I don't know why this is a question, it's Tatum.
Who started as power forward for the last two seasons? Tatum
He projects to be what Carmelo should have been; a long, athetic, strong, shooting power forward who can switch.
Perhaps for certain match ups you may need a bigger body but for the majority of the season it is Tatum.
Yep, TP!
The obvious answer is Tatum, yet his name isn't even mentioned in the poll. Go figure.
Okay I'll admit last few posters are right.
Problem is Tatum is the franchise right now. Why would you play the best prospect since Pierce out of position?
Al Horford just walked in large part because he was tired of playing out of position at Center.
Why do the same to the franchise
This is why everybody like you KGLL - you absorb other points of view while also making solid points of your own.
I agree that Tatum is probably not your prototypical PF, but he is our best option right now. We can only hope/assume that he has gained some weight/length from his combine measurements and that he is seriously ready to take on more responsibility.
Not to worry, though. Tatum will see plenty of time at SF, as well - maybe just not at the beginning and end of games.
TP bro. I appreciate that.
In fairness, I'm not sure PF is out of position for Tatum. If anything I think it might actually be advantageous for him.
I feel that when he plays the PF spot he seems to have a major offensive advantage due to his superior quickness, ball handling and perimeter game. Most NBA PF's just cannot guard him on the perimeter or off the dribble. Yet he has good length and quick hands, which allows him to hold his own against most NBA PFs on the defensive end.
By comparison put him at the SF spot and I think he loses some of those matchup advantages, even if the position might technically be a closer match for his skill set.
Maybe, sounds theoretical not actual. Tatum does have an advantage in height at the SF position which means he can shoot over people.
Just going off what I've seen with my own eyes, I don't have any objective stats or data to back it.
But in his rookie season he seemed to spend more time at the starting PF spot and he seemed to really excel there. In his second year Morris started much of the year at PF which moved Tatum to SF much of the time, and he just didn't seem to have the same type of advantage he had in year one.
It may not have been for that reason, but I just know from the eye test alone he seemed to torch a lot of big men on offense, whereas he didn't seem to have his way as easily against longer / quicker wings.
I may well be 100% wrong and the data may totally disprove that, it's just how things looked to me when I watched.