Bulls GM on Asik deal

[Mythrol]

I'm sorry but he isn't, his a PF and will remain as one for the rest of his career, he plays like KG and Bosh and they were never centers..

Both of the guys you mentioned won rings while at C. The truth is you have to fully expect AD to stop growing or adding weight to think he full times at PF forever.

I personally believe in 4-5 years in his prime he will have another 20-30 pounds on him and will be much more effectively guarding around the rim. I think he will weigh more than KG or Bosh and is slightly taller than both. In that case who do I want next to him?

Playing PF at 260-270 pounds is a waste of his size and talent on defense. On offense he can completely clear the lane by having him and a stretch 4. Either the C won't leave the paint and will leave him open or our guards abuse the open lane.

[Mythrol]

AD can probably defend most centers and score on most centers. However, he would probably pick up way too many fouls and nagging injuries doing it. It's like hauling rocks in your Mercedes..... You could do it, but why would you if you had the choice? Asik is built to handle that load. He is the right fit for the job of battling for position down low to protect the paint and grab rebounds. AD is versatile and skilled so he can protect the rim and rebound also, but he is not heavy duty to handle it for the long haul. We rented a highly rated heavy-duty truck for a year to protect our Mercedes, and there is no way we would have been able to find a substitute of Asik's caliber in the draft. Nobody else on our roster (between Ajinca, Withey, or Young) can protect the paint without fouling and rebound effectively like Asik. Keeping Davis healthy and happy is priority one, and I appreciate Dell making that move!

It's not a question of now. I'm talking prime, I think Love is the best fit next to AD in the league.

It's a moot point anyway though because Love has been traded.

[RaisingTheBar]

AD in his prime is a C

I never want to see AD at center full time.

[luckyman]

Both of the guys you mentioned won rings while at C. The truth is you have to fully expect AD to stop growing or adding weight to think he full times at PF forever.

I personally believe in 4-5 years in his prime he will have another 20-30 pounds on him and will be much more effectively guarding around the rim. I think he will weigh more than KG or Bosh and is slightly taller than both. In that case who do I want next to him?

Playing PF at 260-270 pounds is a waste of his size and talent on defense. On offense he can completely clear the lane by having him and a stretch 4. Either the C won't leave the paint and will leave him open or our guards abuse the open lane.

Bosh was on an unusual team that included LeBron James, which allowed him to get away with playing center in a extremely weak conference. Center has always been a problem for them and they've just gotten by due to sheer talent with Bosh at center.

I do believe Perkins/Poe rotated at C when the Celtics won the title in 2007/08.

Didn't someone quote Reke during media day that Davis hates playing center?

[504ByrdGang]

I don't want AD playing C because look at what happens to Al Horford playing C.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I don't want AD playing C because look at what happens to Al Horford playing C.

And look at what happens to David Lee playing PF.

I am not arguing for either camp, but the above is not a quality argument.

[NOLA_Dave]

I never want to see AD at center full time.

I agree. He's a perfect PF.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Too many teams have stretch 4's for him to be a full time PF for his entire career. Pulling him away from the rim takes away one of the things that makes him so unique. He will play both positions for the rest of his career. Only question is how much of each?

[MichaelMcNamara]

Davis at PF - 1 block per 13.1 minutes

Davis at C - 1 block every 9.8 minutes

There are not stats for contested shots or changed shots at the rim, but I would imagine they would show Davis helped the team in those categories much more at Center too.

It is a trade off. Anybody who says it is a no brainer and he is only a Center or only a Power Forward is not seeing all the components.

[Kibner]

Davis at PF - 1 block per 13.1 minutes

Davis at C - 1 block every 9.8 minutes

There are not stats for contested shots or changed shots at the rim, but I would imagine they would show Davis helped the team in those categories much more at Center too.

It is a trade off. Anybody who says it is a no brainer and he is only a Center or only a Power Forward is not seeing all the components.

Yup. It's one of the reasons I like the current players in the frontcourt rotation. Allows him to play the most minutes at the highest impact position for any given opposing team combination.

[luckyman]

Davis at PF - 1 block per 13.1 minutes

Davis at C - 1 block every 9.8 minutes

There are not stats for contested shots or changed shots at the rim, but I would imagine they would show Davis helped the team in those categories much more at Center too.

It is a trade off. Anybody who says it is a no brainer and he is only a Center or only a Power Forward is not seeing all the components.

I think the argument is that he will always play best with an Asik/Lopez next to him in the paint as opposed to an Anderson/Love. This is looking at both ends of the floor. This is true both now and in the future due to his skill set.

And as always, when you break down any numbers when he is playing C as opposed to PF, who and what does the opposition look like when he does this? What is his foul rate? What do the rebound numbers look like? Minute breakdown as part of the whole...etc, etc.

Much more information required than just blocks. Those block numbers can be nothing more the product of statistical noise.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Numbers say something other than what I like - "They are just statistical noise!!"

Look, I am in neither camp, but it is common sense that putting him on a 4 will bring him further from the basket and stats back that up. Now, is it worth some of the things you lose? I don't know - like I said, I am not in either camp. But there are pros and cons to each side. It isn't a flawless victory either way

[Pelicans25_ZERO]

I think Asik has seen the fault of false promises versus reality. If he gets to start with us and play minutes, I'm fairly certain he takes the sure thing and doesn't get hyped with delusions of grandeur like the last time he hit FA.

This.

[Pelicans25_ZERO]

Don't get me wrong I love having Omer on our team and I think he will contribute greatly. I just noticed at the game against the Thunder that he frequently failed to get his hands up when contesting shots near the rim. He also did not set his feet to take charges and looked like a matador at times just stepping aside and allowing Thunder players to get to rim. He was often stuck under the rim on D and not in good position to block out on rebounds. The Thunder only managed 32 points in the paint however. I never expected him to be an offensive weapon but in fact he did make 2-4 shots. He also displayed crisp passing and had 3 assist. He also managed 3 TO's. He did hustle down court on both O and D. His outlet passes are not as aggressive as I expected. He managed to pull down 7 rebounds in 20 minutes. He only committed one foul. I expect some of his lack of aggressiveness in the D paint was due to preseason. I fully expect him to pick it up once the games count.

you have it in the last sentence... its the preseason bro.

[Pelicans25_ZERO]

That's not the protection. It's a weird top 3 protected and then 15ish up protected.

Meaning only way Houston gets it is if it falls 3-15ish. If we make playoffs they don't.

4-20, not a joke..

[HornetGuru]

don't look at the positions so much, just think of players you could put around him.

now say you could sign asik to be our center if davis stayed at PF, or blake griffin or lamarcus abridge be our PF is Davis moved to center, which move do you think would help our team the most? We need stop looking at positions so black and white.

so you tell me which team is better?

jrue
gordon
tyreke
davis
asik

or

jrue
gordon
tyreke
griffin/LA
davis

if davis in 4 years is 7ft 260 pounds there is no reason he couldn't play center, especially in todays NBA.

people say then AD would have to guard cousins and etc, but cousins would also have to guard him. it's an even trade off, i'd much rather have better players than simply sticking a player in a position grouping.

[HornetGuru]

KG
duncan
bosh
amare

countless players have played center effectively as natural PF's.

[RaisingTheBar]

Didn't someone quote Reke during media day that Davis hates playing center?

Reke, has said it. Davis has said it himself and even Monty has said it. That's all I need to hear.

[RaisingTheBar]

you have it in the last sentence... its the preseason bro.

Apparently to some preseason games are just as meaningful as anything

[RaisingTheBar]

if davis in 4 years is 7ft 260 pounds there is no reason he couldn't play center, especially in todays NBA.

I LOLed at Davis getting up to 260lbs, him putting on 20lbs was a pretty big deal....and he doesn't need to be 7' to play center. He's probably 6'11" now and done growing, which is fine.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Kevin Durant gets minutes at PF and often finishes games there. To say any player is just one position is short sided. You do whatever it takes to give yourself the best chance to win. And Davis will finish far more games with Anderson than Asik this year.

We go around and around in circles, hoping to settle this, but the simple fact is that he will play both for the rest of his career. That appears undebateable.

[RaisingTheBar]

There is a difference between "Davis will get minutes at center" and "Davis will play center full time" or "Davis in his prime is a center". At least to me there is. I don't think anyone would disagree with the first point.

[MichaelMcNamara]

No doubt. But then that means everybody acknowledges that he CAN play center. The question simply is - Where is the bigger advantage had? And as one poster said, if you have the chance to get K. Love or Blake, then you don't pass that up for Omer, just because he will have some issues guarding a guy like Demarcus Cousins.

I guess my main thing is that the situation is fluid and a good GM would be open minded and not close himself off to anything. Where some on here seem closed off to the possibility they don't like without looking at the full scope.

[HornetGuru]

I LOLed at Davis getting up to 260lbs, him putting on 20lbs was a pretty big deal....and he doesn't need to be 7' to play center. He's probably 6'11" now and done growing, which is fine.

He's up to 240 now and is 21, with his length he could easily put on more size, in a 5 year span that is only 4 pounds a year.

Now am I saying he should? No. Am I saying he will? No. Am I saying he could? Most definitely.

[RaisingTheBar]

He's up to 240 now and is 21, with his length he could easily put on more size, in a 5 year span that is only 4 pounds a year.

I'm curious to see if he weighs 240 come April. The math is simple, but I just don't think people realize how much weight you are asking him to put on. How many players have put on 50 pounds from their rookie season that isn't just fat?