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I want to know you Blazer fans opinion on this. I'm not positive if Oden is a Top 5 Center in the NBA, ignoring the health issue and assuming he returns the way he once was.

My Top 10 Centers in the NBA when healthy.

(I don't consider Duncan a Center)

1. Yao
2. Dwight
3. Bogut
4. Bynum
5. M. Gasol
6. Oden
7. Nene
8. Shaq
9. Kaman
10. B. Lopez

I think Oden has a solid case over Marc Gasol, but I guess I was just more impressed when I saw Marc play than when I saw Oden play.

What are your takes?

TrueMambaV wrote:I want to know you Blazer fans opinion on this. I'm not positive if Oden is a Top 5 Center in the NBA, ignoring the health issue and assuming he returns the way he once was.

My Top 10 Centers in the NBA when healthy.

(I don't consider Duncan a Center)

1. Yao
2. Dwight
3. Bogut
4. Bynum
5. M. Gasol
6. Oden
7. Nene
8. Shaq
9. Kaman
10. B. Lopez

I think Oden has a solid case over Marc Gasol, but I guess I was just more impressed when I saw Marc play than when I saw Oden play.

What are your takes?

Based on your list i would say hes top 7 at least, but Theres some players you COULD consider a center, first he has to stay healthy.

Oden's a top 2-3 center if he stays healthy and plays around 30mpg. Really, only Yao and Dwight can match up with him physically, but Oden is a better defensive presence than Yao (though Yao is seriously underrated defensively) and can be a better offensive player than Dwight, who is fairly limited on that end though physically very dominant.

Last season, Oden was in the top three in TS%, REB%, BLK%, as well as the top ten in PER and WS/48... and he wasn't featured on offense.

Frankly, Oden's stats are downright scary. His TS% was on par with a hyper efficient garbage man, his REB% was on par with a rebounding specialist like Camby, and his BLK% was in line with prime Mark Eaton. As his usage increases I expect his TS% do decline. I also expect his BLK% to decline as his fouls do.

One of the things that makes his such a jaw dropping talent is his nearly untapped skill around the basket. He is known for his thunderous put back dunks, but he has also displayed nice touch around the rim, excellent FT shooting for true center, and a fine looking jumper. He is absolutely DPOY material, but his offensive potential is vast as well.

On the defensive side, he moves well, has excellent timing, great instincts, and the strength to go up against anyone. His instincts, timing, and lateral quickness make him a tremendous help defender in addition to being a very good man defender. He's an excellent defensive anchor and was posting a DRTG of below 90 for much of the year. I've watched Joel Przybilla quite a bit and he is a very nice piece to have in on defense, but Oden is on a whole other level.

I guess to answer your question more directly, Oden can become the best center in the NBA and will be at least top three if healthy.

The majority of our board would not trade Oden for CP3. Might not be the best place for an honest opinion. Then again, the majority also doesn't want to give Oden an extension.

When everyone's healthy and clicking

Yao / Dwight
Oden / Bynum / Bogut

Others

SabasRevenge! wrote:Oden's a top 2-3 center if he stays healthy and plays around 30mpg. Really, only Yao and Dwight can match up with him physically, but Oden is a better defensive presence than Yao (though Yao is seriously underrated defensively) and can be a better offensive player than Dwight, who is fairly limited on that end though physically very dominant.

Last season, Oden was in the top three in TS%, REB%, BLK%, as well as the top ten in PER and WS/48... and he wasn't featured on offense.

Frankly, Oden's stats are downright scary. His TS% was on par with a hyper efficient garbage man, his REB% was on par with a rebounding specialist like Camby, and his BLK% was in line with prime Mark Eaton. As his usage increases I expect his TS% do decline. I also expect his BLK% to decline as his fouls do.

One of the things that makes his such a jaw dropping talent is his nearly untapped skill around the basket. He is known for his thunderous put back dunks, but he has also displayed nice touch around the rim, excellent FT shooting for true center, and a fine looking jumper. He is absolutely DPOY material, but his offensive potential is vast as well.

On the defensive side, he moves well, has excellent timing, great instincts, and the strength to go up against anyone. His instincts, timing, and lateral quickness make him a tremendous help defender in addition to being a very good man defender. He's an excellent defensive anchor and was posting a DRTG of below 90 for much of the year. I've watched Joel Przybilla quite a bit and he is a very nice piece to have in on defense, but Oden is on a whole other level.

I guess to answer your question more directly, Oden can become the best center in the NBA and will be at least top three if healthy.

+1..... Video game numbers if he could just stay on the damn court.

farzi wrote:When everyone's healthy and clicking

Yao / Dwight
Oden / Bynum / Bogut

Others

Good list of tiers, but how would you rank each of those players individual when healthy?

Yao
Dwight
Oden
Bynum
Bogut

If we are assuming health for Oden, we have to assume health for Bynum and Yao. I think a healthy Yao is the best C in league. Dwight is 2nd. Then it is a tossup with Bynum and Oden. I would give Oden the edge because he is better on D by a bigger margin than Bynum is on offense. Also I usually value defensive players over offensive players.
Oden is 3rd on 2 stipulations:
He is healthy
He keeps his fouls down
If he could do that, he may re-earn his nickname G.OD.

I believe he has the potential to be a top 5 center in the NBA, definitely. he showed amazing progress last season while healthy. We're all anxious to see whether he can achieve it (and beyond?), but he's still a big question mark. If he can return from the injury to last year's form and put it together for a whole season, he's got a great shot.

Walton'sBeard! wrote:The majority of our board would not trade Oden for CP3. Might not be the best place for an honest opinion. Then again, the majority also doesn't want to give Oden an extension.

I'm on the record to trade him in a package for Paul, because I am fairly certain Oden will never be healthy for as long as he needs to be to be effective.

After 1 healthy year of experience under his belt, he will be a top 5 center.

farzi wrote:Yao
Dwight
Oden
Bynum
Bogut

I'll admit I've not really seen much of Bogut, but the top 4 in the list above is how I would rate them at this point.

no because there are too many interchangable guys at center in this day and age of nba.

at this point, we'd be lucky if oden gets to become brendan haywood. shoot me.

If they are all Healthy I think the top 5 breaks into two tiers, ordered by their ranking in the tiers.

Tier 1:
Dwight
Yao

Tier 2:
Oden
Bynum
Bogut

If Healthy for the next three years, here is how I think it looks:

Tier 1:
Oden
Dwight
Bynum

Tier 2:
Yao
Bogut

I don't think bogut has the next level of athleticism to get him into tier 1, and Yao will be beyond his prime which will limit him to tier two also.

Oden and Dwight are basically a push if they are both healthy except Oden will be a much better foul shooter and could develop a little jumper if he continues to work at it, I don't think dwight will ever have that level of offensive game... defensively they are a push..

Bynum might end up the most polished offensive player of the group, but he's a tier below defensively.

DaVoiceMaster wrote:

farzi wrote:Yao
Dwight
Oden
Bynum
Bogut

I'll admit I've not really seen much of Bogut, but the top 4 in the list above is how I would rate them at this point.

Agreed. I love Bynum, but I think Bogut is ahead because of his defense and he has been a bit more proven as a 1st option than Bynum has. Do you agree with Farzi's list other than Bogut being there?

At this point in his career, Tim Duncan has to be considered a center...

1) Howard
2) Duncan
3) Yao
4) Bynum
5) Brook Lopez
6) Bogut
7) Kaman
8) Marc Gasol
9) Nene
10) Noah

Lots of guys like Noah, Horford, etc are PF's playing center while others like Tyson Chandler
who might make the US world team and others like Robin Lopez, Kendrick Perkins are solid
players. Demarcus Cousins will probably be a top 10 center by the end of the season.

Norm2953 wrote:At this point in his career, Tim Duncan has to be considered a center...

1) Howard
2) Duncan
3) Yao
4) Bynum
5) Brook Lopez
6) Bogut
7) Kaman
8) Marc Gasol
9) Nene
10) Noah

Lots of guys like Noah, Horford, etc are PF's playing center while others like Tyson Chandler
who might make the US world team and others like Robin Lopez, Kendrick Perkins are solid
players. Demarcus Cousins will probably be a top 10 center by the end of the season.

So assuming all healthy Noah is better than Oden? That my friend, is false.

EGame wrote:
So assuming all healthy Noah is better than Oden? That my friend, is false.

Let's see your Top 5-10 Centers list then.

TrueMambaV wrote:

EGame wrote:
So assuming all healthy Noah is better than Oden? That my friend, is false.

Let's see your Top 5-10 Centers list then.

For the most part, my list is like Norms, except Oden is ahead of Noah and I think I would have Oden ahead of Nene. Since we are ignoring health, it is feasible.