The Center Position

[kingtidge]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

 

[Ghost]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

I mean, we had some signs of improvement from Sidibe. He's certainly quite erratic though and often seems overwhelmed. Except in comparison to Edwards yesterday. Although he hasn't really seen enough minutes to expect much out of him in a situation like that.

 

[OHIORANGES]

Do call me Shirley!

 

[OHIORANGES]

Don’t call me Shirley!

 

[kingtidge]

Sidibe to me shows some occasional signs of improvement offensively, but moreover looks like a player with no confidence most of the time.

Tentative, late on slides an often fouling because of it on defense.

Consistently poor.

 

[Marty McFly]

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice,

We talkin' about practice?!

 

[FrancoPizza]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

Edwards has a very good frame. He just needs to add 1000 lbs to that frame.

 

[Wrinkle]

We essentially have to play Sidibe at this point, which is quite unfortunate. His defense is horrible, actually worse than his offense. No time to groom Edwards this late into the season, we need to win.

I would still go small, though, and play Sidibe as little as possible.

 

[kingtidge]

Edwards has a very good frame. He just needs to add 1000 lbs to that frame.

If he could stand still in dirt, you could plant bean seeds under him.

 

[orangecuse]

Don’t call me Shirley!

 

[Wrinkle]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

I think you hit on it. Going small with Dolezaj at the 5 is typically the better option in terms of ability, but he is a critical offensive piece who we really can't expose out of position defensively and have him pick up fouls just trying to body people up.

Sidibe is like a piece of balsa wood guarding delicate electronics. It's not at all effective, prone to snapping at the slightest pressure, easy to set ablaze, everyone knows balsa wood is no good for this application, but it's all we've got.

 

[DonLightfoot]

What to do here?

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Unfortunately it seems that way and it probably won't change next year. If you get a commitment from a center, or have one transferred in, what do you do with Sidibe, Edwards and Bol Ajak?

Maybe I'm wrong, but we better hope these three make some major strides and put on some weight in the off season.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Unfortunately it seems that way and it probably won't change next year. If you get a commitment from a center, or have one transferred in, what do you do with Sidibe, Edwards and Bol Ajak?

Maybe I'm wrong, but we better hope these three make some major strides and put on some weight in the off season.

Just like BMK and Chukwu did...

 

[Red Holzman]

Every time I watch Isaiah Stewart and think what could have been, a tear comes to my eye...
This thread wouldn't exist.
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

[SUFan44]

Edwards needs 5 minutes a game.

I don't care how it comes, and it could be 2-3 minutes one game, 5-6 minutes the next.

But putting him out there at crunch time of a game that was probably a must-win if we don't beat any of the top 3 is not fair to him or the team.

Nobody should be surprised because this isn't how JB runs things -- but Sidibe is unreliable, Marek isn't a center and Edwards is the third guy.
Seriously don't understand how and why he doesn't at least get token minutes in the first half. Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[SU94]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

Call me crazy, I like Sidibe's progression. He's rebounding like a champ and he's been solid on offense around the rim the last month. He's late occasionally on defense (who isn't?, has JAB even been satisfied with our center on defense), and yes, he's foul prone. But he's good for 22-32 minutes a game. An important cog. He's trending in a positive direction.

 

[two3zone]

What to do here?

Dolezaj has actually tweened into a semi-effective center at times but is still too slight to bang down low when needed and can often get into foul trouble because of it.

Sidibe... I know JB says he's a different player in practice, but that really doesn't matter at this point. He's woefully not good enough in live games and there seems to be little signs of improvement.

Edwards, JBA... both projects and Edwards doesn't have the frame needed to be a P5 center.

Is it likely we'll just flounder on and try to make do at this position with square pegs for round holes?

Shirley we must be trying like hell to get a decent JUCO or Grad Transfer for next year, no??

If he is a different player in practice what does that say about the guys he's practicing against? This could be a disaster for years.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Call me crazy, I like Sidibe's progression. He's rebounding like a champ and he's been solid on offense around the rim the last month. He's late occasionally on defense (who isn't?, has JAB even been satisfied with our center on defense), and yes, he's foul prone. But he's good for 22-32 minutes a game. An important cog. He's trending in a positive direction.

Ok .. CRAZY

 

[STEVEHOLT]

If he is a different player in practice what does that say about the guys he's practicing against? This could be a disaster for years.

He’s going up against poster board material for feed the children adds .. that’s why he looks good

 

[Mareiniss]

Call me crazy, I like Sidibe's progression. He's rebounding like a champ and he's been solid on offense around the rim the last month. He's late occasionally on defense (who isn't?, has JAB even been satisfied with our center on defense), and yes, he's foul prone. But he's good for 22-32 minutes a game. An important cog. He's trending in a positive direction.

I agree with this analysis. But we need him for more than 22-23 minutes per game, so he has to learn to stay vertical and not commit stupid fouls.

 

[Ghost]

Sidibe to me shows some occasional signs of improvement offensively, but moreover looks like a player with no confidence most of the time.

Tentative, late on slides an often fouling because of it on defense.

Consistently poor.

I think he's been showing more confidence around the rim. Which is certainly a significant improvement as at times he's looked utterly flabbergasted when it comes to having the ball in his hands, and being hear the rim simultaneously.

Just getting him to that point is good.

He has issues, but like most of our team (outside of Hughes), is nowhere near the level he should be in terms of overall skill versus the type of minutes we expect out of him.

Right now, if we had a decent starting 5, he'd be a great guy off the bench with some fouls to give, and some energy at times. I'm not sure how that differentiates him much from anyone else though currently.

We start a PG who can push the ball, hit some tough shots from distance, but otherwise lacks ideal PG skills. He still plays about 35 MPG while being suited for a much smaller role at this stage of his career. We have a SG that can shoot the lights out at times, but mostly relies on defensive miscues and match-ups to score, with not much else in the toolbox, and he plays 40 MPG.

We have a PF that is skinny af, and prone to disappearing and silly fouls (take away the silly fouls and likely would sit around 40 MPG), and then we have Sidibe. Who, like the rest, has some gigantic gaping holes in his game, but his skill isn't scoring, so it gets more focus - as the rest seem to make up more for inadequacies because you just notice the scoring more.

Hughes is legit, defense could be better, but he's the only guy we have that could eat up these kind of minutes on most any roster you assemble because of his versatility, shooting, dribbling, driving, etc...

 

[rrlbees]

I’m on the side that Sidibe has shown progress and is fine IF he can stay on the court. JB agreed when he laments the foul trouble. Many people here even lamented his foul trouble last night and even said we win if he’s on the court the last 5 minutes. I guess every year there has to be a whipping boy.

 

[Gabjon]

I’m on the side that Sidibe has shown progress and is fine IF he can stay on the court. JB agreed when he laments the foul trouble. Many people here even lamented his foul response last night and even said we win if he’s on the court the last 5 minutes. I guess every year there has to be a whipping boy.

He and Dolezaj improved play are a huge reason for improved play. One bad game does not negate their progress.

BTW Sidibe hasn't missed a shot in the last 3 games now.

 

[chugg21]

Our expectations for that position have became so low that it is sad. Guy is in year 3 with 80 games experience at this point and we're basically happy that he manages 2 putbacks or lay ins and 7 boards in 25 mins. Not like he's a big deterrent either like some of the previous offensive black hole 7 footers we've had of late, averaging a single bpg.

 

[kingtidge]

I’m on the side that Sidibe has shown progress and is fine IF he can stay on the court. JB agreed when he laments the foul trouble. Many people here even lamented his foul response last night and even said we win if he’s on the court the last 5 minutes. I guess every year there has to be a whipping boy.

I think there's some offensive progress, but he still looks lost and completely unconfident on D most of the time IMO. Positioning suspect, tentative late slides with his arms up at 2-o-clock.

You knew when Marek fouled out, Sidibe would be right behind him, as he can't seem to play any significant minutes without fouling repeatedly.

If he could progress into another BMK, great... I just don't see it as he's way to lost in the zone.