I like this post a lot so I will rep you. I made that point in another thread. The difference between Chandler/Ariza is a lot smaller than the difference between Chandler/Kawhi for example by advanced metrics. (Some) Lots of good thoughts in here, but this one is probably a really good baseline. Could someone make an argument for you being among the best at your position without getting laughed at?
Morey scored the hottest girl at the beach two summers in a row, before this summer, in basketball terms, without much effort - and this year he actually tried and didn't make out. You're not going to get the best player available every year in the offseason - but the two years previous brought that expectation to the forefront. It was a gamble this year; the other years were with nothing to lose.
I have to disagree with you on this. The rockets visited Lowry first, but it is not the first option. If we afforded him more than the current team offer, let him sign a deal, he likely will be us. Les likes a big name, he is not going to give up Melo and Bosh first. I was on the record to say we shall go for Lowry first, and we would likely get Ariza in the end. Too bad, I was right.
Except we offered him a deal on Day 1. If he had accepted that offer we would have effectively been out on Bosh and Melo barring sign and trade possibilities. Morey wanted Lowry. Did you want him to offer Lowry a max deal?
I can create teams with just 1 elite player that can contend for titles in my head. Gasol, T. Chandler, LeBron, Butler, Lawson and a bench. I don't know, I was bored.
But see, your post includes at least two players that are considered elite by Morey. Lebron obviously, but Gasol as well.
Bosh hasn't been elite since he was in Toronto and he would not be an All Star in the west but he's still a big name. Barkley and Pippen were not elite _ but still big names. Interesting for you to bring that up LabMouse.
$7mil/year Gasol? Okay, replace him with Favors then. And yeah, LeBron is elite. 1 elite guy. Not 3. Not 2. Just 1... "But Morey doesn't have LeBron" He doesn't have a 3rd elite player either.
Can you build a title team around 1 elite player not named Lebron? Kobe and Lebron and Shaq are probably the most dominant players since the 90s yes? None of them won a title without another GREAT player next to them. Kobe's always had multiple great players.
I'm just looking at what's out there. Other than Thunder or Clippers, if you're saying Ibaka and Jordan are elite, who are we so worried about? We're that scared of Duncan playing forever? We need 3 stars. Okay. But wait, who exactly even has that luxury?
Who was the third elite guy on the Shaq-Kobe Lakers? Who was the third elite guy on the Wade-Shaq Heat? Who was the second and third elite guy on the Dirk Dallas team? Who were any of the this Spurs team elite? If we can answer these questions, we probably have the answer to the OP's question (which is a great question, BTW). Personally, I don't think "top 10 of his position" is good enough. Top 10 of a position just means that you are at the 67 percentile of all starters at your position. That doesn't sound like the normal meaning of elite.
Dallas has went to two finals with 1 elite player... San Antonio just won and Manu, Parker, and Duncan are no longer elite. We have two stars with Howard and Harden... That should be enough.
