New Orleans Pelicans Should Start Anthony Davis At Center Next Season

The New Orleans Pelicans are starting Omer Asik at center. They also have Kendrick Perkins playing meaningful minutes for the team. Asik is good defensively, but he isn’t a good enough passer or offensive threat to keep on the floor for extended periods of time. It would be better if he came off the bench and took Perkins’ minutes away. This would force the Pelicans to start Anthony Davis at the center position which would greatly improve their team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers moved power forward Tristan Thompson to the starting center spot and it has improved their team. The Golden State Warriors start Andrew Bogut, but at least Bogut is a good passer from the free throw line down. And even then, the Warriors primarily use a center in Draymond Green who is undersized even at the power forward position. The Pelicans aren’t either of these teams, but their power forward is better than Green and Thompson.

Davis has better mobility than most power forwards in the league. Forcing opposing centers to guard him would make them tired and even weaker defensively in the paint.

Many teams can’t start power forwards at the center position because it would make their paint defense worse, but the Pelicans can move Davis over since he is a good shot blocker and defender. He also moves his feet well which helps just in case he gets caught in pick and rolls.

Tim Duncan has been called the greatest power forward of all time, but he has been spending much of his time at the center spot for the past several seasons. It works for the San Antonio Spurs because Duncan is smart and he is one of the best rim protectors in the league. Davis is more mobile than Duncan, so it should work even better for the Pelicans.

Once the roster is healthy next season, Davis should make the move to center. The Pelicans should be able to find a viable replacement at the starting power forward position without sacrificing a key bench player to do it. Once Davis slides over to the center position, it will immediately begin paying dividends.