So , now that we know Danny is open to using KG at Center.......

[Who]

The only guys in the league that would scare me are Howard and ... maybe just Howard.

Orlando + LA + possibly Portland are the teams I would be worried about

Los Angeles and Portland are more about having two seven footers which would put a lot of pressure on the power forward Garnett is playing alongside. Difficult to get another high quality defensive player with that type of length, so it will likely be a smaller type (Boozer for example who doubles up as an inferior defender as well as being 6-9) who would be vulnerable in that matchup.

Orlando's Dwight Howard is the only singular threat at center that would bother me to a large degree. Bogut would be bothersome too but not to that extent.

Portland depending on Health. I thought about LAL - but Garnett destroyed Gasol - and Bynum and Gasol are both big - so someone has to take Bynum. Odom is obviously shorter.

There are a lot of very good players at PF - who you couldn't play at C and couldn't play next to Perk, KG at Center lets you go after those guys too.

I like the idea of Garnett at center + believe it's the best way forward for Boston if they choose to try and make another title run ... those are just the matchups I would be concerned about with Garnett at center.

Lakers -- that is my issue, the guy who Garnett is not defending. That is the matchup I would be worried about. The secondary effect (new PF) of Garnett at center. It can create vulnerabilities there too (PF), not just with whom Kevin is guarding (C).

[MaxwellSmart86]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

[LooseCannon]

If those trades had gone down, do KG and Boozer play exclusively at power forward or does one or both of them take some minutes as the center position?

[j804]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

Oh is that right Danny, thanks for the insight.

[freshinthehouse]

I thought about LAL - but Garnett destroyed Gasol - and Bynum and Gasol are both big - so someone has to take Bynum.

Game five of the 08 finals begs to differ.  Perk was out, and the Lakers continuously fed the ball into Gasol and Odom in the second half, both of who ate up KG on the low block.

[guava_wrench]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

You talk with such authority, but have you actually thought about what you are saying?

You are saying that KG and boozer split 48 minutes. That is ridiculous. KG would have to play some Center, even if Boozer is a sixth man a la Ginobili. There is no way that they are never on the floor together.

[thebirdman]

Pretty sure that the rumored Ray trade for Butler, INCLUDED Haywood--which would have allowed Danny to deal Perk for Boozer--BOTH deals together would make sense--but either deal on their own would NOT....so,no KG at Center.

Agreed!

[MaxwellSmart86]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

You talk with such authority, but have you actually thought about what you are saying?

You are saying that KG and boozer split 48 minutes. That is ridiculous. KG would have to play some Center, even if Boozer is a sixth man a la Ginobili. There is no way that they are never on the floor together.

Apparently you don't remember the trade rumors back then...and WHO did Washington trade to Dallas?...huh?

[MaxwellSmart86]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

Oh is that right Danny, thanks for the insight.

You're welcome!...I am correct.

[MaxwellSmart86]

I do believe theses rumors were true...I specifically remember Perk doing a LOT of Pouting at the time--and also, sitting on the END of the bench back then.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, I find the Haywood Deal interesting, but where did he rank on the Defensive Centers List? Higher than Perk?

And I'm just not sold on KG playing Center for any extended time. If this Boozer deal went down and KG did in fact move to Center, then imagine us playing ORL:

Boozer (or Glen) attempting to guard Rashard Lewis - not good, I think. KG on Dwight? Not Good. Or Switch it up and place KG on Lewis (a little better matchup, I think), but place Boozer on Dwight? I still see Dwight Backing Boozer down and it getting ugly really fast in this matchup.

And I would apply the same mechanics against CLE regarding Boozer. I just dont see how it would be a good thing, IMO.

[Bankshot]

Haywood is a better offensive player than Perk, but not better on defense.

[CoachBo]

If you think that Garnett's knee isn't going to ever allow him to recover his quickness, then you absolutely move him to center and you change the offense to force the opponent's center away from the basket to chase him. Buh-bye, Shaq.

As for the defensive end, as the Haywood discussion points out, it becomes absolutely essential to have a big-bodied banger on the bench to back up in this scenario.

Trading Perkins is absolutely an option in this scenario, given his limits on the offensive end, but only - IMHO - if it gives you an opportunity to acquire a bridge to the future.

[slamtheking]

Really?...Why is this even a topic to be discussed?...KG was NEVER going to play Center---the trades would have been:

Ray to Wash for Butler AND Haywood--a CENTER

THEN, Perk + filler to Utah for Boozer...

First trade fell apart---no need for the SECOND Trade---!

No KG at CENTER...ever.

That trade with Utah makes even less sense then.  You'd have both KG and Boozer who are both all-star talents at the same position.  Not needed.  So either KG plays center with Haywood off the bench or Haywood and KG start with Boozer off the bench.  In any case, KG plays plenty of time at the center position when Boozer is in the game. 

I wouldn't have minded the trading of Ray for both Butler and Haywood.  That'd get 2 quality players for Ray and that would have made Sheed more expendable in terms of now having a player off the bench that could back up Perk.  If the second deal was to move Sheed for someone useful, that would have been better.

[Bankshot]

As much as Perk frustrates me on offense, there is no way I would trade him.  Great interior defense is what wins championships and if you can't replace him with someone equally good on the defensive side of the ball, then you don't do it.  KG would be a disaster at center full time, imo.  He'll get pushed around rather easily.  There is a reason KG himself doesn't like to play center, so why make him play a position  he's not comfortable with?