Importance of acquiring a 7 footer

[WaltFrazier]

Need a top tier guy that can log major mins at the 5 for a few reasons.

1) smaller guys playing against bigger competition is a recipe to burn out/ increase injury likelihood.
2) most guys Don’t like to play a position where they give up size. If anything most guys consider themselves more skilled than they are and like to play where they have better size.
3) It’s your last line of defence and an elite defensive 5 can more than cover up mistakes from other positions

Exactly. Playing nothing but undersized C's we are always working at a deficit, always trying to climb uphill. It's wearing on guys to be always having to scrap and fight against bigger guys

[Chandan]

we need better rim protector, someone that is intimidating to drive into the lane against (like Jarret Allen)

[Reeko]

We could've drafted drafted someone like Charles Bassey, instead of David Johnson, and developed him into our center of the future. Bassey is 6'11, 235lbs, he averaged 18 and 12 with 3 blocks. Now he's wasting away on Philly's bench.

The lack of size on the team was a concern of mine during the off season, and it surprised me that we didn't attempt to address through the draft.

I'm not buying the "we're trying to play 6'7-6'9 guys throughout the lineup" narrative so long as Fred is a starter on this team. If we're going to be traditional, if not undersized, at the point guard spot then we should also have traditionally sized center with a modern skillset.

[God Squad]

I've been screaming we need a legit intimidation or weak side shot blocker. Initially I thought a Turner type because of the 3pt shooting and shot blocking. But IMO Turner is way to soft and doesn't really rebound well enough. I'm not sure what, or who are options could be.

[Appostis]

I've been screaming we need a legit intimidation or weak side shot blocker. Initially I thought a Turner type because of the 3pt shooting and shot blocking. But IMO Turner is way to soft and doesn't really rebound well enough. I'm not sure what, or who are options could be.

Dragic and this years pick for Turner?

[God Squad]

I've been screaming we need a legit intimidation or weak side shot blocker. Initially I thought a Turner type because of the 3pt shooting and shot blocking. But IMO Turner is way to soft and doesn't really rebound well enough. I'm not sure what, or who are options could be.

Dragic and this years pick for Turner?

I'm not sure i'd trade any picks considering we should be in assets accumulation mode right now. Plus while I want a prospect with Turners archetype, I don't want Turner specially. IMO he's underachieved big time with his tools/skillset and opportunity. I thought he had top big in the league potential at one point.

[blueseeka]

We could've drafted drafted someone like Charles Bassey, instead of David Johnson, and developed him into our center of the future. Bassey is 6'11, 235lbs, he averaged 18 and 12 with 3 blocks. Now he's wasting away on Philly's bench.

The lack of size on the team was a concern of mine during the off season, and it surprised me that we didn't attempt to address through the draft.

I'm not buying the "we're trying to play 6'7-6'9 guys throughout the lineup" narrative so long as Fred is a starter on this team. If we're going to be traditional, if not undersized, at the point guard spot then we should also have traditionally sized center with a modern skillset.

I liked Bassey alot. But it was obvious that they wouldnt of picked him since he is horrible in the PnR

[OakleyDokely]

I can almost guarantee that there's a lot more wear and tear on a player like OG, Siakam or Barnes chasing and defending a player like Kevin Durant than your average random 7foot C like Robin Lopez.

The players defending the opposing teams top players night after night are the guys that you need to be worried about over a long season, especially if they're also carrying a sizeable offensive load. And these top players are almost always guards or wings. There are very few impact Cs you need to worry about.

Adding a 7 footer doesn't make OGs job any easier when he's asked to guard top players consistently. You're just putting an inferior player on the court next to him that he's got to cover for.

[LiSTWithLani]

There are target options that I like.
Dedmon, Olynyk, Bamba, Wood, Allen, Turner, to name a few...

[WaltFrazier]

I can almost guarantee that there's a lot more wear and tear on a player like OG, Siakam or Barnes chasing and defending a player like Kevin Durant than your average random 7foot C like Robin Lopez.

The players defending the opposing teams top players night after night are the guys that you need to be worried about over a long season, especially if they're also carrying a sizeable offensive load. And these top players are almost always guards or wings. There are very few impact Cs you need to worry about.

Adding a 7 footer doesn't make OGs job any easier when he's asked to guard top players consistently. You're just putting an inferior player on the court next to him that he's got to cover for.

Not sure why we'd want an inferior player. No one is saying, just add a 7 footer no matter how immobile he is. It's simple, Birch is playing passably, Achiuwa is struggling. But Birch doesn't seem like a 38 minute guy, better as part of a pair. A year ago no one thought Birch would be an effective answer at center for us, until he was. He was under the radar. Masai is supposed to be good at finding these diamonds in the rough. Surely he could find a taller version of Birch who could block some shots too, on someone's bench. It would upgrade us over Precious.

[OakleyDokely]

I can almost guarantee that there's a lot more wear and tear on a player like OG, Siakam or Barnes chasing and defending a player like Kevin Durant than your average random 7foot C like Robin Lopez.

The players defending the opposing teams top players night after night are the guys that you need to be worried about over a long season, especially if they're also carrying a sizeable offensive load. And these top players are almost always guards or wings. There are very few impact Cs you need to worry about.

Adding a 7 footer doesn't make OGs job any easier when he's asked to guard top players consistently. You're just putting an inferior player on the court next to him that he's got to cover for.

Not sure why we'd want an inferior player. No one is saying, just add a 7 footer no matter how immobile he is. It's simple, Birch is playing passably, Achiuwa is struggling. But Birch doesn't seem like a 38 minute guy, better as part of a pair. A year ago no one thought Birch would be an effective answer at center for us, until he was. He was under the radar. Masai is supposed to be good at finding these diamonds in the rough. Surely he could find a taller version of Birch who could block some shots too, on someone's bench. It would upgrade us over Precious.

But I don't get why someone needs to be 7ft to be effective. Precious and Birch have both been good defensively and on the boards and neither is a 7fter. I guess you can upgrade offensively on them, but usually you have to sacrifice defensively, unless you can add an all-star caliber player, which I'd be all for. But I don't see many of those type of guys available.

[will]

We have 7 Footer on this board.

Why the heck can't the Raps give him a look?

[Wannabe MEP]

I'm not sure i'd trade any picks considering we should be in assets accumulation mode right now. Plus while I want a prospect with Turners archetype, I don't want Turner specially. IMO he's underachieved big time with his tools/skillset and opportunity. I thought he had top big in the league potential at one point.

What top name 7-foot center hasn't underachieved since Shaq?

[MixxSRC]

I can almost guarantee that there's a lot more wear and tear on a player like OG, Siakam or Barnes chasing and defending a player like Kevin Durant than your average random 7foot C like Robin Lopez.

The players defending the opposing teams top players night after night are the guys that you need to be worried about over a long season, especially if they're also carrying a sizeable offensive load. And these top players are almost always guards or wings. There are very few impact Cs you need to worry about.

Adding a 7 footer doesn't make OGs job any easier when he's asked to guard top players consistently. You're just putting an inferior player on the court next to him that he's got to cover for.

Not sure why we'd want an inferior player. No one is saying, just add a 7 footer no matter how immobile he is. It's simple, Birch is playing passably, Achiuwa is struggling. But Birch doesn't seem like a 38 minute guy, better as part of a pair. A year ago no one thought Birch would be an effective answer at center for us, until he was. He was under the radar. Masai is supposed to be good at finding these diamonds in the rough. Surely he could find a taller version of Birch who could block some shots too, on someone's bench. It would upgrade us over Precious.

there's roughly 2000 to 3000 7 foot tall people in the world. and not all of them play basketball. It's not something he can just go to supermarket for.

[WaltFrazier]

I can almost guarantee that there's a lot more wear and tear on a player like OG, Siakam or Barnes chasing and defending a player like Kevin Durant than your average random 7foot C like Robin Lopez.

The players defending the opposing teams top players night after night are the guys that you need to be worried about over a long season, especially if they're also carrying a sizeable offensive load. And these top players are almost always guards or wings. There are very few impact Cs you need to worry about.

Adding a 7 footer doesn't make OGs job any easier when he's asked to guard top players consistently. You're just putting an inferior player on the court next to him that he's got to cover for.

Not sure why we'd want an inferior player. No one is saying, just add a 7 footer no matter how immobile he is. It's simple, Birch is playing passably, Achiuwa is struggling. But Birch doesn't seem like a 38 minute guy, better as part of a pair. A year ago no one thought Birch would be an effective answer at center for us, until he was. He was under the radar. Masai is supposed to be good at finding these diamonds in the rough. Surely he could find a taller version of Birch who could block some shots too, on someone's bench. It would upgrade us over Precious.

But I don't get why someone needs to be 7ft to be effective. Precious and Birch have both been good defensively and on the boards and neither is a 7fter. I guess you can upgrade offensively on them, but usually you have to sacrifice defensively, unless you can add an all-star caliber player, which I'd be all for. But I don't see many of those type of guys available.

"7 footer" is a red herring, a straw man. 6"10, 6'11 is fine. As someone else posted earlier, the key is, a shot blocker. A rim protector. Birch is fine but he is not quite that.

[WaltFrazier]

I'm not sure i'd trade any picks considering we should be in assets accumulation mode right now. Plus while I want a prospect with Turners archetype, I don't want Turner specially. IMO he's underachieved big time with his tools/skillset and opportunity. I thought he had top big in the league potential at one point.

What top name 7-foot center hasn't underachieved since Shaq?

Underachieved is a vague, fuzzy, subjective term. And who knows about listed heights in the NBA?

Marc Gasol is sometimes listed as 6"11, always looked taller to me. But him, Pau Gasol, Joel Embiid, KG, Tim Duncan.
Serge. Yao Ming cut short by injuries.

You can split hairs about 6'11 vs 7'0 or more, or were KG and TD forwards. But they played like centers.

[Basketball_Jones]

Is Len available?

[MixxSRC]

Watch on YouTube

18 pts, 12 blocks, 20 rebounds. Bring him up Masai

[Wannabe MEP]

Underachieved is a vague, fuzzy, subjective term. And who knows about listed heights in the NBA?

Marc Gasol is sometimes listed as 6"11, always looked taller to me. But him, Pau Gasol, Joel Embiid, KG, Tim Duncan.
Serge. Yao Ming cut short by injuries.

You can split hairs about 6'11 vs 7'0 or more, or were KG and TD forwards. But they played like centers.

I will split hairs, because thread title. Literally every guy on your list fails in at least one of the following ways:

• Not actually 7 feet tall
• Spent a significant chunk of career playing not center
• Zero titles as one of the best players on the team

This is the whole point. There was a time when the whole league believed a true 7-footer at C next to an also tall (circa 6-10 or 6-11) but more skilled PF (e.g., Timmy or KG) was ideal. But those days are gone, primarily because those true 7-footers failed again and again and again. They got injured, were too slow, and/or lacked the skills (Yao Ming, Roy Hibbert, Hasheem Thabeet, Greg Oden, Emeka Okafor, Kwame Brown, etc.). The most successful "centers" were PFs who started playing more center.

And yet here we are, still talking about 7-footers. Now you're saying that line isn't really the key. Ok...so where is the line then? Thread title says 7-footer. You think the arbitrary line is actually...what? 6-11? 6-10?

[vini_vidi_vici]

We need a shot blocker??



*Among players who have faced >=4 FGA at the rim.

Edit: I swear theres a large contingent who a) dont want to sit through a development stage of this franchise, and b) want to bring back the 80s NBA.