Who Will Win the Position Battle: Power Forwards
Beasley starting at the 4 on South BeachMore than any other position, rookies are going to have the biggest impact at the four next year. Mike Beasley, Kevin Love, Jason Thompson are all vying for starting spots at power forward in their respective cities.
We dropped the point guards, shooting guards and small forwards on you last week. So among the following power forwards, who do you think will win the starting job?
* Minnesota: Kevin Love vs. Craig Smith
* Chicago: Drew Gooden vs. Tyrus Thomas
* Cleveland: Ben Wallace vs. J.J. Hickson vs. Darnell Jackson vs. Joe Smith (Wallace might be a center, but he started alongside Big Z when he arrived last year. But what about getting a hint of offensive production from the four?)
* Milwaukee: Charlie Villanueva vs. Malik Allen vs. Joe Alexander (if they wanted to get Joey into the starting lineup alongside RJ)
* Charlotte: Sean May vs. Jermareo Davidson vs. Othello Harrington
* Miami: Michael Beasley vs. Udonis Haslem
* Oklahoma City: Nick Collison vs. Jeff Green vs. Donyell Marshall vs. Chris Wilcox (if OKC lands J.R. Smith can they run Russell Westbrook, Smith, Durant, Green as the 1-2-3-4?)
* Sacramento: Shareef Abdur-Rahim vs. Mikki Moore vs. Jason Thompson (Who would have thought Thompson would have been a Day 1 starter before draft night?)
* Golden State: Al Harrington vs. Anthony Randolph vs. Brandan Wright vs. Richard Hendrix
* New Jersey: Yi Jianlian (technically a PF) vs. Eduardo Najera vs. Josh Boone vs. Ryan Anderson
July 28th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
sans says:
Love after a couple of games.
Drew Gooden looked really good last year after the trade, but no Noah? Is he there de facto center nowadays?
Big Ben and later on Hickson.
Charlie V.
Whoever they trade Felton for. That’s any ugly list for Charlotte. Not that the Cavs list is much better.
I think Beas will start at the 3, Marion at the 4.
Green. When you suck, you gotta get the young guys out there.
The Predator will probably start, but Thompson will take it from him midseason.
Al–until he gets traded.
Yi–you gotta get China’s attention if you want Bron.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
shake&bake says:
I feel bad for Charlotte after looking at their current options.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
K-Love
Gooden
Joe Smith
Charlie V
Sean May
B-Easy
Jeff Green If they get JR Collison otherwise
Mikki
Randolph
Boone
July 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Justice says:
charlotte sucks ass, jason thompson is a beast hey isnt sheldon(the head of the class) up there in sac too?
July 28th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Celts Fan says:
Oklahoma City: Nick Collison vs. Jeff Green vs. Donyell Marshall vs. Chris Wilcox (if OKC lands J.R. Smith can they run Russell Westbrook, Smith, Durant, Green as the 1-2-3-4?)
I think that becomes the lineup of the future if they can land JR, but for this year, KD is still a little light and so is Jeff Green, to move down a slot each (KD to 3, Jeff to 4) though by next year, I’d say run that.
July 28th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Allan says:
1- Kevin Garnett
2- Dirk Nowitzki
3 - Paul Gasol
Will be the top three PFs next season !!!
July 28th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Allan says:
1-Minnesota: Kevin Love (Because he will be able to compliment Al Jefferson with his passing and great IQ)
2-Chicago: Drew Gooden (Dude is still better than Tyrus Thomas common !)
3-Cleveland: Joe Smith will start but the Cavaliers will slowly bring J.J. Hickson’s game in the second half of the season.
4-Milwaukee: Charlie Villanueva
5-Charlotte: Sean May
6-Miami: Haslem will start but Beasley will finish as a started in the 2nd half of the season.
7-Oklahoma City: Nick Collison (Green will get better though)
8-Sacramento: Mikki Moore
9-Golden State: Al Harrington
10-New Jersey: Josh Boone
July 28th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Kobeef says:
@Allan
I think you misunderstood the question
@Dime
Some of these aren’t really a debate, so I’ll comment on those that are
- Golden State: I know it was summer leage but Anthony Randolph looks a lot bigger and a lot more talented (he was supposed to be Tyrus Thomas - looks more like a bigger Bosh)than he was said to be in all the mock drafts. I would start Randolph.
- Oklahoma City: Chris Wilcox looks like trade bait to me but until that time he is the starter. I wish they would bring Ibake over for us to watch.
- Chicago: Drew is a knob but he played well last year for the bulls.
- Cleveland: One comment - sucks to be Lebron!!!
- Milwaukee: I honestly hope Charlie V gets some consistent PT for the first time in his career but he and skiles don’t seem like a good match.
July 28th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Logan Light says:
Love (what Allan said here is perfect)
Drew Gooden (until Rose takes over at the point - then it’s Thomas to run all day)
Ben Wallace (he makes too much money to not start… even if he is only out there for the first quarter)
Charlie V (veteran who knows how to get points off plays not run for him)
Beasley (duh, you have to let him start)
Jeff Green (Durant likes him…)
Mikki Moore (see Charlie V)
Al Harrington (until he gets put in Nelson’s doghouse - then it will be Randolph)
Toss up - Boone (is he healthy yet?)
LL
July 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Joe Alexander @ the 4 LMAO!!
Love
Joe Smith
Gooden (bring Ty off the bench for energy)
Chucky V
May
Beasley
Green
Mikki
Al Harrington (although I think they should trade him)
Josh Boone-thugs-n-harmony
July 28th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
BxBaller says:
Minnesota: Kevin Love (top 5 picks should be starting on their respective teams)
Chicago: Drew Gooden (I think Thomas is too small to be an effective 4, especially in the halfcourt)
Cleveland: Joe Smith (played pretty well and consistently for them last year)
Milwaukee: Charlie V (Teams need to play him, he can ball. Remember he dropped 48 on the Bucks when he was with TOR. I’m really pulling for homey, hometown bias)
Charlotte: Othella Harrington (I just don’t see May being healthy enough to play a full season)
Miami: Udonis Haslem (I think Riley is gonna be a prick about letting a rookie start right off the back)
OK City: Chris Wilcox (I think they’re going to run Green as a 3 and Durant as a 2)
Sac-Town: Jason Thompson (Shareef might be done, and Mikki Moore, seriously?)
GS: Anthony Randolph (Dude killed Summer League)
NJ: Najera (Yi is probably gonna paly the 3, since RJ is gone)
July 28th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Homeless J says:
Shareef is retiring.
July 28th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
johnny says:
Shareef is retiring? Is there a link? Sac will throw a party.
Wasn’t Donyell in Dime last season as a candidate for worst player in the L?
July 28th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Smooth says:
* Minnesota: Craig Smith
* Chicago: Drew Gooden
* Cleveland: Ben Wallace
* Milwaukee: Charlie Villanueva
* Charlotte: Sean May
* Miami: Udonis Haslem
* Oklahoma City: Chris Wilcox
* Sacramento: Shareef Abdur-Rahim
* Golden State: Al Harrington
* New Jersey: Eduardo Najera
July 28th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
doc says:
For the Twolves Im going with Mr. Love.In chi-town Im going with Drew,Tyrus aint step it up yet.In Bronland Hickson should get it if his learning curve aint that steep with Joe backing him up.For the Bucks its gotta be Charlie out that squad.Bobcats looking bad,May just because his name looks better on paper.Miami is Wade and Beasley’s town.OKC Im going with Collison and Wilcox backing him up.In Sactown the rook got it .GS-Brendan Wright.New Jersey-Yi.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
the_baconator says:
-minnesota: k-love
-chicago: gooden by a mile
-cleveland: i’ll go with wallace to start cuz he’s a vet, but i wouldn’t be surprised to see jj hickson replace him later on. but dime, what about tractor traylor? can’t forget him, haha
-milwaukee: charlie “no eyebrows” villanueva
-charlotte: sean may
-miami: b-easy; can’t beat him
-okc: jeff green, though i’d like to see collison play more
-sac: jason thompson
-gs: randolph
-nj: josh boone. @moxwestcoastrep: haha, i like the boone nickname
July 29th, 2008 at 3:31 am
karan says:
* Minnesota: Kevin Love
* Chicago: Drew Gooden
* Cleveland: Ben Wallace
* Milwaukee: Charlie Villanueva
* Charlotte: Sean May
* Miami: Michael Beasley
* Oklahoma City: Chris Wilcox
* Sacramento: Shareef Abdur-Rahim
* Golden State: Al Harrington
* New Jersey: Josh Boone