idk... i dont feel like Amen really needs space to operate under the basket... he seems to weasel his way in with little problem... and his ability to hang in the air until the defender returns to the ground also helps... Now Bari, yeh bari is worthless under a crowded basket... and too many hands and Alpi is getting stripped... but Amen seems to thrive amidst chaos... but put him on a breakaway transition drive with only 1 defender - and Amen has like a 25% chance of bouncing it outta bounds off his own knee... lol I think u can leave KD to defend the perimeter - IF he has someone like Adams under the basket for the blow-by... whereas Alpi is not that guy... The more i do the math... i keep coming up with Alpi is the guy who doesnt fit...
If Jabari gains some muscle, he can be the stretch 5 we need. People are looking for a stretch 5, and he's right before our eyes. I do think that besides gaining more weight, he needs to up his 3pt shooting to close to 40%. Right now, he is just average. He's not respected as an elite shooter (which he is not) that commands defensive attention.
I don't think you take into account how Amen's lack of shooting affects "everyone else." When he's in the dunkers spot teams can defend him and the other perimeter player with a single defender because they know he's either not going to shoot or if he does its an 80% chance its a miss. They just want to make sure he's not getting to the basket and are able to close out on the other shooter - especially if It's Jabari because it's very unlikely he puts it on the floor. That leaves the other 3 Rockets playing against 4 defenders. That's why KD and Sengun saw so many double teams.
The stretches they've tried it, he's been beyond terrible. I just don't think it's in his DNA to play the 5, whether he puts on weight or not. It's just not part of his game to play in the paint. I agree he needs to improve the 3 point percentage regardless of position, right now he's right at league average for a 4.
LeBron noted on Nash's pod that OKC has a lineup full of players that can shoot, pass and dribble. He says that is the key to beating SAS and Wemby. Meanwhile.... Amen can dribble and pass, but can't shoot Tari can't dribble, pass or shoot KD can shoot (elite) but can't dribble or pass Jabari can shoot but can't dribble or pass Sengun can pass but can't shoot or dribble particularly well There are just too many limited players in the lineup. You can have 2, maybe 3, in your lineup if they excel in other areas. I think they need to pick their main guys and fill in the lineup with more complete offensive players. To me, Amen is the sure keeper. But he, just like every player in the lineup (except Sengun), is most advantaged as a power forward. I see him as a more skilled Shawn Marion. He's not going to turn into Penny Hardaway. And that's the dilemma. The young core is all forwards and Reed Sheppard. Some hard decisions are going to have to be made.
Stone had a chance to sign Jared McCain but said the rockets were good where they are. That thereinlies the problem here
The 1st hurdle for the Rockets is to figure out how to get to the 2nd Round and 3rd Round consecutively.... Then worry about Shai and Wemby and Brunson......
Don't worry! FVV is coming back! ...off of ACL surgery at 32 years old... and who was declining even before...
Yes exactly! this is what i have been saying for a while. People don’t realize no other contendeling team in the league has 2 of their top 3 scorers with the limited range of our 2. If Amen could shoot 35% 3 we would be pretty hard to beat when they trap Durant or Sengun and ball swings to the corner or weakside.
I suggest a D.Murry, and TY Jerome Backcourt. Even thou Amen starts he can move around sub in for Durant very quickly. They need to start preserving this guy, You see what they did, he was broke down for the playoffs. Also CJ Mcullem, Middleton, Nurkic, and Mavin are all good roleplayers for a championship type squad.
Ayo is a free agent. If you do a sign and trade he cannot be coupled with anyone else. You paying Ayo 44m?
Wouldn't be anywhere near that. If it's KD going out, its $31m. If it's FVV it's $18.75m If its Sengun it's $26.7m
I've often thought about this myself. I wonder if Jabari has the body type to put on enough weight to be a center. Even if he does, he will never be an amazing rim protector, but (again, if he can bulk up) he might be a better overall defensive center than Sengun? I wish I felt confident he could be a starting caliber center--it would make that pick look a lot better and solve a number of problems for us.
I too have thought about this a lot. the only time we’ve really seen this for an extended period was Bari’s 2nd season when Sengun went down. And surprisingly we went on a big a win streak during that time without our best player. Bari is much stronger now than 2 yrs ago and he has the frame to put on more muscle. He’s become a better weak side shot blocker and overall better defender. My biggest question is the hard nosed, nasty, physical mindset a player needs to play center. Bari can be a little soft sometimes. So that’s the one issue, but I honestly think he’d be way more valuable as a stretch 5 next to Tari or Amen. And you fill those 3 other spots with real shooters. You could have true 4-5 out spacing. This is the way!
We really making stuff up now? Mccain is on a rookie contract and got traded for 1 frp and 2 seconds. It was a ****up by Morey making OKC stronger yet again but the Rockets couldnt sign him.
