Ok OP, I'm interested to hear your reasoning on why you think PF will be his eventual best/final position. Not saying I disagree, I just want to get your take.
Cool thread,@Carl Herrera Proceed through this topic with caution though! LOL... Wasn't there a huge debate in the last couple of seasons about the type of forward TMac was? Lol, I swear I remember some posters going nuts over the point-forward debate. Perhaps it was a different player, but I recall the topic being almost as heated as the TJones vs. Dmo or Lowry vs. Brooks threads. To respond to your question: I'm not sure what to categorize Sam as just yet. I don't see him as a power forward in any sense of the term, mainly because he hasn't been utilized in the post, nor does his game, thus far, lend itself to the power required to be a "banger" in the post. With some bulk, time and direction, I think SD could be a legitimate post player, but within this offense, will we ever see a return to the post-game? (To think we had one of the best post players ever in McHale, and as a coach, he was terrible at showing our big guys how to develop their game...) If we acquire an Amare-esque big man (Blake Griff. would apply in this sense), I could see MDA drawing up more plays for the front court. But, since we only have one starter who is comfortable in a type of post-offense (FlyRy), I don't know if Dekker will be developed by our coaches to be that type of forward. *I still think players should get that one-on-one training to modify their games in case of a franchise/coaching change. Sam has the shot, speed and mobility to be in the post* So, I guess, if I had to answer, SD is simply a forward. Calling him a "stretch forward" doesn't even seem right. He has the ability to score both in the paint and from distance, but when you add on the term "stretch," it makes it seem like 4s aren't supposed to be able to shoot. In the past (as you know as a true Rox fan), big men who could shoot decently was common. In today's game, if you are 6'8" and above, having a consistent jumper is almost abnormal. The same can be said for big men who actually know how to post up, in the same manner as guys like Kevin Willis/Chuck/Dream (of course)/Scola/Herrera, too. As long as Sam isn't groomed to be a Channing Frye, I'll be satisfied. Dekk is listed at 6'9"-6'10" when generously described. If he continues to progress on the offensive end in Mike's system, he could be a special forward. Even more, if he keeps the same energy on the defensive side of things, without getting the Chandler Parson disease of not playing defense in year 2, he could become a 2-way player in the front court. It's rare (in 2017) for a big to be a legitimate threat on both ends of the floor.
NBA.com on Oct 25, 2016 Rated the players by position. http://www.nba.com/article/2016/10/25/ranking-top-power-forwards-2016-17-nba-season 1) Anthony Davis 2) Draymond Green 3) Blake 4) LMA 5) Millsap 6) Favors 7) Ibaka 8) K Love 9) Porzingis 10) Nowitzki There is probably a fine line between Stretch Forward & Power Forward nowadays. Days of the Power Forwards such as Otis Thorpe/Anthony Mason/Oakley may not be there at the moment. I would say Dekker could match up with all but Davis/Millsap/Ibaka (w/Ibaka due to experience)...maybe Favors. Memphis was a good test vs their PF's last night. So the next question is Dekker as a Small Forward? Matching up vs Small Forwards in the league?
Per 82games.com (which spells Sam Dekker's last name incorrectly), he has played more than 6 times more minutes at PF than at SF. All of the most common Sam Dekker 5 man units see him playing next to one of the centers (Nene/Capela/Harrell) and either Ariza or Brewer. http://www.82games.com/1617/16HOU9.HTM He might not look like Karl Malone, but in Mike D'Antoni's world he is a power forward just like Shawn Marion was a power forward.
