Prediction: We will Start a Traditional Center

[DanSchwartzgan]

Now that the remaining roster question involves the last two-way slot, I wanted to deal with something I’ve been thinking about for a while.  I’m not ignoring the Dragic possibility here.  I don’t think he would start anyway.  But, I’m not sure those of us (myself included) who presume we will see KP at center and either DFS or Maxi at PF have it right.  I think either Powell or Willie will start and KP will be the starting PF in the AD role.

1.  To believe otherwise, you have to believe there is another explanation for all of the centers on the roster.  Take KP out of the mix and we still have four.  OK, one is a cheap project and one is a specialist.  But, if you go back over the last two years, Dwight has been given every opportunity to hold the spot.  Willie isn’t consistent, but in spurts he’s as good as any of the backup centers employed by LAL the last two seasons and the Bucks during Kidd’s time there.

2.  The big issue here has always been “KP wants to play center”.  That is largely because center here is much more involved in the offense (under Carlisle).  But there is a new sheriff in town and the last two seasons that sheriff saw an offensive minded shot blocking big do plenty of scoring at the four.  Kidd’s best finals success came next to a seven footer playing exclusively at PF.  I bet he’s seen a play of two in his day that had some offense running through the PF spot with the lesser offensive talent playing C.  The big offensive change Kidd might bring is that PF no longer stands in the corner, but is more of a focal point.

3.  Almost all of Kidd’s time in Milwaukee had GA playing the three on the floor with a traditional C and PF.  It wasn’t until Kidd’s final partial season that GA was used more as a four.  In LAL, Kidd was witness to Lebron having two bigs next to him the vast majority of the time.  I’m not saying five-out with KP at center is dead.  But, it is probably more of a specialty lineup than the standard given Kidd’s history in LA and Milwaukee.

4.  Kidd talks a lot about D and about KP returning to NY KP.  Our minds tend to go to offense, but defensively KP played very little center in NY.  He almost always had a big next to him doing the dirty work.  His best defensive talent is as a weak-side shot blocker.  He’s not good at taking on big burly guys like Valenciunus or Jokic one on one. I get that KP will be hunted on switches, but we hopefully have added a little more D on the perimeter than we had a year ago.

I get that the “Powell Sucks” crowd will go ballistic over this (note I’m not saying Powell will start, I’m saying a traditional center will start…Could be WCS).  BTW, probably the most credible reporting on Powell that we have is that Dallas didn’t want to put him in a package for Dragic.  I think this makes sense for the rest of the roster also with Sterling Brown as more of a Green insurance policy than a rotation player.

Powell/WCS
KP/Maxi
DFS/Bullock
THJ/Green-Sterling
Luka/Brunson

I could easily see Bullock starting (he started every game but one last season) and THJ coming off the bench. That would improve our D.  

Powell/WCS
KP/Maxi
DFS/THJ
Bullock/Green-Sterling
Luka Brunson

If you do it that way, then maybe the bench can be a self-sufficient.  It would be especially so if Dragic came and sat Green/Sterling.  We’d always have a roll man/dunker on the court and Moses spends a year developing and is a cheap WCS replacement in 22/23.  Unless we make a deal for someone, Burke is our insurance PG (Terry is developmental).  We are a little thin at PF, but there are enough wings that DFS can move up if we have an injury to KP or Maxi and the wings could pick up additional minutes.