Some thoughts on the Rocket's rebuild, their timeline, and the draft

Elvis has re-entered the building!

Great post, too. I'm with you... keep rebuilding via the draft till we have a couple of young stars to work with. Don't get impatient and make stupid moves that will keep us on the mediocrity treadmill for another decade. The build-through-the-draft approach makes even more since with a GM who's shown an eye for spotting talent.

Just put on your flak jacket and get ready for the deluge of posts telling you that our window to win is NOW and that we need to trade for Mitchell, Bridges, Zion, etc. to contend NEXT season.

 

You are basically saying this team has about a 5 year window that will open in a few years. If you trade for a 27 year old All-NBA player, you are actually extending that window. That player is your centerpiece and Sengun is one of the supporting all-stars or two. Eventually, Sengun or another drafted player (Amen?) becomes All-NBA and the other player is in a support role or has relinquished that spot to another player. This scenario extends your 5 year window into 7-8 years. I don’t disagree with most of what you’re saying, but it’s not the only way. We can’t be too stubborn to make a move for a great player if the opportunity presents itself.

 

I agree in theory, but fear the "opportunity presents itself" part will limit us to "great players" with flaws: Mitchell, Zion, etc. It's really rare when a player without obvious baggage of some kind becomes available.

 

If you look at the history of trading for great players, the teams aren’t giving up much. Those future picks are usually in the 20s, if they convey at all. And the players given up are generally contract filler. The flaws of the player go into the negotiated price. You might never draft the type of player that you’re waiting for and lose some of the talent currently on your roster because you’re just spinning your wheels.

 

After Westbrook, I never want a star with glaring flaws again. Especially at the cost of young core pieces or future draft picks.

 

There are only so many spots in the rotation. If you want to give young guys an opportunity to develop and you're reluctant to trade future picks, then at some point you have to draft for fit. That goes double for this particular draft, where no one can definitively say that Sarr or Buzelis or whoever will be a better pro than Sheppard.

 

nice post. thank you thank you very much

 

Just had to throw it out there since he had zero All NBA or supporting All-Star players.....

 

A lot of ya keep saying amen Thompson with potential to be all star while I do agree. I have a feeling cam Whitmore will be too

 

I generally agree with most of what you've mentioned. I only have a few caveats:

• I think of lotto picks like all star chances. I think trading 1 or 2 lotto picks and other smaller assets for a realized all star that's in their prime or younger is a good deal. But, I agree, these all in moves where you trade multiple picks and multiple swaps are not the way to go, especially when you have such a young unproven team.
• There are instances where trading for stars worked. Kevin Love, AD, Kawhi, Paul Gasol, etc. If you win even a single championship, it's a success. But, this only works when the team has at least 1 all nba player after the deal is done.
• What you described is not actually building around Sengun. Building around him would be prioritizing role players that fit his style of play above all else, even trading young promising prospects if they don't fit. I'm not advocating for that. I think we should be drafting BPA, with a hedge towards superstar upside, like you mentioned. I think the rockets agree or else they wouldn't be so high on Amen.

 

I'm excited next seaon for Amens and Cams improvement

if Bari can significantly improve one aspect (his shooting efficiency) from his rookie to sophomore year,

I believe Amen and Cam can significantly improve at least one aspect of their games as well

doesn't necessarily have to be 3 PT% for Amen he can start with his FT% and 15 ft jumper FG%

and for Cam not necessarily be visionary playmaker but start with awareness, passing, connector passes, hockey assists

 

Look and tell me how Boston and Dallas built their rosters and that's what I want Stone to do.

 

Great post. I think Sengun is a future all-star and we should be thinking about him as a key, long-term piece. I think the other likely allstar caliber players on the roster are Amen and Cam. So we’ll see how they develop. But I completely agree that we should continue to take shots in the lotto, and hold tight to those Brooklyn picks.

on the flip side, we do need to make some tough decisions so guys like Tari, Cam, and Amen can get minutes. These 3 absolutely need to play. I’d be looking move off Brooks. I think he’s served his purpose, and I was never okay with 4-yrs guaranteed at that money.

 

Both have potential to be superstars.

 

I'd say it more generously, Brooks was necessary for our jump last season. Tari was hurt and the rookies weren't ready. He was also the dude to say something when DeRozan clobbered Jalen Green. But the young guys need to play for us to take another jump, and the minutes have to come from him. I mean, unless Jalen Green is awful for an extended period or there are injuries.

I think we ideally trade him at the deadline next season, but if he cashes his paychecks and plays nice with a reduced role that's fine by me. A salary cap doctor could have issues with him staying... I don't know what matching Sengun and Green looks like if they hit RFA, and I think they will.

 

For more off season thoughts:

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/rockets-2024-offseason-thread.322935/page-30#post-15237101

 

I do agree he needs to pass a bit more lol kinda remind me of Melo’s ball hogging self lol

 

Wrong, Sengun has delayed the progress of his teammates.

Young players (in America especially) are not use to a PF or Center occupying so
much space near the paint, and it takes many years to adapt.

*Jamal Murray / Jokic = Jokic can step aside (to the 3-point line) and let Murray
operate with less clutter in the paint.

*Maxey / Embiid = Embiid can step aside (to the 3-point line) and let Maxey
operate with less clutter in the paint.

*Anthony Edwards / KAT = KAT can step aside (to the 3-point line) and let Edwards
operate with less clutter in the paint.

*Jalen Green / Sengun = Sengun has been no threat from deep from day one and is slow
and grounded while operating as "Dunker Spot", not a lob threat. I've said it for years
without wishing injury on anyone; but it didn't surprise me how Jalen Green played
after Sengun went out last season.

Post up game by a big is not often run by most high schools or colleges for a reason.