POB as a PF?

[Danimals]

This isn't a thread about whether POB should be played or cut.

I'm simply curious about his potential (or lack thereof) as a PF.

Assuming POB never bulks up enough (20-40lbs) to match up against traditional low-post centers, would he be of more use to an NBA team as a very long PF (backup) instead? How does he compare against NBA PF in terms of

1)speed
2)agility
3)strength
4)rebounding
5)defensive potential
6)offense potential

[gar]

Good point. Takes some players a while to find their true position in the NBA. Question is whether he can guard people away from the basket and develop a reliable jumper.

[Change]

Great point, Its worth a try. Its kinda sad when none of our bench can start in this league. POB is still a project after 3 years.

[screwedupmaniac]

i think this is a good topic to discuss. obviously the center position has not suited him well thus far in the league. he cannot seem to defend traditional centers. however, i'd be concerned about him on the offensive end of the court as well, not his decent looking jumpshot, but rather his ball handling skills. seems like he makes a brilliant decision with the ball one play, and then turns around and frigs the same thing up the next two attempts. even so, i don't see how he's not getting any meaningful playing time, cuz our whole bench seems to have this problem of making a brilliant play, then screwing that same play up the next two attempts.

[Toine43]

I think he would too often encounter matchup problems on defense to be able to do this. He's already slow to start with - imagine him trying to guard an Amare Stoudamire or a Josh Smith. The OP is a good thought considering POB's ability to hit from the perimeter, as well as his tendency to get pushed around by stronger centers (and by stronger centers I mean every other center in the league). But the fact is, in order to be worthy of any playing time, POB's main improvement will have to be his strength.

[screwedupmaniac]

P.O'Bryant last night (garbage time, but time none the less):
     FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A  +/- OFF DEF TOT AST  PF  ST  TO  BS  BA PTS
04:14 2-2   0-0   0-0   +4   1   1   2   0   2   0   0   0   0   4

not bad, that's a point a minute...granted, we don't see what he does (or doesn't) do in practice, but i still say we give the guy some burn time. if we want to trade youth for veterans, we need to showcase them.

[Andy Jick]

POB is an SCRUB...

he's too slow afoot to play center so let's move him to power forward...yep, makes all the sense to me.

[xmuscularghandix]

POB has shown that offensively he's got some cute little moves, and i think that it could work becuase of his strength issues (see: greg oden backing him down like he was a little girl) Maybe he could matchup well against PF's. Maybe we should put him and baby out there together and then can roam the inside and work mismatches.

[KCattheStripe]

This isn't a thread about whether POB should be played or cut.

I'm simply curious about his potential (or lack thereof) as a PF.

Assuming POB never bulks up enough (20-40lbs) to match up against traditional low-post centers, would he be of more use to an NBA team as a very long PF (backup) instead? How does he compare against NBA PF in terms of

1)speed
2)agility
3)strength
4)rebounding
5)defensive potential
6)offense potential

TP for the original idea. I like it. It would drive the POWElice batty.

[Roy Hobbs]

POB as team manager?  Hey, it works in college and high school, why not the pros?

[Actionjakson]

There is far too much of an infatuation with POB. He is slow and lazy. He cant really play in this league. He is the classic case of a Mid-Major player that had a decent showcase in the NCAA tournament that resulted in scouts drooling over him as a lottery pick (ala Rafael Araujo or Melvin Ely).

Now, to answer the question, he does not have the skills to play PF. He does not have the speed or strength to defend NBA 4's (such as Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer) and he has very little offensive skill (not to mention zero face up game or mid range shot) needed to play the 4.

[MVP]

There is far too much of an infatuation with POB. He is slow and lazy. He cant really play in this league. He is the classic case of a Mid-Major player that had a decent showcase in the NCAA tournament that resulted in scouts drooling over him as a lottery pick (ala Rafael Araujo or Melvin Ely).

Now, to answer the question, he does not have the skills to play PF. He does not have the speed or strength to defend NBA 4's (such as Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer) and he has very little offensive skill (not to mention zero face up game or mid range shot) needed to play the 4.

No he is a center. POB doesn't have the lateral quickness to play pf. There's no reason why he can't bulk up 10-15 pounds.

As for POB, I don't know why he gets such a bum rap here. There's no way he is a stiff like many are calling him. A stiff is someone who is a 7 footer, but isn't athletic and doesn't have any skills. But O'Bryant is athletic and does have good offensive skills...he is a very good jumpshooter for a big for example (56% eFG on jump shots so far this season).

The guy is just 22 years old, averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, 3.5 blocks on 57% shooting and 83% ft shooting in the D-league last year(yeah it's the D-league but look what Sean Williams is doing down there right now). I also think he has significantly improved from the start of the season to now during his short stints on the floor. Let him continue working with Clifford Ray, be put on a workout program with Doo during the offseason and I think he might be our backup center next season.

[CoachBo]

POB as team manager?  Hey, it works in college and high school, why not the pros?

Nah. He's too lazy to do the towels.

 

Gerald Green's officially been replaced as "The Scrub of Internet Choice," hasn't he? Amazing how many people equate athleticism with NBA success - never mind little details like effort.

Pretty close to a good thread title.

I like "POB as Waived" a lot better.

[footey]

POB gets a bum rap here because the consensus is that Don Nelson called him lazy, and a bum, so he must be lazy and a bum.  He got very little playing time in GS. That may or may not be true; I would not put alot of stock in what Nellie says. He has a reputation for shooting his mouth off. I'd rather judge POB by watching him play extensive minutes. This reminds alot of the Gerald Green watch his rookie year. Everyone wanted him to get minutes, but Doc said he wasn't ready. When we got glimpses of his athleticism and shooting ability, we clamored for more. In that case, it turned out doc was right: the kid was not ready.  Doc has been wrong before too. He waited far too long to give Gomes serious minutes, and rarely played Perk and Al Jeff together, preferring to start Raef and Blount.  Anyone who trashes POB as being unathletic is full of major bull, however.  I would submit you are pretty bad at assessing athleticism in big guys. Look, he could turn out to be a stiff, but there has been zero opportunity to judge what he can do on the floor for meaningful minutes.  The worst he can do is fail. In the best case scenario, we found our back up big.

[crownsy]

POB gets a bum rap here because the consensus is that Don Nelson called him lazy, and a bum, so he must be lazy and a bum.  He got very little playing time in GS. That may or may not be true; I would not put alot of stock in what Nellie says. He has a reputation for shooting his mouth off. I'd rather judge POB by watching him play extensive minutes. This reminds alot of the Gerald Green watch his rookie year. Everyone wanted him to get minutes, but Doc said he wasn't ready. When we got glimpses of his athleticism and shooting ability, we clamored for more. In that case, it turned out doc was right: the kid was not ready.  Doc has been wrong before too. He waited far too long to give Gomes serious minutes, and rarely played Perk and Al Jeff together, preferring to start Raef and Blount.  Anyone who trashes POB as being unathletic is full of major bull, however.  I would submit you are pretty bad at assessing athleticism in big guys. Look, he could turn out to be a stiff, but there has been zero opportunity to judge what he can do on the floor for meaningful minutes.  The worst he can do is fail. In the best case scenario, we found our back up big.

How many times do coaches, scouts, and GM's need to say patrick doesn't hustle before we get done with the "everyones wrong, he's actually a hard worker" threads?