Can Cousins play pf?

blind prophet · Post #1 » by **blind prophet** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 2:11 am

Some of our talks about a pf upgrades has me wondering if we may want to also consider center upgrades and sliding Cousins over to the 4.

http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2013/7/29 ... us-cousins

Cousins own words, this is an older article.

"I love playing with Jason Thompson, don’t get me wrong, but I believe I would play better if I had a shot-blocking big. I’m not the greatest shot blocker and I can move to the four and play my natural position."

So what do you guys think?

Can Cousins man up well enough at the 4 if we get the right guy besides him at 5?

You may have noticed Thompson often guards the harder matchup when he and Cousins are on the floor, be it Love, Duncan, Howard, and often keeps Cousins on the lesser physical match.

SacTown Kings · Post #2 » by **SacTown Kings** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 3:21 am

If he says he can then I believe him, but probably depends on the matchup. I'd rather him stay at center and bring in a shot blocking power forward.

blind prophet · Post #3 » by **blind prophet** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 4:16 am

SacTown Kings wrote:If he says he can then I believe him, but probably depends on the matchup. I'd rather him stay at center and bring in a shot blocking power forward.

If he can pull it off this gives us some more options to consider.

A shot blocking center may be easier to come by, and JT is all ready here to back him up.

We'd have Landry, Evans, Acy to move potentially in deals, and I wonder if we can find a 5 cheaper than a shot blocking 4.

SacTown Kings · Post #4 » by **SacTown Kings** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 5:40 am

Problem with that is what shot blocking center is available and can we really include Landry in pieces that we can move. I don't see anyone wanting Landry and acy and Evans have minimal value at best. Maybe use Thomas sign and trade but not sure what shot blocking center is available.

SactoKingsFan · Post #5 » by **SactoKingsFan** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:15 am

Cousins could just play center on offense and defend power forwards if we got a rim protector type center. The main issue is acquiring one.

Kings2013 · Post #6 » by **Kings2013** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:18 am

I think he's fine at Center.. I know he made that comment awhile back but he's coming into his own as one of the premier frontcourt players in the league at Center, I don't see a need to tinker with what isn't broken. I don't know if he has the athleticism to defend that position full time

408Kings · Post #7 » by **408Kings** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:41 am

Sure, I think he can play a bit of PF, but in spurts, depending on the match-up. Would rather not have Cousins picking up more fouls guarding more athletic players though. Being bigger and stronger than most players too, I would tend to think he'd pick up more offensive fouls the way the refs call his games.

blind prophet · Post #8 » by **blind prophet** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:44 am

Hibbert may be on the market.

$14,898,938 is a lot to pay the man though.

And we don't have much to offer.

How do you guys feel about Chris Andersen?

Assuming we can dump some salary somehow.

408Kings · Post #9 » by **408Kings** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:48 am

Wouldn't mind the shot blocking presence of Birdman at all. A bit of an offensive liability, though probably not as much as our other backup 4s. Probably more of a short term (1-2 years max) solution though.

blind prophet · Post #10 » by **blind prophet** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:53 am

408Kings wrote:Wouldn't mind the shot blocking presence of Birdman at all. A bit of an offensive liability, though probably not as much as our other backup 4s. Probably more of a short term (1-2 years max) solution though.

That's what I'm thinking a 2 year fair market (meaning over pay for us) solution while we look to move Jarl/Thompandry somehow.

I could see Anderson and Landry playing 24 mins each giving us different looks and moving Cousins around from the 4-5 back and forth.

If we can't nail a stud or a huge talent, Anderson could be serviceable giving us some flexibility, and still handy with cap room next season.

This is also assuming we S&T IT and get an asset or two, and move Thompson as well somehow.

blind prophet · Post #11 » by **blind prophet** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 7:00 am

A possible scenario, we offload Mclemore and grab Henson.

PF Cousins 20 min, Landry 22 min, Henson 6 min
C Anderson 20 min, Cousins 15 min, Henson 13 min

Cousins 35 mpg
Anderson 20 mpg
Landry 20-22 mpg
Henson 19-21 mpg.

I'm sure we can find a taker for Evans and Acy if need be.

Thompson maybe can moved in a lateral deal for position of need like SG, or included with the IT S&T.

Some balance and reasonable flow to our big men in this scenario, would have Cousins and Landry scoring options countered with Henson and Anderson as balance, Cuz and Landry play a couple of mins together.

SactoKingsFan · Post #12 » by **SactoKingsFan** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 7:28 am

Don't want any part of Hibbert. Too expensive and not very productive unless he's right mentally.

OhioKingsFan · Post #13 » by **OhioKingsFan** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 5:51 pm

I'd rather have the inefficient Josh Smith than Hibbert.

Post #14 » by **City of Trees** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 6:04 pm

OhioKingsFan wrote:I'd rather have the inefficient Josh Smith than Hibbert.

agreed. Both are boneheads in their own way, at least Smith brings athleticism and shot blocking while being a dufus jacking up shots. Hibbert, at 7'2, can't rebound or defend when he is a bonehead.

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SacKingZZZ · Post #15 » by **SacKingZZZ** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 9:22 pm

Depending the situation he can. I think he should be able to spend a good chunk of time there, he did his rookie year, but he can't play there full time. He still has a bit of a problem with fouling when players drive around him. If he can learn to just not try on defense he should be ok at PF, haha.

408Kings · Post #16 » by **408Kings** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 9:51 pm

SacKingZZZ wrote:Depending the situation he can. I think he should be able to spend a good chunk of time there, he did his rookie year, but he can't play there full time. He still has a bit of a problem with fouling when players drive around him. If he can learn to just not try on defense he should be ok at PF, haha.

Drives me BONKERS when he swipes at players as a last resort, but especially when out of frustration after a missed basket where he thought he was fouled.

KINGWIN033 · Post #17 » by **KINGWIN033** » Mon Jul 7, 2014 11:55 pm

cousins has played pf before...and as a team when paul westphal finally chose a rotation and had cousins at pf, dalembert at c and jt as the 3rd big, the team played well...bt i think cousins playing PF is more about defense, imho cousins is better offensively against centers because he is too quick for most centers, although skill wise he can play pf no prob...

teerfour+40LG · Post #18 » by **teerfour+40LG** » Tue Jul 8, 2014 1:04 am

Below is the best data we have on this topic. Both lineups outplayed their opponents, and the sample size is good enough to say that Cuz-Daly was better defensively.

I don't think we needed to look at these stats to remember that Cuz-Daly-Thompson was a killer rotation. I still remember the Lakers game when Sammy and Cuz went nuts on them.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB373saTQs8[/youtube]

SacKingZZZ · Post #19 » by **SacKingZZZ** » Tue Jul 8, 2014 2:01 am

Yeah, they matched up well against the Lakers twin towers line up and that was easily the teams best combo but you also have to remember the spacing at times. Cousins would be posting up in the mid post area and then Daly would swoop in out of nowhere and post up underneath him at the basket. I'd say it was a mistake except that it happened way more than once.

They also had some difficulty guarding pick and rolls. Cousins was pretty much the go to defender in the pick and roll and it was a major reason he had so much foul trouble at times. He did a respectable enough job at other times though. I still remember his decent D on Josh Smith and Blake Griffin that year so he showed he can play the spot but he's not a full time PF. When you consider the league is so in love with stretch 4's it's tough spot of Cousins is the quicker front court player.