Insider Zach Lowe has outlined the reasons why the Thunder should consider a Chet Holmgren-Alperen Sengun swap, because it was very clear in the Western Conference Finals Chet wasn’t up to task.
Everyone knows that Chet is Victor Wembanyama’s son and didn’t he prove it in the WCF. Particularly in Game 7 elimination. Chet had just FOUR POINTS. Yes you read that right.
So, Lowe thinks that getting a center that isn’t afraid of going toe-to-toe with Wemby would be a huge difference-maker for OKC.
Enter Sengun.
“I only mentioned Sengun because the salaries are similar, the size element is satisfied, and Sengun does seem to be the opposite of Chet in just this one specific thing,” Lowe said on his podcast. “He f—ing loves going into Victor Wembanyama’s face and chest and stomach.
“Like, he legitimately seems offended by the idea that people think Victor Wembanyama can do anything to his crazy pivoty physical under-the-rim game and kind of goes at him a little bit,” he added. “Again, hasn’t proven the range you need to exist with Hartenstein, but it has a little bit of the DHO passing, like sometimes the 3-point shot looks good. I think it’s just too seismic of a change for either team to really contemplate, but it is sort of like not uninteresting.”
Sengun certainly has the ability to make Wembanyama pay on both ends of the floor.
The pair have matched up a total of ten times on their career.
In those games, the Turkish center has averaged 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals on 49.4 percent shooting from the field and 39.9 percent from deep.
While Wemby has averaged 19.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks on 45.5 percent from the field, 18 percent from deep and 3.5 turnovers.
The Sengun effect is real.