NBA Off-Season Thread

I'd say three is about right, but Carmelo isn't one of them. I'm with Barkley - LeBron, Kobe, Durant. That's the list.

 

Should have been 120, at least.

 

Admittedly some of the best from 2012 (Wade, Howard, etc.) are out, which hurts, but based on the "Olympic rosters" 1992 would slaughter 2012.

You can talk about Jordan/Kobe or Pippen/LeBron all you want, but just look at the comparison of the bigs. Ewing, David Robinson, Malone and Barkley vs Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love and Anthony Davis? The 2012 bigs would get eaten alive.

 

In the 1992 Gold Medal game, the U.S. was up 14 at the half against Croatia -- and somewhere, Starman cursed. I dunno, if Croatia can hang within 14 against them, I don't think it's ridiculous to think that perhaps, just maybe, this year's team could hang with them too. Granted, Croatia did have Arijan Komazec and the '12 guys would have to rely on a he-wouldn't-even-be-able-to-get-a-shot-off-because-Jordan-would-dominate-him-like-he-did-poor-Toni Kobe Bryant, but still...

Again, not saying they're better. And in seven game series, I like '92 in six, but in a one-game matchup, we could see an upset. Or I think you'd at least see Chuck Daly have to call a timeout.

 

This debate, which is fun, reminds me of debates about all-time teams. The one that always grates is Celtics fans who are convinced the 1986 team is the best ever. And if not the best ever -- they'll maybe give you the '96 Bulls -- they're certainly better than anything the Lakers have offered. Yet...the 1986 Rockets took the Celtics to six games. I'm sorry, if the Rockets can do that, then the 1987 Lakers could have beaten the '86 Celtics, or the '85 team could have. And actually same thing with those Bulls teams. If the 1996 Sonics could take them to 6, then, yes, some of the Celtics teams of the '80s or Lakers teams could have beaten them. At least that's my take on impossible-to-prove hypotheticals.

 

Guys from 2012 that would make the 1992 team:

From a pure talent standpoint, LeBron, Durant and Kobe would definitely be on there (out goes Laettner, Drexler and Mullin).

I wouldn't do it, but you can make a strong case for Paul or Deron on there. Adding a PF with the 3-point shooting of Love is intriguing, though he's not on the same level of the 92 bigs.

 

No doubt. I'd take the 2008 team over this year's bunch without hesitation.

 

So, if you put Paul or Derron on, who goes next?

I love this debate by the way.

 

I'm dropping Pippen instead of Mullin -- and with Magic and Stockton, there's really no point in adding Paul or Deron, who would never leave the bench.

 

Really, you're booting Drexler and Mullin before the broken-backed Larry Bird?

 

I was responding to the specific claim, in this thread, that Jordan would dominate Kobe. Which is stupid. I'm already conceding that Jordan is the better player, I'm simply saying the idea that Jordan could go out and score 50 and carry his team to victory while holding Kobe to 14 points is absurd. But even if I grant you that implausible scenario, is Pippen going to prevent LeBron from scoring 30? Is David Robinson going to run the floor and get out on the perimeter with Durant? I don't know who else would have a chance at guarding him, to be honest. The idea that a 3-time scoring champion who is 23 years old "struggles to get the ball" is a little silly. He's been in the top 5 in field goal attempts the last three years. He's one of the most efficient scorers we've seen in a generation. Karl Malone certainly wouldn't be able to cover him running around the perimeter. I don't buy it either that Ewing and Robinson would dominate the low post. That's not in Robinson's DNA, frankly. He certainly wouldn't be demanding the ball on a team with Jordan either. Chandler could D either one of them up just fine, and I have no interest in his offense.

I would not let Carmelo Anthony see the floor in this game if I were Phil Jackson. (I'm picking him as my coach.)

 

Oh, I should add there was one guy who kept saying, "I thought you were a Steve Nash fan, why isn't he on the team?"

I just laughed at him.