What is the best position for Gary Trent and Robert Covington?

[Wizard Mentor]

Simple Question, I think...
Highly relevant for free agency.

I'm not sure of the answer, and am interested in what you all think.

 

[HailBlazers]

Trent SG, RoCo SF... And CJ super 6th man.

 

[B-Roy]

Cov is a PF, Trent SG.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

What I like about both is that we have flexibility to play both in multiple lineups. Will feel better if we solidify our PF though if Hood resigns.

 

[Buffalo Custard]

Honestly, I think it depends on the match-up. To get the most out of these guys, Stotts will have to be flexible. In other words, we're boned!

 

[GoBlazersGo]

GTJ = SG/SF
RoCo = SF/PF

 

[RR7]

I think modern nba, there's no reason to get worked up about specific positions and pigeonhole guys as just a 1,2,3 4,5. Ball handlers, wings and bigs. Are there variations of each? Of course. But whether cov is a 3 or 4 is irrelevant. Aminu started with us as a 3, shifted to 4, but was basically a big wing.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Trent SG, RoCo SF... And CJ super 6th man.

Not enough ball handling.

 

[James lamphear]

I think they they bring in ROCO to start at SF and move over at PF in necessity. Especially if Hood don't come back. I also believe there going bring back Melo if Hood don't come back.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

RoCo: C
Trent: backup C

Smallball baby!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

RoCo: C
Trent: backup C

Smallball baby!

RoCo: PG
Trent: backup PG

Big Balls baby!

...you silly goose!

 

[B-Roy]

RoCo: C
Trent: backup C

Smallball baby!

RoCo averaged 2.2 blocks per game after getting traded to the Rockets.

What the hell lol.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I think modern nba, there's no reason to get worked up about specific positions and pigeonhole guys as just a 1,2,3 4,5. Ball handlers, wings and bigs. Are there variations of each? Of course. But whether cov is a 3 or 4 is irrelevant. Aminu started with us as a 3, shifted to 4, but was basically a big wing.

This.

Its more important to put the best basketball player on the floor along with Trent and RoCo. What position they play is vastly less important.

If the best player is a SG then Trent plays SF and RoCo PF.

If the best player is a SF then Trent plays SG and RoCo plays PF.

If the best player is a PF then Trent plays SG and RoCo SF.

The Blazers success will result from who the 5 man group is. Not what position Trent or RoCo individually play.

Jalen Rose says positions were invented so layman can follow the game. He has a good point.

 

[riverman]

They will both learn to perfect the "weave"!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Safety and linebacker.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I'm seriously wondering if Covington needs to be at C to be effective. All this "he's an elite help defender but only so-so one-on-one" stuff. Maybe when Zach comes back have Covington come off the bench and we can go small? The problem is, he's not rebounding well AT ALL. I thought he'd be a better Aminu, but so far he's a WORSE Aminu, because Aminu was actually a superb rebounder for his size.

 

[James lamphear]

I'm seriously wondering if Covington needs to be at C to be effective. All this "he's an elite help defender but only so-so one-on-one" stuff. Maybe when Zach comes back have Covington come off the bench and we can go small? The problem is, he's not rebounding well AT ALL. I thought he'd be a better Aminu, but so far he's a WORSE Aminu, because Aminu was actually a superb rebounder for his size.

Our starting front line had 11 boards total that's not getting done. Does Stotts change things up when Zach comes back we will see.

 

[blazerkor]

Gary is a SG, he's a bit too small to really play against he bigger SFs but RoCo is just a forward, he has played very successfully at both forward spots and has shown he can effectively guard both and get shots off against both SFs and PFs.

 

[riverman]

This is a question for Mrs HCP?

 

[LayneStaley]

Trent backing up CJ at the 2 in Houston, Harden at SG, RoCo at SF

 

[tykendo]

I just don't see Robert Covington as a PF. Way too under sized to go against most power forwards in the League. Some of the Best PF's going from East to West are Julius Randle, John Collins, Zion Willamson, GIANNIS, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Christian Wood, LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, Montrezl Harrell, Draymond Green, and Derrick Favors. They ALL have size and an ability to score and rebound. Cov ain't that big. He's best suited for the starting SF position on the Blazers.

 

[tykendo]

I didn't include Durant because he usually plays at the SF position.

 

[blazerkor]

I just don't see Robert Covington as a PF. Way too under sized to go against most power forwards in the League. Some of the Best PF's going from East to West are Julius Randle, John Collins, Zion Willamson, GIANNIS, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Christian Wood, LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, Montrezl Harrell, Draymond Green, and Derrick Favors. They ALL have size and an ability to score and rebound. Cov ain't that big. He's best suited for the starting SF position on the Blazers.

You missed both LeBron and AD who play that position and are probably bigger than a lot of guys on your list.

I do vehemently disagree with you. Against bigger players including centers RoCo uses footwork to stay in front of them and holds his ground well when posted up. What he does extremely well against these guys you listed is when they try to use their size against he uses his excellent hands to tip the ball away from them. He fronts a ton of these guys making it hard for them to get the ball and disrupting them once they do get the ball. He is a pest to bigs like PatBev is to guards bigger than him, when they face up and put the ball on the floor which every guy you listed uses as a strength against most defenders he's right there messing them up, getting his hands in there, tipping the ball away, making them give up their dribble and often pass it away. When Covington has to play on ball defense against these bigger but slower players and can't use his hands he is good but not elite and good is good enough that he doesn't get eaten up by any of them.

Obviously one of his biggest strengths is jumping passing lanes which he does with his quickness when opponents try to get the ball to the bigs he defends. A lot of these guys like Harrell, LeBron, Favors, Giannis and Randle don't have the quickest release so he is able cheat off of them and then get back to disrupt their shot. Also his wingspan makes up for his lack of height and he rarely gets shot over and when he does those shots are contested. These guys don't dunk on him often either because he first uses his footwork to make it hard for them to get a clean look and will elevate staying vertical and using that length to block or alter the dunk attempt or make them give up the ball in mid air.

RoCo is an elite off ball defender and amazing in PnR defense when he switches onto anybody and/or disrupts passes and hand offs. He cheats off his man to get tips or strips from nearby players but when the ball goes back to these bigs when he's cheating he's not done. When he doesn't get back in front of them he gets on these bigger players' hip and makes inside shots difficult. When beaten, after letting even the most elite PFs get ahead of him (which doesn't happen too often) he recovers for tips from behind and blocks from behind even on the biggest and quickest guys in the game. His recovery defense is great which allows him to be a disruptor elsewhere without being a liability on his man.

You are right if you are saying he's not an elite on ball defender against PFs or really anyone for that matter but he holds his own and is well above average. Given all of this I don't think he is better against SFs than he is against PFs he's just different and those differences make things equal.