Kelly Iko: The Rockets are not interested in breaking up their core for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Why are you ignoring the defensive side of the ball?

Chauncey Billups seems to disagree with you about him having taken a step back.

 

Did you watch the game yesterday? Portland was massively loaded up on him. The entire defensive scheme was geared towards Alperen.

If he isn’t a star, he certainly gets a lot of star treatment from opposing coaches.

I do agree that he has been underwhelming offensively this year. He is playing well below his potential. Then again, so are a lot of stars. A good chunk of this defensive leap feels real.

 

I literally said that he's improved on defense. How is that ignoring defense?

 

I believe that stat has only gotten up since then.

 

Ok, but that's not what he sees nightly.

 

So, your basing his poor shooting on 4.5 possessions per game where he's double treamed in the post?

 

Sengun's postups aren't elite. He didn't even average 1.0 ppp on postups last year or this year.
His postups are good but not great , just as I said.

Wemby and Chet are both better than Sengun. I think that most people would agree with that. They are probably the two best defensive centers in the NBA and both are versitsl on offense. Chet is injured right now but that doesn't change the fact that he's a better player.

Sabonis has better numbers across the board than Sengun both this year and last year. If you're looking at their actual performance, Sabonis has been better.

Not having a star is why we are prone to droughts and allowing big swings in the game. It's hard to be a contender without having a guy that you can count on game in and game out, quarter to quarter.

 

Alperen Sengun is not on the top of the opposing team’s defensive scouting report nightly?

Give me some of whatever you are smoking.

I’d love to see some real double teams data.

 

Show me where I said that. Are you under the impression that the only way to defend an opponent is a double team?

 

I think you are confusing being a primary option for a team vs being a star.

The worst team in the league has a primary option that opponents scheme for. Being one of the primary options for a team with no star players doesn't make you a star.

Likewise, do you understand that non star players also get double teamed?

 

As I have said, Udoka does not milk players, pause, except maybe Fred .....

Curious if you think Sabonis is a star because I only see him a lesser All Star.....

You are also right that Sengoon was abysmal in his first 5-6 games when Jalen Green had his best games and people called him a star.

Let's collect more data......for 50 games before we call players stars or not.

I also think the Giannis rumors are emerging because Sengün is neither a physical freak nor is a clear 7 footer or 7'1.

Giannis is both a 7 footer and one of the best athletes.

 

That's my point. Sabonis isn't a star but he has better numbers across the board than Alpi. Both this year and last. They are both good but not great players.

 

Sabonis is in his late 20s, 28.
Again, Sengun's numbers are on par with some of the superstars at their 22yr old timeline. Sengun made the first 2 leaps to be in the same position they were. Will he make that final leap? I believe so because he works hard for it, adding things to his game. But it can turn out that he won't. But some of y'all have your heads deep in the sand with the insincere bias. Let it play out.

 

Compare stats from both Sabonis and Sengun at the same age and you will see Sengun dominates. Sengun is pretty comparable to Jokic at the same age. This is year 4 of Sengun's career, with the first 2 being sabotaged by Sil@ss. Give it time.

 

How about Sabonis’s rim protection numbers?

Asking for a friend. This year and last.

 

I am not too hung up on the star tag as some are.....good thing Alperen is 22 and already in the conversation to become one, he is very close.

Sabonis is 28.

Sabonis does not keep the Kings afloat as Sengün had last season the Rockets, and that people could not take away from him pre-Injury.

 

I agree that Sengun needs to expand his game to be more effective. Of course Wemby and Chet are better. They were better prospects, they’re taller, better shooters and better defensively. I dont think anyone would objectively say different. For Sengun to maximize his potential he needs to perfect the mid-range and be respectable from long range. I’ve been very impressed with his defensive progress, but if he stays reliant on the post offensively, he’s going to get neutralized by guys like Clingan, Chet, etc. he’s only 22. I think he’s going to be a multi-time all star, but not until he extends that range…which I’m confident he will do. I’m positive he’s going to be better than Sabonis, but I have no issue with acknowledging he’s not gonna be Chet or Wemby. He has a very different skill set than all those guys though.

 

This is truth.

It needs to be the right one though, not just any one.

And I don't see a massive need to hurry and do it mid-season, unless it's indeed for the right one that finishes out a top-flight well-rounded roster.

 

No player ranked above him is younger than he is.