Is Talent in the nba lacking?

[Surferdad]

I still think the player development has been the biggest problems for years. 



It used to be done in college, but with so many top player known to be one and done, the college game has shifted away from developing these guys to simplifying the game to a point where they can just play and try to win in one year. 


They come to the NBA, and there is not a lot of time for that type of training.  Especially for the big man. 



I am completely for the idea of an older age of NBA rookies.   Force them to get some job training before they enter this work force.   Whether it is college, over seas or (I think this should happen) the NBA developmental league.  Why not allow guys to go there and make them eligible to be drafted a few years later.

Yup, or even better, institute a true basketball minor league where teams own their minor league affiliates outright and can populate that team with only their own talent.  I think it's silly to limit players to needing to be on the big league roster.  Have a minor league roster as well, and PAY THOSE GUYS.

[The One]

It's better now than in the 90s.

That was some horrible stuff.

[wdleehi]

It's better now than in the 90s.

That was some horrible stuff.

I don't think that is because of the talent but because of the differences in rules that slowed down the perimeter game. 

[Celtics18]

I still think the player development has been the biggest problems for years. 



It used to be done in college, but with so many top player known to be one and done, the college game has shifted away from developing these guys to simplifying the game to a point where they can just play and try to win in one year. 


They come to the NBA, and there is not a lot of time for that type of training.  Especially for the big man. 



I am completely for the idea of an older age of NBA rookies.   Force them to get some job training before they enter this work force.   Whether it is college, over seas or (I think this should happen) the NBA developmental league.  Why not allow guys to go there and make them eligible to be drafted a few years later.

Once there are thirty D-League teams, I think it will really improve the NBA.  They are at twenty-two now.  Hopefully within the next five years, there'll be a complete D-League.

[Sketch5]

It's better now than in the 90s.

That was some horrible stuff.

I don't think that is because of the talent but because of the differences in rules that slowed down the perimeter game.

Yeah, the 90's had far superior players than now. You had a nice blend of athletics and skill. Now it's mostly athletics and very little skill.

I do think it's changing. Curry is helping that, but he's also blood from a 90's player. I think skill will start to come back.

I'll take the 92 dream team, and you can throw any lineup of a current "Dream Team" from this era and the '92 team takes it every time.

[JBcat]

I think the talent level is pretty good at certain positions.

At PG you have players like Irving, Lowery, Dragic, Teague, Thomas, Jackson, Rose, Wall, Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lilliard, Conley, Rondo, Rubio and more.  I would say this position is deep, and you have a few elite HOF players.

SG doesn't seem as deep.  A declining Wade, Derozan, Bradley, Butler, Beal, Thompson, Harden, maybe someone like Gordon when healthy.

SF position seems very strong at the elite level. James, Durant, George, Leonard, Anthony, then other good players like Crowder, Wiggins, Gallinari, and Giannis.

PF you have Love, Bosh if healthy, Milsap, Porzingas, Green, Aldridge, Griffin, Dirk, Davis, Favors...

at C you won't find any Centers like the ones from the 90's but Cousins is pretty talented. Horford is pretty good, Drummond, Lopez, both Gasols, Howard, Jordan, and the youngins in Philly. Lol

I would say the talent level seems healthy especially at the elite level for PGs and SFs.

[CFAN38]

I think few things are currently happening.

1. Young American players are not being properly developed due to the influence of AAU basketball and the lack of 3-4 year college players. This is forcing NBA teams to give up roster spots to players who currently are not NBA ready with the hopes of developing them long term. As they are developed they miss out on valuable court time and time to make mistakes. A Great example is AB, now he has developed into a very good player but had he been pushed in AAU and through 4 years of college to develop more as a PG he may have been a better player. Smart may suffer the same issues long term. 

2.  The player movement through FA and forced trades has weaken the "team" portion of the sport. If a team keeps their core together for many years they play better together. The lack of roster continuity has effected the level of play across the board.

3. Lack of coaching and practice time. I am not sure how this is different from the 60s,70s,80s or 90s but teams seem to have very little practice time and most coaches seem more like personality handlers then real coaches. Doc is a prime example he was never a great Xs and Os coach but was able to juggle personalities. 

[LooseCannon]

I think few things are currently happening.

1. Young American players are not being properly developed due to the influence of AAU basketball and the lack of 3-4 year college players. This is forcing NBA teams to give up roster spots to players who currently are not NBA ready with the hopes of developing them long term. As they are developed they miss out on valuable court time and time to make mistakes. A Great example is AB, now he has developed into a very good player but had he been pushed in AAU and through 4 years of college to develop more as a PG he may have been a better player. Smart may suffer the same issues long term. 

Bradley is not a PG.  Trying to develop him as a PG is just stupid.

[CFAN38]

I think few things are currently happening.

1. Young American players are not being properly developed due to the influence of AAU basketball and the lack of 3-4 year college players. This is forcing NBA teams to give up roster spots to players who currently are not NBA ready with the hopes of developing them long term. As they are developed they miss out on valuable court time and time to make mistakes. A Great example is AB, now he has developed into a very good player but had he been pushed in AAU and through 4 years of college to develop more as a PG he may have been a better player. Smart may suffer the same issues long term. 

Bradley is not a PG.  Trying to develop him as a PG is just stupid.

I don't think I constructed my point properly, I am in not way saying AB is in any way a PG or should be further developed as one. However if you where to go back to his time in high school and AAU and really work with the nuances of the PG position and as a 3-4 year college player he was made to play the role consistently he would possibly be more of a combo guard then a pure under sized SG. A similar train of thought can be used when looking at the super athletic centers in the league. If D Howard or T Chandler where developed in a different system of youth basketball and played 3-4 years of college would they have more refined post games? Making them better long term prospects. Instead their physical tools where exploited by the NBA as soon as they where mature enough to be viable. Effectively turning both players into limited offensive players who are depended on dominate physical tools and not their skill sets. You have to wonder what type of player D Robinson, Hakeem and Ewing would have been if they where born in the 80s. A poster child for this is the old school game of Duncan compared to most other NBA bigs.     

[wdleehi]

I think few things are currently happening.

1. Young American players are not being properly developed due to the influence of AAU basketball and the lack of 3-4 year college players. This is forcing NBA teams to give up roster spots to players who currently are not NBA ready with the hopes of developing them long term. As they are developed they miss out on valuable court time and time to make mistakes. A Great example is AB, now he has developed into a very good player but had he been pushed in AAU and through 4 years of college to develop more as a PG he may have been a better player. Smart may suffer the same issues long term. 

Bradley is not a PG.  Trying to develop him as a PG is just stupid.

I don't think I constructed my point properly, I am in not way saying AB is in any way a PG or should be further developed as one. However if you where to go back to his time in high school and AAU and really work with the nuances of the PG position and as a 3-4 year college player he was made to play the role consistently he would possibly be more of a combo guard then a pure under sized SG. A similar train of thought can be used when looking at the super athletic centers in the league. If D Howard or T Chandler where developed in a different system of youth basketball and played 3-4 years of college would they have more refined post games? Making them better long term prospects. Instead their physical tools where exploited by the NBA as soon as they where mature enough to be viable. Effectively turning both players into limited offensive players who are depended on dominate physical tools and not their skill sets. You have to wonder what type of player D Robinson, Hakeem and Ewing would have been if they where born in the 80s. A poster child for this is the old school game of Duncan compared to most other NBA bigs.   

Duncan who spent a few years in college building his game. 

[Quetzalcoatl]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/larry-bird-thinks-this-era-of-the-nba-might-be-the-best-one-ever-205500827.html

Larry Legend says that this is maybe the best era of the NBA in history.  The players are better.  Game set match, Larry Legend's word is an automatic gospel on Celticsblog

[greece66]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/larry-bird-thinks-this-era-of-the-nba-might-be-the-best-one-ever-205500827.html

Larry Legend says that this is maybe the best era of the NBA in history.  The players are better.  Game set match, Larry Legend's word is an automatic gospel on Celticsblog

kek

it's era is learning from the preceding one, at least in this sense, present always has an advantage.

in any case, unless we have some specific criteria/metrics in mind, this is just a conversation about personal taste. Personally, I really like the 60s and IMO many of their players would be huge today with the much improved support professional athletes receive. But I clearly have no way of proving this.