Which Centers would you Swap Pek For?

[shrink]

To me, one of the few good things that has resulted from the Pau Gasol discussion is that his has opened me up to the concept of trading Pek for a far different center. I'd considered Gortat and Varejao of course, but even today, names like Hibbert (for Pek, Derrick Williams and Barea), Okafor, and Kendrick Perkins (with TOR 1st and Jeremy Lamb) are popping up on the trade board.

Before you answer the question, I want to dispel a few belief about Pek, that might alter your view on his value:

"We should trade Pek since he may get a big free agent offer that we don't want to match."

We don't know what Pekovic's contract will be. It appears he plays much better with Rubio, so it's quite possible he's more valuable here, and no one would offer more. Even if we didn't, these things generally end in a sign-and-trade so we'd get assets. Even if we couldn't get a sign-and-trade, we aren't forced to match .. we could use the money elsewhere. And last but not least, it's rumored Taylor would go over the lux after a Pau deal, removing the handcuffs.

Okay - here's my question:

If you look over the production, fit, and contracts of other starting centers in the NBA, give me the list of players you think are more valuable than Pekovic?

[C.lupus]

Dwight Howard
Anderson Varejao
Joakim Noah
Tyson Chandler
Marc Gasol
Greg Monroe
DeAndre Jordan
Al Horford

Those 8 for sure. I don't think Brook Lopez fits next to Love. Bynum is never healthy and is an a**, otherwise he'd be on the list. Gortat and Asik are probably about on the same level as Pekovic.

[guille_4]

Dwight Howard
Anderson Varejao
Joakim Noah
Tyson Chandler
Marc Gasol
Greg Monroe
DeAndre Jordan
Al Horford

Those 8 for sure. I don't think Brook Lopez fits next to Love. Bynum is never healthy and is an a**, otherwise he'd be on the list. Gortat and Asik are probably about on the same level as Pekovic.

Agree on all except for DeAndre. His offense is non-existant and shoots FT's at under 45%. His defense isn't stellar either.

[[RCG]]

Dwight Howard, Anderson Varejao, Joakim Noah, Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis. Those are guys I'd swap Pek for.

[FinnTheHuman]

Howard, Chandler, Noah, Marc Gasol.

[LordBaldric]

Playing better with Rubio means nothing to me unless random center X doesn't also play better with Rubio.

[MNister89]

Dwight
Ibaka (PF, I know)
MGasol
Horford
Noah (sigh)
Bosh (PF)
Chandler
Unibrow

[shrink]

On the trade board, I was discussing whether OKC would need to add more than the TOR pick to not just move Perkins, but get an upgrade at center for him. I think this terrific post provides lots of great information, and I wanted to bring it over:

Other than Varejao, don't think Atlanta/Chicago/Houston are desperate enough to sell their C to rebuild.


If i have to attached our the Toronto's pick for any of these players and outgoing perkins, i would do it for only Pekovic. Would Minnesota? Of course not.


Players Okafor/Nene or McGee/Koufos/Mozgov are on teams with multiple starting center so we could get them for the Toronto's pick or less in a 3/4 way whereby Perkins go to another contender like Boston/San Antonio. Bogut is definitely better but he doesn't seem able to stay healthy for long and Deandre could be wrongly grouped here.
Dalembert: If we can find a 3 way whereby Bucks get a guard and OKC give up less than the Toronto's pick.
Zaza: Would Atlanta move Horford to PF and Smith to SF? Would they do that for less than the Toronto's pick AND give up next year salary space for it?
Robin Lopez: Possible? Worthwhile?
Diaw/Splitter: Spurs rotational big other than Duncan, could OKC deal Perkins to them in a deal that make sense?
JJ Hickson/Ian Mahinmi/Jordan Hill: -

All these players are probably backups who play less minutes than Perkin's backup, Thabeet. Out of them, probably only Kwame and Ayon can start at C. Would only add them as 4th big to share thabeet's role in the playoff.
Greg Stiemsma
Eddy Curry
Ryan Hollins
Kwame Brown -2.8m
Gustavo Ayon -1.5m
Jason Collins
Kurt Thomas
Ronny Turiaf
Joel Freeland

[jfg]

If the scenario was that Pek was being traded straight up and NBA salary rules didn't matter:

Howard
Gasol
Bosh
Chandler
Noah
Davis
Horford
Garnett
Gasol
Duncan
Varejao
Hibbert

Guys I'd think about if we were getting a SG back as well (Affalo, Matthews, Redick):

Asik
Gortat
Lopez

[cpfsf]

Varejao, Lee, Noah, Horford, M.Gasol, Monroe, Chandler, Vucevic, and Ibaka. Yes, some of these are power forwards. I'm also mixed when it comes to Asik and Gortat.

edit: removed Howard

[Devilzsidewalk]

none of 'em; I like Pekovic and think he's cool. I enjoy watching a team of guys I like. I mean, can you imagine being a clippers fan? Having to talk yourself into the positive qualities of CP3 and Blake because you're a fan and they're good? That would be bull ****.

It's easy to say Pekovic for Dwight would be an easy yes...until you're 3 months in and Dwight is shooting 16% from the line and there's rumors tying him to 28 teams because he can't commit to anything. No thanks. Pekovic never whines about anything because he's the manliest anything ever of all time.

[moss_is_1]

Dwight Howard
Anderson Varejao
Joakim Noah
Tyson Chandler
Marc Gasol
Greg Monroe
DeAndre Jordan
Al Horford

Those 8 for sure. I don't think Brook Lopez fits next to Love. Bynum is never healthy and is an a**, otherwise he'd be on the list. Gortat and Asik are probably about on the same level as Pekovic.

Agree on all except for DeAndre. His offense is non-existant and shoots FT's at under 45%. His defense isn't stellar either.

DeAndre's offense isn't bad at all. He's added some moves, plus he'd be an insane lob target for Rubio....He'd be an ideal fit next to Love with his length/athleticism as well.

I would add McGee if we get a little extra compensation.

[LedeniZZZ]

Though to chose... first there is several good centers that I would have on my roster before Pek. But I must say first... that Pekovic is very coachable, that he is a fan favorate.. he has great work ethic, and he doesn't wine or complain at all. Also you can argue alot who is better loking at the numbers diffrent center put but, Pekovic is rarely, maybe never (that is a streach) outplayed by some other center. Even if he doesn't grab rebounds he box out great, and give alot of hustle.... in other word's he do alot of thing that box score doesn't show.

Second of all alot of guy's mentioned here are not going to wolves... not in a million years.

So of course I would rather have Howard, Anthony Davis... but that's only a wish...

I would give Pek only for clear improvement for wolves roster and that is Pek+Ridnour,JJ or WIlliams... for SG and good center... in some 2 or 3,4 tean trade

Something like Gortat and Redick or Horford and Redick, or Hibbert and Arron Afflalo, or something like that...

Brok Lopez is not going anywhere now...
Bynum is too injury prone and has bad additude and also would not go to Min
Duncan is in SA until he retires
KG also not leaving Boston
Tyson Chandler is not that much better than Pek
Joakim Noah is a desent choise and I would love to have him in some desent trade
Anderson Varejao he is also old (but not that much), I don't know how long he will keep playing like this... if he brings anything more ... like something like great sg as well than I will not have anyghing against that.
Asik he is putting desent numbers but I'm not a fan and I would not like him
Vucevic he puts desent numbers for a 2nd year... and has alot of upside... But I would much rather have Pek.

Also I would have Monroe or Drummond (he will be great big men in a year or two) if the deal is good.

[shrink]

..

[Saltine]

in order;
Marc Gasol
Al Horford
Joakim Noah

Those 3 would help, are only 26/27 years old, and are not plagued with poor health/brains.