Choose: Blake Griffin at 26, DeMarcus Cousins at 24, Anthony Davis at 22?

[BUTerrier]

I mean...is this really a contest? Davis is terrifyingly good. The only players I'd definitely take over Davis are LeBron and Durant, and even with those two, only for the next year or two, tops.

Yeah. I like all 3 players, but even with Blake's playoff numbers so far there's no debate. Not to rely too heavily on the old chestnut of "Give X the team that Y has," but can you imagine Davis in Blake's place? I mean, a Paul-Redick-Barnes-Davis-Jordan starting 5 is, in my opinion, scarier than a Evans (or Holiday)-Gordon-Poindexter-Davis-Asik lineup. No one would get a shot off within 10 feet of the hoop!

But I think get_banners puts a really interesting question out there: let's play the same game with Davis at 22, Durant at 28, and LeBron at 30, and let's say we're talking about just next season. Who would you rather have? I'd still say Davis, but it's a heck of a lot closer for me.

(If you're looking for this year's stats to compare, here's Pro Basketball Reference with the 5 players:  http://bkref.com/tiny/y283c )

[Nikki8]

Anthony Davis without a doubt

[Sixth Man]

Anthony Davis, please. 

[celticsfan8591]

1. Anthony Davis.  I know that these things are a matter of opinion and I respect other people's personal preferences, but if you prefer one of the other 2 to Davis, please know that you're wrong.

The other two spots are closer.  I'd personally take DMC because I think he has more upside but Blake is the better player now and certainly has fewer character concerns.  I can see why someone would prefer Blake.

[Celtics4ever]

Davis for me would be the one.

[mgent]

DMC because for some reason i think he will be considered the best of the 3 when all is said and done.

Too bad this wasn't a poll, I don't think I have time to read the full thread.

[loco_91]

I would take Davis over any player in the league, including LeBron, Durant, Curry, you name it. At 22, he projects to be a dominant force for over a decade. And you get to sign him to a mini-max contract.

Then I take Griffin, then DMC. It's close talent wise between those two, but ideally you want your best player to be a leader too.

[TheFlex]

Yeah he'd have to labor on losing teams for another five years or so while we all wondered what could be before we can label him the next KG. 

Haha, I knew someone would say that when I posted this.

I feel that Davis had a better supporting cast this year than Garnett ever had before '03-04, when he reached the WCFs against one of the most dominant teams of the 2000s and lost with one of his 3 best teammates injured.

Davis is 22 and it's unfair to hypothesize things like *what would in-his-prime KG do with the Pelicans team Davis had this year in place of AD?*. But we can't take for granted that, even for players as talented as Davis is at his age, sometimes guys don't develop as quickly or as significantly as Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins or Kevin Garnett have/did, despite both being worse at the very age that Davis is at now. Considering that -- and considering that a far more sizable portion of the forum would take Blake and/or DMC over AD age aside than those that would take them over AD taking age into consideration (a camp even I don't find myself in) -- why are we assuming Anthony Davis will be better at 28 than Blake Griffin is at 28, or DeMarcus Cousins, who still has plenty of room for growth, at 28? What if his game, albeit already great, is already close to its ceiling? I haven't seen any analysis that would suggest Davis can evolve his game as significantly as a guy like Blake or Cousins has, thus implying that he will end up being better in his prime than they are/were in their's. I would love to, because again I picked Davis at 22 like almost everyone else, and am very intrigued by him as the future face of the NBA.

[TheFlex]

I mean...is this really a contest? Davis is terrifyingly good. The only players I'd definitely take over Davis are LeBron and Durant, and even with those two, only for the next year or two, tops.

Yeah. I like all 3 players, but even with Blake's playoff numbers so far there's no debate. Not to rely too heavily on the old chestnut of "Give X the team that Y has," but can you imagine Davis in Blake's place? I mean, a Paul-Redick-Barnes-Davis-Jordan starting 5 is, in my opinion, scarier than a Evans (or Holiday)-Gordon-Poindexter-Davis-Asik lineup. No one would get a shot off within 10 feet of the hoop!

But I think get_banners puts a really interesting question out there: let's play the same game with Davis at 22, Durant at 28, and LeBron at 30, and let's say we're talking about just next season. Who would you rather have? I'd still say Davis, but it's a heck of a lot closer for me.

(If you're looking for this year's stats to compare, here's Pro Basketball Reference with the 5 players:  http://bkref.com/tiny/y283c )

Nice username, how are Finals?

[max215]

I mean...is this really a contest? Davis is terrifyingly good. The only players I'd definitely take over Davis are LeBron and Durant, and even with those two, only for the next year or two, tops.

Yeah. I like all 3 players, but even with Blake's playoff numbers so far there's no debate. Not to rely too heavily on the old chestnut of "Give X the team that Y has," but can you imagine Davis in Blake's place? I mean, a Paul-Redick-Barnes-Davis-Jordan starting 5 is, in my opinion, scarier than a Evans (or Holiday)-Gordon-Poindexter-Davis-Asik lineup. No one would get a shot off within 10 feet of the hoop!

But I think get_banners puts a really interesting question out there: let's play the same game with Davis at 22, Durant at 28, and LeBron at 30, and let's say we're talking about just next season. Who would you rather have? I'd still say Davis, but it's a heck of a lot closer for me.

(If you're looking for this year's stats to compare, here's Pro Basketball Reference with the 5 players:  http://bkref.com/tiny/y283c )

Durant is only 26, so he really hasn't even hit his best years yet, but odds are AD will be better at his peak than KD at his. Regardless, both are truly special talents who will be at the forefront of MVP talks for the next 4-5 years.

[317]

Davis even if they were all the same age. now if they were all under the same contract situation i might have to think for a minute. Cousins never even enters the equation.

[Roy H.]

But I think get_banners puts a really interesting question out there: let's play the same game with Davis at 22, Durant at 28, and LeBron at 30, and let's say we're talking about just next season. Who would you rather have? I'd still say Davis, but it's a heck of a lot closer for me.

If we're talking about just next season, it's easily Lebron for me.

[Eja117]

Of the choices I go Davis, Blake, Cousins in that order

[TheTruthFot18]

HUGE fan of DMC but hands down Davis all the way.

1. Youngest
1b. Younger means less wear and big men become more susceptible to injury as they go.
2. Unlike DMC and Blake, I don't think Davis has hit his ceiling yet.
3. He's the best defender of them all by a long shot but is still not a Deandre Jordon on offense.

The only reason we don't talk about Davis on here more is because he's not leaving NO anytime soon.

[GzUP617]

I mean...is this really a contest? Davis is terrifyingly good. The only players I'd definitely take over Davis are LeBron and Durant, and even with those two, only for the next year or two, tops.

Yeah. I like all 3 players, but even with Blake's playoff numbers so far there's no debate. Not to rely too heavily on the old chestnut of "Give X the team that Y has," but can you imagine Davis in Blake's place? I mean, a Paul-Redick-Barnes-Davis-Jordan starting 5 is, in my opinion, scarier than a Evans (or Holiday)-Gordon-Poindexter-Davis-Asik lineup. No one would get a shot off within 10 feet of the hoop!

But I think get_banners puts a really interesting question out there: let's play the same game with Davis at 22, Durant at 28, and LeBron at 30, and let's say we're talking about just next season. Who would you rather have? I'd still say Davis, but it's a heck of a lot closer for me.

(If you're looking for this year's stats to compare, here's Pro Basketball Reference with the 5 players:  http://bkref.com/tiny/y283c )

 Davis on this Clippers team this year instead of Blake ?,  no way they'd be as successful.   Part of Blake Griffins playoffs #'s is being hard to stop him in one given way.  His skill set is too diverse.

From how he can move off the dribble, the mid range, the driving ability, finishing ability, passing/facilitating.  He's a do it all type of guy and has grown since entering the league. 

Davis in due time will improve but he plays exactly the same each game, he'll score 30PPG off clean up baskets on this Clippers team he wouldn't have nearly as much of those to clean up and defense would shut down his mismatch advantage on single coverage with a double team etc.

This is why basketball is not played on paper.