NBA Season/Playoffs 2025-26

[Who]

Can I make a crazy person statement? You know the type of statement where I think I'm crazy because it seems like everyone would disagree?

Jalen Williams is wildly overrated. He's in the same tier as Mikal Bridges, except he's about to be paid way more and actually plays way less.

I think J-Dub is in the same tier as Jaylen Brown.

Less scoring. More ball-handling & passing. Better overall defender as well.

I mean, JB is a top 10-15 player. Jalen Williams is not.

J-Dub was All-NBA 3rd team last year. That is a top 15 player. He was also 2nd Team All-Defense.

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On another note, I am not sure there is much difference between a top 10-15 player and a top 15-20 player. Or a top 20-25 player. The gap is small.

Both Jaylen & J-Dub are All-Star talents.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Can I make a crazy person statement? You know the type of statement where I think I'm crazy because it seems like everyone would disagree?

Jalen Williams is wildly overrated. He's in the same tier as Mikal Bridges, except he's about to be paid way more and actually plays way less.

I think J-Dub is in the same tier as Jaylen Brown.

Less scoring. More ball-handling & passing. Better overall defender as well.

I mean, JB is a top 10-15 player. Jalen Williams is not.

J-Dub was All-NBA 3rd team last year. That is a top 15 player. He was also 2nd Team All-Defense.

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On another note, I am not sure there is much difference between a top 10-15 player and a top 15-20 player. Or a top 20-25 player. The gap is small.

Both Jaylen & J-Dub are All-Star talents.

Jalen Williams' amazing 17 ppg and 28 mpg this year would disagree with your assessment that they are in the same tier. His third season last year was pretty good and deserving of an All-star bid, but putting him in the same tier as a guy who has 2 all-nba second teams, 5 all-star appearances, a finals MVP, and was 6th in the MVP voting this year is ridiculous.

He's more Mikal Bridges than he is Jalen Brown, except his can't shoot as well as Bridges.

The upside still appears to be there. He can get better. He can get more healthy. He may even be more productive on his own team, but he's not in the same tier today.

[Who]

Can I make a crazy person statement? You know the type of statement where I think I'm crazy because it seems like everyone would disagree?

Jalen Williams is wildly overrated. He's in the same tier as Mikal Bridges, except he's about to be paid way more and actually plays way less.

I think J-Dub is in the same tier as Jaylen Brown.

Less scoring. More ball-handling & passing. Better overall defender as well.

I mean, JB is a top 10-15 player. Jalen Williams is not.

J-Dub was All-NBA 3rd team last year. That is a top 15 player. He was also 2nd Team All-Defense.

-----------

On another note, I am not sure there is much difference between a top 10-15 player and a top 15-20 player. Or a top 20-25 player. The gap is small.

Both Jaylen & J-Dub are All-Star talents.

Jalen Williams' amazing 17 ppg and 28 mpg this year would disagree with your assessment that they are in the same tier. His third season last year was pretty good and deserving of an All-star bid, but putting him in the same tier as a guy who has 2 all-nba second teams, 5 all-star appearances, a finals MVP, and was 6th in the MVP voting this year is ridiculous.

He's more Mikal Bridges than he is Jalen Brown, except his can't shoot as well as Bridges.

The upside still appears to be there. He can get better. He can get more healthy. He may even be more productive on his own team, but he's not in the same tier today.

I disagree.

Obviously, this past season wasn't good by his standards but he has been struggling with injuries throughout it. It isn't a good sample of what he is capable of.

I think BOS would have had just as a successful season this year with J-Dub as the #1 option instead of Jaylen with Tatum out. I also think they would be just as successful with J-Dub as the #2 option to Tatum. I see them as similar level players.

[Who]

I can't find the stats. Maybe someone can help me. They had some great numbers for J-Dub when SGA was on the court vs off the court and how much J-Dub upped his scoring & assists when he was made the #1 option. These numbers were from last season.

J-Dub isn't a great scorer but he is a better ball-handler, passer / playmaker, and defender than Jaylen Brown is. I believe the advantages in those areas negate the advantages Jaylen has a shot creator / scorer.

[Who]

He's more Mikal Bridges than he is Jalen Brown, except his can't shoot as well as Bridges.

If we go with the Mikal Bridges comp, here is why I would not equate J-Dub to Mikal Bridges:

(1) Mikal Bridges has limited ball-handling
(2) Mikal Bridges has limited passing / playmaking.
(3) Mikal Bridges has limited shot creation.

I put the limited ball-handling first because that is the key component that is missing for Mikal as an offensive creator (scorer or playmaker). That is why he cannot generate much offense for himself. Why he has to play off of others.

This is why Mikal Bridges cannot score big numbers when on a good team. It is because he cannot create well enough for himself. So he becomes a 14-17ppg scorer. A 3rd / 4th option. The only time he got near 20ppg was when he was on one of the league's worst teams and being force fed night after night.

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J-Dub is a very good ball-handler and passer. He is a functional secondary playmaker / point forward. Over his last 3 seasons, J-Dub is averaging 5apg against 1.9 turnovers. This while playing 2nd fiddle to SGA. I believe his numbers go up to 6-7apg when SGA does not play.

J-Dub's ball-handling also allows him to create his own offense. He is not a great scorer because he doesn't shoot the outside shot well and he doesn't get to the foul line. However, he is a driver, good paint finisher, good transition scorer, good midrange scorer. He is averaging 19.7ppg over last 3 years. I believe this goes up to 22-23ppg when SGA is out of the lineup.

So J-Dub has scored roughly 20ppg for 3 years on a team that is a title contender each season and won the title in 2025 as the 2nd option on the team.

J-Dub is also a high level defensive player. Both a high level one-on-one defender and a high level team defender.

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These are not two similar players.

[Who]

I would equate J-Dub offensively more to a Scottie Pippen.

Pippen was not a great scorer either. He was a well-rounded scorer who could get points in different ways but was not proficient enough as a jump-shooter to be a top scorer. Pippen averaged 20ppg on slightly above league average scoring efficiency (TS+ 102) from 1990-98 (his prime years).

Pippen's main value was not his scoring but his defense, rebounding, ball-handling and passing. Similar to J-Dub. But provided some additional help as a scorer as well. As does J-Dub.

J-Dub is not on Pippen's level as a defender or rebounder. J-Dub is very athletic but Pippen was outrageous. That helped give Pippen another level as both a defender & rebounder. Pippen was a better as a possession creator. Pip averaged more rebounds (7.3rpg to 4.6rpg) and stocks (3.1 to 1.9).

It is hard to equate their passing because of the different eras. Pip averaged 6.0apg against 2.9 turnovers while in his prime playing in the Triangle. J-Dub is at 5apg vs 1.9 turnovers. J-Dub's era is easier for ball-handlers & playmakers. Although the Triangle offense helped Pippen hugely which J-Dub does not have.

So I'd view Pippen and J-Dub as similar style players but Pip as superior version of that type of player. Pip at his peak was a top 5 player and regularly a top 10 player in the league. I'd view J-Dub more as a top 20 player in the league (which is how I view Jaylen as well).

As similar style players = star wings who help more in non-scoring categories. Star wing player who are very well rounded. Above average defenders, rebounders (not so much rebounding for J-Dub), passing, ball-handling. And provide adequate secondary scoring level production .