Rockets News: More Antetokounmpo rumors, more Sengun dominance
We are living in interesting times. If you're a fan of the Houston Rockets, that holds especially true.
The team is 11-4. The Rockets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. What's more, the Rockets haven't pushed their chips in yet.
The organization has a surplus of first-round picks moving forward. The Rockets have an opportunity to acquire a superstar player if they want. Perhaps that's why rumors linking them to Giannis Antetokounmpo persist.
A recent report from an NBA insider won't do anything to silence the whispers.
Rockets linked to Antetokounmpo - again
Marc Stein is speculating that the Rockets have an interest in Antetokounmpo.
Is this a case of a slow news week? Perhaps. Still, Stein is a bonafide insider. If he's saying Houston is interested in Antetokounmpo, it holds weight. Should the Rockets be interested in him?
It's debatable. It is noteworthy that much of Houston's success has been driven by the "Terror Twins". Amen Thompson and Tari Eason are brutalizing opponents as one of the best defensive wing tandems in the NBA.
Neither of them is an immediate fit with Antetokounmpo - especially Thompson. Their combined lack of shooting could make for some awkwardness.
Moreover, the Rockets would need to pair Antetokounmpo with a consistent second star. They could trade for that star, but suddenly, they'd be completely blowing up a young core that's exceeding expectations. Some will argue that they already have a star to pair with Antetokounmpo...
He may not be an ideal fit with him either.
Rockets' Sengun has been dominant
The triple-double is a statistical benchmark in the NBA. Finishing a game with double-digit totals in three different categories is typically the type of production that's reserved for stars. Doing it once is impressive:
Doing it twice in a row is remarkable.
There's no shortage of great big men in Rockets history. Hakeem Olajuwon is the best player in the franchise's history, and Moses Malone, Yao Ming, and others all donned Rockets red.
That's what makes this record so impressive.
Let's tie the two stories together: Sengun isn't a great shooter. He's connecting on just 30.4% of his 1.6 three-point attempts per game this year. Antetokounmpo is an infamously weak three-point shooter as well.
The Rockets should entertain all of their options. If they decide they can't pass on a top-3 player like Antetokounmpo, that's reasonable. Still, if the team continues to be as successful as they've been this year, they should consider getting a cheaper star who's a better compliment to Sengun:
After all, he's giving them historic production.