NBA Centers (Part 2)

[George O'Brien]

DETROIT

Ben Wallace - $6 million (two years)
Sheed Wallace - $9.1 million (five years)
Coleman - $4.5 million (two years)
McDyess - $5 million (four years)
Campbell - $4.4 million (one year)
Milicic - $3.7 million (four years)
McCaskill - $922,000 (one year)

The two Wallaces are the cornerstone of the championship team.

Coleman came over from Philadelphia. Had a lot of injuires last season but Larry Brown likes him.

McDyess signed for a huge amount of money for a guy with his injury history. Dyess and Coleman may average out to one healthy player.

Campbell averaged under 14 minutes a game in just 67 games, but played a big role in the finals. He is probably on the market, but his expiring contract is worth more than his regular season play.

Milicic had a hard time getting minutes last season and willl have even more competition. He is not going to be traded because Dumars doesn't want to admit he made a mistake.

McCaskill will be on his fifth team in five years. He is likely to be cut.

GOLDEN STATE

Foyle - $6.5 million (six year)
Davis - $9 million (one year)
Eschmeyer - $3.1 million (three years)

Foyle signed for far more than anyone expected for a career backup.

Davis is a former all star who is still a solid defender rebounder at the age of 35

Eschmeyer has been injured for the past couple of years and may be retiring.

HOUSTON

Yao - $4.4 million (two years)
Taylor - $8.5 million (three years)

Yao is the centerpiece of the Rockets. He will get a max contract next season.

Taylor is a grossly overpaid backup who can score. He will get the minutes because there is no one else.

INDIANA

J. O'Neal - $14.9 million (six years)
Foster - $4.3 million (five years)
Bender - $6.4 million (three years)
Croshere - $8.3 million (three years)
Harrison - $643,000 (five years)
Pollard - 5.8 million (two years)

O'Neal is mostly a PF, but he ended up at center at least part of the time. One of the top players in the NBA he is the cornerstone of the Pacers.

Foster is a serviceable center. Good rebounder and defender, he was very productive for a guy who only played 24 minutes a game.

Bender is a project who is very tall and very athletic, with no defensive skills. Supposedly the Pacers turned down a deal with GS to get Dampier because GS wanted Bender. Clearly the Pacers see something in him most fans don't.

Croshere is incredibly overpaid but actually did pretty well in the playoffs. Prior to that he was awful.

Harrison was the Pacers first round pick.

Pollard had some minor injuries and never really did much for the Pacers, getting only 11.1 minutes per game in 67 games. He is probably on the market, but best guess is only for an expiring contract.

CLIPPERS

Kaman - $2.3 million (four years)
Wilcox - $2.2 million (three years)

Kamen is the Clippers only true center. He showed some promise but is not much more than adequate at this point.

Wilcox backs up both the PF and center position. He actually showed some promise late last season. He will not be traded because the Clippers have no other big men beside Wilcox, Kaman, and Brand.

LAKERS

Divac - $4.9 million (two years)
Grant - $13.3 million (three years)
Mihm - $?

Divac played pretty well last season with the Kings, but it not clear he is a good fit for the Lakers. He has to make up with smarts what he's lost athletically and it may not be enough.

Grant gets to play more at PF which is his natural position. He is overpaid but at least he plays defense.

Mihm will give the Lakers some low post offense, but he is considered soft and has never really stood out.

MEMPHIS

Wright - $7.5 million (two years)
Swift - $6.0 million (RFA)
Tsakalidis - $2.3 million (RFA)

Wright is an "OK" center who is overpaid for playing 25.8 minutes and getting only 6.8 rebounds.

Swift is very athletic and has played center by default even though he is really just a PF. He is not physical enough to be a center for extended minutes.

Tsakalidis had 13.3 minutes in only 40 games as his poor mobility limited his effectiveness.

MIAMI

Shaq O'Neal - $29 million
Doleac - $?

Shaq should dominate in an Eastern conference with few strong players.

Doleac played with the Knicks and Nuggets last season. He is the only other big man on the Heat right now.

 

[newfan101]

You have way to much time on your hand.

 

[arizonaman]

You have way to much time on your hand.

haha thats what I was going to say.

 

[George O'Brien]

You have way to much time on your hand.

Probably. Actually I've thought about doing this for several weeks. Every few days there is some variation on the "let's trade X for a young, athletic center" post.

 

[Joe Mama]

George, thanks for the lists. This really does show just how poor the center position is around the NBA. I mean you have a couple of guys listed here who won't even sniffed minutes at Center. Jonathan Bender isn't even a power forward much less a Center. Croshere won't get any minutes at Center either. He is one of those ambiguous forwards.

However I think some of us are mistakenly thinking that the Phoenix Suns need one or two centers to match up with the other teams' centers. That's not true. They need those players to defend the middle of the floor and grab some rebounds. They need some size and toughness.

Joe Mama

 

[georgesucks7]

get a life my friend

 

[SweetD]

Thanks for all your hard work. I know I wanted to look into what was around the league as for Centers and PF playing Center. I still want to use our pick or Chicago's pick next year on a stud Center in the draft. I can wait one year.

 

[Joe Mama]

Thanks for all your hard work. I know I wanted to look into what was around the league as for Centers and PF playing Center. I still want to use our pick or Chicago's pick next year on a stud Center in the draft. I can wait one year.

that's what I'm hoping for also at this point. Perhaps they could even put that draft pick together with their own to get a good Center in the draft. There should be several available because of all of the ones that dropped out of this year's draft.

Joe Mama

 

[Yuma]

that's what I'm hoping for also at this point. Perhaps they could even put that draft pick together with their own to get a good Center in the draft. There should be several available because of all of the ones that dropped out of this year's draft.

Joe Mama

Joe, you SEE how weak centers are around the league. Yet you continue to say Amare CAN'T play center. I will concede he may not WANT to play center, but he is stronger, faster, and more athletic than 2/3's the centers in the Western Conference. You also point out he is 6'10" and 250 or so. Look at the stats for half the centers in the Western Conference and you will see he is really not undersized compared to some of the "over stated" sized centers. Most of these guys sizes are WAY overestimated, especially when you see Amare standing next to them in a photo. Not saying Amare is our answer at center, yet. However, you keep saying he CAN'T play center for us. I disagree!

 

[Dr. Dumas]

get a life my friend

If you do not wish to read a well thought out post, then why don't you just skip over it. You suck-nice post George.

 

[Joe Mama]

Joe, you SEE how weak centers are around the league. Yet you continue to say Amare CAN'T play center. I will concede he may not WANT to play center, but he is stronger, faster, and more athletic than 2/3's the centers in the Western Conference. You also point out he is 6'10" and 250 or so. Look at the stats for half the centers in the Western Conference and you will see he is really not undersized compared to some of the "over stated" sized centers. Most of these guys sizes are WAY overestimated, especially when you see Amare standing next to them in a photo. Not saying Amare is our answer at center, yet. However, you keep saying he CAN'T play center for us. I disagree!

did a certain, prominent, recently banned member of this message board take over your handle today? Where in the world did I say that Amare Stoudemire CAN'T play center? I said he isn't a center, would be undersized center, and doesn't want to play center, and that was last week. I didn't say anything about Amare Stoudemire playing center here.

I just said the Phoenix Suns do need some more help at the center and backup power forward positions. I really do not believe they need a top-flight center. They need someone serviceable. I actually think that someone like Kevin Willis to play 10-15 minutes per night would be great. If there was some way to get Dikembe Mutombo for 15-20 minutes per game without giving away much that would be great as well.

Joe

 

[Yuma]

Can't versus Isn't. I don't see the difference. If you say a guy ISN'T a center, then he CAN'T play center, right? Am I missing something? I think we are playing semantics. Right now Amare IS the best center on our team. That he doesn't want to play center is a shame. You want to tell me Amare at center is WORSE then Jake at center? Jake IS our best center right now, barring Amare! Put Jake and Amare head to head in practice and Amare will serve Jake his teeth on a platter! I would say Jake is better than half the centers in the Western Conference, so by default, so is Amare!

 

[Joe Mama]

Can't versus Isn't. I don't see the difference. If you say a guy ISN'T a center, then he CAN'T play center, right? Am I missing something? I think we are playing semantics. Right now Amare IS the best center on our team. That he doesn't want to play center is a shame. You want to tell me Amare at center is WORSE then Jake at center? Jake IS our best center right now, barring Amare! Put Jake and Amare head to head in practice and Amare will serve Jake his teeth on a platter! I would say Jake is better than half the centers in the Western Conference, so by default, so is Amare!

OK smart guy. If Amare Stoudemire plays center who is going to be the power forward? And by the way your logic is flawed. There are plenty of players who are power forwards playing out of position at center. I've also said several times and I have no problem with Amare Stoudemire playing limited minutes at center. I'm sure he will do it. I just don't think you want him wearing himself out banging with bigger players. If the other team is playing a power forward at center that is different.

Joe Mama

 

[NJYAJ09]

Amare needs to stay at PF.

 

[George O'Brien]

I think the real issue is the kind of players he is playing with. Put Brand at PF and I'm sure Amare would be happy to play center. Put Marion at PF and Amare has to do ALL the heavy lifting on defense.

 

[BC867]

I think the real issue is the kind of players he is playing with. Put Brand at PF and I'm sure Amare would be happy to play center. Put Marion at PF and Amare has to do ALL the heavy lifting on defense.

Excellent point. Amare at Center means Marion at PF.

A Power Forward, two Small Forwards, and two Guards . . .

or a Power Forward, a Small Forward, and three Guards . . .

isn't going to sustain in the NBA, even when Centers overall are not as dominating as in the past. Especially, down the stretch and in the post-season.

With Marion changing his game since the injury to playing outside, the net result would actually be one Power Forward and four Guards. Ouch.

 

[George O'Brien]

Excellent point. Amare at Center means Marion at PF.

A Power Forward, two Small Forwards, and two Guards . . .

or a Power Forward, a Small Forward, and three Guards . . .

isn't going to sustain in the NBA, even when Centers overall are not as dominating as in the past. Especially, down the stretch and in the post-season.

With Marion changing his game since the injury to playing outside, the net result would actually be one Power Forward and four Guards. Ouch.

Offense is not the problem, it's defense. On offense, Q will be the guy close to the basket since that's his game. The problem is having guys 6'7" and shorter defending 7'0" power forwards.

 

[devilalum]

Offense is not the problem, it's defense. On offense, Q will be the guy close to the basket since that's his game. The problem is having guys 6'7" and shorter defending 7'0" power forwards.

Hey George

Why don't you create a list of all the PFs in the league so we can explore "Elton Brand" type guys who can play PF while Amare plays center?

 

[devilalum]

Mailman?

I hate the guy too but not as much as I hated Danny Ainge and I got over that. Malone never bit anybody on the leg.

I don't know why he'd want to come here but a front line of Amare, Malone and Marion wouldn't get pushed around. IMO he'd be good fit. A big guy who can hit that 15-18 fot jumper would really open things up for Amare down low and Malone still takes up a lot of space on the defensive end.

If the Suns could dump Eisley somehow they could give him a few million for 1 or 2 years and try again next summer to find the perfect center/PF. Maybe with the Bulls pick or via some kind of trade or the mid-level exception...

 

[Yuma]

OK smart guy. If Amare Stoudemire plays center who is going to be the power forward? And by the way your logic is flawed. There are plenty of players who are power forwards playing out of position at center. I've also said several times and I have no problem with Amare Stoudemire playing limited minutes at center. I'm sure he will do it. I just don't think you want him wearing himself out banging with bigger players. If the other team is playing a power forward at center that is different.

Joe Mama

For example, Vroman, Jake, or any of our bigs, are better defensivly at PF then true centers. Amare has much better speed, strength, athleticism than ANY of the centers we have now. Look around the Western Conference and there are more brusing PFs than bruising centers. In a sense, Amare would get LESS pounding as a center, then a PF in the Western Conference.