Dwight Howard Center of Power Foward?

[glennathan]

I was wondering why people say we need to look for a dominant PF to come in next to Dwight. I always thought that Dwight was a PF but we play him at Center. In high school he played PF. So my real question is if we had a chance to get a true Center like Camby (just an example) could we then play Dwight at the 4 or would Camby have to play the 4? Or does it actually depend on the Center we picked up?

[Neon1]

I was wondering why people say we need to look for a dominant PF to come in next to Dwight. I always thought that Dwight was a PF but we play him at Center. In high school he played PF. So my real question is if we had a chance to get a true Center like Camby (just an example) could we then play Dwight at the 4 or would Camby have to play the 4? Or does it actually depend on the Center we picked up?

A. Dwight was not a PF in high school, i have no idea where that came from.
B. Dwight is as true a Center as there is. He doesnt even posses PF skills to be real about it, He has PF athleticism but his game/skillset (or lack of) makes him the prototype center.

C. I thought this was put to rest a long time ago that Dwight isnt half as effective statwise or team success wise, after his initial year and a half stint at PF.

[glennathan]

A. I haven't posted on here for very long so if that was "put to rest a long time ago" I would not know.
B. I purchased a DVD from ESPN called "High School Phenoms" and it says in there Dwight played PF
C. If you look at the information available before the draft they were saying Dwight Howard was a PF you could compare to Kwame Brown. (aweful comparison in my opinion)

[magicfan4life05]

FWIW

i remember when clifford ray was here he said something to the effect of it would be a shame if howard didnt play PF because it would not utilize all of his skills or something.

[Neon1]

A. I haven't posted on here for very long so if that was "put to rest a long time ago" I would not know.
B. I purchased a DVD from ESPN called "High School Phenoms" and it says in there Dwight played PF
C. If you look at the information available before the draft they were saying Dwight Howard was a PF you could compare to Kwame Brown. (aweful comparison in my opinion)

Thats just a scout projection. They assumed his jumpshot would develop. So they thought he would jump shooting big man. They also didnt know his body would develop, and his game would be so physically overpowering. Scouts are wrong all the time. Kwame himself couldnt even play PF after 2 years once his body matured. Dwight was the Center on SACA.

As far as it being put to rest, i wasnt really speaking of just on these boards, i just meant i figured anybody that watched him against more skilled PF's versus the 7 times out of 10 a scrub center, just realised he is not challed nearly as much against centers than against more skilled power forwards.

[drsd]

Howard was projected as a PF and played so his rookie year. But in the last years, his body and game development has been about the Center position.

This interesting tracks exactly Moses Malone's development in the pros.

[Neon1]

FWIW

i remember when clifford ray was here he said something to the effect of it would be a shame if howard didnt play PF because it would not utilize all of his skills or something.

Position labels on the offensive side of the ball have zero impact on what the said player is capable of doing with the ball in his hands. If he has the skills to do something hed be able to do it. The reason he doesnt rain shots from the outside, or take people off the dribble is because he isnt a good enough outside shooter or ball handler, it has nothing to do with because he is labeled a center.

The only reason i even say hes more effective as a "center" is because im talking about him on the defensive side as he usually doesnt have to guard a skilled player and the biggest reason is because him being there allows us to put one extra player with skills in the lineup which effectively lets us play 5 on 4 1/2 most nights. Because most "centers" are so inept.

[Potterman]

Could Dwight play PF someday? Yes.
Could he play it now? Yes, but not as effective. (Spot minutes are ok.)

The point with Dwight is that he is the only definition of a "center" next to Shaq and Yao. Bynum should be a good center as well and in 5 years all the talk should be about Bynum, Oden, & Dwight with so far Dwight being projected to lead the way. If of course Oden and Bynum recover from their respective surgeries.

[Optimus_Steel]

Well Dwight was skinny in highschool if you guys remember when he was drafted. And he shot some jumpers. Remember Dwight saying that he wanted to be like KG and shoot jumpers and the front office saying no Dwight you should try to be like Shaq. Once he started playing in Orlando and felt that he was being pushed around by NBA players he started working out religiously and got ripped. I dont think any scouts or us fans expected Dwight to get sooo freaking strong and imposing.

[christian72589]

If dwight were to play PF, his rebounding and blocked shots totals would go way down. He would probobly be chasing jump-shooting PFs all over the court and not be able to anchor the paint at the C. Opposing teams would possibly even use dwight at PF to really spread our D thin in the middle by running him ragged around the perimeter.

[richboy]

I would have no problem with Dwight at PF if the right center was brought in. Camby is not that guy. Camby is more PF than Dwight. If there were a C that would force teams to guard Dwight with there PF then I wouldn't mind that at all. Dwight post game would be 5 times more effective being guarded by PFs.

[magicfanatic23]

Dwight is probably the only dominant center in the entire league now. Why would anyone want to change that?

[smoothplayer82]

He's a Center with outta doubt. Main reasons is because the definition of the Power Forward position has change over the past few years. They are more of a bigger SFs these days like Bosh, Odom, Aldridge, CV, Jamison, and so on - who are mobile, ball-handling, face-up, jump shooting big men. I mean, PFs nowadays are like what? 225-240 lbs?

[drsd]

Dwight is probably the only dominant center in the entire league now. Why would anyone want to change that?

He's a Center with outta doubt. Main reasons is because the definition of the Power Forward position has change over the past few years. They are more of a bigger SFs these days like Bosh, Odom, Aldridge, CV, Jamison, and so on - who are mobile, ball-handling, face-up, jump shooting big men. I mean, PFs nowadays are like what? 225-240 lbs?

I agree with both of these points.

In 2004-05, Howard played next to Kelvin Cato, a Center, and this added to the projection of Howard at PF. In 2005-06, Howard played next to Battie and the both rotated between PF and C. This year was also the first year that the Magic trainers got Howard over a Summer break. He got huge for his Sophomore season; this was the beginning of moving from PF to C. In 2006-07, the Magic started the Milicic experiment, but reverted back to Battie. This third year was the commitment of Howard to be physically modeled into a C. As well, at this point, all of Howard's moves were inside. Last year, with Lewis shifting from the 3 to the 4, Howard's move to the Center was chiseled into Magical stone.

[Dome]

Forget the label, you need to find a player with a skillset that complements Dwight, that's the only thing that matters.

If someone is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to put a label on him, I'd definitely say center though. Dwight's entire game is in the low post, and his body and skillset are as close to a traditional center as it gets. The Magic want a high post player that can shoot from outside a bit and has a bit more refined offensive game than Dwight, which traditionally is something PF's have. Regardless, if say Zydrunas Ilgauskas or Brad Miller would come to Orlando to play next to Dwight, I really don't mind calling Dwight a PF either. Like I said, it's just a label.

[glennathan]

I guess my main point to the post was to find out the difference between PF and Center. I guess I never really understood the difference between the 2 other then the name. From the different aspects of what people have said is that he is a traditional Center type but with the right tuning could be an explosive PF. I whole heartly agree that we need someone in here that compliments his play style.

I do not remember to much but did Darko do that with Dwight? or what about Battie? I will see this year with battie but if Darko did why did we get rid of him?

[CourtsideTV]

darko complimented dwight nicely.

[drsd]

darko complimented dwight nicely.

It was always the wish, but rarely the reality. ~And I for one was a fan of this tandem. At some point, we need to accept Mr. Amway's vies to have moral types.

Gym rats are, well, gym rats. More Diener, less Doug Christie.

[trebone]

C

[Horcy]

Center, definitely. He could be a a PF in the past, but he is the best big man in the NBA; he is a Center, and he can play PF without problems.