Could he be more effective? He's got an outstanding outside shot, is a great perimeter rebounder, and could get a shot off on anyone in the league. My bet would be that he would re-write the position within one season.
I personally don't think that Ming has the lateral quickness to play PF. He's more effective given his propensity to stay on the ground, to just stand in the lane with his arms raised...he changes a lot of shots by doing so. I do think Ming will re-write the Center position.
I say start Ming at Center and Cato at the 4. Let's see us get out rebounded by ANYONE in the league now.
I think once Yao puts on weight and muscle, he could be utilized as PF... I see him more like Dirk, a big man that can shoot and can rebound and pass... But that would mean Cato would be at Center...
You are kidding right? Dirk's strong point is use his quickness to get passed the other 4's. Ming would get killed guarding the likes up Garnett and Dirk.
I think Earl Boykins could grab more rebounds on any given night than the twinkie twins... Cato is a bigger, stronger Otis Thorp. He would clean the glass at Power Forward....
I wouldn't want Yao guarding the quicker PFs one on one which does seem to happen sometimes. He's got great touch and vision, but as someone else said he doesn't have great lateral quickness. I would like to see Yao and Cato playing at the same time more often though. That'd be a nice rebounding duo.
I don't know; but after going to most of the games this year and watching up-close, I've deduced the following reasons why I merely suggest it: 1. Yao does not go "hard" to the basket (see Duncan, Stoudemire, Shaq, etc., etc.). Most of his buckets are fadeaway shots or dunks by merely being near the basket. 2. He fumbles the ball A LOT. This is NOT a trait that good centers have. Good centers are very sure-handed. 3. Most of his touches are beyond the paint (that's obvious if you've ever watched them play). 4. I've got a feeling that he could shoot 50+% from the arc if they'd give him a chance. That's a helluva lot better than EG (what, 30%?). Again, probably dumb, but he seems to just be a good (and tall) basketball player; not a low-post banger that we are modeling him to be. See Nowitzke or Garnett... 20 years ago no one would have even though that these guys were anything BUT centers (7 footers would always play the post).
Bigger, yes. Stronger, umm... OT was a hoss. And he could actually score after getting rebounds. Add in the fact he had those massive, anti-Cato hands and a Nolan Ryan outlet fastball, I'd trade Cato for a young OT in half a sec.
ya hes got a good shot but y would u want to take outside shots when u got a 7'6 guy that can get easy looks by the basket...a dominate center is the most important piece to a championship team i dont see dirk nowitski winning any championships
Yeah, you're probably right. But, you gotta admit, it'd be awesome to have a 7'6" guy with a devastating outside shot who could get 30+ shots off per game.
Dirk was always running the floor. Yao cannot compete with other PFs because of a lack of lateral quickness. Without the ball, Yao just bent over resting his hands on his knees. Geez, he is only 22. He would definitely need to bring a folding wooden stool by age of 25.
Let's see, would I rather have Yao defending... Bradley & La Frentz or Dirk... Vlade or CWebb... David Robinson or Tim Duncan... Dale Davis & Arvydas Sabonis or Rasheed Wallace... Ostertag or Malone... Rasho or Joe Smith & KG... Tsakalides or Outlaw and Googs... Peja Drobnjak & Jerome James & Calvin Booth or Radmanovic... Shaq or Samaki Walker... No...I prefer Cato at the PF and Yao C in all cases.
It's funny to read this because I remember how a lot of posters said during Dirk's first season that he was so slow.
