I don't know why we would. A.) We talk about Harden's problem delivering in the playoffs but Davis can't even hardly get his team to the playoffs. B.) Without Harden why would AD even want to stay? He will be a free agent soon. C.) Harden is better. Only plus I see to AD is he's younger.
Nope ad barely ever makes the playoffs. Availability and durability is a huge part of being a true superstar
Ideally I would be able to know what happens in free agency before answering that question. If GSW fully stays together and another super team emerges, I would probably do it based on AD being 4 years younger than Harden. If KD leaves GSW and no other absurd super team forms, I would not and hope that we've got a window still slightly open to win a title. However, in the case of the former, I'd probably rather have Zion than AD and just go full rebuild.
Would I trade a guy who's gotten us to the WCF twice, would have won us a championship if not for refs/the greatest team that will ever be assembled, always lead us to the playoffs. For a guy who barely makes the playoffs, ever. Nah, think that would be a pass.
Yes but only because he's younger. We would still need to improve the rest of the roster, moreso than we needed with Harden. It's just that we'd have a bit more of a window. Harden is and has been better. He will be better than Davis for at least another year. I'm just not optimistic about how Harden's game will age given the miles and heavy dependence on creating contact inside. If you project his numbers out to where he gets to the line 5 fewer times, we are in dangerous territory. That winter is coming eventually. I'm not optimistic about how Davis' game will age either (plus he's had fishy injury history), but he's 26 so you can definitely still get 3-4 really great years out of him especially given we'd utilize him much more efficiently than anyone has ever seen. If Davis agrees to be under team control for 5 years without a no trade clause and willing to play the 5, yes I'd probably do it. Would be painful and sad as f*ck, but for the well being of the franchise I'd do it.
Anthony Davis is the superior player -- when healthy. But he's injured all the damn time, so it's a moot point.
NOPE, Harden could drag a bunch of bums to the playoffs in the west. AD can't drag his own ass through a full season.
No. AD is stellar, but Harden makes others better and produces more than AD. We need a new offensive portfolio not to trade a potentially generational player for a slightly less potentially generational player.
Why would you want to trade the best offensive player of ALL-TIME for a guy who was neither the best offensive player nor the best defensive player THIS SEASON.