If Yao turns out to be a dominant lead star of championship caliber team (LSCT), then Brand is the most helpful. We just need some good shooters around the perimeter and we are championship bound. Brand is a perfect second star. He is Mr. Consistent. He puts in 20/10 night in and night out. He does everything you ask for a PF. But, he is not a lead star. If Yao turns out to be just a second star material (a better Smits), then we need someone like McGrady or Kobe as our lead star for a championship run.
Speculation is fun -- I do it too. However, when reality sets in (hats off to aelliott), we must look beyond what was to what is: 1) Would McGrady be a 30-point scorer in JVG's system? 2) Would Brand and Ming clog the offensive paint much the same way Barkley and the Dream "competed" for the same space to the detriment of the offense? 3) Could Ray Allen understand the concept of JVG defense and still retain his jump shot? 4) Would Nash be the virtually unguarded shooter and an assist leader without Dirk, Finley et al? To my untrained viewpoint, I think a PF who can pass artfully, shoot with consistency from just outside the paint and who can charge in for an average of 10+ rebounds per game would be the best fit. Is that Brand? I don't know. The other need is a smart PG who can pass with pizzazz, control the ball (low turnovers), shoot well from mid-range and lead a fast break. He doesn't need to be a defensive rebounder because that means he is in poor position to lead the break. Is that Shaun Livingston or Ben Gordon? I don't know. Or....can Mo Taylor learn to be that PF? Can SF learn to be that PG? I don't know.
One of these guys is among the top 5 players in the league on almost everyone's board. Aside from "other", no one else is even close. The same player is, if I'm not mistaken, just about the youngest player listed here. Seems pretty simple math to me.
Not trying to beat a dead horse (I loved watching Akeem and Ralph play!), but the Twin Towers did win in Akeem's second year. They hammered the Showtime Lakers 4-1 in the WC finals and took what may have been the best team ever, Bird's Boston Celtics, to 6 games. So, yes, they were good enough to win. I don't think Brand and Sampson are a good comparison... they are so different, but I get your point. I'd also pick Elton, although McGrady would be damn fine. I think they could coexist in the paint if given an imaginative coach and a little time together. Talk about putting the fear of god into anyone going to the cup! (drool, slobber... where's a towel??) Nice thread.
1. Kobe 2. TMac 3. Pierce 4. Brand This of course does not include players who are pretty much locks not to leave their teams ever(ie, KG, Duncan).
Nice to see the top three vote getters would be my top three choices. Only I had Brand at 1, SF at 2, T-Mac at 3.
T-Mac is in a different class than those players. I feel that T-Mac and Allen would bring the same amount of improvement to this team initially. However, T-Mac is the type of player you'd change the system for, while Allen is the type of player that can make certain systems invincible. Example: Yao and McGrady, you run a new system, you're going to be killing everyone. Think about Allen on the Spurs though. He would make them even better than they already are, because teams have to leave him or Duncan open. Allen will eat the zones up while Duncan will destroy the man-to-man defenses by takign them on or going to Allen. It's iron-clad. But when you factor in Yao still not "there" yet, McGrady's ability to carry a team, McGrady's size, and sudden willingness to play with another franchise player, it's a different story. You also have to factor in the amount of attention T-Mac and Yao would recieve, we'd probably be the most marketeable team in the entire NBA, bringing in TONS more revenue, which always helps owners play with the luxury tax a little more.. Imagine jersey sales, non-stop-sellouts, local and international attention... it's tremendous. Allen doesn't demand a double team, but McGrady does. So long-term, McGrady is a no-brainer. My second choice would be Ray, followed by Brand. Brand won't take as much attention off Yao as Allen will. We NEED a damn good shooter, but at PF, we don't need Brand. We just need a good rebounder/shotblocker who can hit a simple jumper. We don't need Elton Brand for the MAX.
Yeah, ditto what Sane just said a post up. ------------ Unfortunately, it's not just our choice who we get. I don't know who's going to be in play and what the other offers will be. I personally am willing to gamble on Yao becoming a beast like Duncan, so I like the Allen combination. I think it fits him perfectly, and helps him develop. If it's Tmac, then Yao is in his shadow for a while. I don't think he develops as well. (But no question, Tmac is top 5 right now and with an average Yao makes a contender)
I'm surprised to see how many people want McGrady. I'd love to have him, but we have 'bigger fish to fry'...I truly believe we are one solid PF from the BIG4 in the west... If I had my choice of PFs, I'd go with... 1) KMart (RFA) 2) Brand (in a trade) 3) Rasheed (FA) 4) Stomile Swift (RFA) 5) SAR (in a trade) I truly believe we are one solid PF from the BIG4 in the west... If we had one of these guys, we would be contending for a Title.
The thing with Allen is, he'll always be Ray Allen. T-Mac on the other hand will take a leap from "can't win" to "top 5 player" with the addition of Yao. Yao will make T-Mac better, and T-Mac will make things easier on Yao. The same can be said for the rest, but a Yao/T-Mac combo maximizes the effect.
Brand Brand Brand!! Yao and T-Mac would be great... but lookt at Shaq and Kobe... they're not beating the Spurs! Need new formula. A dominant frontcourt duo that will bring Duncan + Scrub to its knees.
you can't do that! the whole point is that people who are untouchable aren't on the poll, like KG isn't either. i mean if you really could choose ANYONE... c'mon! 80s Larry Bird.
I like and agree with your list, but most of those guys are more than just "solid" PFs. I agree those guys would put us over the top, and I agree that we need a solid PF, but I don't think a solid PF is enough. Sane said it best; we absolutely need a consistent perimeter threat that works well with Yao. That's why I voted for McGrady over Brand.
Fair enough, but I voted for our BIGGEST need, and that's a big/athletic/consistent/rebounding/defensive-minded PF. We undoubtedly need to upgrade our PERIMETER CONSISTENCY as well - but, I'm not sure that we need a "McGrady" type player to do so... Why are we assuming that McGrady will even work well with Yao? He's never had a big man of yao's skill level.
