We don’t need a player the calibre of Lopez. Not only we will have to overpay him, but he will also eat away valuable development minutes for Sengun and the team. To what point? So that we might gain 2-3 wins? I’d focus on vet Cs that are happy to come off the bench for 15-20 mins and do some of the defensive stuff that Sengun can’t yet. Drummond, Bryant, Zeller, Plumlee. Paul Reed or Naz Reid if we would rather have a younger back-up C. Just as a reminder the Sengun-Jabari-Eason trio played good defence together and had positive plus/minus when all 3 were on the floor together (somebody pls fact-check this, I may be mis-remembering something I read a while ago). Let’s focus on developing what we have.
Lopez on a 2-yr deal makes a ton of sense, even at above market value $. Can’t think of a free agent who would have a bigger positive impact on our team, save for a big point guard addition. A real mentor for Sengun and a huge defensive upgrade for our team. This is the easiest fix for our rim protection problem. We have cap space; this is a great use of it. 7 footers who are DPOY candidates aren’t available very often. With Lopez’s ability to shoot, we can play him and Sengun at times together. There’s 28 min a night available for Lopez, which at his age is perfect.
I get what you’re saying but the rockets have to spend $$. It’s a mandatory pay roll. If that’s the case you get the best players you can get albeit likely short contracts. You start trying to win now without paying older guys too far out and too many seasons is the most important variable.
At this point, if you can’t get him AND Harden, just run it back with the 20 year olds. No one else in FA is pushing this team past 30 wins.
He is the perfect vet for our bigs. I don’t see a downside to paying him big bucks for a couple years to back up Sengun and provide us with some lineup versatility.
If he's willing to come off the bench, then pay the man short term big money. if he wants to start, then he came go back to the Bucks for vet min.
We have to spend money on a 1 and 5. And we’re going to have to overpay for both. Lopez is you best C FA so 20 seems like a starting point
Man, some of you guys talking about win totals just totally miss the point about veterans. It's hard to teach young players to be professionals, about how a system works, where they are supposed to be on defense, what passes they should be making, etc. if they are surrounded by other greenies and scrubs. Young PGs need to have shooters to pass to so they learn confidence in the passes the coaches are telling them to make, young shooters need smart PGs passing them the ball so they learn confidence in where the coach is telling them to go. On defense, young players benefit from a strong defender in the paint doing his job when they funnel to him as opposed to getting wrecked. You just can't let a bunch of youngins and jabronis go out there and fail all the time and think they'll be built right when it's time to win.
Lopez has been professional on every team he's been on, whether they're contenders or bottom dwellers. He was the veteran on a very young, rebuilding Lakers squad and actually wanted to come back. I don't think he's at the same point in his career now, but if he agrees to come here then he knows what he's signing up for.
If your worried Lopez will effect Senguns role, just be thankful Lopez is an option and that we aren’t trading for Turner. Brook is 35, the perfect transitory piece for Senguns future. Sengun can have the starting role from Brook, he just has to take it. Signing Brook would mean we’d need a strong defensive rebounder at the 4, I’d love JaMychal Green for the R-MLE
This seems like the most likely free agent acquisition at this point. I've always been a fan of Lopez character and the improvements to his defense and shooting has made him into a much better player even at an older age. The Rockets also have a legacy of getting good production out of vet centers nearing the end of their careers.
Rim protection, floor spacing, high iq, a real connective tissue on both ends of the floor. Sign me up. $20-$25 million for 24 minutes a game for the next two years. Our perimeter defense will look so much better with a real defensive anchor. We can probably steal 6-10 minutes a game with both Sengen and Lopez on floor. Sengen just needs to be passable covering the corner 3 point shooter.
You're looking at this the wrong way. There's no C we can sign who would benefit Sengun more. Lopez has a maximum of two good years in him. He's easy for Sengun to beat out for minutes. He is the rare example of a laterally slow C becoming an elite defender - and Sengun gets to learn from that directly. Not as rare but Lopez also made himself into a really good shooter, also something Sengun needs to do. You can actually go some minutes with the two of them on the floor. Plus Lopez has championship experience. I understand the hesitance because there's almost no doubt Udoka would start Lopez/Jabari over Sengun but it would imo definitely elevate Sengun's career. Sengun would still get starter's minutes, shots and usage. This would be a fantastic signing.
