I definitely see both guys as fitting best at the 4 for different reasons. I think it could work out well if Banchero essentially plays the role of a wing on offense and Eason spots up in a corner or moves without the ball. On defense Eason would take the tougher matchup between the 3 and 4 for the other team. I think that could work well. However, my favorite pairing is still Jabari at the 3 and Eason at the 4 with Sengun at the 5. Still holding out hope that is how things go down despite my burgeoning excitement about the offense with Banchero.
Eason can play 3, this concern is bordering on fabrication. The 3 and 4 are practically interchangeable. And if House and KJ can play 3/4 then so can Eason. CF becomes a hypochondriac with players over 6'6 at the forward spots.
Eason can play the three like Tate can play the three. It can work. It puts a lot of pressure on having 4s and 5s that can stretch the defense. If the Rockets had the right center, it would be a way to hide Wood at the 4. I'm not sure how I would feel about a Wood-Paolo-Eason frontcourt. Most of the time, I think Eason would be better at the 4 as it will likely be easier to find smaller players that are skilled offensively.
If Eason can play the 3 why the hell are people saying Banchero can’t. He has infinitely better ball handling than Eason.
C'mon now, you know I was early on the Tari train.... But the fact is that, offensively, he is not as polished as you might like a perimeter player to be. I think a comp to early Ariza who was a fish out of water when asked to do somethings out on an island is fair. I think his skill level is much more than adequate offensively for a 4/big.
Modern NBA is position-less. Defense is more how many position you can defend. Offense is more iso anyway.
That is the reason why he isn't lottery. Remember Kawhi? Can't shoot 3, bad ball handling in college? Eason's shot isn't broken. He can improve. We need better defender. We have enough players who need the ball. I will not trade up for him though.
It's not about ball handling but defensive concerns. Andre Roberson had zero handles, but if he could reliably hit a three he would have been a starting SF on many teams. I personally don't think Banchero would struggle defensively at the 3. Similar players like Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris guard the position just fine. Lauri Markkanen can be a starting SF and not get blown by on every possession.
I want Eason, but I expect his shot needs to be rebuilt if he wants to shoot a lot of threes and pull his defender closer to the 3 point line.
I have comped Eason to Kawhi Leonard in this very thread. I agree with everything you have posted. For me though, I think Eason is best used in much the same way that Patrick Williams or Scottie Barnes is as a mobile 4. He can play the 3 and do a yeoman's job I am sure but his skill level would be best served at the 4 where he would have an advantage with his speed and athleticism.
1-5 positions is traditional and increasingly outdated way of identifying players. Just as PG, SG, SF, PF, C are legacy terms but currently an outdated guide, essentially shorthand for less savvy TV viewers. https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/06/0...6546204723249&referrer=https://www.google.com NBA has become positionless, especially on defense. On offense it has become even more specialized: https://www.wired.com/2012/04/analytics-basketball/ If not completely positionless, then the positions need redefining for greater accuracy or updated definition of role: https://www.bruinsportsanalytics.com/post/neo_positions
While I agree that there has always been overlap between the various positions and the lines have blurred significantly over the last 10 or so years. However I don't think that dispels with the utility of labeling positions so long as you account for that overlap. With Eason in particular, who you know I love as a prospect, I feel like he is better suited offensively to have fewer responsibilities on the perimeter. While he can do things out there I don't feel like that's the best use of his tools. That's it. Defensively I am comfy with him guarding any opponents best player.
