The #3 pick role player development program has been a total disaster. We’re bringing in Hall of famers that play the same position to teach them and start together. We’re refusing to get other guards to ensure they get starter minutes and that’s what we train and practice every day. Then it’s a handicap negative in the playoffs. I legitimately don’t know if we’re as far away as it looks, you can’t tell me we wouldn’t have been past the first round by now if we just had Derrick White instead of a #3 pick development program.
Agreed, I think the Rockets are past the first round if they just had a healthy FVV and KD didn't get hurt. They won 52 games, as constructed. They are already an elite team. They might be a tweak away from contending (or a tweak away from the play-in).
I guess your definition of rebuilding is different than mine. To me, two consecutive seasons of 50+ wins means you aren't rebuilding. They are definitely still growing ...but to me, a team that is "rebuilding" is not a playoff team, much less top 4 in your division.
I’m not remotely surprised the vote leans super hard for Amen. So much to have to make up for with Sengun on defense….and he misses bunnies and can’t make 3’s. Love that guy, but open to what we could get for him. None of that is me saying Amen is a franchise player….I sincerely don’t believe he will be, but I’d love to be wrong. I just know he can get down on defense, and that’s super important to me the way I see the game. My God that wide open corner 3 where he completely missed the rim lol. If he was somewhere close to a moderately ok shooter, I’d say we have a star incoming….but I don’t think so and I’m pretty optimistic and would love it. He’s the very last player on this roster I’d trade, and I’d trade every single one of the rest of them to try to find something else that MIGHT be enough to compete with Spurs or Thunder
Yea, I am being hasty. But I'm fairly confident. None of the young core can be mentioned in the same sentence as Jokic, Wemby, Edwards, or SGA. I think the young core are all super role players. They are all #2 players on a championship contender. Fair point about the new lotto rules. That said, again, I think we've seen everything we need to see about the young players. I doubt Wiggins or a #13 pick transforms this team to beat the Spurs or OKC. But maybe it does. Maybe they get lucky.
Number 2 players on contenders aren't really role players tbh - guys like Jamal Murray, Pau Gasol, or Draymond aren't really role players with how they impact the game and winning. Maybe you think our young players won't get to that level, but, as you said, you are being hasty, and it isn't unreasonable to think that, for instance, a guy who was a two time all star by age 23 might eventually become an all NBA level player. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that then. Time will tell. Kevin Durant isn't leading us to beat the Spurs or OKC either, and pick 13 has the added benefit of not being almost 40 years old. And, like you said, maybe we get lucky - bites at the apple and all that.
Athleticism. Can't count the times over the years here on CF where some highly athletic dude with poor basketball skills was supposed to become the man for this team from Terrance Williams to Jalen Green or that one idiot still claiming the answer is Cam Whitmore or KPJ ... Funny thing is, I agree, Amen is a damn nice piece to have, he's just not the guy you make concessions for - he has to fit with everyone else as a complimentary piece.
I think we should stop thinking about regular season basketball. 2 non-shooters will not work in the playoffs, it's a totally different game in intensity and preparation.
Amen is a winner, for a 23 year old he already has the elite atheleticism, bball IQ, competitiveness conditioning, stamina, maturity, work ethic, motor, relentlessness, able to draw contact and get to the line in order to out score opponents and win https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?CF=FGA*LE*15:PTS*GE*15&TeamID=0&dir=A&sort=FTA in the playoffs of 17 players with more than 15 points a game with less than 15 shots a game 23 yearold Amen in his 2nd playoff series is already 3rd in PPG behind 37 yo KD, 28 yo OG, and tied with 36 yo Harden 3rd in FTAs behind 37 yo KD and 36 yo Harden 4th in assists behind Castle, Fox, and Towns 2nd in steals behind Wagner 3rd in blocks behind Mobley and Towns
