Anthony Davis traded to Lakers(page 272)

[Silky]

Brad Stevens can turn that roster into a championship, particularly if Leonard and Butler head to LA, although it sounds more likely with Kyrie.

To my mind, Stevens's hallmark so far as an NBA head coach has been that the more talented his team is, the less successful it becomes (and vice versa). I'm not sure that adding another superstar to the roster at the expense of depth plays to his coaching strengths.

Although (and to some degree: of course), better players make a better team most of the time.

In the last decade, teams only win a championship with a top 5 guy:

2009: Kobe
2010: Kobe
2011: Dirk (probably around the fifth best back then)
2012: LeBron
2013: LeBron
2014: Kawhi
2015: Steph
2016: LeBron
2017: KD and Steph
2018: KD and Steph
2019: Kawhi

2020: AD in Boston? Do you really think it’s going to be 2020: Tatum?

Heck, I’d go so far as to say that 2019: Kawhi entry would be for Boston had we traded Brown and Rozier last year. We cannot make the same mistake. It’s absurd how this forum thinks Tatum and/or Brown will blossom into top five guys. Maybe top 10-20. They will almost surely never be as good as AD is today, particularly with AD as the fourth or fifth best player in the league after Kawhi, KD, Curry and LeBron.

You know what's absurd? Thinking 2020 is the end of the NBA. Barring an asteroid or some other cosmic malady, there will be a 2021 season.

You know what else is absurd? Chucking it all for a one year shot with a guy who's let it known he doesn't want to be here. I'd have thought Irving bailing on us would have been a lesson to those who want to go all in on AD.

Absolutely. I am sure the absurd Toronto Raptors agree with this.

Toronto gave less for a better player. Amd also got green in the deal.

I dont think its really comparable. I mean I wouldnt trade brown or tatum for demar. Spurs traded the best player in the world for him.

If Toronto lost in the second round the trade was still worth it because they dropped demars terrible contract.

They really didnt risk anything. They needed to move demar...this was an absolute steal of a deal for them.

That's a whole lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking right there. At the time of the trade Kawhi had been out with injury a whole season. The reports were strong, and still are, that wherever he went other than LA, he would be gone in a year. So no one knew for sure how good or how much Kawhi would be able to play. San Antonio had to include a very good player to package with Kawhi because Kawhi's health was such a question mark.

At the time of the trade, and still today, DeRozan is a way better actual NBA player than anyone the Celtics will be trading for Davis. And Davis is 100% healthy.

The situations aren't exact, but extremely similar.

The Raptors and the Celtics would both be gambling on trying to win it all in one year to convince a top 5 player to remain on their team for more than a year. There is nothing false about that statement.

I dont believe anyone felt that kawhi was not healthy at the time of trade.

I dont believe that Demar us a better nba player than brown or tatum and certainly far from better than the both combined with smart.

And green last season wasnt a great player. He resurrected himself this year.

I belive the raptors had more talent left on their team than we would, at least better role players and depth than boston would after a deal for davis.

And Kawhi is and has been without a doubt the best player in the world. And the "injury" aside davis had an injury bug as well.

I firmly belive that the raptors had a much easier gamble to take and a much easier time to make it come true than the celtics would with Davis.

But there are similarities...i absolutely agree with that.

After the kawhi trade i had raptors as contending immediately. After the gasol trade there was no doubt.

I am not sure i would put boston in the top 5 of the league if they traded what is rumored for davis

[bellerephon]

Brad Stevens can turn that roster into a championship, particularly if Leonard and Butler head to LA, although it sounds more likely with Kyrie.

To my mind, Stevens's hallmark so far as an NBA head coach has been that the more talented his team is, the less successful it becomes (and vice versa). I'm not sure that adding another superstar to the roster at the expense of depth plays to his coaching strengths.

Although (and to some degree: of course), better players make a better team most of the time.

In the last decade, teams only win a championship with a top 5 guy:

2009: Kobe
2010: Kobe
2011: Dirk (probably around the fifth best back then)
2012: LeBron
2013: LeBron
2014: Kawhi
2015: Steph
2016: LeBron
2017: KD and Steph
2018: KD and Steph
2019: Kawhi

2020: AD in Boston? Do you really think it’s going to be 2020: Tatum?

Heck, I’d go so far as to say that 2019: Kawhi entry would be for Boston had we traded Brown and Rozier last year. We cannot make the same mistake. It’s absurd how this forum thinks Tatum and/or Brown will blossom into top five guys. Maybe top 10-20. They will almost surely never be as good as AD is today, particularly with AD as the fourth or fifth best player in the league after Kawhi, KD, Curry and LeBron.

This is a key point that is hard to overstate. I also think you can extend it back more than a decade. If you go back all the way to 1980 almost every NBA champion has been led by elite players, often more than one. I frame it as hall of fame level players rather than top 5, but it's the same idea.

08 Celtics had 3 hofs, The Spurs with Kawhi, Duncan, and Robinson, Heat with Wade, Shaq/Kobe Lakers, Jordan Bulls, Rockets with the Dream, The IT Pistons, the Magic Lakers, big three Celtics, Dr. J and Moses with the sixers. The only team to win the championship since 1980 without a HOF player leading the way was the Pistons in '04. And not only are those teams led by HOF player, many of them were led by top 50 of all time players. The fact is that it is wildly unlikely to win an NBA championship without a hall of fame worthy player.

[GreenCoffeeBean]

AD is not a top 5 player. He’s in the 6-10 range.

Off the top of my head: Steph, KD, LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, Harden, and Paul George are all better than him.

[seancally]

AD is not a top 5 player. He’s in the 6-10 range.

Off the top of my head: Steph, KD, LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, Harden, and Paul George are all better than him.

Better defender than Steph, Harden; on par with PG, KD though probably a more useful defender given his position and size. 3x first team all-defense. Third in MVP voting one season ago, and this past year was a fluke given the trade stuff in the middle.

Last season (56 games, we all know the story): 26 ppg, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals/blocks, 30.3 PER.

Career playoffs (13 games): 30/12.7/1.8/4.3/26.7

I dunno, that sounds top-5 to me.

[footey]

AD is not a top 5 player. He’s in the 6-10 range.

Off the top of my head: Steph, KD, LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, Harden, and Paul George are all better than him.

He's top 5, and probably top 3 next season with KD down.

He gives us a strong match up against Giannis, too. He plays well against him, and is more gifted shooter.

[JBcat]

AD is not a top 5 player. He’s in the 6-10 range.

Off the top of my head: Steph, KD, LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, Harden, and Paul George are all better than him.

He's top 5, and probably top 3 next season with KD down.

He gives us a strong match up against Giannis, too. He plays well against him, and is more gifted shooter.

Also given Lebron’s age, and others Curry and Harden now in their early 30’s I’d say he has a chance for top 3 with Leonard and Giannis.

[bellerephon]

I would definitely put him above Paul George and Harden, no question.

[Silky]

He is arguably top 5. Arguably. Ibdont think you could get 50 out of 100 people to agree that he is top 5.

Kawhi
Durant
Lebron
Steph

All clearly ahead of davis in terms of ability to impact the game singlehandedly.

That puts him in that secondary tier of
Davis
Giannis
Harden
PG
Westbrook.

[cltc5]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

[nickagneta]

For next year, and yes, this is taking into effect that Durant won't be playing next year and might never return as the Durant we know, my top five, in no particular order, would be:

Giannis
Kawhi
Steph
Davis
Harden

Durant won't be around and I think more decline in LeBron's game, as well as his now bad defense, keep them out of the top 5.

[Rondo9]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

That’s speculation from Zach Lowe.

[footey]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

Lol that’s a horrible deal for Pels. Worse than original Laker offer.

[cltc5]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

Lol that’s a horrible deal for Pels. Worse than original Laker offer.

Lol not really.  Two picks and two wing scorers.  It’s better than what we offer with Tatum and smart

[LarBrd33]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

That’s speculation from Zach Lowe.

I just created a thread on Reddit asking what people would be willing to give up for Lonzo if Davis ends up a Laker and Kyrie goes to the Nets.

Would you give the Pelicans the Memphis 1st?  How about #14 + #20 + #22?  Lonzo aligns with the ages of Brown and Tatum.  Our window is 5 years down the line... could be a good pickup if we can somehow grab him.

[Ogaju]

Apparently bulls are in play as partner with LA LAKERS to get AD.  La gets AD.  Bulls get Lonzo, Hill, #4.  Pelicans get kuzma, Hart, 2020 unprotected, #7 pick and lavine.

If I’m New Orleans, it’s a done deal.

Lol that’s a horrible deal for Pels. Worse than original Laker offer.

lol its a horrible deal.