Position change for Cousins?

[BenThePizzaGuy]

 

[IfAt1st]

While I enjoy fan speculation as much as the next guy, I really don't think we're qualified to make determinations about this subject.

This is about how the coach and team decide to play defensive schemes, and DMC's personal preferences and WCS's abilities (which we will not see until the season starts, against NBA competition).

 

[Bricklayer]

This first summer league game as much as any convinces me they can play together, and to a certain degree what you call each won't matter.

HOWEVER;

-- defensively I believe Cousins continues to be the C, and Cauley Stein the new PF. WCS is so damn mobile, he can chase on the perimeter without any problem. be a bigger issue for Cuz. And on the other hand Cuz is enormously strong as a post defender, not to mention a great defensive rebounder and charge taker in there. So he should stay in the middle on defense, and Cauley Stein is the roving off ball length disrupting PFs.

-- offensively largely the opposite is the case, or I guess rather Cuz is the talent, and WCS is the garbage scorer. Cuz's post game would argue "C", but his overall in/out game is more versatile than WCS who just figures to clean up no matter what you call him.

 

[gunks]

WCS is like Dally.... tall, mobile shotblocker.

Cuz/Dally worked.

I'm all for playing them together.

 

[funkykingston]

When and if Cauley-Stein becomes a starter we can discuss which guy plays which spot.

But going into the season I think either Cousins will play PF with Koufos starting at C or he'll play C with Gay starting at PF.

Personally I'd rather see the former but in either scenario WCS will be coming off the bench.

 

[randymoss1881]

This isn't even a question. DMC won't guard PFs WCS won't guard Centers.

 

[dude12]

This first summer league game as much as any convinces me they can play together, and to a certain degree what you call each won't matter.

HOWEVER;

-- defensively I believe Cousins continues to be the C, and Cauley Stein the new PF. WCS is so damn mobile, he can chase on the perimeter without any problem. be a bigger issue for Cuz. And on the other hand Cuz is enormously strong as a post defender, not to mention a great defensive rebounder and charge taker in there. So he should stay in the middle on defense, and Cauley Stein is the roving off ball length disrupting PFs.

-- offensively largely the opposite is the case, or I guess rather Cuz is the talent, and WCS is the garbage scorer. Cuz's post game would argue "C", but his overall in/out game is more versatile than WCS who just figures to clean up no matter what you call him.

I think this is spot on and I'd probably want WCS in the starting lineup with offensive guys Cuz and Gay. The thin that impressed me during the SL game was how fast WCS got out on the FB. He's going to help.

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

This first summer league game as much as any convinces me they can play together, and to a certain degree what you call each won't matter.

HOWEVER;

-- defensively I believe Cousins continues to be the C, and Cauley Stein the new PF. WCS is so damn mobile, he can chase on the perimeter without any problem. be a bigger issue for Cuz. And on the other hand Cuz is enormously strong as a post defender, not to mention a great defensive rebounder and charge taker in there. So he should stay in the middle on defense, and Cauley Stein is the roving off ball length disrupting PFs.

-- offensively largely the opposite is the case, or I guess rather Cuz is the talent, and WCS is the garbage scorer. Cuz's post game would argue "C", but his overall in/out game is more versatile than WCS who just figures to clean up no matter what you call him.

So essentially, on defense, Cousins will guard centers and wcs will guard pfs.

On offense, Cousins will be guarded by centers, and wcs by whoever.

Maybe the Koufos pairing is a bit more interesting...

 

[lawlman91]

Seems fine just to say that we have 2 big guys on the floor at once, since the PF/C distinction doesn't matter much with KoKo, WCS, and DMC all on the team.

 

[kingsboi]

does it really matter? Tim Duncan was labeled a PF for a decade and then wanted to play center. Play both of them from the get go and let them get a feel for each other...Koufos off the bench.

 

[Tetsujin]

Cousins played PF in college so I can see this being a major possibility. I also felt a reason he became a center is because of the belief that Thomas Robinson was going to be the future PF.

I should've mentioned the vet Koufos before WCS. You never know, he can end up being the next Thomas Robinson and be shipped out too soon.

Not really. Patterson and Orton were both power forwards

 

[pdizo916]

I don't think wcs is ready to start now. I much rather have koufas starting

 

[lawlman91]

Agree because in today's NBA, it seems true positions are obsolete for most teams. So many players are forced to be versatile if they want to be on a roster and I do believe the 3 Kings bigs you mentioned won't have a true PF/C position. I think the 3 will see time at both positions, especially Cousins, who is obviously the best of the 3.

I will argue that it isn't a matter of adopting the philosophies of "today's NBA", but rather taking advantage of what we have. We should counter trends rather than follow them, and that's exactly what we are doing with our lineup. I doubt that most 6'8 and 6'9 players will be able to defend our towers.

As a side note, basketball culture today is too infatuated with speed over height. More people are excited to see D'Angelo Russell play than the top 2 big men in the draft; what a shame. It's about time shooters are forced to drive and either get slaughtered in the paint or learn to handle themselves inside, like Tony Parker. It's about time Sacramento shows NBA fans that the big man is something to admire as well. We'll carry on Memphis' torch when their two bangers leave. Maybe soon, in pick-up basketball, I won't have to see a big guy shoot threes when they can take it dirty in the paint. One day... one day. I have a dream.

Of course, as a guard, I like guards. But the big man and big man moves need more love.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Cousins played PF in college so I can see this being a major possibility. I also felt a reason he became a center is because of the belief that Thomas Robinson was going to be the future PF.

The "labels" are different in college, because they don't 'require' that a lineup have a designated center. A lot of times when they show starting lineups, they'll have (3) forwards and (2) guards...or vice versa, with nobody labeled as a center