Golden Opportunity

by clipperpride on Jul 28, 2009 3:39 PM PDT

With the recent trade of Tyson Chandler, the West has become noticeably weaker at the center spot. Now that Shaq has gone east and Yao is out for the season, is it too far of a stretch to say that Kaman could make the All-star team this year? I asked my dad about this and he told me that Bynum now has the starting center spot all locked up but he also thinks that Al Thornton plays power forward for the clips. Heck if not Kaman could Camby snag a roster spot with his gaudy stats? I'm really interested in knowing what you'll think. (By you all, i mean Mr. Steve Perrin haha jk).

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West is weak...

Let’s see, Nene, Okur could get an all-star bid.

Duncan, Dirk and Al Jefferson could as well depending on how they get classified…

by banandy on Jul 28, 2009 3:50 PM PDT reply actions

"Bynum now has the starting center spot all locked up "

before the season has even started?

Don’t think Al Thornton gets too many reps at PF. As of now, there’s no other true SF on the team (Mardy Collins I guess is the only other SF) and PF has Blake Griffin, Craig Smith and Camby.

And what stats of Camby’s are gaudy?

by Michael White on Jul 28, 2009 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

Haha i know

My dad is just one of those typical Lakers fans that only think and breathe Laker basketball. Camby, when healthy and with a starting role was putting up numbers that rivaled Dwight Howard’s. His rebouding and blocked shots during that mid december bright spot of the season could be considered gaudy stats.

by clipperpride on Jul 28, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Camby

Well, the “strech of games in mid-december” would count as a pretty small sample size, but ,

During December, Camby did put up nice numbers with 12.9 points per game and 15.4 rebounds per game. And this was (by far) his best month of the year. By comparison, Howard put up 20.6 points per game and 13.8 rebounds for the entire season, so Camby wasn’t all that close really.

Besides, as I’ve said before, I’m not all that high on Camby anyway. He’s on the downside of his career (turning 35 this season) and with the pickup of Craig Smith; Camby should be relegated to sharing back up minutes at center (with Jordan) and PF (with Smith.)

by Michael White on Jul 28, 2009 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

I definitely believe that Camby’s best role on this team is backing up the center and powerforward position. But injuries are definitely no stranger to the Clips and if given the minutes Camby can no doubt put up the type of numbers that fans look for when voting for their all-star starters.

by clipperpride on Jul 28, 2009 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions

He'll be on national TV at least twice as much as the next center

I’d consider him the leader in the clubhouse as long as he suits up more often than not for that reason alone. Its simply and international popularity contest.

How he performs will hardly matter.

by John R on Jul 28, 2009 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Okafor is a better center than Chandler

Playing with Chris Paul, Okafor could well become an all star this year. He was only traded because Charlotte’s owner is pulling a Sterling (pre-Dunleavy) and dumping Okafor’s 5 year contract for Chandler’s two years. The Bobcats are losing money and are for sale right now, but there hasn’t been a taker.

Kaman and Camby may not receive much consideration because both probably will be playing fewer minutes this year. I’m not sure both of them will even appear on the ballot.

by ClipCat on Jul 28, 2009 4:07 PM PDT reply actions

Was going to post the same thing

I never considered Chandler to be an all-star caliber center. To me, all he did was catch lobs from CP and throw them down on the offensive end. Defensively, he racked up rebounds, but wasn’t a dominant defensive force.

I would definitely prefer to have Okafor, but I don’t see him as an All-star either, but who knows what could happen with Chris Paul?

by Rotudo on Jul 28, 2009 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions

He got snubbed last year

and if he rebounds from his injury this year it should go to Al Jefferson hands down.

by turs12 on Jul 28, 2009 11:23 PM PDT reply actions

It's an interesting question actually...

One key may be where these guys are listed on the ASG ballot. Duncan has, for all intents and purposes, been the starting center for the Spurs for years. I mean, it ain’t Matt Bonner, right? But Duncan insists on being a Forward on the ASG ballot. The coaches who vote for the reserves have some leeway to move players around – but the fans will pick a name from the list they’re given.

(Actually, come to think of it, Yao will probably be the starter even though he won’t play a game. The coaches then get to pick the backups, and the commissioner gets to pick Yao’s replacement. Problem solved. I’m serious by the way – Yao may win the vote if he’s on the ballot.)

Your dad and John R are probably right – in the absence of Shaq and Yao, Bynum will probably win the popular vote. Let’s not forget that such luminaries as A.C. Green and B.J. Armstrong have been ASG starters based pretty much solely on being someone’s teammate.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 29, 2009 12:21 AM PDT reply actions