Playing GM: From where we are today, if you HAD TO build around Sengun - how would you do it?

I don’t think Stone is not trying to build around Sengun already. The issue is the options he has to build with.

If you look at historically the big men he comps with like Pau Gasol for example, Stone knows he needs a Bynum or Lorenzen Wright to start next to Sengun to makeup for his deficiencies, but also not be a big deal if they don’t get minutes in the 4th because Gasol/Sengun have a matchup they can exploit at the 5. I think Stone has met that criteria for next year with Adams and was trying to meet that criteria earlier with the Brook Lopez courtship.

You also more than anything need shooting, and I think Stone is smart enough to know he needs to continue to bring in guys like Derrick Fisher/Holiday/FVV etc. to provide space to operate in the paint.

The main issue with the Rockets/Sengun build is the lack of a true 1A perimeter scoring threat. Jalen Green is no Kobe or anything close to it. He’s not a scorer or a creator who can consistently draw the attention of the defense. He’s more of an open court/pace scorer in spurts. Good role player in a bench scoring role ala Shannon Brown for the Gasol/Kobe Lakers as an example. That’s ideally the role Jalen would be playing if this was truly a contender.

So long story short, the Rockets just need to continue the build and at not continue to keep using perimeter players who aren’t working out. You are wasting time with Sengun and other solid role players who play their part like FVV, Brooks, and even Tari, Jabari, etc. as well. I think they’ve got a lot of good pieces but without a perimeter star player, you aren’t going very far, and you sure as hell aren’t unlocking Sengun’s potential because you can just load up the paint against him and attack him on the other end when he has to play the 5 defensively.

 

Stone should call up Presti and offer him Jalen Green for Chet.

Sam? Sam are you there? Sam?

...... dial tone.

 

I doubt we'd even be able to get Dort without throwing in several picks

 

There are a few on this site who would expect Stone to ask for Shai along with Chet for their precious Jalen Green.

 

OKC would laugh and collect their 1st round pick.

 

I still expect Green to hold some trade value but who knows at this point, as I understand the argument on both sides.

I’m thinking that we just packaged green with the Brooklyn pick to move up a few spots to get a preferred prospect.

 

keeping green and trying to develop him as a 15 20 minute guy makes most sense to me. We are not able to fight for a playoff spot anyway. Give more minutes to cam, amen, tari and develop all of them, do not prioritize green.
If over the summer green figures out a 3 pt shot, then he will still be very valuable. It is too early to give up on him but it doesn’t make sense to give the current usage to him.