Poll: Do You Think Anthony Davis Can Be An Alpha On A Championship Team?

[Phantom255x]

The two main reasons why I ask this.

1. One of the criticisms against AD is the fact that he never led the Pelicans past the 2nd round in any of his 8 seasons with them. Only once did they reach the 2nd round, and they've made the playoffs just twice in that span.

Now let me be the first to fan the flames a bit and say I 100% acknowledge that a lot also had to do with the teams he was with (which weren't great). He never really had adequate help a lot of those years. With that said, you'd probably still expect more from a guy who many claim is a Top-5 player in the entire league and the best (or 2nd best) big man in the league. We've seen Lebron drag "meh" teams deep, as has Kawhi this postseason.

2. It's possible Danny trades for Davis EVEN IF Kyrie bolts. Didn't think this was a possibility a month ago, but now we're hearing that it *might* be. In that case, it still leaves us with a hole at PG (which I hope isn't filled by Rozier) since Smart/Brown (1 of them) could in the package too. Ainge would have work to do with filling the roster with guards (hopefully 1 good one), but that would also pretty much signify that Ainge and the front office think AD is the superstar who can truly carry us to the top.

I think these last few seasons have shown Kyrie simply can't be the #1 guy on a championship team and he's better off as a sidekick for others (like Lebron, or soon to be Durant?). What about AD? Thoughts on that dynamic? 

[CelticsElite]

Yes

He's the closest player to a modern VERSION OF KG

[footey]

Aren't you really just asking whether we should trade for AD without Kyrie re-signing?

Who is the alpha dog on Toronto? Kawhi?  He is the anti-thesis of an alpha dog. He is a great player, but not an alpha.

Kyle Lowry? Maybe, but in terms of grit and grind, not talent. We can find guys like that.

A line up of Al Horford, healthy Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis and [fill in the box] is a championship contender, with or without a so called alpha dog.

[Phantom255x]

Aren't you really just asking whether we should trade for AD without Kyrie re-signing?

Who is the alpha dog on Toronto? Kawhi?  He is the anti-thesis of an alpha dog. He is a great player, but not an alpha.

Kyle Lowry? Maybe, but in terms of grit and grind, not talent. We can find guys like that.

A line up of Al Horford, healthy Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis and [fill in the box] is a championship contender, with or without a so called alpha dog.

Pretty much. And yes, Kawhi is the alpha with Toronto and they've gotten that far primarily because of him.

[Moranis]

Yes, but I do have concerns about his health and his various teams general lack of success.

[PhoSita]

Yes but since he's a big man he will need a very talented #2 or #3 who is a primary ball-handler.

[SparzWizard]

He was the alpha in New Orleans and didn't work out. But that's because Demps failed to surround him with talent and it was too late.

He can be the alpha here but he needs an all-star caliber #2 guy/ballhandler, and a #3 guy.

[PhoSita]

He was the alpha in New Orleans and didn't work out. But that's because Demps failed to surround him with talent and it was too late.

He can be the alpha here but he needs an all-star caliber #2 guy/ballhandler, and a #3 guy.

I don't think the issue in New Orleans was a lack of talent at the top of the roster.  Jrue Holiday is a really solid #2/3.  Cousins was very talented before his achilles injury.  Randle is pretty good.


The issue is that the Pelicans never had enough guys to fill out a 8-9 man rotation with NBA-caliber role players.  The complete lack of a supporting cast made it really, really difficult for them to be consistent enough to stay in the playoff running.

[Monkhouse]

He was the alpha in New Orleans and didn't work out. But that's because Demps failed to surround him with talent and it was too late.

He can be the alpha here but he needs an all-star caliber #2 guy/ballhandler, and a #3 guy.

I don't think the issue in New Orleans was a lack of talent at the top of the roster.  Jrue Holiday is a really solid #2/3.  Cousins was very talented before his achilles injury.  Randle is pretty good.


The issue is that the Pelicans never had enough guys to fill out a 8-9 man rotation with NBA-caliber role players.  The complete lack of a supporting cast made it really, really difficult for them to be consistent enough to stay in the playoff running.

Well besides the fact they invested over $40 million in two back up centers in Alexis, Asik, and Solomon Hill might have led to that premise...

The only thing they desperately needed was more consistent shooters, defenders, and an actual wing that didn't suck.

[blink]

Aren't you really just asking whether we should trade for AD without Kyrie re-signing?

Who is the alpha dog on Toronto? Kawhi?  He is the anti-thesis of an alpha dog. He is a great player, but not an alpha.

Kyle Lowry? Maybe, but in terms of grit and grind, not talent. We can find guys like that.

A line up of Al Horford, healthy Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis and [fill in the box] is a championship contender, with or without a so called alpha dog.

100% exactly. 

[jambr380]

I disagree on Kawhi leading a 'meh' team to the Finals. Toronto is and was a VERY good team before Kawhi (they actually won more games last year than this year). Siakam's rise to stardom and their role players performing at the right times has the Raptors humming...along with Kawhi, of course.

As for AD, absolutely. He is so talented and he is an incredible defensive player, too. The 2nd part is key in being an apparent 'alpha' since he can lead the team in all ways. He is still young and his best days are ahead. It's really too bad we weren't able to trade for him during the season or you might have seen the Cs in the Finals right now (with Kyrie re-signing on 7/1).

[PhoSita]

He was the alpha in New Orleans and didn't work out. But that's because Demps failed to surround him with talent and it was too late.

He can be the alpha here but he needs an all-star caliber #2 guy/ballhandler, and a #3 guy.

I don't think the issue in New Orleans was a lack of talent at the top of the roster.  Jrue Holiday is a really solid #2/3.  Cousins was very talented before his achilles injury.  Randle is pretty good.


The issue is that the Pelicans never had enough guys to fill out a 8-9 man rotation with NBA-caliber role players.  The complete lack of a supporting cast made it really, really difficult for them to be consistent enough to stay in the playoff running.

Well besides the fact they invested over $40 million in two back up centers in Alexis, Asik, and Solomon Hill might have led to that premise...

The only thing they desperately needed was more consistent shooters, defenders, and an actual wing that didn't suck.

Yeah I mean the simplest way I can put it is that I think Davis + Holiday + 3 average starters & 3-4 average bench guys would be enough for 50-55 wins unless they got slammed by injuries.

[Roy H.]

Yes, if you mean he can carry a team that has a second all-star and a third really good player.

[nickagneta]

He was the alpha in New Orleans and didn't work out. But that's because Demps failed to surround him with talent and it was too late.

He can be the alpha here but he needs an all-star caliber #2 guy/ballhandler, and a #3 guy.

I don't think the issue in New Orleans was a lack of talent at the top of the roster.  Jrue Holiday is a really solid #2/3.  Cousins was very talented before his achilles injury.  Randle is pretty good.


The issue is that the Pelicans never had enough guys to fill out a 8-9 man rotation with NBA-caliber role players.  The complete lack of a supporting cast made it really, really difficult for them to be consistent enough to stay in the playoff running.

Well besides the fact they invested over $40 million in two back up centers in Alexis, Asik, and Solomon Hill might have led to that premise...

The only thing they desperately needed was more consistent shooters, defenders, and an actual wing that didn't suck.

Yeah I mean the simplest way I can put it is that I think Davis + Holiday + 3 average starters & 3-4 average bench guys would be enough for 50-55 wins unless they got slammed by injuries.

I don't. I don't think Jrue is even a top 40 player in the game.

I think the Pels won about as much as they could in an extremely tough Western Conference with the players that franchise surrounded Davis with.

[Silky]

I dont think so.

The true transcendent players can control the ball. Davis needs someone to give him the ball.

Lebron
Kawhi
Jordan
Magic
Bird

All could take over and win as the centerpiece for examples.

Duncan
Shaq
Hakeem
Kareem

All needed to have someone else to help them out.