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Amir Johnson as our starting center?

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  • Amir Johnson as our starting center?

    Next year, our draft pick from last June, center from Lithuania Jonas Valanciunas will join the team. As for now, the Raptors really got a hole at the 5 spot. Assuming we need someone else than Andrea to start at the center position and that we want Ed to develop as a 4, and also the fact that signing a center in the market to be our starting one does not really make sense, do you think Amir could be the man to start at 5 this upcoming season? The team could trade Bargnani for another pick and a backup center with a lot of teams (Charlotte with Diop, Phoenix with Lopez, etc...). At the same time, it would free up cap space for next summer. What y'all thinking?

  • #2
    Really, I don't have a problem with it. I know some people are going to have a problem because they feel he'll get killed down there because he's not big enough, but really who cares? Is it going to make a whole lot of difference in the long run? The team is not going to compete anyway and he did defend a number of the better centers last year. Theres no real point in going out and signing someone to basically fill the spot for one year.
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    • #3
      He basically was last season.

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      • #4
        charlesnba23 wrote: View Post
        Next year, our draft pick from last June, center from Lithuania Jonas Valanciunas will join the team. As for now, the Raptors really got a hole at the 5 spot. Assuming we need someone else than Andrea to start at the center position and that we want Ed to develop as a 4, and also the fact that signing a center in the market to be our starting one does not really make sense, do you think Amir could be the man to start at 5 this upcoming season? The team could trade Bargnani for another pick and a backup center with a lot of teams (Charlotte with Diop, Phoenix with Lopez, etc...). At the same time, it would free up cap space for next summer. What y'all thinking?
        I think it's going to be Ed. His main goal this summer was to add 20-30lbs of muscle. His old man was going to be pushing him all summer. He's had a couple extra months of build his body. My money is on him coming to camp bigger than Amir. I think he's going to be the best bigman on defense and on the glass this season.

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        • #5
          Yeah, Ed.
          @sweatpantsjer

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          • #6
            The problem of playing an undersized player at center (whether it's Amir or Davis) is the toll it takes on his body throughout the course of a full season. The last thing we'd wanna see is a significant injury to one of these guys.

            Alabi might be all that's required as a stop-gap until Jonas arrives.

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            • #7
              Ed Davis

              ceez wrote: View Post
              Yeah, Ed.
              If anyone on the current roster is going to be the C besides Andrea Bargnani I think it will be Ed, he is the one that is closest to having the kind of body to play down low. I dont think it would be a waste either, might as well get him used to playing there. I wonder if he gained any weight in the off season.
              "Defense wins championships."

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              • #8
                Nilanka wrote: View Post
                The problem of playing an undersized player at center (whether it's Amir or Davis) is the toll it takes on his body throughout the course of a full season. The last thing we'd wanna see is a significant injury to one of these guys.

                Alabi might be all that's required as a stop-gap until Jonas arrives.
                Alabi still needs to prove something. I'm not placing any faith in him until I see him go head to head against NBA bigmen this December.

                SuperRaptor wrote: View Post
                If anyone on the current roster is going to be the C besides Andrea Bargnani I think it will be Ed, he is the one that is closest to having the kind of body to play down low. I dont think it would be a waste either, might as well get him used to playing there. I wonder if he gained any weight in the off season.
                If he added 20lbs of muscle this summer then that puts in him at around the same size as Joakim Noah. The two have many parallels to their games.

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                • #9
                  If I were Casey I'd probably give Alabi 20mpg to start, then split the other 28 between Ed and Amir, try to spread it around so that the 4s playing out of position don't get too banged up. Actually if it were up to me, I'd give Alabi 15ish mpg then tell Bargs to suck it up and play the 5 for the rest of them. I'm not personally on board with the idea that he's a 4.

                  I think the Raps could also benefit from signing a cheap vet to play 8-10mpg at the 5, someone who will be a good practice body and who the younger guys can learn from but won't expect minutes.

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                  • #10
                    Dre starts at the 5 with Ed at the 4. Amir first big off the bench and if one of the three bigs is in trouble Alabi might get some burn. I expect the rotations to be very similar to last year but Ed starting over Amir.

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                    • #11
                      sign someone like Aaron Gray to a 1 year deal and let him start with Alabi as a backup. Start Ed at the 4 and trade amir or bargnani for a lottery pick and some role players.

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                      • #12
                        NoPropsneeded wrote: View Post
                        sign someone like Aaron Gray to a 1 year deal and let him start with Alabi as a backup. Start Ed at the 4 and trade amir or bargnani for a lottery pick and some role players.
                        That's an interesting idea. Gray's a young player, high energy, doesn't ask for the ball. I think it will take a multi year deal for Gray to sign.

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                        • #13
                          Why force Davis or Amir into a position they shouldn't be playing?

                          Both are solid defensive 4's with Davis having the upside to being a very good defensive player at the PF spot.

                          Let all players come to camp and battle for the position at the 4. If defence is as important as the organization is claiming then Davis or Johnson will be the starting 4.

                          For the 5 spot Colangelo needs to go out and find a journeyman to fill that position until Jonas is ready to play it.

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                          • #14
                            sleepz wrote: View Post
                            If defence is as important as the organization is claiming then Davis or Johnson will be the starting 4.
                            Then Bargnani would have 66 DNP-CDs beside his name :P

                            As much as I hope all players will be treated equal under Casey's regime, as long as Bargnani is on this roster, preferential treatment towards him seems likely.

                            All the Bargnani-is-a-power-forward nonsense, combined with Casey's attempt to "hide" him on defense, is evidence of a player who has been given the benefit of the doubt for faaaaaar too long, and there's little reason to think that will change.

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                            • #15
                              NoPropsneeded wrote: View Post
                              sign someone like Aaron Gray to a 1 year deal and let him start with Alabi as a backup. Start Ed at the 4 and trade amir or bargnani for a lottery pick and some role players.
                              Why does a starting lineup of Aaron Gray, Ed Davis, James Johnson, Demar DeRozen, and Jose Calderon/Jerryd Blayless makes me think the Raptors would have a hard time averaging 93 points a game? Poor Demar would probably average 25+ points a game but I fear his efficiency would take a nosedive facing so many double-teams.

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