Voodoo Child, that's exactly my point, that's for emphasizing on it. As for the subject of Howard and Randolph co-existing, who says that they can't? Just because the Magic have Howard they can't have Randolph? Randolph, although at 6-9, can be more than an efficient center in the East. He's already a premier rebounder and will teach Howard the ropes. If Randolph were to go to Orlando, there won't be a rule saying that Howard would have to be dumped.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Voodoo Child, that's exactly my point, that's for emphasizing on it. As for the subject of Howard and Randolph co-existing, who says that they can't? Just because the Magic have Howard they can't have Randolph? Randolph, although at 6-9, can be more than an efficient center in the East. He's already a premier rebounder and will teach Howard the ropes. If Randolph were to go to Orlando, there won't be a rule saying that Howard would have to be dumped.</div> Center? I don't think Randolph can play the Center. What's he going to do when he faces Shaq, Eddy Curry, Z around 12 times a year? He's an average defender, and will become a below average defender at the Center posistion, if he's forced to play it. Dwight Howard is no KG yet, and is not versitile like him to guard all 5 posistions. I see being another Abdur-Rahim and Z-Bo thing in Portland if this does happen. This will just make Randolph more frusterated, by playing out of posistion.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post">Center? I don't think Randolph can play the Center. What's he going to do when he faces Shaq, Eddy Curry, Z around 12 times a year? He's an average defender, and will become a below average defender at the Center posistion, if he's forced to play it. Dwight Howard is no KG yet, and is not versitile like him to guard all 5 posistions. I see being another Abdur-Rahim and Z-Bo thing in Portland if this does happen. This will just make Randolph more frusterated, by playing out of posistion.</div> Hardly. If I don't remember wrong, Randolph did a great job in his sophomore season when he filled in at center for the Blazers. He has the size and the body to throw around in the paint, and actually will stand his own against Z and Curry IMO. Shaq he might have a problem with, but who won't?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post">Center? I don't think Randolph can play the Center. What's he going to do when he faces Shaq, Eddy Curry, Z around 12 times a year?.</div>It's weird that you say that Randolph, 6-9 and 270 lbs. can't play center in the NBA because he wouldn't be able to take on Shaq, Curry, or Ilgauskus etc., but you think that the 6-9, 235 lbs. (And much more fragile), Kurt Thomas has what it takes to play Center in the NBA? ^Goto the second page and the 25th post. You say that Kurt Thomas will finish the year playing Center. I understand that you don't think that Randolph would like playing center, but then you say HE can't but Kurt Thomas can? Please explain. (I'm not challenging you, just asking for a friendly explaination. )
Randolph playin center in the east is a no brainer,even though he amybe be a smaller 6"9,he still pulls down 10 rebounds per game in the west,so IMO that automatically means he is capable of playing C in the East. Also you see guys like Ben Wallace who arent 6"10+ but can still play C,so I deffiantly think Randolph at 6'9,235 lbs can.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Hardly. If I don't remember wrong, Randolph did a great job in his sophomore season when he filled in at center for the Blazers. He has the size and the body to throw around in the paint, and actually will stand his own against Z and Curry IMO. Shaq he might have a problem with, but who won't?</div> Randolph actually didn't play the Center when he was filling in the starting lineup. He was playing the 4, and Sabonis and Davis were playing the Center posistion while Sheed was out. Z-Bo isn't a shot blocker. He's not tall or atheletic enough to stop Currys and Z's shot when they get deep and turn around him. He's only average on the defensive end, so when he goes up against bigs like Duncan (who's a Center), and the ones I've listed, he'll be at a bad dis advantage. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Knicks Analyst:</div><div class="quote_post">It's weird that you say that Randolph, 6-9 and 270 lbs. can't play center in the NBA because he wouldn't be able to take on Shaq, Curry, or Ilgauskus etc., but you think that the 6-9, 235 lbs. (And much more fragile), Kurt Thomas has what it takes to play Center in the NBA? ^Goto the second page and the 25th post. You say that Kurt Thomas will finish the year playing Center. I understand that you don't think that Randolph would like playing center, but then you say HE can't but Kurt Thomas can? Please explain. (I'm not challenging you, just asking for a friendly explaination. )</div> Those were my starting lineups that I believe Lenny Wilkens and the Knicks will go with. I didn't say Kurt Thomas can play the Center. Kurt Thomas is the Knicks best option at Center, personally I don't think Kurt Thomas can play the Center that well, but he's a better defender than Randolph. When he was brought in, he wasn't the player who he is now. He took the option at playing at the Center posistion, and took advantage of it, and ended up as the best option there for the Knicks. A move to the Center posistion, will eventually take on Z-BO and his stamina after a while,and he won't fair well on defense. All most all of the Centers in the league play in the paint, and for him to guard taller players who are almost as big, as big, or bigger than him, will tear him down. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Randolph playin center in the east is a no brainer,even though he amybe be a smaller 6"9,he still pulls down 10 rebounds per game in the west,so IMO that automatically means he is capable of playing C in the East. Also you see guys like Ben Wallace who arent 6"10+ but can still play C,so I deffiantly think Randolph at 6'9,235 lbs can. </div> That's a totally different case with Ben Wallace. He's much more athletic than Z-BO, and he's stronger than him. He's also a 2 time defensive player of the year. He can defend the bigs well, block shots, and steal basketballs due to his quickness, awareness and help side defense. Those are big advantages he has over Randolph. Randolphs size isn't enough to compare with Wallace.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post"> Those were my starting lineups that I believe Lenny Wilkens and the Knicks will go with. I didn't say Kurt Thomas can play the Center. Kurt Thomas is the Knicks best option at Center, personally I don't think Kurt Thomas can play the Center that well, but he's a better defender than Randolph. When he was brought in, he wasn't the player who he is now. He took the option at playing at the Center posistion, and took advantage of it, and ended up as the best option there for the Knicks. A move to the Center posistion, will eventually take on Z-BO and his stamina after a while,and he won't fair well on defense. All most all of the Centers in the league play in the paint, and for him to guard taller players who are almost as big, as big, or bigger than him, will tear him down.</div> Ok, thanks for the clarification.
Banks is completely right on this one. When I said that Howard and Randolph could co-exhist earlier I meant Randolph starting over Howard for a few years until Howard comes into his own. By that time you would have had plenty of time to deal either one. Size does not always matter when playing Center. Zach couldn't even play effective Center on the college level at Michigan State. He's too slow and too badly out of shape. Like Banks said, his defense is still not what it should be to play Center, and he has almost no shot blocking game at all. Kurt Thomas, Stromile Swift, and all the other skinny short centers of the NBA have the wingspan, the vertical leap, the stamina, etc. to play the Center position and Randolph doesn't.
I see. It's always been a misconception of mine that size and rebounding are all you needed to excel at the center position, and you guys have shown me otherwise. Thanks for clearing it up.
