CrushAlot wrote:

mreinman wrote:this would work if we were willing to play small ball. Not if we stay old school.

I liked the dallas line up with Felton, DWill and Matthews on the court together. Not sure what that would look like for the Knicks. Calderon, Galloway, Afflalo, Melo, KP?

This I could see working.

This is why Batum would be perfect here.

Calderon (or ideally Grant grows into the starting job, or we get a better PG some other way)
Afflalo
Batum
Melo
KP

That would be a helluva lineup. I really wish there were a way we could add BOTH Conley and Batum. I feel like that'd be the perfect two guys to add:

Conley
Afflalo
Batum
Melo
KP

I know that's fantasy land, but fantasy land can be nice sometimes.

Knixkik wrote:You can't start KP at center. We want to keep him healthy and not let him get beat up all the time. What we are doing right now is working for his development. Having Lopez next to him gives him confidence and allows him to play more free on defense. If the game allows small ball lineups in the 2nd half or 4th quarter, than you do it at that point.

Agree 100%

Nalod wrote:I think a glimpse of what can be is the Bynum/Pau tandem. Pau in the high post was a special weapon. KP has a few more potential tools making it even more intriguing. ROpez has done well but not consistently. IM not sure what opponents are dong to negate Ropez and put him on the bench. Regarding O'Quinn that's another story.

we can really push the tempo with kp at the 5...

its not that i don't like rolo but the guy is just not meant for this system and he's old school basketball in a new school fast pace nba where its mainly 3s and drives . he looks sooooooo slow like he makes zaza look like a speed demon . i think we should look to move him before he earns a permeant spot on the pine.

two more things o'quinn and d will need more minutes. O'quinn seems to have lots of potential but he has lost confidence with the lack of playing time

nyk4ever wrote:if porzingis moves to the 5 he's going to constantly to be in foul trouble.. he has a hard enough time staying out of foul trouble now. keep him at the 4 for this year in the least... maybe by next year he's beefed up enough and he's learned where he can cheat a little on defense and he can stay out of foul trouble a little bit better.

he seemed to do just fine vs one of the toughest bangers in zaza, i mean is he really going to face a more gritty center then that... he abused zaza and had some really nice defensive plays forcing dallas to shoot contested jumpers

fitzfarm wrote:

nyk4ever wrote:if porzingis moves to the 5 he's going to constantly to be in foul trouble.. he has a hard enough time staying out of foul trouble now. keep him at the 4 for this year in the least... maybe by next year he's beefed up enough and he's learned where he can cheat a little on defense and he can stay out of foul trouble a little bit better.

he seemed to do just fine vs one of the toughest bangers in zaza, i mean is he really going to face a more gritty center then that... he abused zaza and had some really nice defensive plays forcing dallas to shoot contested jumpers

yeah, he did great against zaza and you're right zaza is one of the more gritty guys in the league, but i don't think that success would sustain for him this year. he's only a rookie and he's flourishing at the 4, let's leave him there, keep his confidence sky high and if next year he's ready for it, then you make the switch.

fishmike wrote:

blkexec wrote:

Knixkik wrote:You can't start KP at center. We want to keep him healthy and not let him get beat up all the time. What we are doing right now is working for his development. Having Lopez next to him gives him confidence and allows him to play more free on defense. If the game allows small ball lineups in the 2nd half or 4th quarter, than you do it at that point.

I hear you....but trying to protect a 7'3 string bean is impossible. The first thing anybody will do against a weak player (at any position), is rough him up, regardless if he plays center or forward.

the hidden value of Lopez. Dude is KP's wookie body guard. Watch them play and its easy to see the great synergy. When you have 2 footers that box out every time the ball goes up your going to be good on the boards. Its Rolo's role on offense that has been confusing, odd and just not working. He's also in a new system with new teammates. Can we give a guy more than 6 weeks before we make widesweeping judgements?

Playing KP at the 4 with a wookie like Lopez frees KP up to do all things he can do. The Melo/KP combo at the forwards looks pretty damn good also.

Thanks for better explaining. My thoughts exactly.

ChuckBuck wrote:Porzingis is NOT ready to be starting center, give me a break. He's 20 years old, dude!

Let him be the 5 in certain matchups and small ball lineups, but not to start against bigger bruising 5s out there.

You don't want him to get banged up and absorb a beating by wider and heavier guys while he's still developing. Let him transition from stretch 4 to true center in a couple years when he gains more strength and body mass organically.

Again if he can hold his own vs zaza who is one of the dirtiest centers in the league... Let's be real the kid is 7'3 245 and by all means looks to be able to hold his own vs heavier players while completely destroying opposing centers on offense... Teams can guard a stretch 4 but can they guard a stretch 5 and again Melo is the best 4 on the team hands down... Why not play these two where they will dominate... I know protecting KP is important and obviously if he's getting over matched on defense bring Rolo in off the bench and move KP and Melo down to the 4-3 ... But until i see KP getting abused defensively, the kid is hands down our best center who seems to be more involved when he plays the 5 ...

Let's all face it KP is the future stretch 5

ChuckBuck wrote:Porzingis is NOT ready to be starting center, give me a break. He's 20 years old, dude!

Let him be the 5 in certain matchups and small ball lineups, but not to start against bigger bruising 5s out there.

You don't want him to get banged up and absorb a beating by wider and heavier guys while he's still developing. Let him transition from stretch 4 to true center in a couple years when he gains more strength and body mass organically.

You know what will happen when you put KP at center? You know what the other coach will do when he sees his center guarding a 7'3 wing player? You know what will happen when a coach sees his rim protector trying to use his centers lack of lateral quickness against a tall dude that only needs two steps from the 3 point line for a two hand dunk?

Please, a timeout will be called and the other team will be forced to play quicker bigs.

Everybody is living in fear these days. Forget about what KP would have to do playing center......Start thinking about how they will have to guard a young 20 year old, who can pull up off the dribble, from behind the 3 pt line, or use a dribble drive move for a dunk.

KP is becoming unguardable.

Sometimes I wish Golden State had their hands on KP.....Thats the only time people will realize how to use a 7'3 big man, who can shoot from 3....and post up in the paint.....Plus run like a deer.