CelticsStrong
Around the League => Around the NBA => Topic started by: ConnerHenry on August 17, 2017, 11:44:22 PM
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In an interesting piece for Bleacher Report, Dan Favale explores which player out of a group that features Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kristaps Porzingis would make for the best young franchise cornerstone. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2726826-towns-giannis-embiid-or-porzingis-who-ya-got-as-best-under-24-cornerstone?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national
The Case for Giannis Antetokounmpo: Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks in all five major stat categories, becoming the fifth player overall to do so, and the first since LeBron James in 2008-09. He also finished inside the top 20 of the league in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. No player, not even James himself, has done that before.
The Case for Joel Embiid: Embiid emerged from his injury-plagued hibernation last season as the unicorn the NBA didn't know it employed. He wasn't just a silhouette of Hakeem Olajuwon in the right light. He could shoot threes. He could switch across multiple assignments on defense. He swallowed shots at the rim. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the only other player to ever tally at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks per 36 minutes. Not rookie. Player, bar none.
The Case for Kristaps Porzingis: No one else from this list combined to defend as many pick-and-roll ball-handler, roll-men, spot-up and isolation possessions per game last year. Porzingis was far from the most prolific stopper in these categories, but spreading himself across so many different play types is a feat unto itself.
The Case for Karl-Anthony Towns: Towns made strides in almost area of the game. He was devastating out of the pick-and-roll. He improved his three-point clip while upping his volume. He graded out as one of the five most efficient higher-usage post-up scorers. His entire defensive approach needs work, but he's a better switcher than advertised and already a convincing glass-crasher and vertical rim protector. Oh, he's also just the second player to tally 2,000 points, 100 blocks and 100 made three-pointers in the same season. His company: Kevin Durant.
Who you got?
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It's so tough to pick between Towns and Giannis. I'd love to have either one. I really can't decide.
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Without the health concerns, I'd take Embiid barely over Giannis. Since they can't be ignored, it is clearly Giannis. Imagine how good he'll be if he can become an average shooter. Of course, I'm now depressed thinking how Giannis could have, should have been ours.
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
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Gotta go with KAT.
Giannis' flaws are a bit too big (as it stands), whereas KAT's can easily be fixed.
Next is Embiid, but his injuries are the only reason he's not #1.
Kristaps is considerably below the rest.
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KAT, and it's not even remotely close.
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Giannis is the safest. Towns is the highest ceiling. Porzingis is the wrong choice.
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7-11 ;D
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7-11 ;D
TP. Same.
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KAT, and it's not even remotely close.
Gianni's and it's not close. Town's defense has been a big disappointment.
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Giannis, neo-antique Greek god.
He has the best 2-way potential and longevity combo.
And another, perhaps the most important thing, he brings the ball up.
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Towns.
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I'd lean towards Giannis at this point. He's already shown he can impact both ends of the court.
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We always mention Jaylen Brown's work ethic when projecting him. I don't hear much about Towns being unique in that regard one way or the other. But I always hear about the incredible work ethic of Giannis. That's got to mean something. So basically it's a question of if Giannis is more likely to learn to shoot or if Towns is more likely to learn to hustle on defense.
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Wow, I voted for Embiid and it's not really that close IMO. Love KAT, but give me Embiid all day.
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
KG numbers, without KG impact. Towns is more like Kevin Love at this stage.
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We always mention Jaylen Brown's work ethic when projecting him. I don't hear much about Towns being unique in that regard one way or the other. But I always hear about the incredible work ethic of Giannis. That's got to mean something. So basically it's a question of if Giannis is more likely to learn to shoot or if Towns is more likely to learn to hustle on defense.
Towns has an incredible work ethic as well, KG applauded him for that during his final season with the Wolves. Imo Jaylen's work ethic is the most insane out of the 3, he wakes up at 5am in the morning to practice and fasts on water.
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
KG numbers, without KG impact. Towns is more like Kevin Love at this stage.
True but I don't think Kevin Love ever had those handles.
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Embiid if he stays healthy. But I'll go with a proven commodity in Giannis. Towns and Porzingis haven't proven anything yet that they can take their team to the playoffs as the main guy. Giannis literally took a bunch of scrubs to the playoffs.
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Towns
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We always mention Jaylen Brown's work ethic when projecting him. I don't hear much about Towns being unique in that regard one way or the other. But I always hear about the incredible work ethic of Giannis. That's got to mean something. So basically it's a question of if Giannis is more likely to learn to shoot or if Towns is more likely to learn to hustle on defense.
Towns has an incredible work ethic as well, KG applauded him for that during his final season with the Wolves. Imo Jaylen's work ethic is the most insane out of the 3, he wakes up at 5am in the morning to practice and fasts on water.
The water fast seems like more of a detriment to me. I know that Giannis works out after games until like 3am.
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
KG numbers, without KG impact. Towns is more like Kevin Love at this stage.
So Towns is like, say Cousins minus the meltdowns?
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
KG numbers, without KG impact. Towns is more like Kevin Love at this stage.
So Towns is like, say Cousins minus the meltdowns?
Cousins is a really good defender. Towns isn't yet.
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Towns. He just up prime KG numbers in his second season. KGs best season was 24/13/5. Towns just did 25/12/2.7. Greek freak is easily out coached. Just force him to shoot outside. Towns has it all. He just needs to tweak his defense, and learn to pass better but he is still young. Embiid is a joke who will retire in 2 years after getting injured twice more. And porzingis is a hard read but will probably be a all star a few times
KG numbers, without KG impact. Towns is more like Kevin Love at this stage.
So Towns is like, say Cousins minus the meltdowns?
Cousins is a really good defender. Towns isn't yet.
Disregard. Thought you said rebounding. That said, I don't think either is good defensively. Towns has been really lackadaisical at times, while Cousins takes too many plays off due to temper tantrums and is a liability in the pick and roll.
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giannis
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If they're all healthy, I'd take Embiid. Realistically I'd go with Giannis.
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If you assume equal health, I'd probably have to go Embiid.
With their actual durability, I would go:
1. Towns (our good coaching and mentorship would help him flourish)
1a. Giannis (very tough choice)
3. Embiid
4. Porzingis
Curious if anyone would rank Jokic at or above any of the names on this list. For me he's awfully close to Porzingis.
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Giannis, but I'm Greek and I've happened to grow up in the same neighborhood as he did, so I'm not so sure I can be 100% objective on this one. I 'd love to see Giannis playing for the C's even when he 'll be in his late 30s or something. :)
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Not sure why anyone would assume a healthy Embiid in answering this question. He hasn't been healthy and I don't think any GM would take a gamble on choosing a guy who played 30 games in 3 years to be the cornerstone over Giannis and Towns.
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I'll go with Towns too. He'll get better and better on both sides of the ball.
Embiid will always be on the IR list. The 76ers have tried every injury protection safeguard possible in the last 3 years. And still he he can't stay healthy. The history on his type injury on players at his size, isn't very good either.
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Giannis. Easy choice for me.
Towns is second in another fairly easy choice, then Porzingis then Embiid, but those 2 are closer.
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Not sure why anyone would assume a healthy Embiid in answering this question. He hasn't been healthy and I don't think any GM would take a gamble on choosing a guy who played 30 games in 3 years to be the cornerstone over Giannis and Towns.
hes got the highest ceiling of the 3.
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I'll go with Towns too. He'll get better and better on both sides of the ball.
Embiid will always be on the IR list. The 76ers have tried every injury protection safeguard possible in the last 3 years. And still he he can't stay healthy. The history on his type injury on players at his size, isn't very good either.
Generically lumping all NBA big men with foot issues together over the decades isn't useful. Their injuries weren't all the same and medical procedures have advanced significantly.
The Sixers had no involvement in Embiid's 1st foot surgery, which involved screws being inserted in his foot, as it occurred before he was drafted. He was expected he'd miss his 1st full season. When he re-injured his foot, he ended up having similar bone graft surgery as KD did. KD has done fine since his surgery. Embiid showed no foot issues in the time he played last season. I don't know of any other NBA players that have had that particular foot surgery.
There were also concerns about Embiid's back. He showed no back issues last season even though he was diving and falling to the floor a lot. The injury that sideline Embiid last season was a meniscus tear. Not unusual for NBA players and not particularly concerning.