Say there are 2 players both with the same athleticism and Defense rating of 95. One player has the skillset of a PG and the other has the skillset of a center. If you put the guy with the PG skillset at the center position, will he have the same effect on defense as the guy with the center skillset? It sounds like from experience they pretty much would almost have the same effect, the only thing that I can think of that would give a bit more effect on defense to a center is blocking. So if indeed a center with the same athleticism and defense as a point guard is more effective on defense in the center position, what causes the effect of him being better and if it is so for example blocking, how much does blocking makes the difference in the effect?

I think the difference provided by blocking is small but still enough to make a difference. Also the PG trying to defend down low might be as capable of getting a stop but he is going to get destroyed on the glass.

Shotblocking -- not a small factor in the paint.
Rebounding -- you'd get destroyed there.

Ok here's the main reason why I'm asking, this is how I'm thinking of lining up my squad for this year

C - Burt Turner (C)
PF - Richard Mleczynski (SF)
SF - Christopher Rose (SG)
SG - Kenneth Joyce (SG)
PG - Edward Squirre (SG)

The positions in parenthesis are the actual labeled position of the player

I got a player in Wayne Steptoe who has much more the C/PF skillset than Mleczynski. But Mleczynski defense and athleticism is much significantly higher, that he seems the better starter than Steptoe, however his BLK is only 21. I felt other than BLK he has adequate bigman skillset with 58 REB and 66 LP (which he still has high potential or colored blue so he'll reach at least 80 in LP).

Mleczyniski is 40 points better in ath and 20 in defense. The difference in shot blocking is not going to make up for that. Mleczynski ath is also high enough to somewhat offset the lower rebounding if you do want to start him. Steptoe will be much more effective coming off the bench against backup players than against starters too.

Awesome, I thought given who's in my squad, that it was great I could fill the PF hole with Mleczynski and have all my starters with 60+ DEF in my team that plays Man to Man. Then when i started to think about it and how Mleczynski has very low BLK for someone lineup at the PF, I got scared that would really demise how good he would be at PF. So yeah I have in mind to lineup such that Steptoe will be my main big man backup for both PF & C so this makes me happy.

I would be more concerned with his rebounding than his blocking