Does Shelden play...

[falc82]

PF for our team or C? Even if we dont keep Al around it seems like Smoove and Marvin should be our starting forward combo, and Zaza is fine at C for now. I don't see Shelden starting over any of those 3, and it seems like a bad move not picking up a starter at the #5 pick. Shelden fills a need as far as a defensive presence goes, but I think its possible to pick that up with our #33 pick in a player like Solomon Jones or Justin Williams, ect. Both are rather bad on the offensive end, but could be very good on the defensive end.

I think with the #5 selection we should look to add a starter to this team even if its not an immediate starter. Roy, Foye, Aldridge, or Marcus Williams should be the selection, even though I don't think we should pick Marcus here. If we could somehow trade down and get both Shelden and Rondo or Farmer then that could be a good move. I just dont feel comfortable selecting Shelden that high simply because he will never be a starter on this team in my belief.

[Wurider05]

I feel that same way. We need to add another starter and tha only area we need a starter in is that guard. Why draft Williams if he isn't going to start when you could get a starting guard just as easily. I think that they are drafting a bit man to come off of the bench or split minutes at the forward spot. Isn't JSmoove a legit shitblocker in this league. We need a guard preferably a point guard and we can get a veteran big man via free agency.

[Diesel]

I think Shelden's best position is Pf in the NBA.

It's crazy our thinking that we have to play guys out of their position because we drafted them and want them to play.

If you were a brain surgeon in a hospital.. and the Hospital already had a top notch brain surgeon... does that mean that they will send you to the Cancer ward to be the cancer surgeon?

These specialties mean something and it's not trivial. There is a certain skillset that a player must have to play PF. Just because we may have the vacancy at that position, doesn't mean that you just plug in a guy without that skillset and hope for the best!

[vdunkndunk]

I think Sheldon has a chance to be one of the best centers in the NBA, even though obviously he'll also play a lot of PF when he and Zaza are in there together.

To me, Sheldon will be as strong and thick as almost any of the centers out there, plus he'll be quicker and more athletic than most of them. True, he'll be a little short, but he has long arms, strength, timing, and tenacity to make up for it.

The day of the huge plodding center is over. If Ben Wallace, Boris Diaw, and Amare Stoudamire can be some of the best centers in the league at 6'9, I see no reason why Sheldon couldn't also.

[mudderfudder77]

Quote:

---

I think Sheldon has a chance to be one of the best centers in the NBA, even though obviously he'll also play a lot of PF when he and Zaza are in there together.

To me, Sheldon will be as strong and thick as almost any of the centers out there, plus he'll be quicker and more athletic than most of them. True, he'll be a little short, but he has long arms, strength, timing, and tenacity to make up for it.

The day of the huge plodding center is over. If Ben Wallace, Boris Diaw, and Amare Stoudamire can be some of the best centers in the league at 6'9, I see no reason why Sheldon couldn't also.

---

Well for one, Shelden isn't anywhere near the athlete those three are. You say the days of the plodding C are over, but Wiliams is a plodding PF who relies on overpowering guys, rather than out-quicking or out-jumping them.

Strictly playing Devils advocate, but what is going to happen when Shelden is no longer the strongest guy on the court?

[Lascar78]

It's not all about who starts though. It's about adressing need. Our biggest needs were big men, and defense. Zaza should not have been playing 38 minutes. Whoever starts, even a guy like Shelden could get some minutes there. I think his position is clearly PF, but he can help. Depending on how good he was, he could start. At C or PF if he really is that good. Depending on what Josh and Marvin have been working on, you could even see:

???/Lue

JJ/Salim

Smith/Chill

Shelden/Marvin

Zaza/???

Or you could swap Smith and Marvin depending on Marvin's progress. Basically 5 guys for 3 positions, 29 minutes a piece. If you want to start small but defensive you could go

???/Lue

JJ/Salim

Marvin/Chill

Smith/???

Shelden/Zaza

However, without starting shelden, he could still be a huge help off the bench with the following starting lineup, which is what I think we would actually start:

???/Lue

JJ/Salim

Marvin/Chill

Smith/Shelden

Zaza/???

before free agency of course, with multiple people playing multiple positions

[Lascar78]

Quote:

---

Strictly playing Devils advocate, but what is going to happen when Shelden is no longer the strongest guy on the court?

---

That's what I've been saying all along. I'm just very nervous about it. IT's so hard to tell with guys like that. Sometimes it carries right through and you wonder why you ever doubted them, and sometimes they fizzle

[DJlaysitup]

Well he'll be the strongest player on the court that WE have. He's done well against tough competition in big college games - what do we want? Another dream project?

He can play primarily at PF alongside Zaza - and drop down to center some depending on matchups. He'll do fine. I'd worry more about some of the other guys we got continuing to develop (that is if we pick Shelden).

[Lascar78]

I'm not saying I'd be pissed if we took him. I think his talent is clear and he plays big. That being said, I was worried that if he was too short, he might not be able to keep bullying people around. If our big problem is lack of size on the inside, a 6'7" PF/C might not be the answer. Then I heard about his wingspan and thought he would make up for his height, but it's apparently not the case. With his long arms, I thought he could be like Elton Brand. But his standing reach is 8'8, brand's is 9'2, a full 6 inches taller. That's a problem. He might be good enough to overcome that problem, but there's certainly a problem.

I think Shelden will be solid, and he has NBA level strength. But not NBA level height. He is not a great jumper. So is he still going to be able to block NBA PF/C's like he did in college? I'm not so sure. I think he'll be solid, and a very good man defender, but if we're going to reach, I'd rather gamble on someone with more upside like O'Bryant

[Packfill]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Strictly playing Devils advocate, but what is going to happen when Shelden is no longer the strongest guy on the court?

---

That's what I've been saying all along. I'm just very nervous about it. IT's so hard to tell with guys like that. Sometimes it carries right through and you wonder why you ever doubted them, and sometimes they fizzle

---

Could not agree more.

We are all guilty of overanalyzing these things. It is also very difficult to predict who will and who will not break out as professionals, which is an entirely seperate issue from overanalyzing.