Watercooller Talk: Best Player in History for Each Team.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

So me and my buddies talked about this over drinks and thought it would be an interesting point of discussion.

We tried to figure out who are the best players of each NBA franchises that exist now (and their affiliates from the past) in history. It ended up in a great debate that took a case of Tecate's being finished. We came up with unanimous locks and some debatable names that still needs to be sorted out at some point (when we buy more Tecate). I thought I'd share the experience.

So, as I always say, just for the fun of it, do you agree with our list? We can discuss and talk about it in good fun.

Our only rule is the player should be in his prime when he's selected for a certain team. So we can't use Hakeem as the best player for the Raptors.

Now our list ended up like this. The bolded ones are the unanimous picks. For fun, I'll include my vote for the players who we're not unanimous picks (not bolded). We can debate after.

The list.

Atlanta - Dominique Wilkins
Boston - Larry Bird (voted Bird)
Brooklyn/New Jersey - Jason Kidd
Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets - Larry Johnson (voted Mourning)
Chicago - Michael Jordan
Cleveland - LeBron James
Dallas - Dirk Nowitzki
Denver - Alex English (voted David Thompson)
Detroit - Isaiah Thomas
GS/San Fran Warriors - Rick Barry (voted Wilt)
Houston - Hakeem Olajuwon
Indiana - Reggie Miller
Clippers - Chris Paul
LA Lakers - Magic Johnson
Memphis/Vancouver - Pau Gasol (voted Pau)
Miami - LeBron James
Milwaukee - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Minnesota - Kevin Garnett
New Orleans - Chris Paul
New York - Patrick Ewing (voted Walt Frazier)
OKC/Seattle - Kevin Durant
Orlando - Shaquille O'neal
Philadelphia - Wilt Chamberlain
Phoenix - Charles Barkley (voted Barkley)
Portland - Bill Walton (voted Clyde Drexler)
Sacramento - Chris Webber
San Antonio - Tim Duncan
Toronto - Vince Carter
Utah/New Orleans Jazz - Karl Malone (voted Malone)
Washington - Wes Unseld (voted Elvin Hayes)

So, what do you guys think? Did we get the unanimous picks correct. Which one from the debatables gets the cut, or should be replaced?

We had fun debating, bickering and drinking discussing this. Hope we can replicate that here.

[Kiorrik]

Don't really care who you voted for; I care who the other potentials were

I'm not knowledgeable enough to join in the conversation, so I'll just say one thing:

Russell > Bird

[cletus1985]

I really like this discussion. My only two topics for debate would be:

1) The original Charlotte Hornets got moved to New Orleans so the Bobcats shouldn't represent Johnson/Mourning.

2) Some of the unanimous votes seem like they shouldn't be unanimous (not that I disagree with the outcome)

 1. Lakers: Kareem and Wilt weren't even mentioned?
2. OKC/SEA: While at the end of the day I agree Durant will win, no Gary Payton?
3. ORL: Penny has to be in this discussion, McGrady should get some thought too.
4. SA: Really? No one voted for the Admiral? I'm honestly shocked!
5. TOR: As much as I hate the guy, Bosh probably should have been mentioned.

Once again not really upset with the picks for any of these teams, but I'm kind of shocked these guys won unanimously. How many guys were you having this discussion with?

[Celtics18]

Here's a few thoughts on this:

Hawks:  Bob Pettit (St. Louis Hawks)
Celtics:  Russell
Nets:  Julius Erving (New York Nets, ABA)
Kings:  Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Royals)
Lakers:  I'd probably go with "The Logo," Jerry West.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I really like this discussion. My only two topics for debate would be:

1) The original Charlotte Hornets got moved to New Orleans so the Bobcats shouldn't represent Johnson/Mourning.

2) Some of the unanimous votes seem like they shouldn't be unanimous (not that I disagree with the outcome)

 1. Lakers: Kareem and Wilt weren't even mentioned?
2. OKC/SEA: While at the end of the day I agree Durant will win, no Gary Payton?
3. ORL: Penny has to be in this discussion, McGrady should get some thought too.
4. SA: Really? No one voted for the Admiral? I'm honestly shocked!
5. TOR: As much as I hate the guy, Bosh probably should have been mentioned.

Once again not really upset with the picks for any of these teams, but I'm kind of shocked these guys won unanimously. How many guys were you having this discussion with?

Theres five of us.

1. I though for myself Wilt was dominant but didn't win a ton like Magic. We all agreed Magic raised the Lakers to a much more higher level than Wilt or Kareem.

2. A coulle them thought about GP, but we agreed that Durant at this stage has more impact for a team than GP did in Seattle.

3. Penny wasnt in the discussion. Great player, but we agreed it was Shaq's team.

4. Admir is great. HOF but we agreed Timmy not only was the better player, he also helped David win the Championship.

5. Bosh wasnt considred. Sadly, we didn't even discuss him. We went "We agree on Vince? Okay, chug."

Don't really care who you voted for; I care who the other potentials were

I'm not knowledgeable enough to join in the conversation, so I'll just say one thing:

Russell > Bird

Couple of buddies out of five votrd Russell. It took a few cans to settle the debate.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Here's a few thoughts on this:

Hawks:  Bob Pettit (St. Louis Hawks)
Celtics:  Russell
Nets:  Julius Erving (New York Nets, ABA)
Kings:  Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Royals)
Lakers:  I'd probably go with "The Logo," Jerry West.

We all missed Pettit, which tells us we need to learn more about the history.

We also decided we will not include the ABA stint, impromptu actually. Why? Maybe its the alcohol but we tokd ourselves no ABa, but thats a valid point about Doc.

Oscar and Kings, we all are oblivous to the Royals - Kings connection, I guess.

[guava_wrench]

I really like this discussion. My only two topics for debate would be:

1) The original Charlotte Hornets got moved to New Orleans so the Bobcats shouldn't represent Johnson/Mourning.

2) Some of the unanimous votes seem like they shouldn't be unanimous (not that I disagree with the outcome)

 1. Lakers: Kareem and Wilt weren't even mentioned?
2. OKC/SEA: While at the end of the day I agree Durant will win, no Gary Payton?
3. ORL: Penny has to be in this discussion, McGrady should get some thought too.
4. SA: Really? No one voted for the Admiral? I'm honestly shocked!
5. TOR: As much as I hate the guy, Bosh probably should have been mentioned.

Once again not really upset with the picks for any of these teams, but I'm kind of shocked these guys won unanimously. How many guys were you having this discussion with?

Would you vote for any of the alternatives that you mentioned? If not, why should anyone else? Particularly with Shaq and Duncan. Why would anyone not pick Shaq or Duncan?

And for the Lakers, almost everyone puts Magic in their all time top 5. There aren't many people who are not going to vote for Magic.

[cletus1985]

I really like this discussion. My only two topics for debate would be:

1) The original Charlotte Hornets got moved to New Orleans so the Bobcats shouldn't represent Johnson/Mourning.

2) Some of the unanimous votes seem like they shouldn't be unanimous (not that I disagree with the outcome)

 1. Lakers: Kareem and Wilt weren't even mentioned?
2. OKC/SEA: While at the end of the day I agree Durant will win, no Gary Payton?
3. ORL: Penny has to be in this discussion, McGrady should get some thought too.
4. SA: Really? No one voted for the Admiral? I'm honestly shocked!
5. TOR: As much as I hate the guy, Bosh probably should have been mentioned.

Once again not really upset with the picks for any of these teams, but I'm kind of shocked these guys won unanimously. How many guys were you having this discussion with?

Theres five of us.

1. I though for myself Wilt was dominant but didn't win a ton like Magic. We all agreed Magic raised the Lakers to a much more higher level than Wilt or Kareem.

2. A coulle them thought about GP, but we agreed that Durant at this stage has more impact for a team than GP did in Seattle.

3. Penny wasnt in the discussion. Great player, but we agreed it was Shaq's team.

4. Admir is great. HOF but we agreed Timmy not only was the better player, he also helped David win the Championship.

5. Bosh wasnt considred. Sadly, we didn't even discuss him. We went "We agree on Vince? Okay, chug."

I'll give you 1 & 5 because I have less compelling arguments for them 

2. I still think Durant will win when all is said and done, but GP did take MJ to six while KD only took LBJ to five. Picking today I think GP gets my nod until Durant truly takes over.

3. Shaq certainly had the better/more dominant career, but the year after he left Penny was averaging around 40 points per game in a playoff series against a superior Miami Heat team (which was known for their defense). He took a 2nd seed to 5 games (in the old 5 game 1st round format) as a 7th seed. That series alone (for me at least) makes his case for possibly the greatest Magic player ever.

4. I honestly don't even know how to argue this one, Robinson and Duncan are 2 of the greatest big men of all time. I just can't believe Robinson got no votes. Outside of Gervin (who was before my time), Robinson put the Spurs on the map and made them a contender almost singlehandedly. I'd argue him and Duncan are almost equals and the only separating factor would be rings, but Duncan has a lot more talent than Robinson did. Elliott was probably the 2nd best player Robinson had (Rodman only contributed one side of the floor), while Parker, Ginoboli, and Robinson himself complimented TD. Honestly the hardest decision of the group for me, two great players in different circumstances for most of their careers but similar abilities.

[freshinthehouse]

TP+.  I always dig threads like this.

The only one I really disagreed with is the Hawks.  Nique was great, but Pettit was at another level IMO. 

[Moranis]

I really like this discussion. My only two topics for debate would be:

1) The original Charlotte Hornets got moved to New Orleans so the Bobcats shouldn't represent Johnson/Mourning.

2) Some of the unanimous votes seem like they shouldn't be unanimous (not that I disagree with the outcome)

 1. Lakers: Kareem and Wilt weren't even mentioned?
2. OKC/SEA: While at the end of the day I agree Durant will win, no Gary Payton?
3. ORL: Penny has to be in this discussion, McGrady should get some thought too.
4. SA: Really? No one voted for the Admiral? I'm honestly shocked!
5. TOR: As much as I hate the guy, Bosh probably should have been mentioned.

Once again not really upset with the picks for any of these teams, but I'm kind of shocked these guys won unanimously. How many guys were you having this discussion with?

Would you vote for any of the alternatives that you mentioned? If not, why should anyone else? Particularly with Shaq and Duncan. Why would anyone not pick Shaq or Duncan?

And for the Lakers, almost everyone puts Magic in their all time top 5. There aren't many people who are not going to vote for Magic.

almost everyone also has Chamberlain in their top five as well and Kareem isn't that far back.

[Moranis]

I'd go with Dwight for the Magic.  He was on the team a lot longer than Shaq was, took the Magic just as far as Shaq did, and didn't have a second fiddle as good as Penny.

Boston should be Russell. 

Kings should clearly be Robertson.


There are definitely some interesting discussions on a few teams.

[RebusRankin]

Wilt needs to be the guy for both the Warriors and the 76ers.
Kings has to be the Big O.
No thought to Willis Reed for the Knicks?

[csfansince60s]

Clippers/Buffalo Braves shouldn't be Chris Paul.

I got Bob McAdoo.

And Bernard King, not Kidd for the Nets.

[staticcc]

The Philadelphia Warriors (before San Francisco and before Golden State) is a different franchise from the Philadelphia 76ers. Therefore, Wilt can't be the Sixers' best player as he only played 4 seasons with the franchise. It's DR J by far (11 seasons and 18000+ points), though maybe some will vote for AI.

[Schiller]

Although Tracy McGrady got his career cut short by injuries he was once an amazing player. One of the best scorers ever in my opinion. He had his best years with Orlando and that is where he had his best season ever (02-03). He put up 32.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 5.5 APG that year. I would argue he should at least be considered for Orlando.