Best PF for the next decade? Tatum, Simmons, or Luka?

[Big333223]

I'm a little confused by the question because none of these 3 play PF. Is the question, of these 3 players who aren't PF's which one of them would make the best PF for the remainder of their careers?

[BringToughnessBack]

Luka looks like a Danny kind of player..Wow, how bad did Atlanta blow it by trading that pick?!

[Moranis]

Luka looks like a Danny kind of player..Wow, how bad did Atlanta blow it by trading that pick?!

It isn't like Young has been terrible, after all in less mpg he is scoring about 2 ppg more and is doubling him up in apg all while shooting much better from long range and the line.  Luka is a much better rebounder, but it isn't like Trae is a slouch in that department.  And to top it off the Hawks have a better record than the Mavs at this point of the season.

[nickagneta]

Luka looks like a Danny kind of player..Wow, how bad did Atlanta blow it by trading that pick?!

It isn't like Young has been terrible, after all in less mpg he is scoring about 2 ppg more and is doubling him up in apg all while shooting much better from long range and the line.  Luka is a much better rebounder, but it isn't like Trae is a slouch in that department.  And to top it off the Hawks have a better record than the Mavs at this point of the season.

The numbers now favor Trae but it sure looks like Doncic has a much higher upside all around.

[nickagneta]

As others have said, I don't consider any of these three to be PFs. Tatum is a SF that happens to be guarding PFs. Simmons is a PG. And Doncic is a 2-3 swing who happens to be guarding PFs.

Anthony Davis is the answer to the question even though New Orleans is playing him at center. But if you want to consider AD a center then, if he can get and stay healthy, the answer is probably Porzingas.

[KGs Knee]

None of these three players fit the mold of a traditional 'PF', but I would say they all do fit the mold of a modern 'wing'.  So, in that sense, there's value in comparing them to see who might be the best of the three, despite all having very different styles of play.

Tatum is the most naturally gifted scorer, although Doncic isn't that far behind.  Simmons is clearly lagging well behind in this skill, primarily because he just can't shoot from outside the paint.

Simmons is the most naturally gifted play-maker, although again, Doncic isn't that far behind in this regard.  Tatum is clearly lagging well behind in this skill.

Simmons and Tatum seem to be about equal as rebounders, with Doncic a bit behind, but certainly capable of holding his own

Right now none of them are very good on defense.  Simmons and Tatum probably have a bit higher upside here based on athleticism and length, but I wouldn't rule out Doncic, who seems to have the highest court awareness of any of these players.  I do think Tatum will end up as the best defender of the bunch due to his combination of physical measureables, effort, and intellect.  Simmons seems like the most likely to be perpetually indifferent on this end of the court.

All things considered, if I had to choose one of the three over the other, it would be really close between Tatum and Doncic, with Simmons a distant third.  Tatum and Doncic look like they simply have more of that 'it factor', whereas Simmons seems content to just coast and I'm not sure I ever see him as the type to seriously work on his game.

[Eddie20]

As others have said, I don't consider any of these three to be PFs. Tatum is a SF that happens to be guarding PFs. Simmons is a PG. And Doncic is a 2-3 swing who happens to be guarding PFs.

Anthony Davis is the answer to the question even though New Orleans is playing him at center. But if you want to consider AD a center then, if he can get and stay healthy, the answer is probably Porzingas.

You may not consider any of these guys 4's in the traditional sense, but they're playing the position as a playmaking 4 where they use their elite skill level to cause matchup problems. In fact, when you look across the landscape of the league there are very few "power" forwards types of yesteryear, so you now see 4's playing the 5 (Horford, Giannis, Davis, Green, Towns, etc) and 3's playing the 4 (James, Durant, etc.). The league on the whole is downsizing, which is why you witness things like Crowder play exclusively at the 4, PJ Tucker and Kuzma play some 5, and a guy like Giannis, who I mentioned earlier, playing almost all crunchtime minutes as the center. So we have, in an untraditional sense, is more playmaking/perimeter play from a position who's very name equals strength and one where players playing that spot lived in the paint.

[hpantazo]

As others have said, I don't consider any of these three to be PFs. Tatum is a SF that happens to be guarding PFs. Simmons is a PG. And Doncic is a 2-3 swing who happens to be guarding PFs.

Anthony Davis is the answer to the question even though New Orleans is playing him at center. But if you want to consider AD a center then, if he can get and stay healthy, the answer is probably Porzingas.

You may not consider any of these guys 4's in the traditional sense, but they're playing the position as a playmaking 4 where they use their elite skill level to cause matchup problems. In fact, when you look across the landscape of the league there are very few "power" forwards types of yesteryear, so you now see 4's playing the 5 (Horford, Giannis, Davis, Green, Towns, etc) and 3's playing the 4 (James, Durant, etc.). The league on the whole is downsizing, which is why you witness things like Crowder play exclusively at the 4, PJ Tucker and Kuzma play some 5, and a guy like Giannis, who I mentioned earlier, playing almost all crunchtime minutes as the center. So we have, in an untraditional sense, is more playmaking/perimeter play from a position who's very name equals strength and one where players playing that spot lived in the paint.

It's not going to downsize endlessly, this is still basketball and height and length matters. Guys like Embiid and AD and are killing teams this season. What you do have is more skilled, versatile big men, not shorter players at each position. If anything you will see more guys like Porzingis and Jokic, and centers who can block anyone inside and still shoot 3's and post anyone up down low like Embiid.

Let's see how Tatum does on the defensive end tonight against guys like Blake Griffin and Drummond before we start calling him a power forward.

[Moranis]

Luka looks like a Danny kind of player..Wow, how bad did Atlanta blow it by trading that pick?!

It isn't like Young has been terrible, after all in less mpg he is scoring about 2 ppg more and is doubling him up in apg all while shooting much better from long range and the line.  Luka is a much better rebounder, but it isn't like Trae is a slouch in that department.  And to top it off the Hawks have a better record than the Mavs at this point of the season.

The numbers now favor Trae but it sure looks like Doncic has a much higher upside all around.

Maybe, maybe not.  Trae might continue to get better and end up like a Steph Curry clone. Doncic could of course max out his potential as well and end up like a less athletic version of Lebron.  4 or 5 games into a career, it is pretty hard to predict where players will end up.

[nickagneta]

Luka looks like a Danny kind of player..Wow, how bad did Atlanta blow it by trading that pick?!

It isn't like Young has been terrible, after all in less mpg he is scoring about 2 ppg more and is doubling him up in apg all while shooting much better from long range and the line.  Luka is a much better rebounder, but it isn't like Trae is a slouch in that department.  And to top it off the Hawks have a better record than the Mavs at this point of the season.

The numbers now favor Trae but it sure looks like Doncic has a much higher upside all around.

Maybe, maybe not.  Trae might continue to get better and end up like a Steph Curry clone. Doncic could of course max out his potential as well and end up like a less athletic version of Lebron.  4 or 5 games into a career, it is pretty hard to predict where players will end up.

Not basing my evaluation on 4-5 games but more on what I have seen of them before coming to the NBA. Doncic's BBIQ is off the charts good. Trae's not so much. At least what I saw of him in college.