Objectively where does Paul Pierce rank amongst the best perimeter players?

[TradeProposalDude]

I would say that it goes something like this:

1a LeBron
1b Kobe
3 Wade (healthy version)
4 Pierce
5 TMac
6 Melo

To Melo's defense, I think he is the most underappreciated player in the game. I watch him play a lot and he gets hacked a lot and almost never gets called for fouls when a case for going to the line is warranted. LeBron is the one who gets all the star treatment. He can bulldoze his way to the basket and throw up his hands ten straight times and all ten times he gets to the charity stripe.

Wade is another guy who is able to take it to the next level, but he too benefits too much from the men wearing the zebra. In fact, I would contend that Wade, while a terrific penetrator, is a fairly unspectacular jump shooter and all around player, in comparison to guys like Kobe. But that's just my opinion.

Anyway, the topic at hand is where does Pierce rank. We can't underestimate Pierce because this guy is a top 5 most all around, complete player. Very few can say they match or exceed Pierce in that category.

Kobe is definitely better, but Pierce is a better human who is more willing to buy into a team concept.

Same with LeBron, who is selfish to some degree... but he can ball like nobody else can at times. He is just flat out unstoppable. Thankfully for the Celtics whenever he's on, so is Paul. I'd say that based on stats LeBron is the superior to Kobe... as the top 2. After that, it's all conjecture.

[Michael Anthony]

If we are talking wing players only, I think TMac is a little high on your list (he is a one way player) and Manu is missing.

Joe Johnson is in the conversation, and Nowitski and Garnett both play on the perimeter often enough.

Does perimeter include pointguards? If it does, you have to put Paul above Pierce, and maybe Nash and D-Will too.


Honorable mention: Vince Carter, Baron Davis, Kevin Martin, Ron Artest

[Mr October]

Pierce is in the top 5 of all wing players, no question.

1. James
2. Bryant
3. Wade
4. Pierce
5. Anthony
6. Ginobili
7. Hamilton
8. Johnson
9. Redd
10. McGrady
------------
11. Iguodala
12. Richardson
13. Allen
14. Carter
15. Martin
16. Jefferson
17. Deng
18. Maggette
19. Wallace
20. Miller

After McGrady, i think any of those names could be swapped around. Also Iverson and Arenas play at the 1, so they are off the list.

edit: whoops! Forgot Anthony.... so I dropped Artest out of the top 20.

[Schupac]

Completely objectively I would say Paul Pierce is the best three players in the league today.

[Casperian]

Completely objectively I would say Paul Pierce is the best three players in the league today.

I agree. He is #1, #2 and #3.

TP

[nickagneta]

Pierce is in the top 5 of all wing players, no question.

1. James
2. Bryant
3. Wade
4. Pierce
5. Anthony
6. Ginobili
7. Hamilton
8. Johnson
9. Redd
10. McGrady
------------
11. Iguodala
12. Richardson
13. Allen
14. Carter
15. Martin
16. Jefferson
17. Deng
18. Maggette
19. Wallace
20. Miller

After McGrady, i think any of those names could be swapped around. Also Iverson and Arenas play at the 1, so they are off the list.

edit: whoops! Forgot Anthony.... so I dropped Artest out of the top 20.

TP4U, [dang] fine list. I would think about putting Hedo Turkuglu, Richard Lewis, Antawn Jamison and/or Caron Butler in their somewhere before the last three however. But 1 through 8 or 9 is just about right. I'd flip a player here or there elsewhere but overall, [dang] fine list.

[TradeProposalDude]

Honestly, after LeBron, Wade, and Kobe... I don't know how you CANNOT put Paul Pierce at 4, especially after last year's playoff run that resulted in a finals MVP. Even before last year, Pierce was simply not getting enough credit for the production he was putting up on the teams he was playing for, which lacked talent and experience.

[michael32951]

How can anyone still rank Paul behind Kobe and Lebron after last years playoffs?  When everything was on the line Paul came out on top, and that is more important than ANY stat or sportswriters opinion, I agree with Paul, he is number 1.

[Atzar]

Pierce is in the top 5 of all wing players, no question.

1. James
2. Bryant
3. Wade
4. Pierce
5. Anthony
6. Ginobili
7. Hamilton
8. Johnson
9. Redd
10. McGrady
------------
11. Iguodala
12. Richardson
13. Allen
14. Carter
15. Martin
16. Jefferson
17. Deng
18. Maggette
19. Wallace
20. Miller

After McGrady, i think any of those names could be swapped around. Also Iverson and Arenas play at the 1, so they are off the list.

edit: whoops! Forgot Anthony.... so I dropped Artest out of the top 20.

Lack of Caron Butler is my only problem with this.

[jay_jay54]

At this stage,Pierce is  #1 at the 3spot in the NBA.

[TradeProposalDude]

How can anyone still rank Paul behind Kobe and Lebron after last years playoffs?  When everything was on the line Paul came out on top, and that is more important than ANY stat or sportswriters opinion, I agree with Paul, he is number 1.

I am by no means degrading or minimizing Pierce's effort in the playoffs, but neither Kobe nor LeBron have KG / Allen. I know they have other solid complementary players but there's an obvious gap in supporting cast between the teams.

[wdleehi]

I put Pierce ahead of Wade.  Wade has to prove he can stay healthy for a whole season. 

[ManUp]

Pierce is in the top 5 of all wing players, no question.

1. James
2. Bryant
3. Wade
4. Pierce
5. Anthony
6. Ginobili
7. Hamilton
8. Johnson
9. Redd
10. McGrady
------------
11. Iguodala
12. Richardson
13. Allen
14. Carter
15. Martin
16. Jefferson
17. Deng
18. Maggette
19. Wallace
20. Miller

After McGrady, i think any of those names could be swapped around. Also Iverson and Arenas play at the 1, so they are off the list.

edit: whoops! Forgot Anthony.... so I dropped Artest out of the top 20.

TP4U, [dang] fine list. I would think about putting Hedo Turkuglu, Richard Lewis, Antawn Jamison and/or Caron Butler in their somewhere before the last three however. But 1 through 8 or 9 is just about right. I'd flip a player here or there elsewhere but overall, [dang] fine list.

Come on guys Johnson, Hamilton, and Redd are not better than McGrady. They're all probably best served being the 3rd option on a championship level team. McGrady injured back and all is a better player than all 3.

I'd say

1.Lebron
2.Kobe
3.Pierce
4.Wade
5.Anthony
6.Ginobli
7.McGrady
8.Johnson
9.Carter
10.Hamilton

[Neurotic Guy]

Hard to be objective when extra value is attached to 'who you know'. 

In other words, it's natural to have bias toward players you know; those you have confidence in, those who you know 'fit' with your team's chemistry and work with the team's balance and style.  This is why there are folks here who wouldn't trade Pierce for Kobe, Wade, Ginobli, TMac or others even if the talent comparisons did not favor Pierce.  This is also why fans of those players/teams wouldn't want to trade them for Pierce. 

What really matters is the player's value to your team.  Consider this -- any objective observer would rate Duncan over Garnett - correct? -- But my guess is that MANY C's fan would not trade KG for TD tomorrow.  Obviously, some would, but the equalizing factor is that KG is now a known commodity and TD, despite his greatness, has not played a minute with the C's. The home team added value complicates the prospect of pure objectivity regarding 'who is best'.

I, BTW, would trade PP for Kobe and KG for TD tomorrow and be quite pleased. 

[shookones99]

Pierce is in the top 5 of all wing players, no question.

1. James
2. Bryant
3. Wade
4. Pierce
5. Anthony
6. Ginobili
7. Hamilton
8. Johnson
9. Redd
10. McGrady
------------
11. Iguodala
12. Richardson
13. Allen
14. Carter
15. Martin
16. Jefferson
17. Deng
18. Maggette
19. Wallace
20. Miller

After McGrady, i think any of those names could be swapped around. Also Iverson and Arenas play at the 1, so they are off the list.

edit: whoops! Forgot Anthony.... so I dropped Artest out of the top 20.

TP4U, [dang] fine list. I would think about putting Hedo Turkuglu, Richard Lewis, Antawn Jamison and/or Caron Butler in their somewhere before the last three however. But 1 through 8 or 9 is just about right. I'd flip a player here or there elsewhere but overall, [dang] fine list.

Come on guys Johnson, Hamilton, and Redd are not better than McGrady. They're all probably best served being the 3rd option on a championship level team. McGrady injured back and all is a better player than all 3.

I'd say

1.Lebron
2.Kobe
3.Pierce
4.Wade
5.Anthony
6.Ginobli
7.McGrady
8.Johnson
9.Carter
10.Hamilton

I agree with you about T-Mac.  But I don't see how Carmelo is above Manu or Mcgrady.  He is a better scorer and rebounder then they are.  But thats it. 

1. Lebron
2. Kobe
3. Pierce
4. Wade
5. Manu
6. T-Mac
7. Melo

Big dropoff after those guys.