Center Hunt is over per AJC

[Rexhawk]

Who’s the man in the middle?

By Sekou Smith | Monday, September 19, 2005, 03:50 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Barring a major move prior to the start of training camp in a couple of weeks, the Hawks will begin this season with Zaza Pachulia, Jason Collier and John Edwards as the main competitors for the starting position at center. Until Esteban Batista’s height and weight can be verified (he’s been listed everywhere from 6-8 to 6-10 and from 240 to 270 pounds), we’re leaving him off the list.

But I doubt anyone fears the vision of Pachulia, Collier or Edwards in the middle of an otherwise promising lineup.

Pachulia would appear to the leader for the starting job, mostly because he has the best combination of athleticism and experience. Collier’s the safe pick, a reliable veteran you know you can depend on in a pinch but not necessarily the long-term answer. Edwards is the wild card, the guy some people believe has loads of potential. But he’s still untested. Technically he’s a second-year player but he’s basically a rookie, after having played sparingly in Indiana last season.

Ultimately, Hawks coach Mike Woodson will have to decide which guy fits best in his system, which guys best complements the rest of his starters and which guy he can count on to rebound and defend consistently against more talented competition. Should he take a chance on one of the young guys or play it safe with the veteran?

It appears that we will start the season with ZaZa and Edwards as the center. It will be a center by committe (ZaZa, Edwards, Collier). All in all this is an improvement from last season because we had no one playing the center position. Two power forwards in Willis and Collier. At least Edwards is a legitimate center as far as size, weight, and reach. The only thing the hawks need from the position is rebounds and blocks.

[Nicholasp27]

this tells us no new info

unless a trade occurs we are starting the training camp with the current lineup of bigs? really?

this is what we've already known...we've used up our roster spots, and there are no big men of note left in FAcy anyway, so unless we make a trade (which mullin said we were working on), we are getting no more big men...

[Dragitoff]

Of course, I know not all of these players will make the roster, and some non-roster invitee(baseball term) might make it, but how's everyone's rosters looking?

C-Pachulia/Edwards/Collier

F-Harrington/J. Smith/Williams/Batista/D.Smith

G-Johnson/Childress/Lue/Delk/Stoudamire/Ivey/Akynol (sp?)

That's 15 players.

[Nicholasp27]

don't include cenk, as he's overseas not taking up a roster spot

ivey/donta u include, even if they go nbdl...same with edwards/batista

the guard from nc state may make the team...don't know yet

[Dragitoff]

Batista may not make the "big club", but I think Edwards is in if nothing else due to his size.

[Nicholasp27]

doesn't matter

batista is signed, so he's a roster space

our nbdl players still take up roster space

the nc state guard, on the other hand, is not signed, so he doesn't take up space right now