact it's exactly what they need in order to collapse the defense more often. They put our young guys in a suffocated offense and then went like "nah none of them will ever be that good". So so stupid.
Yea it really does depend on the trade package. I see them actually wanting Fred because they need vet pg because dame is out. So if it was something Like Fred, Jalen, Jabari Smith and 3 first. You might actually have a deal. Anything more than that they will dismantle most of what rockets built. Sengun, Giannis, Brooks, Whitmore, Thompson Sheppard, Eason, Thats a nice team.
Rox went 2 games against a Butler-less GSW....still managed to win 1 on a hot shooting......Infamous 2nd Game.
As low as Green's stock is after the playoffs - I still think he's a way better running mate to Giannis than lane-clogger who can't space like Sengun. Also nobody wants Jalen now I'd guess.
