The resurgence of the Houston Rockets became a key area of discussion in the latest episode of KG Certified. The panelists, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, opened up about the franchise’s turnaround following the rise of Jalen Green. Amidst the positive talks, the Truth raised eyebrows as he shockingly urged the organization to trade Alperen Şengün.
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The conversation majorly surrounded the ongoing 10-game winning streak of the Rockets. Since facing a setback on 10th March in the form of Şengün’s injury, the franchise has unexpectedly been on an upward curve. Green’s form of 29.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists during this phase as per StatMuse played a pivotal role in steadying the ship.
Shedding light on the scenario, Garnett applauded the Rockets’ team effort in the absence of their young center Şengün. However, the notion of the discussion took a sharp turn as Pierce hinted at how the Turkish youngster was possibly holding the franchise back. While KG promptly disagreed, the former stuck to his stance before elaborating on his viewpoint.
“You heard of addition by subtraction. He is a great young player…He is an asset. So, now if they make the playoffs, they on an eight, nine game-winning streak, you might trade him and get a veteran piece to really help them. Cause Jalen Green, he looking like a franchise player,” Pierce mentioned.
Throughout the discussion, the Truth only took into account the factors that could aid the franchise in maintaining its momentum. From that standpoint, the words contained a certain amount of volume. However, the franchise may decide to adopt a different pathway considering the impact of the international center.
What does the future hold for Alperen Şengün?
The 21-year-old had established his status as a leading figure in the league this season. Since the start of the campaign, Şengün developed his two-way plays by folds as his stat line reflected precisely that. Averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game as per ESPN, the Turkish sensation made the headlines all-around.
These displays had been bringing in comparisons with the 2x MVP Nikola Jokic for quite some time. Amidst the interest of the fans, Şengün had earlier cleared the air during his appearance on Podcast P with Paul George. He declared, “Not trying to play like him but our games are similar”.
However, his meteoric rise faced an unprecedented challenge earlier this month. The 6ft 11″ youngster suffered from an ankle sprain during a game against the Sacramento Kings. Amidst the concerns, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently provided an update in the latest episode of the Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective podcast. He mentioned how the young center could return toward the end of the regular season to aid his organization.
Hence, the Rockets remain a prime contender for the postseason qualification as the franchise aims to build the roster around Şengün. As of right now, the management has displayed no intention to cut ties with their 2021 draft pick. Yet, the future stays unknown as Pierce’s words have already added a new layer to the situation.
