The Importance of Center Play

[ConSarnit]

I understand no one likes a person patting themselves on their back but I had to bump this thread.

Just hire me on your damn staff already Masai... I'll save you the obvious mistakes going forward

Poetl has definitely been helpful but I’m going to have to hold off on the parade planning when our wins have been against the murders row of DET and ORL.

[Tor_Raps]

I understand no one likes a person patting themselves on their back but I had to bump this thread.

Just hire me on your damn staff already Masai... I'll save you the obvious mistakes going forward

Poetl has definitely been helpful but I’m going to have to hold off on the parade planning when our wins have been against the murders row of DET and ORL.

I definitely don't think our currently team is going to take the league by storm because we still have plenty of other issues (no 3 point shooting, guard depth, Fred thinking hes a number 1 option, etc).

My comments were more so for what would be required to build a good team. Just having Poeltl in the lineup will things easier for the rest of our guys and also save the wear and tear from guys who had to fight in the paint while being overmatched consistently.

[StopitLeo]

I definitely don't think our currently team is going to take the league by storm because we still have plenty of other issues (no 3 point shooting, guard depth, Fred thinking hes a number 1 option, etc).

My comments were more so for what would be required to build a good team. Just having Poeltl in the lineup will things easier for the rest of our guys and also save the wear and tear from guys who had to fight in the paint while being overmatched consistently.

Poeltl's screening is so much better than anyone else on the roster. Part is skill and part is legit centre size.

Screen Assists per game:

Poeltl 3.9
Koloko 1.6
Young 1.4
Achiuwa 1.3
Barnes 1.3

[MikeM]

Raptors have a 103 DRTG with either Poeltl or Koloko on the court.

[RaptorLakerJay]

Raptors have a 103 DRTG with either Poeltl or Koloko on the court.

What are the odds Koloko can come back this season to fulfill the backup C position? His offensive game is extremely raw but I feel like just his presence on the defensive end alone is enough. With Gary, Boucher, Achiuwa, and Flynn on the bench, he doesn't need to worry about scoring.

[tripa]

Raptors have a 103 DRTG with either Poeltl or Koloko on the court.

What are the odds Koloko can come back this season to fulfill the backup C position? His offensive game is extremely raw but I feel like just his presence on the defensive end alone is enough. With Gary, Boucher, Achiuwa, and Flynn on the bench, he doesn't need to worry about scoring.

This season, zero chance.

[Got Nuffin]

I understand no one likes a person patting themselves on their back but I had to bump this thread.

Just hire me on your damn staff already Masai... I'll save you the obvious mistakes going forward

Poetl has definitely been helpful but I’m going to have to hold off on the parade planning when our wins have been against the murders row of DET and ORL.

I dunno if you noticed but Orlando are a pretty good team now

They seem to be very good defensively with Suggs and Isaac etc. They really need a more traditional center and a point guard to complete their lineup which is why they will almost certainly make a bid for FVV this off season. They're definitely a team on the rise imo.

[Merit]

I understand no one likes a person patting themselves on their back but I had to bump this thread.

Just hire me on your damn staff already Masai... I'll save you the obvious mistakes going forward

Poetl has definitely been helpful but I’m going to have to hold off on the parade planning when our wins have been against the murders row of DET and ORL.

I dunno if you noticed but Orlando are a pretty good team now

They seem to be very good defensively with Suggs and Isaac etc. They really need a more traditional center and a point guard to complete their lineup which is why they will almost certainly make a bid for FVV this off season. They're definitely a team on the rise imo.

If we can get Suggs+ for FVV this offseason I would be quite happy. Orlando has a number of interesting pieces to match salary with and should also have decent cap space. Plus there's a Masai connection with the front office as well.

[tripa]

Looking back at it, calling people “Center truthers” is crazy. A lot of people in this thread owe Walt an apology. You all denied reality because Masai told you to.

[Tor_Raps]

Just wanted to bump this thread. We are about to enter 2026 and we're still talking about this.

If only I was part of this front office, we could have saved ourselves from all the self-inflicted harm. There are some hilarious takes in this thread lol.

[ciueli]

Just wanted to bump this thread. We are about to enter 2026 and we're still talking about this.

If only I was part of this front office, we could have saved ourselves from all the self-inflicted harm. There are some hilarious takes in this thread lol.

One of the constants of this team for almost the entirety of its existence is poor centre play, often necessitating even star level PFs to play C just to fill a hole. Antonio Davis, Chris Bosh, Pascal Siakam, now Scottie Barnes, it really has been 25 years of this going on. The one time we win a championship we actually have a true defensive big man C in Marc Gasol and the longest run of success came with Jonas Valanciunas starting at centre.

[Grew]

Just wanted to bump this thread. We are about to enter 2026 and we're still talking about this.

If only I was part of this front office, we could have saved ourselves from all the self-inflicted harm. There are some hilarious takes in this thread lol.

One of the constants of this team for almost the entirety of its existence is poor centre play, often necessitating even star level PFs to play C just to fill a hole. Antonio Davis, Chris Bosh, Pascal Siakam, now Scottie Barnes, it really has been 25 years of this going on. The one time we win a championship we actually have a true defensive big man C in Marc Gasol and the longest run of success came with Jonas Valanciunas starting at centre.

I was thinking about this the other day. The list of legitimate Cs throughout the history of this team is a joke.

I'm almost at the point where If I was an owner I would say go get me Ware. Don't trade Scottie, outside of that, get it done. Might as well spend multiple firsts on a young C that can actually block a shot, catch a lob and happens to be able to stretch the floor. I'm sick of going 10 year spans with absolute scrub 7fters and 6'8 PFs pretending they can hold it down in the middle for 82 games.

Have we even had a lob threat since Marcus Camby? Bebe? It's sad at this point.

Your PG position and your C position are crucial unless you have a generational wing to build around.

[Johnny Bball]

[*]

Just wanted to bump this thread. We are about to enter 2026 and we're still talking about this.

If only I was part of this front office, we could have saved ourselves from all the self-inflicted harm. There are some hilarious takes in this thread lol.

Koloko Chomche Olynk Mogbo CMB and a handful of vet mins or 10 days

[JB7]

So what you’re all saying is they should have drafted Maluach instead of CMB?

[Yallbecrazy]

So what you’re all saying is they should have drafted Maluach instead of CMB?

It's not the lack of a C that is killing the Raps, it's the lack of rim protection and rebounding which is usually the responsibility of the C. CMB and Poeltl are the only ones that can do it, Maluach cannot.

[Los_29]

Why do people think there are dozens of awesome, cheap centers out there? Don’t you think there is a reason why most teams have really poor big man depth. lol.

[WaltFrazier]

Looking back at it, calling people “Center truthers” is crazy. A lot of people in this thread owe Walt an apology. You all denied reality because Masai told you to.

Yeah it's comical to read back all the pre Jak arguments on here saying it was just fine Raps had NO centers. Finally the team got Jak and a few years later he's still the only real C on the team.