Who is the starting center right now?

[celticbos]

I think you will see many different starting lineups as the season goes along. The vets will start the season as starters, then young guys will get their shots depending how the season plays out. This roster is definitely going to change before the season begins and I am hoping that Ainge can bring Spencer Hawes here to be the starting 5 for this team. He can help stretch the floor and give Rondo more room to play his game. Hawes isn't the long term solution here, but he is a very good tradeable asset later on.

[Tr1boy]

Easily sullinger. True center or not he is going to earn a spot in the starting lineup as a center and oly will join him as a stretch pf

[Celtics18]

How is Melo leading this vote?  Melo is awful.  Any one else listed up there will start at center before Melo.  Now maybe by the end of the year, Melo might actually start to look like a backup NBA center, but right now I think there really are only 2 options: Humphries and Olynyk.  I'd personally go with Humphries, who is a veteran expiring contract, and thus could have a lot of value if he plays well.  Start him 30 minutes a night and see what you get from him and hope he plays well enough to get real value (not just expiring contract value) at the deadline.  By then hopefully Olynyk has developed enough to start and Melo has developed enough to back him up.

For me, it's make or break time for Fab Melo right now.  I wouldn't mind seeing him thrown into the starting lineup to start the season, even if he's only on the court for around 15 minutes a game. 

Let the big fella play.

[Moranis]

How is Melo leading this vote?  Melo is awful.  Any one else listed up there will start at center before Melo.  Now maybe by the end of the year, Melo might actually start to look like a backup NBA center, but right now I think there really are only 2 options: Humphries and Olynyk.  I'd personally go with Humphries, who is a veteran expiring contract, and thus could have a lot of value if he plays well.  Start him 30 minutes a night and see what you get from him and hope he plays well enough to get real value (not just expiring contract value) at the deadline.  By then hopefully Olynyk has developed enough to start and Melo has developed enough to back him up.

For me, it's make or break time for Fab Melo right now.  I wouldn't mind seeing him thrown into the starting lineup to start the season, even if he's only on the court for around 15 minutes a game. 

Let the big fella play.

he is only in his second year.  You don't want to destroy his confidence by putting him out there when he isn't ready.  I have no problem playing him this year, but he shouldn't be starting and should be the 3rd center behind Humphries and Olynyk.  If he earns more time, then great, if not, then fine he gets some playing time to help with the development.

[Fafnir]

How is Melo leading this vote?  Melo is awful.  Any one else listed up there will start at center before Melo.  Now maybe by the end of the year, Melo might actually start to look like a backup NBA center, but right now I think there really are only 2 options: Humphries and Olynyk.  I'd personally go with Humphries, who is a veteran expiring contract, and thus could have a lot of value if he plays well.  Start him 30 minutes a night and see what you get from him and hope he plays well enough to get real value (not just expiring contract value) at the deadline.  By then hopefully Olynyk has developed enough to start and Melo has developed enough to back him up.

For me, it's make or break time for Fab Melo right now.  I wouldn't mind seeing him thrown into the starting lineup to start the season, even if he's only on the court for around 15 minutes a game. 

Let the big fella play.

he is only in his second year.  You don't want to destroy his confidence by putting him out there when he isn't ready.  I have no problem playing him this year, but he shouldn't be starting and should be the 3rd center behind Humphries and Olynyk.  If he earns more time, then great, if not, then fine he gets some playing time to help with the development.

Yeah I see no reason not to bring him along like we did Perkins. Maybe he'll progress and move up to being a useful big man, maybe not.

But just playing him 25 mpg as a starter till he fouls out isn't how you'll maximize his chances.

[slamtheking]

probably Bass.

RR, AB, JG, GW, Bass.

Olynyk and Sully as the PF/C's off the bench with Humphries in the mix

[D Dub]

probably Bass.

RR, AB, JG, GW, Bass.

Olynyk and Sully as the PF/C's off the bench with Humphries in the mix

see, that's the problem I have with the tank theory. 
that lineup isn't bad enough to break into the top of the draft...

guessing we see more trades. 
humphries, bradley, green, sully, lee, bass, melo, 7M trade exception, a zillion 1sts...  Danny ain't done.


even if we just add a legit big for Hump/TE/Bradley/1sts; we'd be quite good with Rondo, Wallace, Lee, Green and Sully left over...

your atlantic division champions dare I say   

[Moranis]

probably Bass.

RR, AB, JG, GW, Bass.

Olynyk and Sully as the PF/C's off the bench with Humphries in the mix

see, that's the problem I have with the tank theory. 
that lineup isn't bad enough to break into the top of the draft...

guessing we see more trades. 
humphries, bradley, green, sully, lee, bass, melo, 7M trade exception, a zillion 1sts...  Danny ain't done.


even if we just add a legit big for Hump/TE/Bradley/1sts; we'd be quite good with Rondo, Wallace, Lee, Green and Sully left over...

your atlantic division champions dare I say   

that team is not good enough to make the playoffs, but it won't be the worst team in the league either.

[Ogaju]

we might as well throw in that stiff we drafted at #21

[aingeforthree]

I don't know who the starter will be but I do know who will get the backup minutes there.

Colton Iverson.

NBA body, will play his butt off, Rebound, & will give you 5 fouls for every 15 minutes he plays.  Perfect fit for the backup C job.

[CFAN38]

I expect Humphries to be moved for a different expiring (one who Rondo doesnt hate) and Sully to start at the 5 with bass at the 4. If bass is traded I could see Randolph at the 5 and Sully at the 4 with Olynyk the first big off the bench.

[rondoallaturca]

I expect Humphries to be moved for a different expiring (one who Rondo doesnt hate) and Sully to start at the 5 with bass at the 4. If bass is traded I could see Randolph at the 5 and Sully at the 4 with Olynyk the first big off the bench.

If there's going to be a Sully/Bass frontcourt, Bass would be the 5, not Sully.

[TheTruthFot18]

I expect Humphries to be moved for a different expiring (one who Rondo doesnt hate) and Sully to start at the 5 with bass at the 4. If bass is traded I could see Randolph at the 5 and Sully at the 4 with Olynyk the first big off the bench.

If there's going to be a Sully/Bass frontcourt, Bass would be the 5, not Sully.

Why?

Sully has a better defensive body, better defensive mind, and is a better overall rebounder making him ideal for a center position. Despite both being short for the position, I think Sully has a inch on Bass.

[Celtics18]

How is Melo leading this vote?  Melo is awful.  Any one else listed up there will start at center before Melo.  Now maybe by the end of the year, Melo might actually start to look like a backup NBA center, but right now I think there really are only 2 options: Humphries and Olynyk.  I'd personally go with Humphries, who is a veteran expiring contract, and thus could have a lot of value if he plays well.  Start him 30 minutes a night and see what you get from him and hope he plays well enough to get real value (not just expiring contract value) at the deadline.  By then hopefully Olynyk has developed enough to start and Melo has developed enough to back him up.

For me, it's make or break time for Fab Melo right now.  I wouldn't mind seeing him thrown into the starting lineup to start the season, even if he's only on the court for around 15 minutes a game. 

Let the big fella play.

he is only in his second year.  You don't want to destroy his confidence by putting him out there when he isn't ready.  I have no problem playing him this year, but he shouldn't be starting and should be the 3rd center behind Humphries and Olynyk.  If he earns more time, then great, if not, then fine he gets some playing time to help with the development.

Yeah I see no reason not to bring him along like we did Perkins. Maybe he'll progress and move up to being a useful big man, maybe not.

But just playing him 25 mpg as a starter till he fouls out isn't how you'll maximize his chances.

I agree that he probably shouldn't play 25 mpg.  That's why I specifically wrote 15.

[rondoallaturca]

I expect Humphries to be moved for a different expiring (one who Rondo doesnt hate) and Sully to start at the 5 with bass at the 4. If bass is traded I could see Randolph at the 5 and Sully at the 4 with Olynyk the first big off the bench.

If there's going to be a Sully/Bass frontcourt, Bass would be the 5, not Sully.

Why?

Sully has a better defensive body, better defensive mind, and is a better overall rebounder making him ideal for a center position. Despite both being short for the position, I think Sully has a inch on Bass.

Just because Sully has a better defensive body doesn't mean he uses it like so. Bass is a very underrated defender who was able to do a very good job on Melo last playoffs whenever he was matched up to him. Then you have to factor in Sully's back concerns.