Young PFs to watch (free agency or trade)

[KingsFanGER]

While you don't see any of those things you still don't see anything that made him a #5 pick which means you still don't see much at all, T-Rob still sucks. T-Rob would not beat out any of our current bigs on the roster, hell I'm not sure he would beat out Moreland if both were given the same chance to play.

Right now we have 3 rather slow, physical PF + Moreland on the roster. The value of T-Rob for most teams lies in his speed and athleticism. He is still raw and he hasn't played like a #5 pick. I agree with that. But i think it's pretty clear, that he is slowly putting things together and figuring out his niche in the NBA. He can be a solid roleplayer in the league.

 

[Tetsujin]

Right now we have 3 rather slow, physical PF + Moreland on the roster. The value of T-Rob for most teams lies in his speed and athleticism. He is still raw and he hasn't played like a #5 pick. I agree with that. But i think it's pretty clear, that he is slowly putting things together and figuring out his niche in the NBA. He can be a solid roleplayer in the league.

Jason Thompson isn't Patty Mills by any means but he certainly isn't the slow lumbering hulk you seem to be making him out to be. This is a guy who had one of those SG to C growth spurts late in life.

 

[KingsFanGER]

Jason Thompson isn't Patty Mills by any means but he certainly isn't the slow lumbering hulk you seem to be making him out to be. This is a guy who had one of those SG to C growth spurts late in life.

Ok, but i wonder why he can't stay in front nor close out to guys like Markieff Morris, if he has good footspeed, like you think.
But one can argue, if there is any need for a T-Rob here, if you already have Casspi on the roster, who seems capable to guard those quicker PF's, if he can hold his ground, when they back him down.
I really like Casspi right now ;-)

 

[hrdboild]

Just stoking the fire a bit...

Thomas Robinson got his first start of the season against Milwaukee tonight
and contributed 15pts . 16reb . 1ast . 1stl . 1blk in 28 minutes.
.....(so far, as I write this there's 2min remaining in the game)
Still thinking he's a potential "buy low" candidate in the off-season.
Also, he would fit right in with the "run, run, run" philosophy of our front office.

 

[lawlman91]

We already have Eric Moreland, so why not just get the coaching staff to bust their butts developing him?

 

[KingsFanGER]

Just stoking the fire a bit...

Thomas Robinsonmant his first start of the season against Milwaukee tonight
and contributed 15pts . 16reb . 1ast . 1stl . 1blk in 28 minutes.
.....(so far, as I write this there's 2min remaining in the game)
Still thinking he's a potential "buy low" candidate in the off-season.
Also, he would fit right in with the "run, run, run" philosophy of our front office.

Whats appealing with Robinson is, that he is strong and big enough to hold his ground against many PF's while he is mobile enough to stay in front of guys like Giannis or Middleton. The way i see it, the Pf Position is transforming from old fashioned powerful guys like Randolph to a more athletic, skilled and mobile Position with guys like Parker, Randle, Bosh, Morris or Harris, that in most cases attack the defense from the dribble and don't back down people very often.
Robinson is able to guard those guys, doesn't demand any plays or shots on the offensive end and will give you putbacks and alley oops and runs the floor in both ends. He may be a low risk high reward player, if he is signed on a reasonable deal. And bis bball IQ really improved with the Blazers and i suppose he is far ahead of a guy like moreland right now, who also doesn't havethis unique combination of mobility and strength.

 

[206Fan]

Whats appealing with Robinson is, that he is strong and big enough to hold his ground against many PF's while he is mobile enough to stay in front of guys like Giannis or Middleton. The way i see it, the Pf Position is transforming from old fashioned powerful guys like Randolph to a more athletic, skilled and mobile Position with guys like Parker, Randle, Bosh, Morris or Harris, that in most cases attack the defense from the dribble and don't back down people very often.
Robinson is able to guard those guys, doesn't demand any plays or shots on the offensive end and will give you putbacks and alley oops and runs the floor in both ends. He may be a low risk high reward player, if he is signed on a reasonable deal. And bis bball IQ really improved with the Blazers and i suppose he is far ahead of a guy like moreland right now, who also doesn't havethis unique combination of mobility and strength.

I disagree with some of your points a bit. Both Giannis and Middleton are SFs. Harris is a SF too.

I think the PF is changing, but not they're not getting shorter. I think they're just getting more athletic. I think T-Rob just doesn't have the size to guard a lot of PFs. BUT he'd probably do best against stretch 4's. In honestly, T-Rob should be guarding SFs in the NBA. I think he has the skills and motor to be a PF, but he doesn't apply those skills to his game. If T-Rob wants to be an effective NBA player, he has to improve on just being a consistent energy guy, or try to learn to shoot.

 

[KingsFanGER]

I disagree with some of your points a bit. Both Giannis and Middleton are SFs. Harris is a SF too.

I think the PF is changing, but not they're not getting shorter. I think they're just getting more athletic. I think T-Rob just doesn't have the size to guard a lot of PFs. BUT he'd probably do best against stretch 4's. In honestly, T-Rob should be guarding SFs in the NBA. I think he has the skills and motor to be a PF, but he doesn't apply those skills to his game. If T-Rob wants to be an effective NBA player, he has to improve on just being a consistent energy guy, or try to learn to shoot.

He is listed at 6'9 to 6'10 and can jump out of the building. I wouldn't consider him too short to guard Pf's.
You may count Giannis as a SF, but he plays at the 4 most of the time with Parker (who you can easily count as a SF too) out. My point isn't that PF's are shorter, but that their style of play is changing. Most PF operate from the perimeter or from the high post. The strong lowpost bully is a dying breed. Plenty of Pf's and C's have trimmed down their weight in order to match the faster, perimeter oriented playstyle. In my opinion quickness becomes much more important for PF's than actual strength and mass. You need to be able to stay in front of guys attacking you with a live dribble out of faceup situations. You need to be quick in order to play the necessary help defense against the penetrating guards and Sf's. You need to be able to close out quick to defend the 3point shot.
I wouldn't say it's certain that T-Rob carves out a niche in the NBA as a defensive, rebounding energy guy, but given his athletic gifts (which are rare) he could do it and it may be worth to gamble on it.
Everytime I watch him getting some reliable playing time, he is playing with relentless fire, plays good D and rebounds very well. There are always some boneheaded plays, where he gets ahead of himself and is playing too fast and sloppy, but you can't deny, that our PF's have some mental lapses aswell.

 

[206Fan]

He is listed at 6'9 to 6'10 and can jump out of the building. I wouldn't consider him too short to guard Pf's.
You may count Giannis as a SF, but he plays at the 4 most of the time with Parker (who you can easily count as a SF too) out. My point isn't that PF's are shorter, but that their style of play is changing. Most PF operate from the perimeter or from the high post. The strong lowpost bully is a dying breed. Plenty of Pf's and C's have trimmed down their weight in order to match the faster, perimeter oriented playstyle. In my opinion quickness becomes much more important for PF's than actual strength and mass. You need to be able to stay in front of guys attacking you with a live dribble out of faceup situations. You need to be quick in order to play the necessary help defense against the penetrating guards and Sf's. You need to be able to close out quick to defend the 3point shot.
I wouldn't say it's certain that T-Rob carves out a niche in the NBA as a defensive, rebounding energy guy, but given his athletic gifts (which are rare) he could do it and it may be worth to gamble on it.
Everytime I watch him getting some reliable playing time, he is playing with relentless fire, plays good D and rebounds very well. There are always some boneheaded plays, where he gets ahead of himself and is playing too fast and sloppy, but you can't deny, that our PF's have some mental lapses aswell.

I actually think T-Rob grew and built up a little more this year. I certainly do agree with you though. He's a guy who I'd love back on this team, and I think he has all the tools there. I think he just needs a coach who can help him use those tools. I think the main problem I have with T-Rob is that he doesn't offer any specific skill set.

He's not known as a post up player, mid range player, defensive player, nor a blocker. The only thing people know for sure is that he can rebound. 4 years into the league, and he's still as raw as his 1st year, in terms of playing on the floor.

I think T-Rob has a jumper in him. We've seen it at Kansas. I think with the right coaches, you can get a good player out of him.

What type of overall player do you think he can be?

 

[KingsFanGER]

Hard to draw a comparison with an actual NBA Player. I would guess, that he could be successful as a Role Player guarding SF's and PF's. A glue guy, who stays out of the way on offense and over time maybe develops a solid mid range jumpshot. Most suitable comparison maybe Faried, but Robinson looks a bit less bulky.

 

[hrdboild]

David Lee seems like a decent comparison to me -- rebounding, athleticism, hustle plays. But then David Lee is also a horrible defender and Robinson projects to be average on that end. Poor man's Al Horford maybe? In terms of style of play, maybe Bonzi Wells if he'd played PF instead of SG?

 

[sdballer]

Trob looks like an energy guy best suited to play 10-15 minutes per game. That's it. He's a younger Reggie Evans that relies on athleticism instead of strength.

 

[The_Jamal]

I actually think T-Rob grew and built up a little more this year. I certainly do agree with you though. He's a guy who I'd love back on this team, and I think he has all the tools there. I think he just needs a coach who can help him use those tools. I think the main problem I have with T-Rob is that he doesn't offer any specific skill set.

He's not known as a post up player, mid range player, defensive player, nor a blocker. The only thing people know for sure is that he can rebound. 4 years into the league, and he's still as raw as his 1st year, in terms of playing on the floor.

I think T-Rob has a jumper in him. We've seen it at Kansas. I think with the right coaches, you can get a good player out of him.

What type of overall player do you think he can be?

Always been a fan of Trob's and he's learning how to play under control off that Portland bench. He's one of my "radar" guys as well as I think he'd be a bust out candidate if he got the consistent minutes. Just isn't a lot of room to play behind LMA

And if you're looking for a specific skill set, you're bringing in an elite rebounder (*minutes, but I don't see it falling with a larger minute load) an elite athlete who can run the floor, and has developed into a good defender. The offense is still weak, but if he keeps his FG% around 48-50% on his projected 6-8FGA load (ala JT), then that really isn't an issue. He's still got the upside to develop his offensive game as well.

 

[KingMilz]

T-Rob is the last type of PF we need, unless it's building for NBA 3.0

Energy guys who suck like T-Rob/Faried and these types really won't bring anything but more losses.

 

[Gilles]

T-Rob is definitely a much better PF than derrick williams.

 

[KingsFanGER]

T-Rob is the last type of PF we need, unless it's building for NBA 3.0

Energy guys who suck like T-Rob/Faried and these types really won't bring anything but more losses.

Depends if you want him as your starting Pf, or as a bench Option with the possibilty to develop.
There aren't a lot of good Pf's available and the athletic defenders are all locked up.
And with all du respect for Jt. Our Pf position is really a weak point ATM.

 

[The_Jamal]

T-Rob is the last type of PF we need, unless it's building for NBA 3.0

Energy guys who suck like T-Rob/Faried and these types really won't bring anything but more losses.

Aren't you the guy in love with Quincy Acy?

I'd gladly take a flier on Trob to see what he could do with more minutes. The potential is there for him to be an impact player defensively and on the boards.

 

[bajaden]

First things first. Robinson measured out in shoes at the combine at 6'8.75". OK, can we agree that he's not 6'10". And the likelyhood that he grew two inches because someone wants him to, goes against everything we know about human growth after a certain age. He's a terrific athlete, that can't shoot the ball. His ballhandliing skills are still suspect and he's a terrible freethrow shooter. What he's really good at, is rebounding. That's it! Will he really make a difference on the Kings? I don't think so. Derrick Williams is the same size, and one could argue is just as good an athlete, and he's a better shooter, and a smarter player than Robinson. What impact has he had? I've nothing against Robinson. I really wanted him to succeed. So much so, that I seized upon every good play he made, that were far and few between I might add, to fuel my beliefs. I was wrong. Robinson lacks the IT factor. He doesn't get it, and probably never will. Maybe god intended for him to be a defensive end in football, and he got diverted to the wrong sport. I don't know, but I do know that he probably won't make any significant difference on the Kings.

To say you want a PF that has the athleticism to guard SF's isn't an endorsement. The question is, can he guard PF's? To say he can guard the Morris Twins doesn't cut it. The question should be, can he guard LaMarcus Aldridge, his current teammate. How about Dirk Nowitzki, or even Ryan Anderson, who is a legit 6'10". JT can, and more often than not, does a credible job on those players. But then JT is 6'11". T Robb is what I call a teaser. He'll have that one game out of ten, that teases you. It makes you think, that with the right coach in the right situation, he could be special. Except it never happens. Hey, I hope it does happen for him. I don't wish ill on any player. That said, I just don't see why we should pursue a player that's still unproven and has shown little growth since entering the NBA. Ask yourself this question. If T. Robb was still in college, and entering the coming draft with his current skill set, where do you think he would be drafted? Top five? I seriously doubt it in the next draft. Top ten? Maybe, but not sure. I think that's all you need to know about him.

 

[The_Jamal]

Not sure I can agree there Baja. He's turned himself into a very productive bench player for Portland, but there really isn't room for minutes behind LMA. He's a prime candidate for someone to take a shot on him and give him 25+ MPG to see what he does with it. But the periphial numbers, he's improved pretty much across the board; rebounding, efficiency, lower TO and he's become a pretty good defender. I

He'll never reach the potential people thought he had offensively, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him be a double-double guy with good FG% and good defense.

 

[hrdboild]

First things first. Robinson measured out in shoes at the combine at 6'8.75". OK, can we agree that he's not 6'10"... The question is, can he guard PF's? To say he can guard the Morris Twins doesn't cut it. The question should be, can he guard LaMarcus Aldridge, his current teammate. How about Dirk Nowitzki, or even Ryan Anderson, who is a legit 6'10". JT can, and more often than not, does a credible job on those players. But then JT is 6'11"

Not to pick on you Baja, but I see this line of thinking so often that I don't think it should be allowed to stand uncontested. I listed every starting PF in the NBA right now and their measured height without shoes on (because I don't think it's fair to penalize a player for wearing shorter heels to pre-draft camp) plus some key bench guys and/or former starters. The bolded players are the ones significantly taller (an inch or more).

Thomas Robinson measured as 6'7.75" without shoes...

STARTERS:

Atlanta Hawks - Paul Millsap 6'6.25"
Boston Celtics - Jared Sullinger 6'7.75"
Brooklyn Nets - Kevin Garnett ~6'10" (38 yrs old)
Charlotte Hornets - Marvin Williams 6'7"
Chicago Bulls - Pau Gasol ~6'10" (34 yrs old)
Cleveland Cavaliers - Kevin Love 6'7.75"
Dallas Mavericks - Dirk Nowitzki ~6'10" (36 yrs old)
Denver Nuggets - Kenneth Faried 6'6"
Detroit Pistons - Josh Smith 6'7"
Golden State Warriors - Draymond Green 6'5.75"
Houston Rockets - Donatas Motiejunas ~6'11"
Indiana Pacers - David West 6'8.25"
LA Clippers - Blake Griffin 6'8.5"
LA Lakers - Ed Davis 6'9"
Memphis Grizzlies - Zach Randolph 6'7"
Miami Heat - Shawne Williams 6'7.25"
Milwaukee Bucks - Jabari Parker 6'7.5"
Minnesota TWolves - Thaddeus Young 6'5.75"
New Orleans Pelicans - Anthony Davis 6'9.25"
New York Knicks - Quincy Acy 6'7"
Oklahoma City Thunder - Serge Ibaka 6'8"
Orlando Magic - Channing Frye - 6'9.5"
Philadelphia 76ers - Nerlens Noel 6'10"
Phoenix Suns - Markieff Morris 6'7.75"
Portland Blazers - LaMarcus Aldridge 6'10"
Sacramento Kings - Jason Thompson 6'10"
San Antonio Spurts - Tim Duncan 6'11" (38 yrs old)
Toronto Raptors - Amir Johnson 6'7"
Utah Jazz - Derrick Favors 6'8.75"
Washington Wizards - Kris Humphries 6'8.25"

BENCH:

Tristan Thompson 6'7.5"
David Lee 6'7.75"
Julius Randle 6'7.75" (starter before injury)
Carlos Boozer 6'7.75"
Udonis Haslem 6'7.75"
Ersan Ilyasova 6'7.75"
Anthony Bennett 6'6"
Amare Stoudamire 6'8.5"
Aaron Gordon 6'7.5"
Carl Landry 6'7.75"
Trevor Booker 6'6.25"
Nene 6'9.25"

So 12 out of 30 teams currently employ a starting PF who might have a height advantage on Robinson. One additional team has a key bench player who might have a height advantage. Out of those 13 players, 4 are very close to the end of their careers (Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, Gasol) and shouldn't really factor into long-term planning anymore. 6 more are not significant post-scoring threats (Motiejunas, Ed Davis, Frye, Noel, JT, Favors). So who are we really afraid of here? Anthony Davis, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nene. That's it. When you're talking about "can't physically handle this guy in the post" -- that's the entire list.

There are two guys who didn't quite make the 1" cutoff. Both Amare Stoudamire and Blake Griffin are listed as 6'8.5" without shoes on which gives a slight height advantage. But does that even matter? If you think it does, I would take it one step further. Robinson has a wingspan of 7'3.25" and a standing reach of 8'10". That means just standing on the ground with his arms in the air, he's got his hands higher than Blake Griffin does at 8'9". Stoudamire is hardly worth worrying about at this point in his injury-hobbled career.

You specifically mentioned Ryan Anderson who I couldn't find a measurement for, but if he's listed at 6'10" we can assume he's around 6'9" without shoes. About the same as Anthony Davis, Nene, Channing Frye, and Derrick Favors. Anderson is a threat as a shooter, not as a post player so an extra inch of height is a lot less important than the ability to run the floor and stay close enough to contest his jumper. A similar argument could be made with regards to the way Anthony Davis and LaMarcus Aldridge score most of their points. You're going to have to be able to put an arm in their face from 10-15 feet out and outmaneuver them on the floor. Speed and guile are bigger factors defensively against them than an inch of height. Not to mention, both of those guys are top 10 scorers. Nobody else is doing a good job of guarding them either.

The myth of the 6'10" power forward post-monster should really be put to bed. There aren't any left. A quick survey of the league shows 6'7.75" without shoes is damn close to the median height for the position right now. And if you've also got long arms and above-average athleticism like Robinson does, it's not going to be physical tools holding you back.

Furthermore, it would be an advantage, I think, to retain Jason Thompson (one of the few PFs in the league who doesn't have a height disadvantage on anybody and has done a good job bodying up post scorers) and compliment his defensive skillset by adding a smaller, faster player who stands a better chance against the more perimeter oriented PFs which currently dominate the league. In terms of mobility and size, very few players are as well-equipped as Thomas Robinson to handle that role. Obviously he needs coaching, but even in limited minutes his steal rate, block rate, and rebound rate are all better than average so I don't see how anyone can say he's not physically capable of getting the job done defensively.

 

[KingsFanGER]

Great post hrdboild!
And whats really Holding dwill back, is not bis size, its that he doesnt get the most out of his athleticism and tends to play passive and soft. And thats not the case with Robinson, who certainly has some fire in him.
You can't be sure, that he manages to turn his career around, but if you look at the pf's that are available it's worth to gamble on it.

 

[upinsmoke]

I agree on the sentiment that T-Rob would essentially be a Reggie Evans replacement but still I would like to rid ourselves of Landry's contact first which I believe is possible at the deadline.

 

[KingsFanGER]

I agree on the sentiment that T-Rob would essentially be a Reggie Evans replacement but still I would like to rid ourselves of Landry's contact first which I believe is possible at the deadline.

One can hope. Whats really important to me is, that we keep JT as a plus defender. As much as I dislike him for not being valueable in any category outside of man to man defense, he did a good job on most PF's this season. But how can you be this irrelevant on offense or as a shotblocker, when you have this body to work with - I just don't get it. I'm happy if we get a guy, who can play help defender and goalie or a stretch-4 to support DMC and JT on the defensive end or at least help to space the floor. Sadly it's impossible to get a player, who can do both.

 

[KingMilz]

I wonder in Nikola Mirotic keeps playing this well the Bulls might look to move Taj Gibson's contract (where we could jump in).

I was also thinking since the new management like the old management has no intention of playing defense or bringing in a shot blocker to play next to Cousins what would people think of this deal.

David Lee/Festus Ezhli for Jason Thompson/Carl Landry/Derrick Williams

Why we do it: David Lee and Cousins can be like Z-Bo/Marc Gasol in a lot of ways and Festus Ezhli imo has a chance to develop into a very good defender. Lee is also a excellent passer and on offense is a high IQ player and role to the rim really well.

Why the Warrior do it: Since Bogut cannot be relied on to stay healthy they need a experienced big who can defend in the low post enter Jason Thompson, Carl Landry will replace some of the scoring along with Speights and we throw in Derrick to make the deal work. The Warriors also seem to want to move Lee and he's got a 2 year deal left.

Obviously I would still prefer to have a defensive 4 who can finish but reality is FO wants scoring and David Lee does that well.

 

[KingsFanGER]

I wonder in Nikola Mirotic keeps playing this well the Bulls might look to move Taj Gibson's contract (where we could jump in).

I was also thinking since the new management like the old management has no intention of playing defense or bringing in a shot blocker to play next to Cousins what would people think of this deal.

David Lee/Festus Ezhli for Jason Thompson/Carl Landry/Derrick Williams

Why we do it: David Lee and Cousins can be like Z-Bo/Marc Gasol in a lot of ways and Festus Ezhli imo has a chance to develop into a very good defender. Lee is also a excellent passer and on offense is a high IQ player and role to the rim really well.

Why the Warrior do it: Since Bogut cannot be relied on to stay healthy they need a experienced big who can defend in the low post enter Jason Thompson, Carl Landry will replace some of the scoring along with Speights and we throw in Derrick to make the deal work. The Warriors also seem to want to move Lee and he's got a 2 year deal left.

Obviously I would still prefer to have a defensive 4 who can finish but reality is FO wants scoring and David Lee does that well.

I thought about Gibson too. But Mirotic is a few years away from having the defensive impact of Gibson and doesn't give the bench unit of the Bulls the needed post-presence. Since Defense is what gets you on the court, when playing for Thibs, I don't see the chance for a deal yet. And what should we offer for a starting caliber PF like Gibson, so that the Bulls even think twice before rejecting the offer? Any offer would cost us Ben...

Lee and Ezeli wouldn't be too bad, but i don't see the Warriors biting on the deal. Why? Cause Ezeli is the defensive anchor with Bogut out and for the bench unit. JT may be a good man defender, but he is not above average on D overall. And there is no need for Landry, if you have Speights.

 

[dude12]

I watched TRob as well lately and **** no. I get he's finding his niche in the league and has shown improvement but we need guys that can shoot AND rebound. Ryan Anderson would be great but we won't be getting him any time soon.

 

[Gilles]

I watched TRob as well lately and **** no. I get he's finding his niche in the league and has shown improvement but we need guys that can shoot AND rebound. Ryan Anderson would be great but we won't be getting him any time soon.

I prefer this team went after big men, who can defend AND rebound, and if he can shoot as well, that would be fun. Davis is not as great a defender as his stats suggest, but Ryno is the one truly holding Pels defense down.

 

[dude12]

I prefer this team went after big men, who can defend AND rebound, and if he can shoot as well, that would be fun. Davis is not as great a defender as his stats suggest, but Ryno is the one truly holding Pels defense down.

Yeah, I don't know about some of your points but guys who can defend and rebound and shoot are few....hate to say it with all the Warriors hate but we could use a guy like Draymond Green. We have many holes but 3 point shooting or the lack of is a major problem

 

[bajaden]

Not to pick on you Baja, but I see this line of thinking so often that I don't think it should be allowed to stand uncontested. I listed every starting PF in the NBA right now and their measured height without shoes on (because I don't think it's fair to penalize a player for wearing shorter heels to pre-draft camp) plus some key bench guys and/or former starters. The bolded players are the ones significantly taller (an inch or more).

Thomas Robinson measured as 6'7.75" without shoes...

STARTERS:


BENCH:


So 12 out of 30 teams currently employ a starting PF who might have a height advantage on Robinson. One additional team has a key bench player who might have a height advantage. Out of those 13 players, 4 are very close to the end of their careers (Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, Gasol) and shouldn't really factor into long-term planning anymore. 6 more are not significant post-scoring threats (Motiejunas, Ed Davis, Frye, Noel, JT, Favors). So who are we really afraid of here? Anthony Davis, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nene. That's it. When you're talking about "can't physically handle this guy in the post" -- that's the entire list.

There are two guys who didn't quite make the 1" cutoff. Both Amare Stoudamire and Blake Griffin are listed as 6'8.5" without shoes on which gives a slight height advantage. But does that even matter? If you think it does, I would take it one step further. Robinson has a wingspan of 7'3.25" and a standing reach of 8'10". That means just standing on the ground with his arms in the air, he's got his hands higher than Blake Griffin does at 8'9". Stoudamire is hardly worth worrying about at this point in his injury-hobbled career.

You specifically mentioned Ryan Anderson who I couldn't find a measurement for, but if he's listed at 6'10" we can assume he's around 6'9" without shoes. About the same as Anthony Davis, Nene, Channing Frye, and Derrick Favors. Anderson is a threat as a shooter, not as a post player so an extra inch of height is a lot less important than the ability to run the floor and stay close enough to contest his jumper. A similar argument could be made with regards to the way Anthony Davis and LaMarcus Aldridge score most of their points. You're going to have to be able to put an arm in their face from 10-15 feet out and outmaneuver them on the floor. Speed and guile are bigger factors defensively against them than an inch of height. Not to mention, both of those guys are top 10 scorers. Nobody else is doing a good job of guarding them either.

The myth of the 6'10" power forward post-monster should really be put to bed. There aren't any left. A quick survey of the league shows 6'7.75" without shoes is damn close to the median height for the position right now. And if you've also got long arms and above-average athleticism like Robinson does, it's not going to be physical tools holding you back.

Furthermore, it would be an advantage, I think, to retain Jason Thompson (one of the few PFs in the league who doesn't have a height disadvantage on anybody and has done a good job bodying up post scorers) and compliment his defensive skillset by adding a smaller, faster player who stands a better chance against the more perimeter oriented PFs which currently dominate the league. In terms of mobility and size, very few players are as well-equipped as Thomas Robinson to handle that role. Obviously he needs coaching, but even in limited minutes his steal rate, block rate, and rebound rate are all better than average so I don't see how anyone can say he's not physically capable of getting the job done defensively.

Well, you've made a bigger issue of Robinson's height than I intended. I only brought up the height issue because someone stated that he was 6'10", and I'm tired of over inflated heights being thrown around. I don't dispute any of the info you posted, and I've made the exact same point many times in other posts. It's all about perception. In a strange way, I feel sorry for the players that actually are their posted height. In essence, it really comes down to talent doesn't it? And in my opinion, Robinson, who I hope, does end up having a good career, is lacking in that area.

I realize that the premise of this thread is "young", and along with that word comes the word "potential". So perhaps I shouldn't be posting in this thread, because I think the Kings are in need of experience. Could Robinson develop into an important role player? Maybe, but I just think there are better players out there to pursue. It's not really about height, it's about talent, and Robinson is still lacking in some important areas. I won't go over them because everyone knows what they are. He's really good at one thing, and if you watch him play a lot, he's even inconsistent in that area. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Gilles]

Yeah, I don't know about some of your points but guys who can defend and rebound and shoot are few....hate to say it with all the Warriors hate but we could use a guy like Draymond Green. We have many holes but 3 point shooting or the lack of is a major problem

You miss the essence of this "hate". Most people don't like, when the regime picks up all the castoffs, that Warriors discarded on their way to current success. So Green can defend and shoot, though is a mediocre rebounder at PF, but let's note, that he's not exactly available. And the only point I was trying to make is that big men, who don't rebound or defend, lead you to nowhere.
BTW Ryno is below average rebounder, so all he can do well is shooting.