Poll: Best Player to Build a Franchise Around

[Vermont Green]

This has come up in a couple of other threads but related to MVP.  There is always some ambiguity about what criteria should be considered when voting for or discussing MVP.  Best Player?, Best Player on Best Team, and so on.  For this question, I am saying that if you were starting a new NBA franchise and could pick one player to start to build around, who would you pick?  Not just for one season, but to build a franchise around (whatever time horizon you think).

I took the top vote getters from last season's MVP voting as a starting point for choices but then added a few more that have come up in discussion or that are currently on the Kia MVP ladder.  Understanding that no matter how many I list, there will be someone that is missed, I included Other as a choice, although I expect that there will be only 3 or 4 that get most of the votes (we'll see).

[Roy H.]

Giannis.  He’s still young (turns 28 next month), and he’s near the top of the league in both offense and defense.  He’s a good citizen, he’s loyal, and he’s won a title.

[Phantom255x]

Giannis

[Vermont Green]

.

[Who]

Luka

[Roy H.]

Luka

What’s the argument for Luka over Giannis?  Age, yes.  But can he ever make up the defensive gap?

[Birdman]

Close call between Luka & Giannis..gotta pick Luka right now

[hwangjini_1]

my answer depends on a number of factors.

are we starting this franchise from scratch, draft and cast offs from other teams ala an expansion team? if so, then youth is key concern for me as well as talent.

are we building a franchise that can sign free agents, other top talent, then an established star would be more attractive and more likely to draw other top talent.

but based upon this thread alone, i chose antetokounmpo.

[Goldstar88]

I said in the game thread already, but I think Tatum is the best two way player in the NBA. Luka doesn’t play defense, Giannis doesn’t have a jump shot and is bad from the FT line. What weakness does Tatum have in his game?

[Vermont Green]

my answer depends on a number of factors.

are we starting this franchise from scratch, draft and cast offs from other teams ala an expansion team? if so, then youth is key concern for me as well as talent.

are we building a franchise that can sign free agents, other top talent, then an established star would be more attractive and more likely to draw other top talent.

but based upon this thread alone, i chose antetokounmpo.

A new franchise that can draft and attract FAs, make trades, whatever any other franchise can do to build the best team possible.

[td450]

Luka is shooting .286 from 3 right now. Until that number gets over 36%, its hard to take comparisons to Giannis seriously.

Jokic is also off to a rough start, but he sure looked like himself against the C's the other night. If he starts playing like that again consistently, which we should expect, you have to consider him too.

[Vermont Green]

I am adding ages to the poll choices, bear with me.

[Who]

Luka

What’s the argument for Luka over Giannis?  Age, yes.  But can he ever make up the defensive gap?

Two different players. Luka is like Oscar Robertson. Giannis is a taller Doctor J.

I like the Luka model because he is a one-man offense. Both a prolific scorer and a prolific playmaker.

Giannis gives you less offense but much more defense.

It is more a stylistic choice. They're both at a similar level (to me at least). 

[nickagneta]

Tough question. And whenever such a tough question comes up I go to the default correct answer for all these type questions.

Larry Bird.

[Csfan1984]

Without knowing my roster, Luka.

If a ”must win now” team Giannis.

If I need a ”play in a system” player, Tatum.

If I need to ”sell tickets”, Morant.

Jokic deserves mention since he would fit as suit any team, win now and play in a system choices.