Could Johnson start at 5 and is he another Deandre Jordan ?

[heitingas]

Title says it all, and from watching some videos they both can dunk, both really athletic and fast,same height I think.

But Johnson has an outside game.

Deandre has gained 30 lbs since entering the league yet remained athletic and had a breakout year, do you think that Johnson could play at 5 and as a starter ?

And if he has a good year will people say because he play with 3 HOFers and Rondo ?

here is a high school video of Jordan and compared to Johnson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn5lXKm6LEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQV3HrETo_I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et3-0QpkwLM&feature=related

[Prof. Clutch]

It may take a few seasons of dedication to the weight room and eating right.  After seeing Johnson up close with my own eyes I can tell you that he's going to need to add significant bulk if he wants to play Center.  He's much thinner and lankier than even KG, so for him to play Center he'll have to do something similar to what DeAndre Jordan has done, and that may take awhile.  I think he'll have way more of an effective career as a Power Forward and should just focus on that.

[diconzo]

It may take a few seasons of dedication to the weight room and eating right.  After seeing Johnson up close with my own eyes I can tell you that he's going to need to add significant bulk if he wants to play Center.  He's much thinner and lankier than even KG, so for him to play Center he'll have to do something similar to what DeAndre Jordan has done, and that may take awhile.  I think he'll have way more of an effective career as a Power Forward and should just focus on that.

What about JJ at the 4 and KG at the 5? That lineup with Ray/Rondo/Pierce would stretch the defense, wouldn't give up a lot of rebounding power, and it would be great for JJ to get time in with the starters. I could see them doing this mid third quarter with a big lead.

[Marcus13]

Johnson isn't going to put on 30 pounds.  Ever.

[mgent]

Haven't seen either of them too much, but I highly doubt it.  Jordan is a freak, he can get above the rim way too easily and can finish with his eyes closed and 2 guys jumping onto his back.  He's really not that good, but the fact that he's a top 3 dunker in the league allows him to score high percentage buckets for his club.

Johnson might have a better well-rounded game, but the chances that he can do what Deandre Jordan does are extremely low (not even mentioning the fact that he's missing 50+lbs).

[Prof. Clutch]

It may take a few seasons of dedication to the weight room and eating right.  After seeing Johnson up close with my own eyes I can tell you that he's going to need to add significant bulk if he wants to play Center.  He's much thinner and lankier than even KG, so for him to play Center he'll have to do something similar to what DeAndre Jordan has done, and that may take awhile.  I think he'll have way more of an effective career as a Power Forward and should just focus on that.

What about JJ at the 4 and KG at the 5? That lineup with Ray/Rondo/Pierce would stretch the defense, wouldn't give up a lot of rebounding power, and it would be great for JJ to get time in with the starters. I could see them doing this mid third quarter with a big lead.

Personally I'm a little wary of KG at the 5 and he's been vocal about not wanting to play the Center position, but if Johnson finds his groove this season I could see them going to that line-up in crunch time (as they did with Posey at the 4 a few seasons ago.)

[xmuscularghandix]

Never happening. Johnson isn't a center, and KG hates center.

[the_Bird]

It may take a few seasons of dedication to the weight room and eating right.  After seeing Johnson up close with my own eyes I can tell you that he's going to need to add significant bulk if he wants to play Center.  He's much thinner and lankier than even KG, so for him to play Center he'll have to do something similar to what DeAndre Jordan has done, and that may take awhile.  I think he'll have way more of an effective career as a Power Forward and should just focus on that.

What about JJ at the 4 and KG at the 5? That lineup with Ray/Rondo/Pierce would stretch the defense, wouldn't give up a lot of rebounding power, and it would be great for JJ to get time in with the starters. I could see them doing this mid third quarter with a big lead.

Personally I'm a little wary of KG at the 5 and he's been vocal about not wanting to play the Center position, but if Johnson finds his groove this season I could see them going to that line-up in crunch time (as they did with Posey at the 4 a few seasons ago.)

I've been advocating KG playing some of the C minutes, particularly with JJJ in the fold and with Jeff Green likley returning.

Think about the NBA when KG joined.  The big men he'd be banging against at the 5 spot were guys like Shaq, David Robinson, Dikembe, Shawn Kemp, Ewing, Hakeem...   I mean, just look at this list of the leading rebounders in KG's rookie year.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_stats/1996/?sort=rebounds&filter=&value=

Now, think about the guys who play the 5 in the current NBA.  The only real "bangers" out there these days are Dwight Howard and Z-Bo.  We're going to be competing with Chicago; their most important bigs are Noah, Boozer, and Taj Gibson.  Miami's got Bosh and they'll probably sign Dalembert.  Dallas is Dirk and Tyson Chandler.  

There just aren't as many of the bulry, banging-types playing C anymore - the position has changed.

It's a given that we need another guy to play the 5, but it's also still very likely that our four best big men next season will be KG, JO, Jeff Green, and JJJ.   It's going to be easier to find a PF than another true C, certainly another true C that'll be any better.  Seems like a KG/Green or KG/JJJ frontcourt combination, against a fair number of opponents (not Orlando), is going to be our best bet.

EDIT: KG preaches nothing more than being a team player.  Time for him to act on his words and give the team what they need.

[Fafnir]

EDIT: KG preaches nothing more than being a team player.  Time for him to act on his words and give the team what they need.

KG has played C all the time for the C's, when has he not backed up his words?

Remember the PG/Allen/Pierce/Posey/Garnett lineups in 07-08? Remember him guarding a healthy Yao Ming and completely denying him the ball? KG has played center a lot and done so at a high level for the C's, even as he says he prefers the 4. (which is his primary position after all)

[Evantime34]

Johnson could end up starting at the four with KG as the Center, however this is only in the event of injury to JO and the backup 5 we sign. I think he ends up playing Big Baby minutes from two seasons ago, but giving us more.

He is not Jordan, who is an athletic freak but not very skilled. JJ is not as athletic big or strong. However, he is a much offensive player. Fans will love seeing him catch all the alley oops Rondo threw to KG their first year together.

[nickagneta]

1. Johnson doesn't have the frame to become physically what DeAndre Jordan is physically.

2. They play two different positions. Jordan is definitely a center and Johnson definitely a PF. Neither should be playing the other position unless due to team emergency.

3. DeAndre Jordan can block shots but isn't a great defender, has no offensive game except a dunk, can't shoot free throws, but is a very good rebounder. I think Johnson's all around game might eventually be better than Jordan's. Guess we will have to wait and see on that.

4. KG should not be playing center. He also is a PF and is best playing that position. KG starts and Johnson might eventually get some minutes behind him next year. Maybe.

[erisred]

It may take a few seasons of dedication to the weight room and eating right.  After seeing Johnson up close with my own eyes I can tell you that he's going to need to add significant bulk if he wants to play Center.  He's much thinner and lankier than even KG, so for him to play Center he'll have to do something similar to what DeAndre Jordan has done, and that may take awhile.  I think he'll have way more of an effective career as a Power Forward and should just focus on that.

What about JJ at the 4 and KG at the 5? That lineup with Ray/Rondo/Pierce would stretch the defense, wouldn't give up a lot of rebounding power, and it would be great for JJ to get time in with the starters. I could see them doing this mid third quarter with a big lead.

Personally I'm a little wary of KG at the 5 and he's been vocal about not wanting to play the Center position, but if Johnson finds his groove this season I could see them going to that line-up in crunch time (as they did with Posey at the 4 a few seasons ago.)

It's a matter of semantics. If JJ and KG are in the game, then JJ is playing Center and KG is playing PF...no matter who they are guarding or who is guarding them, that's what the C's need to say and what KG needs to believe to be happy.

[mctyson]

1. Johnson doesn't have the frame to become physically what DeAndre Jordan is physically.

2. They play two different positions. Jordan is definitely a center and Johnson definitely a PF. Neither should be playing the other position unless due to team emergency.

3. DeAndre Jordan can block shots but isn't a great defender, has no offensive game except a dunk, can't shoot free throws, but is a very good rebounder. I think Johnson's all around game might eventually be better than Jordan's. Guess we will have to wait and see on that.

4. KG should not be playing center. He also is a PF and is best playing that position. KG starts and Johnson might eventually get some minutes behind him next year. Maybe.

1) Correct - if you have JJ's height and weight after 4 years of college when you should be getting bigger, you are probably not goin to add that much more.  But I think JJ will get up to 235, maybe 240.  That's KG like and more than enough.

2) I could see 3-4 years from now JJ, if he is at 240, putting in KG-like minutes at the 5, but that all depends on how good he is defensively.  Let's just assume he wont be as good as KG

3) I definitely believe JJ will be an above-average NBA defender and a good shot blocker from the PF position.  His wingspan isn't crazy long, but the guy is 6'10 with a 40-inch vert.  That's way more shot blocking potential than Perkins every dad.

4) KG will be playing the 5 next year.  Rondo/Pierce/Green/JJ/KG - expect to see that lineup at least once, it could be the best defensive lineup the Celtics have, except for when a pure 5 is on the block and JO is needed.

[slamtheking]

At this point, I'll just be happy if he's good enough to get minutes as a backup PF next year.  way too soon to predict more than that

[Moranis]

I would like to point out that Jordan is only about 6 months older then Johnson.