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Today I was reading somewhere, I forgot the site but it was about the upcomming summer league game Friday where the Suns are going to try to run at a faster pace and even have Earl Clark play as center for a bit so I was thinking. Couldn't Earl Clark play as a full time center in the NBA?

He's 6'10 and about 230 and with the way the game is now days he's about the size of an average NBA center, he could add some weight but the weight he's at now is perfect because he can out run other players. Clark can rebound, play lockdown defense, and can hit a midrange jumper. All things Lopez can't do...

Clark has a long wingspan and is a lock down defender, probally the best defender in the entire 2009 draft class. He wouldn't have much trouble guarding opposing centers because of his defense and length. On the other end when he wants to score he can lure the opposing center outside and would be quick enough to go back in for a dunk or layup or he can easily pass out to Amare, Nash or J-Rich.

If you compare Clark to Lopez as centers, it may seem Lopez would be the better choice due to his height and weight but the problem is his game is basically like a traditional centers, he may weigh less than Shaq but he still clogs the lane. Except he has no offensive game and isn't such a great rebounder. Not saying Lopez wouldn't make a good center but the Suns would be better off having him play a similar role to Amundson where he comes off the bench at the PF spot to block some shots and bring energy...

Clark can pretty much do it all at the center position and if you think about it the positives outweight the negatives. Heck he can probally even play back up point guard better than Dragic, he showed some of his sick ball handling skills in his first summer league game. Anyway I'm glad their going to test him at center the next summer league game.

This lineup does look pretty good right?

C-Earl Clark
PF-Amare Stoudemire
SF-Grant Hill
SG-Jason Richardson
PG-Steve Nash

So the question is, do you guys think Earl Clark can play center?

In summer league? Sure.

During the season?

Yeah that's what I was thinking at first but if you look at it his game would cause mismatches. He wouldn't be around in the post but on the outside drawing the opposing center out when he has the ball. He's quick enough to run past in for a layup or dunk or can easily pass the ball out to someone.

MaryvalesFinest wrote:Yeah that's what I was thinking at first but if you look at it his game would cause mismatches. He wouldn't be around in the post but on the outside drawing the opposing center out when he has the ball. He's quick enough to run past in for a layup or dunk or can easily pass the ball out to someone.

Maybe you could use the mismatch idea someday but I dont think he's developed enough right now to think teams are gonna need to match up with him... Who knows what he'll turn into though... but personally I dont see him playing C.

^ yeah, now that I think about it, the same was said about Diaw and he played Center for almost an entire season and did a pretty good job - him and Clark are similar playing styles.

Really guys?

Really?

I think Robin Lopez is our 'center' of the future. Earl Clark is more of a perimeter big-man but that's how Louisville played him. I think he'd be a perfect PF in the NBA but that spot on our team is taken, he's not gonna start over Amare at PF or Hill at SF for a few years unless he blows everyone away and starts over Grant or Amare leaves

Can Earl Clark play center? Yes!

He is only 21 years old and is 6-10, 225.

He is going to grow - and will probably be listed as 6-11, 240 in about 3 years from now. It is inevitable. All young "bigs" who come to the NBA end up putting on some weight and may grow another inch. Wasn't Amare listed as 6-9, 230 when he first came to the NBA? Now he is 6-10, 245.

Earl is fully capable of playing center because of his wingspan. Will he play center this year? No way. He won't even play a whole lot this year anyways. In a few years, he is going to grow and learn better defense in the paint, how to help, and how to control offensive threats inside (Boozer, Oden, etc.). Once that occurs, he will probably play center.

I do see Earl Clark as the Suns starting center in 2 if not 3 seasons.

He's better suited at the 3/4 so I hope not. Lopez is our future center.

I have a few beers in me and I still think this is dumb.

Could Clark play center for a pinch of minutes? Maybe, but starting center???????

^^ that´s my biggest concern. i´d rather have clark running center for us - i don´t think lopez can do anything in this league. welcome to the list of tsakalidis, voskuhl, lampe, trybanski...

I just realized my avatar is a heart warming picture of Marion helping up DIaw during the 06 playoff run.

Neither are here, Im depressed

Clark is our future 3/4. Not Center...

And Lopez isn't even our future Center. Back up at best.

ruiner wrote:Clark is our future 3/4. Not Center...

And Lopez isn't even our future Center. Back up at best.

I cant believe you would ever doubt someone who posted this on their twitter

"movie and a makeover...clueless!!"

No.

Hey remember a guy that played center for us when we went to the finals???

Mark West... Guess what he was 6'10''

In fact nobody was over 7' on that team... Now I am not saying it will work but the folks laughing at this don't realize the suns have never really had a "true" center ever...

Possibly the worst idea I've heard. He's a really skinny kid and the last thing we need is for him to get beat up and intimidated by someone who is a good 50+ pounds heavier then he is. Part of me thinks that's why Amare never developed into a good rebounder. Because he was just so used to getting beaten/pushed out.

It slightly frustrates me when ppl think because someone is a certain height they can therefore play a particular position.

The last guy who was that skinny and manned the center for us was actually Cliff Robinson and while he was a good defender he was an atrocious rebounder. And he was a veteran when he joined us. Send a kid into that spot weighing that much and it's gonna be like witnessing a car accident.

Why would you waste Clark's ability at center? He is a 3/4, preferrably the 4 to keep the pick and roll spacing, unless you broght in a YI, Anderson or Daye type player.

I can see he an Lopez at the 4 and 5 in our future. Lopez has gotten soooooo much better after 1 year!!! Dude is like what, 15-18 from the line?? That means he is developing a shot, plus the catch and take 15ft from the basket against Tor was nice on Weds, he got two freethrows from that.

IMO...Lopez, Clark, Duds, Lou, Amare, and LB are keepers.

I'll tell you guys what, if Lopez and Clark continue to show growth, Amare may still get traded.

RisingSuns_22 wrote:Hey remember a guy that played center for us when we went to the finals???

Mark West... Guess what he was 6'10''

In fact nobody was over 7' on that team... Now I am not saying it will work but the folks laughing at this don't realize the suns have never really had a "true" center ever...

Mark West was about 270lb of STONE

Clark isn't, and just because he's a miss match one end doesn't mean he should play there full time. Use him like Tim Thomas - spot minutes at the 3 and 5, but mostly play him at the 4