Was Michael Jordan not a franchise player because he he needed another scorer in Pippen to take the pressure off him? Was Larry not a Franchise playe because he needed McHale/Maxwell and Parish to free open shots? Was Magic not a franchise player because he needed Jabbar to assist to?
I can't quote everything you said, as it came in 3 different posts, but here goes:
1. Averaging 2.5 blocks is not the same as playing solid all-around defense. If you come over to block someone's shot 2 or 3 times a game, but still allow your man to score 20-25 points, you are a defensive liability.
2. Your examples of MJ, Bird, and Magic were all offensively-grounded. It is totally different, in my opinion,to need help scoring the ball, as in your MJ example, because of course one player cannot score all the points and have his team succeed. However, one man can play great one on one and help defense, as MJ did. There is no player who can succeed without scoring help, and so while you build around MJ, a fantastic all around talent, you also acquire someone else capable of putting the ball in the basket. As for your Bird scenario: McHale and Maxwell freeing up shots is all part of the offense. Again, everyone needs help scoring the ball, and bird is not in the same class as MJ (no one is) simply because he was unable to create his own shot at will, at all times. Thirdly, Magic having someone to pass to, namely Kareem, is not what made him a franchise player. Magic was franchise because he could score the ball when needed, dish it out to the whole team, not just Kareem, but the hot/open man as well, and play solid defense, as well as rebound with his excellent size. His multifaceted game without any glaring weaknesses are what made him so fantastic. None of those Three players were weak on D (or at least, as weak as Amare).
3. As for the two replacements? I'm not sure who is on the list already, since I don't have it in front of me. I'll leave a later post with my replacements.
