I don’t think it needs to be defined, but rather, it was wrong word to use for one player. I’d use Centerpiece. And I say that with belief that not all teams even have a Centerpiece, and yes, there can be more than one centerpiece, and yes, you can trade one centerpiece for another. And I further believe core is a broader term, whereby roles players can definitely be part of a contending core, but they are never what you’d call a centerpiece. Centerpiece to me means, all the other players are just pieces of the puzzle. And we evaluate them on fit with the Centerpiece.
Lol, that's what I love about you guys, you take a statement at one point in time and assume it's meant as something that is the case forever. A good example, earlier this season I say Jalen Green is playing like the worst player in the NBA.... because he was. Now that's not the case right now, but that statement that was true at the time will come up again as if I said it now. It's just so simple minded.
I think those are important distinctions. I don't think the Rockets have a centerpiece, but they have a 3 core players imo. You'd drop any of those guys for a true centerpiece..... but aside from that, they should all stick around.
Green, Sengun, Jaygup. I like Porter more as a 3. I also have some questions about his body language and on court leadership combined with his past. But he is a solid player no doubt and I see many scenarios where he is part of the core. KMJ also could be a long term fit. He seems to fit and play well with Sengun. I see it as this Sengun/ TBD (Holmgren or Smith)/KMJ KPJ/TBD Jaygup/TBD Green/TBD Nix and Garuba being wildcards that could certainly fill spots.
Core is not untouchable, but say miraculously in 4 years, a Rocket team is in the playoffs, core to me at least have to be a starter on that playoff team. If we take someone like a KPJ, and put him on a current contender: Bucks, Celtics, Heat, 76ers, Suns, Warriors, or even the Jazz, KPJ wouldn't be a core, he would not be a starter on those teams.
Whatever issues Watson has, they are not on the field related. If he wasn't a scumbag he would have been the franchise qb of the next decade for the team.
Jalen green is not the worst player in the league ? Them some cult talk there. Are you trying to get admission?
Well, at least after missing a layup, the kindergarten pout under the basket while the other team runs out a score at the other end has become...well, more of a shucks, shake-his-head, shi*-eating-grin-and-jog while the other team hustles back. Progress?
Sure, that's true, of course the comment being quoted was only taking about a time during the preseason of his rookie season and was not intended to be a "for all time" kind of comment....but you know how some of the simple minded around here get. It's like telling someone it's 5:30 PM only to have them come back 5 years later at midnight trying to dispute the comment because it's no longer 5:30 PM
When you think CORE - You think of the YAO MING Rockets YAO was the Core Cuttino and Francis were CORE Adjacent - These are people you build with but if the right deal comes along . .. they out TMAC - was Core Adjacent I think Green is CORE Sengun and KPJ are Core Adjacent Rocket River
If I had said that a few months ago when he really was playing like the worst player on the league..... like you probably did, then sure. Today, no one argues that he's still playing as the worst player in the league. He's put together several good games to bounce back to 31% from 3 and not always pathetic on defense. He's gone from being a -20 for his team when he's on the court to merely a -12 for his team when he's on the court. It took a lot of good play to cut into the hole he dug for himself the first half of the season
I think building around Green as the core would be like building around Francis as the core. I prefer the "centerpiece" and "core" distinctions. All of Green, KPJ, and Sengun are core, but none are centerpiece caliber like Yao was, like Lebron was, like Harden was, like KD was. We just don't have that guy yet..... but most teams don't.
I can see that Francis was THE CORE . . .until we got YAO then he moved to the Adjacent position If we get CHET . . .does that push Green to the Adjacent position? Most appear to prefer the CORE be a big man Rocket River
In a way he was, but I'd have argued we didn't have a centerpiece back then. Building around Francis as the centerpiece was never going to work. That's why I'm all in for the tank, add Chet or Jabari to KPJ, Green, Sengun and you might have a monster team in a few years.
i looked at it as: who would i absolutely not trade, unless the return was so insanely incredibly you'd trade any player, including Green. And to me, that is both Green and Sengun. But otherwise i agree with you.
If Sengun was a bit bigger, a legit 7ft+... it would make me feel like he's 100% a keeper because he's so skilled at his age. As of now, I would still say Green and Sengun unless an offer for a young superstar was offered like someone of Morant's caliber, or even Zion.
False. There is only one true core member of the Houston Rockets. Spoiler A piece that has been retained across NUMEROUS build/re-build cycles. Spoiler KEITH JONES
There's a bit of fans loving their own guys. In a hypothetical, if Stone offered Green straight up to one of the following GMs, do you think they'd say yes? Pistons - Cade Cavs - Mobley Raptors - Barnes OKC - Giddy Magic - Suggs (they may say yes here) Wariors - Kuminga. (not sure if they even say yes here) For most of these, I think those GMs would keep their guys.
