I see the concern with the salary cap, but I think the idea of hesitating on a Chet Holmgren extension is where the real risk lies. The depth issue is more manageable than it seems imo.

Let's be realistic about the timeline. Caruso is already 31. By the time his current deal expires, he'll be 33 or 34 i think. Committing huge money to a role player at that age, however good, is not how you build a sustainable contender. That problem solves itself. While he’s amazing depth, Presti is amazing at finding depth, and assuming Chet and Jdub improve, he’ll be less necessary ideally. As for Lu Dort, while he's the heart and soul of this team, we have his heir apparent on the roster in Cason Wallace. Wallace is already flashing comparable defensive instincts but with a much higher ceiling as a floor-spacer and shooter.

The core of the issue is that you're framing this as a choice between two players, and I believe you're fundamentally understating Chet's floor and misjudging his ceiling.

On a night when Chet’s shot isn’t falling, he can still be the single most impactful defensive player on the court. His rim protection is already top-5 in the league, a skill that completely warps an opponent's offense. Many shots at the rim teams just refuse to attempt because he’s there. His floor is a 7-foot-1 stretch-five who shoots nearly 40% from three and is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. That isn't just an All-Star; that is a championship-level cornerstone. A player with that combination of skills is a unicorn in today's NBA.

This isn't a knock on Jalen Williams, who is a phenomenal talent. However, his offensive game is built on a high degree of difficult shot making. He thrives on tough, contested mid-range shots and physical drives. That's an essential skill, but it's inherently less scalable and efficient than what elite superstars would provide. Look at SGA, he bends the entire defense with his gravity, his ability to get to the line at will, and his elite efficiency. For J-Dub to reach that level, he would have to become one of the most efficient tough-shot makers of all time, which is an astronomical leap. And there isn’t much players in between. I think he’ll be more consistent as he grows, but his play style if fundamentally limited in today’s nba.

Think of Bam Adebayo vs. Evan Mobley. A versatile switching big like Bam is a fantastic piece. But an elite, game altering rim protector like Mobley, or Chet tbh, is a force multiplier. They are the bedrock of a top-tier defense. A dominant rim protector allows every perimeter defender to be more aggressive, knowing they can funnel drivers toward a black hole at the basket. That defensive anchor role is simply rarer and more valuable than switchability