Young 3rd string Center

[TheAquaLung]

What is are your thoughts about signing one of these still young back-up Centers? Someone like a Robert Swift or Johan Petro? They have done nothing yet in the NBA, but both are still young and still have upside learning from Shag and Big Z.

I would also like to see us cut J. Williams and instead sign a young PG. I see no reason why Williams should be on this team at all.

 

[Lee]

What is are your thoughts about signing one of these still young back-up Centers? Someone like a Robert Swift or Johan Petro? They have done nothing yet in the NBA, but both are still young and still have upside learning from Shag and Big Z.

I would also like to see us cut J. Williams and instead sign a young PG. I see no reason why Williams should be on this team at all.

I dont see either taking league min from the cavs with no hope of playing time without an injury. If they take league min, its to be the first center off the bench and get 15-20 mins a game in order to play for their next contract. I would prefer either player to jawad, but dont see how we could entice either at league min.

Neither is extremely exciting, but both could provide depth at center in the future. Neither will develope into a starter imo, but they are both viable back up options possibly in the future. Right now, we have almost zero depth at center once shaq and z are done.

Ironically, both were thunder first round draft choices....we thought we drafted bad under paxton...yeesh those are some bad picks, lol.

 

[MYoung23]

What is are your thoughts about signing one of these still young back-up Centers? Someone like a Robert Swift or Johan Petro? They have done nothing yet in the NBA, but both are still young and still have upside learning from Shag and Big Z.

I would also like to see us cut D. Jackson and instead sign a young PG. I see no reason why Jackson should be on this team at all.

fixed.

Petro has been re-signed by Denver. Swift played in the summer league and didnt look healthy or good.

Daryl Watkins is a center but he is probably just a training camp body. I think the Cavaliers will cross that young center prospect bridge when they come to it.

 

[rabman_gold]

fixed.

Petro has been re-signed by Denver. Swift played in the summer league and didnt look healthy or good.

Daryl Watkins is a center but he is probably just a training camp body. I think the Cavaliers will cross that young center prospect bridge when they come to it.

Good work, MYoung23. You managed to sum up why not to worry about our future at center.

Example: Brad Daugherty finally called it quits in 1996, missing the entire '95-'96 season (along with the previous year), but still being under contract on the roster. So what did the Cavs do? They drafted TWO center prospects.

It turned out that Z managed to fit the billing as our starting center for 10+ years. He's not perfect, but his offensive display allowed him to get over 10,000 points in over 700 games. He should be able to pass up Brad as the second leading scorer this year.

Once Shaq and Z really call it quits, we'll travel the same road as before (Thurmond, Hinson, Daugherty, and Z; each need opened up our future).

 

[Douglar]

Good work, MYoung23. You managed to sum up why not to worry about our future at center.

Example: Brad Daugherty finally called it quits in 1996, missing the entire '95-'96 season (along with the previous year), but still being under contract on the roster. So what did the Cavs do? They drafted TWO center prospects.

The problem with that plan is that you don't always get a chance at even one solid center prospect even if you lost 60 games the year before. Drafting centers is much harder than other positions because there is a such small pool of players with the physical dimensions and there is a lack of back to the basket players coming out of college.

But there are other options. Sasha Kaun is a remote chance but still a chance. There are also a number of passable international free agents. Once the actual possibility of a starting role opens up, more free agents will show interest.

If there was actually any young center prospects available for min salary that were worth anything right now, I think the Cavs would take a chance on them. But right now, there isn't a lot of upside.

 

[-KingofKings23-]

We have depth at the C/PF position. (Shaq, Z, Andy, JJ, Darnell, Moon and even LeBron at times)

However I agree that we should sign a PG because we dont have as much depth.

 

[Jon]

A team like the Cavs has to carefully consider upside and other options. We could have drafted Koufos, but we liked Hickson's upside better. That upside is important because ultimately that player has to perform better then someone we can move over to C when needed (like Andy) and the typical player we can snag off the MLE scrap heap (Joe Smith, Rasheed Wallace, etc).

Like the Bulls during their run, we may never have the opportunity to add a young 7-foot stud, but have to make do with the Cartwright's, Longley's, and Wennington's of the league.

 

[TheAquaLung]

A team like the Cavs has to carefully consider upside and other options. We could have drafted Koufos, but we liked Hickson's upside better. That upside is important because ultimately that player has to perform better then someone we can move over to C when needed (like Andy) and the typical player we can snag off the MLE scrap heap (Joe Smith, Rasheed Wallace, etc).

Like the Bulls during their run, we may never have the opportunity to add a young 7-foot stud, but have to make do with the Cartwright's, Longley's, and Wennington's of the league.

True, but say Robert Swift ( or other young 7') in a winning situation and Big Z and Shaq to learn from to me is still a better risk then J. Williams. Neither would play anyhow, but may show promise is practice or the D-league and have a better attitude about competing.

 

[MYoung23]

Good work, MYoung23. You managed to sum up why not to worry about our future at center.

Example: Brad Daugherty finally called it quits in 1996, missing the entire '95-'96 season (along with the previous year), but still being under contract on the roster. So what did the Cavs do? They drafted TWO center prospects.

It turned out that Z managed to fit the billing as our starting center for 10+ years. He's not perfect, but his offensive display allowed him to get over 10,000 points in over 700 games. He should be able to pass up Brad as the second leading scorer this year.

Once Shaq and Z really call it quits, we'll travel the same road as before (Thurmond, Hinson, Daugherty, and Z; each need opened up our future).

I wouldnt say not to worry. It is just that there are no viable long term options available right now. The Cavaliers will have to look at that next summer since there isnt much they can do now.

Alot of people including myself have wanted a viable young center prospect for a couple of years now. It is why names like Hibbert, McGee and Koufos were brought up 2 years ago but the Cavaliers decided to go the PF route.

 

[NarlCavs]

A young C is something that probably should have been addressed by now especially when there's a possibility that both Z and Shaq could be gone after the season. Quality options who the Cavs like aren't easy to come by at the C position where there's not exactly a ton of good young prospects available each season though.
I was in favor of drafting Koufos last year and haven't yet seen anything to make me change my mind. I don't dislike the Hickson pick and I hope his upside does pay off but at the same time good young PF prospects are easier to find than good young C prospects.

R. Swift was a C I've kept my eye on but at this point he needs to prove something before making a commitment to him. He's had injury problems and showed little other than some glimpses back in 2005/06 in his 2nd season. Still will only turn 24 in Dec. but he needs to start showing something.

I think any young C will come through the draft or an international FA. The Cavs did reportedly have interest in 25 year old Greek C Yiannis Bouroussis this past summer. That may be an avenue they pursue again in the search for C help.

 

[Randolphkeys]

While Mayo is pretty good, I really think the 2008 draft will someday be remembered as The Year of the Center. It's rare to see so many talented 7 footers available in one draft class. I know some will end up being wash-outs (Robin Lopez, I am making dramatic eye contact with you) but I could see 5-6 potential starters and 1-3 potential rotation guys at the center position coming out of that draft.

It's a shame we couldn't get in on it.

 

[Kongo Time]

I would like to see the kid from Mississippi state get looked at. I have no idea who is looking at him but last year in the couple games i saw him he was great.

 

[MYoung23]

While Mayo is pretty good, I really think the 2008 draft will someday be remembered as The Year of the Center. It's rare to see so many talented 7 footers available in one draft class. I know some will end up being wash-outs (Robin Lopez, I am making dramatic eye contact with you) but I could see 5-6 potential starters and 1-3 potential rotation guys at the center position coming out of that draft.

It's a shame we couldn't get in on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

[Deezus]

Andy is our de facto 3rd string center right now, and possibly 1st string in the future. I could see a scenario where the Cavs trade for (AHEM... Chris Bosh... in my fantasy world) or develop (AHEM... J.J. Hickson) a low-post scorer at the PF spot, then simply slide Andy over to the center position. We'd be much smaller defensively, but it could open up things for a faster-paced running type of offense in the future.

 

[Douglar]

Andy is our de facto 3rd string center right now, and possibly 1st string in the future. I could see a scenario where the Cavs ... simply slide Andy over to the center position. We'd be much smaller defensively, but it could open up things for a faster-paced running type of offense in the future.

If Shaq or Z leaves, it might be possible to pickup an international FA with the MLE that could tag team with andy to fill out the 5 position pretty well.

They could go with a skilled scorer:
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Yiannis-Bouroussis-118/
Or a hulking brute:
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Timofey-Mozgov-5161/

And then the center situtation starts looking like it is much more under control.