[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t it seem like this draft is full of the quintessential "tweener" or "combo" forwards?  In some cases players are able to make the transition from the power forward to small forward (Jarred Dudley, Kevin Durant,  but in many cases players struggle to make this adjustment (Marvin Williams, Earl Clark, DeMarre Carroll, Joe Alexander etc.)  

The players I see as tweeners in this draft that could go either way with this transition: 

Derrick Williams- has never played SF at any level

Tristan Thompson- I think is a PF but some have said he’ll have to play some SF at next level

Marcus Morris- Markieff is clearly a PF

Chris Singleton- Will make the smoothest transition

Kenneth Faried- PF by play but some might say SF by size

Tobias Harris- Could struggle the most 

Let me know what you think in terms of who will/won’t make the adjustment.

 

[Hi its BenParticipant]

 How about Jan Vasely? I think he’s considered a tweener by almost everyone.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

Thompson and Faried won’t play a second of small forward in the NBA.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

I also consider the fact that some of those players could be successful as undersized power forwards at the next level, but a few of them are going to be expected to play the wing position.  (I know Durant was never really a PF but at Texas he was the tallest guy on the floor most of the time)

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

I considered  Jan is a tweener but at 6’11 he has the height to play the PF and teams won’t draft him thinking he needs to play on the wing.  I agree about Thomas and Faried.  

[i’m jus so offendedParticipant]

I don’t think you can just peg the forwards as tweeners, almost every single "PG" in this draft besides Kyrie can be considered as such. Nolan Smith, Jimmer, B. Knight, Mack, Selby, Shumpert, Charles Jenkins, the list goes on…

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 When they’re listed as sf/pf what would you rather call them?  and you’re right about those guards, there are questions about all those players you just listed.

[delfamParticipant]

 How if Faried a tweener, he only has one position.

Tweener has nothing to do with height, it’s about skill set, Faried maybe size wise a SF but his skillset is a PF, so he is not a tweener.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 I completely agree with you with Faried, but some scouts have said he might have to guard wing players in the NBA a la Demarre Carroll or Renaldo Balkman, I’m not saying it’s going to happen but some people even talk about Jason Thompson as a small forward at times which seems even more outrageous.  And Chuck Hayes is a 6’6 center, i know, but some people don’t accept these things.  

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Yeah, Durant was a perimeter guy at Texas.  He was a small forward who was a matchup nightmare. 

If Derrick Williams plays the 3 then he would be more of a matchup problem than a tweener.  If he plays power forward then he is about the same size as the Morris twins and Faried who are also projected as being power forwards in the NBA. 

If Faried’s rebounding ability translates then it doesn’t matter what his height is.  He can make a living just rebounding the basketball and making some hustle plays (put backs, steals, charges).  If not, then he will be an energy guy with no true position like Demarre Carrol.  Every team needs an energy guy though so if a team doesn’t mind picking a guy who will be there 9th or 10th man then that would be Faried’s downside.  If he can rebound at a high level in the pro’s then he can be a starting power forward or a one of those 6th men power forwards like Taj Gibson, Darrell Arthur, Udonis Haslem, Nick Collison, and Big Baby who do a lot of damage at the 4 spot and come off the bench.  If he turns into just an adequate rebounder who can make a few put backs every game, but who turns himself into a great defender then he can be a Shane Battier type player.  Taj Gibson might be a good realistic comparison.  Gibson is a good athlete, can finish inside, not the biggest power forward, but he can rebound some and defend with great energy. 

Faried is a good risk, especially past 15 or so.

Singleton also looks like a hustle, defensive type presence too.  Might not be a starer but could be the 1st big guy a rising team would bring off the bench.  If he can defend LeBron, Durant, Dirk, and other guys like that as well as contributing with points and rebounds then he would be a highly valuable player in the NBA.

[delfamParticipant]

 ^ The thing is Faried is not a tweener because he can only play one position(PF), his height is a non factor cause he only has one position.

A guy like Derrick Williams is a tweener cause he can play more than one position.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 You’re right, I should have left Faried and Thompson off that list, my apologies, I was really more concerned with Marcus Morris, Derrick Williams, and Tobias Harris, because they show skills to play on the wing but can play the PF at times if you want to go small, but Williams to me is more of a pf

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Derrick Williams is a stretch four who would need to have good complementary players next to him.

What about a comparison to Shawn Marion?  He is not a classic power forward or small forward but he scored well, grabbed a ton of rebounds and gots lots of steals and blocks.  Great athleticism and length, but didn’t really have enough size to play power forward, but not a typical small forward.  Not more than an average ball handler or passer either, but a very good player with a long career. 

Williams would either be an oversized 3 with the shooting range and speed to cause a lot of matchup problems, or a slightly undersized 4 who could beat his man off the dribble. 

More than anything he would need to play with a point guard who likes to run and knows how to get a guy shots in high percentage situation.  I think he would be a great running mate with Baron Davis. 

William’s upside is Josh Smith with a 3 point shot and a brain.  That’s pretty good in my book.  In certain matchups play him at the 3, at other times put him at the 4.  … Derrick Williams could turn into a slightly shorter Amare Stoudemire. 

[surveParticipant]

IMO, a person who doesnt really have a definite position.  A person who is not particularly better at one spot than he is another.  A tweener could also be a person who is has the skills of one position but are physically lacking at another, or flip that, one that is physically gifted at one position but lacking skillwise.

NOTE: Grant Hill was never considered a tweener, neither was Matt Barnes, but they sure have played a lot of PF to be small players who early in their careers played on the wing.

[mamadouParticipant]

Derrick williams will be in the beasley mold, he’ll play PF without a legit C, he’ll be exposed, then he’ll finish as a SF…he is.

And he won’t turn into a slightly shorter Stat…at all.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

"Chris Singleton- Will make the smoothest transition"
Based off what? The axiom that coaches play small forward who can shoot and can’t defend without fouling?

"Tristan Thompson- I think is a PF but some have said he’ll have to play some SF at next level"
6’9  w/o shoes and that lack of skillset says he is going to eventually settle in as a C.
 

[Author]

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