When will people accept that Aldridge is our center?

[mook]

Whomever they go with may be a real barometer to how committed Portland is to truly overhauling its offense.

We've heard so many times over the years from McMillan how he wanted to push the tempo--it became a running gag year after year.

But this time it really could be different. Stotts has a completely different reputation, and he has none of the baggage all of us do with the Nate Years.

Portland has the pieces to go completely run-and-gun if they want to, either Phoenix-style or in more of a Nate/Sonics/three-jacking-style. We've got tons of guys with speed, including our best player. And we've got three pretty good three point shooting starters. If we go either route, it doesn't make sense to throw Leonard in there much. That kind of pace is just a bad fit for a rookie 7 footer.

 

[BBert]

Ordinarily I'd agree, mook. But this rookie seven-footer runs the floor and does under the leg behind the back dunks, and cartwheels.
Throw him into the fire, I say!

 

[jlprk]

Put Meyers to the fire! Throw Leonard to the lions!

 

[DUB]

I don't understand why people are so obsessed with labels.

It's about combinations of players, not about who we try to shoehorn into labels.

Presumably you're referring to the Rugby position.

Leonard looks like he would make a great lock, or maybe even number 8 given his agility.

 

[Denny Crane]

LMA outweighs Camby by 20 lbs. I don't see why people think Camby can be a C but LMA can't.

I think you want to put your best 5 out on the court as much as possible, and 2 of those best 5 are JJ and LMA.

 

[dviss1]

LMA outweighs Camby by 20 lbs. I don't see why people think Camby can be a C but LMA can't.

I think you want to put your best 5 out on the court as much as possible, and 2 of those best 5 are JJ and LMA.

Well Camby (when he tries) Blocks a major amount of shots, and gets a major amount of Rebounds. 2 Things a C must do. 2 things LA doesn't do too well.

That said, I see Freeland, or Leonard starting from Day 1. You can't play fast break basketball without getting a Rebound 1st.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Well Camby (when he tries) Blocks a major amount of shots, and gets a major amount of Rebounds. 2 Things a C must do. 2 things LA doesn't do too well.

That said, I see Freeland, or Leonard starting from Day 1. You can't play fast break basketball without getting a Rebound 1st.

Neither appears to possess the traits of a dominant rebounder/defender. I'm sure somebody will be the starter at center because they'll have to, but Freeland is really more of a 4 and Leonard is raw as hell. The position is hardly set.

 

[jlprk]

Anyone could foresee that we will need experience at center. Olshey didn't get just anyone when he got Jared Jeffries.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Center? The way he never likes to bang down low and battle for rebounds I thought he was a really big small forward.

Yeah, he usually plays from mid-range to inside the 3 point arc. In reality, he plays like a big man with little post moves or a small forward with less shooting range.

 

[ebott]

Presumably you're referring to the Rugby position.

You're thinking of the hooker.

On topic, the day we "accept" Aldridge is the center is the day we give up on this team ever being any good. The center should be the best shot blocker and rebounder on the team. I imagine a team where Aldridge is the best shot blocker and rebounder and I see that team going nowhere. Then again that's what we've got this season. But saying Aldridge is our center because the team around him sucks kind of seems like throwing out the baby with the bath water.

It doesn't accomplish anything and you're basically thumbing your nose at the basketball gods. Do you really want Aldridge to have a career limiting (more likely ending but I'm trying to keep things light) injury? You shouting from the mountain tops that we have a good player and that he's a center would certainly bring down whatever mojo afflicts the Blazers centers.

ooh, I've got another possible means of getting me to call Aldridge our center. You get a time machine and go back to 2007 and convince the Blazers to pick Kevin Durant instead of Greg Oden and not to trade Zach Randolph. Then I'd be more than happy to call Aldridge our center as he'd be playing on a front like with Kevin Durant and Zach Randolph.

 

[Mr.Unclewiffy]

This is currently not a "Golden Age" for pivots in the N.B.A..
As far as dominating or potentially dominating centers you have Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum...everyone else is various degrees below them.
When will people accept Aldridge is our center?
Never.
I would actually expect under Stotts that Aldridges play this upcoming season will become even less "Center" like. Sounds like Stotts plans on moving Aldridge around and using him more in a Dirk Nowitski manner.

I think people have to accept, and have accepted, that right now? Aldridge is The Blazers most talented big man. Whether his play genesis's from the low post, mid post, or even the perimeter doesn't really matter.

I think offensively and at specific times Aldridge will affectively be our "center" on the court. But The Blazers will probably never call him or introduce him as our starting center.

Until Meyers Leonard develops, The Blazers are basically like a lot of other N.B.A. teams, a team with a core of "bigs", but perhaps no real dominating pure post presence.

I think the short and long term plan is to use Aldridge as our Multi-Talented PF...who may occasionally work in the low post. I think the hope is for Meyers Leonard to develop and become The Blazers "true" center.

 

[dviss1]

This is currently not a "Golden Age" for pivots in the N.B.A..
As far as dominating or potentially dominating centers you have Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum...everyone else is various degrees below them.
When will people accept Aldridge is our center?
Never.
I would actually expect under Stotts that Aldridges play this upcoming season will become even less "Center" like. Sounds like Stotts plans on moving Aldridge around and using him more in a Dirk Nowitski manner.

I think people have to accept, and have accepted, that right now? Aldridge is The Blazers most talented big man. Whether his play genesis's from the low post, mid post, or even the perimeter doesn't really matter.

I think offensively and at specific times Aldridge will affectively be our "center" on the court. But The Blazers will probably never call him or introduce him as our starting center.

Until Meyers Leonard develops, The Blazers are basically like a lot of other N.B.A. teams, a team with a core of "bigs", but perhaps no real dominating pure post presence.

I think the short and long term plan is to use Aldridge as our Multi-Talented PF...who may occasionally work in the low post. I think the hope is for Meyers Leonard to develop and become The Blazers "true" center.

Well said and I fully concur Wiff.