ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pistons 1/23/2026

I would classify it even more constrictive. Top 5 center in his 20’s. Oh wait, there are only two. Great centers don’t come along very often, much less at 23.

 

Sengun is not a center

 

He is definitely more a PF/C hybrid than a true center. Still, he can hold his own against most NBA centers but to be able to take the true bruisers of the NBA such as Embiid or Jokic, he is going to need to go the Nowitzki route and extend his range, because he just doesn't have the frame to bang with them. He is however, strong enough to bang against most other centers, and his footwork is exceptional, getting some unorthodox angles and shots other centers can only dream off.

 

It’s not a lack of strength, he just doesn’t play like a center. Anyway, whatever position it is that he plays, I think it best he plays it elsewhere.

 

Off the top of my head (I'll probably miss somebody or more than one):

SGA
Ant Edwards
Luka
Wemby
Brunson
Cade
Tatum*
Jaylen Brown
Maxey

Some of these guys I probably still wouldn't trade Sengun for. And some would be a "maybe"

Interesting point. It is rare for a center to be this offensively gifted.

I don't think you really need a top center to win a championship though, most championship teams these days don't have one. I would trade Sengun for SGA in a heartbeat, or probably Ant Edwards too. Other non-centers, I'd have to think about it. Like, Jaylen Brown is on a supermax contract, about to turn 30, and will probably never really contend for MVP, for example.

 

You “might” not trade for those guys but the GMs for teams they play for would absolutely not trade them for alpo

 

add joker and giannis

 

I wouldn't trade Sengun for Giannis. Too injury-prone these days, too old

Joker is 30 now. I'd do that deal I guess. Probably the only exception to wanting the guy to be in his 20s, and that's because he's an MVP-caliber player whose game will probably age well. Moot point though since he's untouchable for Denver.

Yeah, that's why Sengun isn't getting traded. There's no realistic trade partner who will give us back what we'd need to justify the deal, even if the front office wants to move on for whatever reason.

 

I would trade Alpo for Giannis in a heartbeat

 

Giannis is better right now, but he cannot stay healthy. Sengun will probably surpass him in overall value within the next two to three years, and he'll still be on the same cheap contract.

 

It depends on the team needs. In your 20’s is pretty broad. There is a big difference in experience(potential) between a 23 year old and 29 year old.Some teams are win now, some are building, and some are in between. The Rockets are in-between they can afford to let their 23 old all-star center develop.

 

My thoughts are that the amount of burden he and KD would take off one another would increase their shelf lives. Additionally, everyone else can just d up and raise hell. I think we would win a couple of titles, but whatevs…

 

Did you not see he’s injured and out 4 week? He’s about to tear his Achilles and you would still make that trade? Dumb.

 

I think we just have different views on what the team should aim for. I don't want to be the team that starts trading away all of its young players for older, injury-prone veterans in a desperate attempt to win a title now. I feel like the odds of both KD and Giannis being fully healthy for an entire playoff run are fairly low.

The "go all in and try to win now via trade" rarely works out. See: Brooklyn, Clippers, etc. I think we should follow the OKC model instead and build cautiously toward long-term success.

 

All I’m saying is that I am out on alpo and if if we can swap him for Giannis it would be a massive upgrade. I’m with you otherwise.

 

Sir, are you on crack?

 

One of the brightest spots last night was KD’s TOs

he has been reckless and largely unaware and uncaring.

the more prestigious and more experienced the player the less likely they are to change on some of these habits

As amazing as Katie has been all season he has taken bad shots and made bad telegraphed passes.

it seems he has become more cognizant of this and will play more conservative and attentively. If we continue to get this version hard to be stoppable, even with such a putrid offense (I’m sure everyone heard SVG losing his mind about our spacing)

 

Agree to disagree about Sengun I guess!

 

I think you have too high of an evaluation of Sengun. Hopefully, GMs around the league due too.

I think he's Sabonis. Sabonis was traded for Haliburton, who was an up and coming guard at the time of that trade, not the Haliburton we know now.

 

He’s not sabonis but he isn’t better. He is also a poor fit with amen, which is all that really matters going forward…