Sure - this is not hard. Sengun fits badly with Thompson, not great with Durant; other teams aren't locked in to Thompson on Durant, therefore he can be less valuable to the Rockets but more valuable to a rebuilding team or wherever I'm proposing trading Sengun not because he's terrible but because he's good
Thompson is arguably the best non center defender in the league and is a one-man transition offense. Defensively he can guard 1-5, offensively his best position is de facto 5. His weakness mitigate if you do the same thing Sengun also requires (4 shooters) The logic is that you're better off with Thompson because he's amazing on defense and is still actually a plus offensive player despite the shooting Sengun is good (but not that good, his finishing sucks guys!) on offense and meh at best on defense. . It's not unreasonable to deem Thompson more valuable (also he is more fun to watch)
Today's Dunc'd On podcasts begins with a post-mortem of the Knicks loss. I recommend listening to the whole segment, but relevant here is that the Rockets are one of the worst transition teams in the league and Amen doesn't get to the rim enough. Sure, when he does it's often spectacular, but one or two dunks a game doesn't translate into "a one-man transition offense". To the contrary, I see someone who is very hesitant with the ball and is at his best when other players are feeding him in the paint like a traditional center. So you're left with a 6'7 center who can be valuable in certain match ups, but by no means has the cachet of a 2-time all-star.
even Giannis has just 2 or 3 dunks a game Amen is simply the Rocket's best player in transitions https://www.nba.com/stats/players/transition?CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU&dir=D&sort=FG_PCT can't solely blame Amen for the Rockets are not running enough
Saying Amen is the best transition player on a team that's one of the worst in the league in transition is not high praise. Regardless, a player who is effective in transition but struggles to score otherwise is going to especially struggle in the playoffs when everything slows down.
Buddy, I guarantee you if you take Thompson off the Rockets you go from "one of the worst" to "the absolute worst" - he is responsible for most of the run out opportunities by either starting them on defense or finishing them. True the Rockets don't get into their offense quickly, because Thompson is miscast as a PG and he has to wait for Plodders like Sengun and Durant ; that's why it needs to be broken up. Anyway all star cachet? Cmon man who cares . Hopefully that 4th choice injury replacement cachet from this year gets an extra 2nd rounder.
Hmmm yeah maybe they shouldn't try to have a "point center" then? If Amen only scores 1 or 2 dunks a game and yet puts up 17 a night where do the rest of the points come from?
Ime's "offense" where Amen waits in the dunker spot to either be fed or get put-backs. Look, I don't doubt Amen's ability to be a 3rd wheel on a 6th seed team. And I'm not shocked that a guy who nearly leads the league in minutes and gets 13 shots a game averages 17 points. I just don't buy the theory that this guy is a star-in-waiting, that's all.
he's a closest the rockets got to a winner. he leads the league in minutes because he need's to be on the floor so his team can have the best chance to beat opponents leads the starters in BPM and Net Rating https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU&dir=A&sort=PLUS_MINUS https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced?CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU&dir=A&sort=NET_RATING
Look, there is nothing wrong with @SamFisher wondering what the team could get for a player - we have a choice either we build around Amen or Sengun. Because they don't fit together....at all........both need shooters surrounding them because of their flaws.... Playing both together hurts the team, it might work if we had a PG or a coach that played our backup PG more minutes....but that is another thread. DD
and now he's just a joker bluffin, getting no chips... poker off the team soon like kpj, choke her (barzzzzzzzzzzz)
I can understand a trade because of fit or balance of roster. (BTW, if Sengun doesn't fit Amen because of his shooting, neither is Giannis.) But most people just want to get rid of players they don't like (DFS, Durant, Bari, Reed, Sengun, Amen, etc.)
Good but not "the guy". We probably want to see what actually happens in the playoffs first. A trade is a sensible option to farm up assets. I think we could get a younger talent and picks for Alpy from a team wanting to make the playoffs.
Rockets have always been terrible in transition plays. Anyone who talks about how we should ‘go out and run’ only reveal their low feel for the game. Rockets have never had the handles and fast processing required to execute that style.
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: -5.1 ppg, -6.7 rpg, and -0.7 apg. Incoming Players Lauri Markkanen 28 year old, 7-1, 240 lb SF from Arizona 26.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.1 apg in 34.4 minutes in 2025-2026 Cody Williams 21 year old, 6-8, 190 lb F from Colorado 5.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg in 20.0 minutes in 2025-2026 Isaiah Collier 21 year old, 6-4, 210 lb G from USC 10.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 7.4 apg in 25.5 minutes in 2025-2026 Outgoing Players Alperen Sengun 23 year old, 6-11, 243 lb C from Besiktas Icrypex (Turkey) 20.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 6.3 apg in 33.8 minutes in 2025-2026 Jabari Smith, Jr. 22 year old, 6-11, 220 lb F from Auburn 15.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg in 35.0 minutes in 2025-2026 Reed Sheppard 21 year old, 6-2, 185 lb G from Kentucky 12.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.0 apg in 24.6 minutes in 2025-2026
I have yet to see Amen win us a game because of his all world defense. Or Alpi lose us a game because of his putrid defense. Have seen Amen get cooked by SGA for a game winner though. To his credit, he did have that game winning bucket against the Celtics.
I said he hit the game winner. Anyway, my point is we need buckets. Can always trade for an Ariza, Mbah a Moute, or Covington.
