I guess most of the fans here got it wrong. The Rockets actual core is Sengun, that’s it. Jalen has a chance to fit around that core, his theoretical skill set certainly fits, but he has until February to realize that theory or else he will be trade bait just like anyone else that’s not part of the core.
I'd add Brooks. Not a star player, but if Sengun is a core member, Brooks needs to stay as well. I'm hoping Tari, Jabari, and Amen turn into the defenders and shooters/cutters Sengun will need around him I will say while I'm not surprised by Sengun's scoring, I am surprised he's already scoring as well as he is, getting as many assists as he is, while cutting his turnovers per minute with essentially just adding FVV as an offensive help. I was also expecting Brooks to be a bad fit offensively with Sengun, but Brooks has sacrificed a lot of the opportunities he took in Memphis to let Sengun and FVV cook. I don't like not having a rim protector at the 5 or switchable 5 in the Bam role, but having Brooks and FVV have really stregthened the defense more than I expected with Sengun, Smith, and Green still starting. FVV on the nail has really mitigated a lot of the need for a rim protector. Hoping Amen can learn that from him.
The way I define core is the piece that we build everything else around. Brooks as a wing defender and shooter is absolutely someone we need to keep, but he is a piece that fits around the core piece and accentuates the core’s strength and mitigates its weaknesses. Same for the theoretical versions of Jalen and Jabari, a slasher/shooter and 3/D forward, both archetypes fit around our core -Sengun- but neither have realized their potential yet, they are just theories, and can be replaced by other slasher/shooters and 3/D forwards. What cannot be substituted is Sengun, an elite scoring/facilitating big, there are only two others in the entire league and Sengun has already surpassed one of them, that’s why he is the core that we build everything else around.
Instead of being happy that your team found a core piece, the Sengun deniers are mad that they were wrong. It’s never about the team and only about themselves. Keep hoping that Sengun has a bad game and spite your fandom for your own pride’s sake. Peak narcissism.
100% percent, what you hope is the org is leaning into that and building around Sengun, clearly IMe has figured it out, now we have to find players that can mitigate his weaknesses, can give him space to operate by hitting the 3pter and can guard on the perimeter to keep him out of foul trouble. And ATM - Bari is more core, than Green - even though both still have a shot at being there. And they are missing the joy of a blossoming star player - Sengun is so fun to watch..... DD
Alpi-ime-tari are keepers Bari and amen are most likely keepers Green to be seen, higher ceiling than bari imo but needs to figure some things out Too early to say anything for cam. Hopefully not another jc.
The core is JGreen/Alp/Tari/Bari+'23 pick (either Amen or Cam) Sengun and Tari are the best within but team needs JGreen/Bari and '23 pick to improve to be in championship level. Hope they will.
The Rockets are a defensive team right now. Sengun as a core piece only works if he fits defensively around a defensive core piece like Brooks. Taking out the centers, there just aren't many players that can anchor a defense. Brooks has done a lot better than I expected. The Rockets don't work without either one. Right now FVV is an important 3rd piece that will need to be replaced as he has been so important offensively with Sengun and defensively with Brooks.
Sengun is the only one confirmed to be a core piece. The rest are still up for evaluation. So far the other young guys are too inconsistent for me to say yeah these guys deserve to be part of the core. The core means untouchable, like MJ and Pippen or GSW Big 3. Sometimes the core is just one dude like Houston Harden or Hakeem. You bring in pieces to supplement the core like Fvv or Brooks but the core should be the guys you wouldn't trade except for another superstar. Honestly I'm just happy at least one of the prospects we have panned out, it puts us alongside OKC, SAS and Orlando as rebuilding teams who found their guy. Next step for us would be to continue evaluation of the new other young guys and then start building around the core to make a contender in the next couple of years.
He is the All Spark. He is not the Core but powering the Core so more important than the actual Core.
Jabari, I think, was pretty good last night against the dubs. He just needs to keep working on his game and let it come to him. It is great to see how he has found his spot on the elbows where he is becoming automatic. He is also getting in the mix in off and def rebounds so a little more seasoning should make him a valuable piece of the puzzle. Even Jalen is showing some aspects of his game other than scoring that look promising. I really believe that more time playing together with Alp, FVV, and DB will improve everybody's game dramatically.
This. For some, it literally seems like it makes them angry that a Rocket does well, because it would be more important to them that "they were right" than that the team succeeds.
Do SOFs even want any more "core pieces" ??? Just give Sengun four 3&D jags and get out of the way right?
