Those were four of the 6 or 7 best centers of all-time. By any other decade's standard, Sabonis was a franchise center even at his reduced abilities.
During the 3 best years of his NBA career with the Blazers (97-8 to 99-00) there were only a handful of centers in the league that had a better PER than him. Shaq (best in the league, by far), David Robinson, Mourning and Hakeem. Of those David Robinson and Shaq won one ring each and made it to the WCF once each, Sabas made it to the WCF twice but never advanced. Dude was 4th or 5th best center in the NBA during this brief run with his body broken down and him being 33 - 35. Do not know what else you want to call that. He was Portland's franchise center at the time. Simple as that.
yeah even at his reduced ability, he was a top 5 center in the league, and it sucks when a top 5 center in the league goes down to an injury
Agreed. And no one ever says anything about it but Sabonis completely choked in Game 7 of the 2000 WCFs.
So was Mychal Thompson and Theo Ratliff at one time. Just because he was our best center does not label him a franchise player. Like I said before, had he come over healthy in the mid to late 80's you would have an argument because he would have torn up the league.
Oh man, imagine Sabonis and Aldridge playing together... I said a few weeks back, the Blazers should look to identifying a replacement for Camby, possibly dangling Oden for a Kevin Love type talent. Someone that can pass and shoot from the high post, primarily. Anything else is a bonus. If only Sabonis were 15 years younger. That would be a dream pairing.
HCP, you can't possibly be comparing even an injury reduced Sabonis to Thompson and Ratliff. Sabonis today would still have a better PER than either of those two.
Not at all, he just said since Sabonis was our center at that time he should be considered our "franchise" center. All I was saying is that is foolish..... just because we have centers on our team, you can't just throw that term around. I loved Sabonis and his game, he just shouldn't be considered that Next Level type of guy.
Dude was 4th or 5th best center in the league at the time - on a team that made the playoffs and went to the WCF twice. What else would you call him if not that?
I don't know if you guys paid attention; but comparing SABAS to Ratliff and Thompson is ludacris! Even with terrible knees, the guy was arguably one of the best centers on the Blazers. We was nicknamed a "point center" because of his amazing passing from the post. The guy was heady and definitely a "franchise center" for any team; even injured. And if we ever had the chance to have him on the team with Drexler, Porter, Kersey and Williams; and obviously in his prime; we should have been locks for titles! I've never been a big Sabas fan, but I will acknowledge the dude was definitely our "Franchise Center"
God damn...... nobody was comparing them. I guess their is a difference of opinion when the term "franchise center" is used. Go back and read the whole thread.
OK, I did. Based on my reading of the thread, Sabonis was being compared with Walton, Bowie, and Oden as "injury-riddled franchise centers." IMO, the term "franchise center" means: A "center" that could be the main piece of a championship team. And in this context, "injury-riddled franchise center" would mean: a center who--if not injured--could be the main piece of a championship team. Walton clearly fit the bill, Bowie allegedly did, and most believe Oden does as well. I would agree with the majority here in suggesting that given his level of production in the 90's with bad knees, Sabonis would have been on the level of late 90's Ewing, Mourning, and Robinson if he did not have his injury problems. I disagree with any suggestion that he actually produced like a franchise-level center, but I fully agree with the contention that he would have if healthy. Another way to look at it--you didn't appear to dispute Bowie's inclusion in this discussion. But comparing their production, Sabas was clearly the more productive player, despite being older and playing fewer games (and fewer minutes). If Bowie fits the description of an "injury-riddled franchise center", then Sabas definitely does too.
I think assumed in HCP's question was losing them altogether, not replacing them with 3/5 of a playoff quality starting lineup and a 7 footer who just needs minutes. In other words, take Melo and Big Shot off the Thuggets without replacing them with anyone and they look like the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Another angle I would add for consideration: Take decrepit Sabonis and put him in today's NBA. How many centers would you take over him? Dwight and??? Yao might be slightly more productive, but Sabonis gets the edge for consistently lacing 'em up. As arguably the 2nd best center in the league, I'd say today's standards qualify him as a franchise center. Like I said before, he played against four of the 6 or 7 best of all-time at the position.
