[MopgrassParticipant]

If this is the year your team needs a center in the draft, this is not the greatest year, right?

There are tons of guys listed as PF/C. Maybe Bam is center, but not most of the other PF/C’s. For me, Robert Williams, Harry Giles, and Ivan Raab are only centers in small ball, not as your go-to center. Even 7’0" Markkanen is in no way a center. 

There are 3 types of centers to me 1) the outside shooters who can manage defense 2) the newer, faster, switchable athletic defensive centers (WCS, Noel), and 3) old fashion back to the basket rim protectors (our Euro guys still do this). 

I believe Zach Collins is the 1st actual center off the board. He’s a bit type 1 and 2. I think he’s a mid lottery guy. After that, I think it’s wide open. I think it’s wide open. I’ve got my eye on Anzejs Pasecniks. I think he jumps up the board. Maybe Jon Collins too. Am I missing someone? I feel like there’s no WCS, Noel types. Is there someone who might surprise us and declare? 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Very guard heavy class this year, traditional centers seem to be going the way of the dinosaur in the modern game. Even guys like Noel and WCS, would they have even been considered centers in the 80/90s? I don’t think so

[llperez]

i actually think markaanen will see lots of time at center in the nba. He has a solid frame on him physically although he is not a physical type player. But in todays nba he doesnt have to go down and bang a lot, just box out and not get pushed around then on offense he can be a stretch big. People compare him to dirk, but hes not nearly as fluid and agile, his game is much more stiff then dirk’s. He can put it on the floor a bit against slower defenders but i doubt he does much of that in the nba.

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

 What are people’s thoughts on Swanigan. Would like to see him shed a few more pounds to improve his athleticism but kids obviously worked hard as hell to get where he is now. Good size and touch out to the NBA three. I think he’ll stick even if he ends up as a rotation big off the bench.

[thetrademachineryParticipant]

 bam adebayo will be a steal in this draft. 

[wonzi_bellsParticipant]

 Preach mopgrass!

It’s the reason why I have Zach Collins as the best big in this years class because he does enough to be a starting level center like a Robin Lopez/Cody Zeller type who can pick-and-pop and do enough big man type things with his frame, defensive fundaments, provide some rim protection and switching onto guards and the bare minimum to provide your team with effective rebounding.

The rest seem to be filler bench options like your first big off your bench and I don’t know how valuable that is in a league that has a surplus in bigs. The one thing though, is bigs are expensive once their rookie contracts are up, so that elevates some of these guys once you consider that you can have them at a cheap cost, albeit they won’t be be that good until their third or fourth years in the league.

Markkanen is going to see a lot of minutes at center because of his defensive concerns against quicker players and even then you can’t finish out games with him, unless he’s playing in a Rockets "outscore your opponent" type offense. If you play him a four, teams will just guard him with a small forward since he lacks the big man skills to post them up or out-rebound them and that just neutralizes all the advantages of having a big who can shoot like a wing.

Patton is a embodiment of a filler bench big to me since he lacks the frame to bang, lacks the rim protection, quickness and rebounding skills to be a starter and Williams just doesn’t know how to play actual defense. And I don’t even see Rabb as a first rounder. Pasecniks is like Patton since terrible rebounder too, lacks big man skills but he’s gigantic and can run the floor and will maybe showcase more defensive skills once he’s in the NBA. And as for Swanigan, he’ll just be put in a pick-and-roll and that’ll limit him very much.

I say if you want to draft a big man high, wait til next year.

 

 

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Patton could definitely get a look anywhere from the 10-25 range imo. He is no doubt a project and probably not ready to contribute for at least a year or two. However, he has physical gifts no other player in this draft possesses really with his length and wingspan. He kind of reminds me of an extremely raw Hassan Whiteside. Some team will gamble on him in the first round.

[kobyzParticipant]

 Jonathan Motley is rising up, he could be what Ekpe Udoh was ever sopposed to be if wasn’t so mentally weak. Motley could be like Amir Johnson and Markieff Morris hybrid…

[Anton123Participant]

 Robert Williams has announced he is returning.

[r377Participant]

That is good, he was not that good. I was not that impressed with him and have him in my mock going around 18-20.

Lots of useless mocks and reports stating he could of gone in lottery or top 10. What rubbish, he was never that good…

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/ncaa-basketball/news/robert-williams-nba-draft-2017-texas-am-projection-mock-lottery/1xt6ngeyn3n7mz6bevsl6i637

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/3/21/15004966/texas-am-robert-williams-2017-nba-draft-lottery-pick-return-to-school

[binetParticipant]

This year is clearly not considered a good one for Centers in the NCAA but there should be good international prospects at Center like every year. Matthias Lessort is having a comparable year to Clint Capela in France and should end up at least good enough, a might be a steal in the secound round.

I also think a team needing a Center can just trade their pick for Brook Lopez, Vucevic or Okafor in the mid-first round when there are no starting caliber looking bigs available.

[FUNKYBUNCHParticipant]

He has that upside to be that 2 way Center like WCS. He showed me that against Motley.

[Author]

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