U can vote for more than one team. -Talent meaning realized potential as of now Let's keep this to a Western Conference discussion because it has Playoff Implications on who we can beat to the playoffs, and who we can beat in the playoffs Lakers by far have the most talent so thats no even a comparison, but thats the only team with a runaway winner. Phoenix Arguably a push even Amare & Outlaw > Mo & E. Griffin The 2 jakes < Yao and Cato "Starbury" > Franchise (hate to say it, but its true by a little though) Hardaway or Johnson < Cat (Cat's younger and quicker and sturdier) Marion > A. Griffin, pike, rice, Nachbar Phoenix Bench = Our bench (more or less a push) I think we edge Phoenix by a little bit. The greatest discrepancy is at the C position. Seattle Rashard > Pike, A. Griffin Allen > Cat James, Booth,Potapenko < Yao Dunno who is pg? Barry? < Franchise Radmanovic < Mo & Griff Seattle Bench < Our Bench Rox > Supersonics SA Spurs Duncan > E. Griffin or Mo Nesterovic < Yao Bowen > Pike or A. Griffin (bowen is a combo of our SF's) Ginobili > Cat (complete game on his part, including passing) Parker < Franchise (too strong for the Frenchman) Spur Bench > Our bench Spurs > Rox Sac Webber > Taylor & Griff Divac & Miller < Cato & Yao Peja > Snackbar (i wish boki was more like peja, but don't worry he's this years draft pick) Christie < Cat (gave the edge cuz cat can score and can defend if he feels like it) Bibby < Franchise (bib is the most overrated pg in the history of the NBA Terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible) Sac bench > Our Bench Kings > Rox Portland Wallace > Taylor & Griff Anderson = Cat Wells > Pike, a. Griffin Davis < Yao Stoudamire < Franchise Port Bench > Our Bench Blazers > Rox Minnesota KG > Taylor or E. Griff Spreewell > A. Griffin or Pike Szczerbiak < Cat (cat can create, and play D unlike Wally) Olowkandi < Yao Cassell < Franchise Minny's Bench = Our Bench Timberpups = Rox (leaning more towards Rox) Dallas Nowitki > Pike or Yo Adrian Nash < Franchise Finley > Cat (Finley plays more D and is better team player) Bradley, LaFrentz < Yao and Cato Jamison > Taylor or E. Griffin Dallas Bench > Our Bench Mavs > Rox The rest of the Western Conference shouldn't be that much trouble. Let's see what you think?
Golden State had some pretty good talent before they broke up...J-rich, Gilbert Arenas, and Jamison would of been a nice solid core to build from
More talented: Spurs Lakers Kings Mavs TWolves Others = Nets / Pistons Equal talent Blazers (frequently they don't show up - especially Rasheed) Less talented: Super Sonics Suns
I don't agree with the comparisons of 1-12 talent and translating that to potential wins and playoff success. It is a VERY flawed way of ranking teams as it doesn't take into consideration alot of intangibles. Mainly, I don't put a whole lot of stock into how benches and 7-9th men stack up, but rather, compare the best players from each roster and their ability to make their teamates better. It doesn't matter if Francis is more talented than Nash. The fact is, Nash makes his teamates much better than Francis does. Another example is the comparison to Minny. The advantage that KG has over Mo/Griff is inherently greater than the advantage that Yao has over Kandi.
Case in point - Jordan and Pippen's Bulls probably only "won" those two matchups and lost the other starter and bench spots. But this surely beats (95% of most) trade threads.
Gater, Jordan and Pippen are indeed perfect examples. So are Stockton and Malone, who never had a ton of talent surrounding them but were always right there in the conference or NBA finals most years. I agree this is much better than reading all of the silly trade proposals. I will take this thread a step farther and expand on my point my saying that in order for us to be anything more than a 7th or 8th seed, Steve and/or Yao will have to elevate their games to an MVP like level. I would doubt that Yao is capable of this in only his 2nd season, so my eyes will really be on Steve this year to take this team to another level.
I know that Talent isn't the only thing that goes into wins and losses. But it is the groundwork in which we must build to get to those wins and playoffs. We need to realize how much talent we have and what exactly to do with it. We have to analyze what we have and don't have, strengths and weakness before starting a crapload of Trade ideas. I was just trying to get a feel for what the more talented teams were. I went through the teams and I don't think there isn't a team we can't dance with them till the end except Lakers. We have talent, its just getting it to mesh nicely and correctly that I'm more worried about. Not the fact that we are so diminutive in comparison of talent.
