Doc Rivers: "KG will play Center this year"

[MF Doom]

Centers of the top teams in the East: Noah, Joel Anthony, Chandler, and I guess you have to add Howard, I just dont know where he will end.

With the exception of Howard, KG will be fine. Doc just cant overplay him in the regular season

[jdz101]

This sounds pretty much like the west deal is done then..

[slamtheking]

Centers of the top teams in the East: Noah, Joel Anthony, Chandler, and I guess you have to add Howard, I just dont know where he will end.

With the exception of Howard, KG will be fine. Doc just cant overplay him in the regular season

excellent point.  Noah, Anthony and Chandler are not big threats offensively so hopefully KG won't have to expend a lot of energy banging against a real post player.  He may be even able to cheat of his man a bit more since in this day and age, centers are not the offensive focal points they were 25 years ago whereas PF's are involved offensively.

Then again, West may get the more physical assignments on defense.

[Jon]

No offense, but this notion that we are doomed if KG plays the 5 is flat out ridiculous.

How easily people forget that KG manned the 5 at the end of games with a small forward named James Posey playing the 4. He also played out there with the 6-6 BBD.

He is going to be fine at the 5 with true 4s like West and Bass.

[Tai]

KG is not a center.....he will be wasting all his energy playing there, covering people who will push him around..and he will then be tired on offense.....not a good idea. Come on doc..! Then he will be out of position on offense also...it will throw his whole game off.....what about murphy at center, or the new guy....play KG..what..less..?

He could just as easily tire himself out running after power forwards that are faster than him at this stage of his career.

[moiso]

I agree with the guys who said he will get pushed around and have no energy left for offense.  He's going to try to keep Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol away from the rim?  It's almost a waste of time unless he develops Big Baby's knack for flopping and taking charges.

[birdwatcher]

I still don't buy it. The team likes to keep their cards close to the vest as far as personnel decisions, and I really feel, especially if we give up 3 players to NO for West that we'll bring in at least 1 legit C, like Kwame or Pryzbilla, or even make another small trade to acquire some size. We'll have the room on the roster to pick up another tweener like Delonte and 2 C...

[BASS_THUMPER]

love kg
 

    well...

i respect hmm..

he cant be our center..he is  not strong enuff..

yeah i said it....!

[Eja117]

I think this whole thing where people are saying KG can't play center is a little like saying Steve Nash or D Rose can't play shooting guard.

[Surferdad]

I'll register my concern as well.  However, if ainge can find a true center off the scrap heap, then the frontcourt rotation will be fine and KG only needs to play about 20 minutes at the 5:

KG, West, Bass, Wilcox, Steisma, JJJ, FA center

[Celtic]

Not a fan of this idea at all.

[2short]

Let Rondo run! See Marc Gasol keep up with kg, Howard is guarding him it'll move him away from the basket because his jumper is so good.
big man rotation i'm loving!
Sort of my idea about a running team, we have nice athletic bigs

[jdz101]

This is NBA basketball. You get pushed, shoved, and have to run/change direction in every position. It won't get any more or less physically taxing when changing positions.

[birdwatcher]

This is NBA basketball. You get pushed, shoved, and have to run/change direction in every position. It won't get any more or less physically taxing when changing positions.

If it were that simple, Jeff Green could guard big 4's. KG is strong but he's going to be slighter in weight than just about every C he faces. Go try pushing around a guy who out weighs you by 25-50 pounds on both ends of the floor for 25-30 minutes a game and tell me it doesn't tax your legs, let alone the rest of your body. That's part of why Doc is always saying we need size.

[jdz101]

Its basketball not sumo wrestling. Not all of the 25-30 minutes a game is going to be shoving a bigger guy. Besides KG is a very crafty player who uses his body beautifully. Jeff green can't guard the 4 because he doesn't have this, not because he weighs too little.