Pick Your Poison
Gerald Wallace (photo. Mike Carroll)Five players I often hear compared to each other are Andrei Kirilenko, Shawn Marion, Tayshaun Prince, Josh Smith and Gerald Wallace. All are long, rangy, natural small forwards who can play multiple positions. All excel at defense, can guard multiple positions and are just as adept at blocking shots as a lot of centers in the League. All are capable of scoring 20-plus points a night without having any plays run for them. All of them can pretty much do everything reasonably well on the court and have few weaknesses. So taking everything into consideration (age, ability, salary, etc.) how would you rank ‘em? Who would you want on your team? Check the numbers:
KIRILENKO (6-9, 223)
27 years old
11.4 pts, 5.1 rebs, 4.3 asts, 1.2 stls, 1.6 blks per game
49% FGA, 37% 3PA, 78% FTA
Due $49.2 million over the next three seasons
MARION (6-7, 230)
29 years old
17.5 pts, 9.8 rebs, 1.7 asts, 1.9 stls, 1.5 blks per game
52% FGA, 31% 3PA, 81% FTA
Player-option on a $17.1 million salary next season
PRINCE (6-9, 215)
28 years old
13.8 pts, 4.8 rebs, 3.3 asts, 0.4 stls, 0.3 blks per game
44% FGA, 38% 3PA, 78% FTA
Due $30.9 million over the next three seasons
SMITH (6-9, 235)
22 years old
17.2 pts, 8.1 rebs, 3.6 asts, 1.6 stls, 3.0 blks per game
44% FGA, 25% 3PA, 70% FTA
Restricted free agent this summer [ATL qualifying offer; $3.1 million]
WALLACE (6-7, 215)
25 years old
20.6 pts, 6.2 rebs, 3.6 asts, 2.2 stls, 1.0 blks per game
44% FGA, 30% 3PA, 72% FTA
Due $37.6 million over the next four seasons [$11.4M player-option on a fifth]
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March 12th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Fabian says:
1. Gerald Wallace
2. Josh Smith
3. AK47
4. Matrix
5. Tayshaun Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
1. Matrix
2. J Smooth
3. Gerald Wallace
4. AK47
5. Tayshaun “i passed my prime and im not even 29 yet” Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Mike says:
If I was running a team and had a selection from any of them at this moment in time, I would go with Josh Smith.
J-Smoove is the youngest and (currently) the lowest paid. Throw in the fact that he is comparable to the others statistically speaking, it is almost a no brainer.
Here’s my rankings:
1) Josh Smith – see above.
2) Andrei Kirilenko – still kind of young and puts up great stats. the only knock against him is the contract.
3) Shawn Marion – The only player on the list who has been given the Superstar status (in my opinion). Large contract and large ego hold him down.
4) Tayshaun Prince – Not great statistically, but is the only player listed to have been on a championship team.
5) Gerald Wallace – He has the best scoring stats, but it’s for a team that has been terrible. Age and a good contracts are the positives here.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Chris says:
1. AK-47 ~ his numbers don’t indicate his impact on a game
2. Gerald Wallace ~ totally under-rated
3. Matrix ~ can still ball
4. J Smith ~ up and coming, will be the man shortly
5. Tayshaun ~ totally over-rated
March 12th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
dagwaller says:
5. Marion (oldest, most expensive, locker room headache, doesn’t care about winning)
4. Wallace (based SIMPLY on the fact that he’s extremely injury prone, even at such a young age. love the guy, though)
3. Prince (lots of mileage on him from all those deep playoff runs. stats aren’t impressive defensively, but I think that he’s still a good on-the-ball defender)
2. AK (reminds of Artest [why wasn't he on this list?] in that when I see him on a player, I figure that player’s getting taken out of his game. great stats, great passer, doesn’t need the ball to be successful. less of a headache than Marion, but at least he wants to win)
1. Smith (young, coachable, a monster off the ball defender, and draws fouls)
March 12th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
t-sweezy says:
i guess its hometown bias, but TAY is the best, and i wouldnt want any one these other dudes on the Pistons.
did you see him the other night vs. CHI. after he got hit in the funny bone , he went off , running the fast break, hitting 3′s. pretty much was the catylyst to the victory. its so hard for him to get noticed, nationally, because of the other superstars that Det has. TAY could easily be a great 2nd option on any other team, but for DET he’s sometimes 4th or 5th. ith all that said, heres my list:
1.tayshaun prince
2.josh smith
3.shawn marion
4.A-47
5.gerald wallace
March 12th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
dell says:
1. Smith – Youth and superior help defensive skills are on his side vs. the rest of the group, not to mention he comes cheap.
2. Marion – If you have a scorer to lead your team, there’s no better glue guy.
3. Ak47 – Doesn’t need shots, and passes better than the rest.
4. Wallace – Injury risk, and his salary is crazy.
5. Prince – Who compares him to these guys?
March 12th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Austin Burton says:
Smith isn’t coming cheap after this summer.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
1. TayShaun Prince—best ball handler and passer out of the bunch. He is the only one that can play with his back to the basket.
2. Shawn Marion–Gets you stats no matter what. dont call plays for him…so what; gets it done. Play him out of position…so what; gets it done. Disrespect is jump shot release form…so what; gets it done.
3. Josh Smith–Best dunker of the group.
4. Gerald Wallace–He was killer when he was on the Kings. When Peja went down wiht back problems, Wallace proved he was a problem on the court!
5. Andrei Kirilenko–Good complimentary player, just not better than the guys on this list ahead of him.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
dagwaller says:
Yall, did you notice that AK has the most apg out of all the guys on the list? Not that apg is the only way to gauge how well the guy passes, but it’s a good indicator, and he’s generally regarded as a great passer. Prince, meanwhile, is fourth out of the 5.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
yeah…and
kobe bryant and allen iverson are good passers, but they dont average a lot of assists either.
ur point being?
March 12th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Austin Burton says:
I think his point is that AK is a good passer.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Chris says:
I heard AK is a good passer
March 12th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
MiCkeY MoNDaY says:
1. Josh Smith
2. Shawn Marion
3. Gerald Wallace
4. AK47
5. Tyshaun Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
thats fine austin.
but noboday said ak wasn’t a good passer.
i just said prince is the best passer out of the group
March 12th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Kobeef says:
I am surprised at the Matrix rankings. He has done Jack-ISH since going to Miami which I think is a pretty big statement that he is a “product of playing with Nash”.
I’d go with the following:
1. J. Smoove: does it all, is the youngest, the biggest and the best athlete of the bunch.
2. AK-47: People who didn’t see him carry his team to the Euro championships need to watch that tape. AK -47 is capable of leading a team. If he was in a different system he would have massive stats (especially scoring).
3. Tayshaun: Could put up bigger stats on another (crappy) team. Is the best shooter of the bunch but he is not the passer or athlete that AK and Smoove are.
4. Wallace: Great all around player…good stats on a bad team player until further notice.
5. Matrix: In my book one of the most over-rated players in the league. Ricky Davis and Mark Blount are outscoring him. He was supposed to be Mr. Do-it-All but looks more like Mr-do-nothing-but-pout. ….he is now on the worst team in the league, losing every game they play and doing dick-all. How much do you want to bet he doesn’t opt out next year……which says a lot.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Rod says:
Prince
Marion
Smith
Wallace
AK-47
March 12th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
doc says:
J-smooth,Wallace,AK47,Matrix,Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
dagwaller says:
Kobeef, a pretty scathing review of Marion…but one that I agree with.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Kobeef says:
thanks DagDub.
We’ll see what the board says but it looks like you might be the only one.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
kobeef
what did you expect marion to do? take the team on a 19 game win streak?
he aint no system product of nash. marion was an allstar long before steve nash had a us passport.
and he’s been a miami heat player for only about 10games.
fall back.
marion was able to defend bigger pf’s…how did nash help him with that? marion was top5 in the league in minutes the last few years….how did nash help him do that? he’s been among the league leaders in double doubles each yr….how did nash help him do that? he was rebounding double figures for his career in phoenix….how did nash help him do that?
all nash did was help him getting a better shooting pct.
nash is nice, but dont act like shawn marion is nothing without him. sucka.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Austin Burton says:
Kobeef, you’re off with that Marion statement. The numbers that he put up while playing with Nash, he also put up well before Nash/D’Antoni came around. Yes, that was while playing with Kidd and Marbury, but the Suns were not running the same system.
Has Marion benefited from playing with good PG’s his entire career? Of course. Is he a “product of the system” who ONLY succeeded with Nash? No.
And he’s averaging 14.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals in his time with Miami. How is that “Jack-ISH”?
March 12th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Kobeef says:
@Y’all
I agree that Marion is nothing without Alfred E. Nashman
March 12th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
All of these guys are great role players and I’d be happy to have any of them on my squad with the exception of Marion. I agree that Marion is overrated and way too expensive.
1. Josh Smith: Youngest, best defender and arguably the best athlete of the bunch and does everything well. Problem is he’s bound to command big money pretty soon.
2. T. Prince: Unselfishness and playoff experience are the keys here.
3. Wallace: Slightly better option than AK47. Only because although he is injured right now he’s less injury prone than AK. However, if I need scoring I’d take him over T. Prince.
4. AK47: He’s the most unselfish of the group but is injury prone. His FG% is a plus. He knows when to shoot and when not to. He doesn’t jack up shots.
Yeah I’m not even gonna put Marion on the list. I liked him with Phoenix but not as “the Man” on a team. Players who complain for no good reason and get on my nerves especially when they’re overpaid.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
kobeef
u’re just plain ole wrong. another know nothing poster on here.
nash was nothing until he got to phx and teammed with marion
March 12th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
2 Easy says:
My rankings have to include upside,injuries, personality, contract and impact on their team. That being said I kno its gonna be off but thats a given
1) AK 47 – His team hasnt lost at home in 08 yet. He’s workin wit Hornachek on his jumper and of all these players he can not only guard a PG, he can play it
2) J Smoove – He edged out Crash simply due to the whole concussion(s) issue and his upside. Ive been sayin for weeks on these posts that if you teach him how to shoot better and how to get points easier he will be better than the Matrix
3) Crash – Concussions dropped him but this dude plays so hard its honestly scary
4) Matrix – The whole lockeroom issue dropped him or else hed prolly be #1 or 2. I cant stand Me first guys, I understand that you may want recognition but the fact that your team is in contention and everyone who knows ball knows that ur very important isnt enough than thats too bad. By the way I loved the comparison Dime made to Nash as a Qb, STAT as the star WR and Martrix as the O Line, that was completely accurate unfortunately the Line had a problem which never really happens
5) Prince – Circumstance. If this list was based totally on success hes easily #1 but after seein Bron make him bend over and take it last year his value has dropped lower than the other guys in my eyes.
The question as to why some other players who fit this frame arent included is a good question. Jamario Moon’s on the rise to be like these guys, wheres Ron artest, Jacko Manu can do these things, PP has stepped his D up, Hedo, Rashard, so on and so forth
March 12th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Austin Burton says:
I almost included Jamario Moon, but he’s at least one monster year away from being on level with these five guys.
Artest doesn’t fit the “long, rangy, athletic” mold — he’s more of a bully-type, and he isn’t gonna get points without a lot of iso plays being run for him.
Manu and S-Jack can’t play as many positions and aren’t on the same level as all-around defenders.
Rashard, Hedo and Pierce are scorers first.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Prince is about one more average year from getting booted off this list. I’d take Moon over Prince right now- No question.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Fabian says:
it’s crazy how many different views there already are in this comment section. i think every player has been somebody’s #1 or #5 already..
great post, dime crew, you really picked out a controversial one!
March 12th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
2easy
the most important postion in football is the qb; 2nd is the left tackle. ask anyone who knows football (and i played d1 ball for 3yrs).
without the o-line, nothing happens.
ask david carr
March 12th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
without the oline,
QB gets sacked after he says hike!
March 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
sans says:
1. Matrix: You never have to run a play for him. He can guard power forwards and guards. Great anticipation on offense, he hustles, and that’s what he scores off of. Best rebounder in the group.
2. Smooth: Best shot blocker in the group, best dunker, will be the best player once he develops a jumpshot and/or stops taking so many jumpshots. Won’t be a bargain for much longer.
3. Crash: Great on the ball defender, pure hustle guy, gets paid a lot. Has yet to be seen on a winning squad.
4. Tayshaun: Good O. Good D. Role player that will never be the star. The Byron Scott/AC Green of our generation. Worst beard in the NBA, and he doesn’t have a nickname.
5. AK-47: If only this was 2004…but now he’s moody, doesn’t work on his shot…still plays well but isn’t quite as intimidating as he used to be. Makes a ton of cash for the intangibles he brings to the game. Will be the MVP of the Olympics.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Juanito says:
5. Smith- Locker room cancer and ball hog. Will kill team chemistry anywhere he plays.
4. Wallace – good, solid numbers, but questionable defense on a bad team.
3. Marion – Gaudy numbers, but attitude is bad and all his stat-gathering doesn’t seem to boost his team. Could never go to him in the clutch
2. Kirilenko – tough defender, great shooter, solid rebounder…maybe tends to disappear in big games and slump for periods.
1. Prince – can play four positions with ease, could be a 25 ppg scorer but works better in the Pistons system as an all-around performer. recently maligned for being an ‘overrated’ defender, but guards guys like Kobe, Wade and LeBron night in and night out and creates constant matchup problems. Never misses a game. No question here.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Kobeef says:
@Austin
Here’s some support for my Matrix argument
1. Currently averaging about 1 turnover per assist (2.5 assists, 2.2 turnovers)
2. Currently shooting 27% from 3 point range
3. Currently taking about 13 shots per game…and only scoring 14 points.
4. Currently averaging less than 1 block per game (Turiaf averges 1.3 per game)
5. Currently averaging the lowest points per game in any year of his career other than his rookie year.
6. Is a drop in PT accounting for this drop? No, Matrix is playing more minutes in Miami than he has in the past 3 years.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
dagwaller says:
Austin: ok, so Marion’s putting up similar (although diminished slightly) stats for Miami. So now that he has more of a chance to be the man, like he wanted to, he’s…not doing as well as before? He puts up decent numbers for one of the worst teams on the league. AK’s Jazz are in the title hunt, Tay’s Pistons are one of the two best teams in the East, the young as hell Hawks are a borderline playoff team, and Wallace…well, there’s a reason I listed him 4th.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
dagwaller says:
Also, he’s a locker room headache and is getting paid the most out of any of the guys on this list. I wouldn’t ever pick him ahead of anyone else on the list.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Jaunito-
Prince may be able to play 4 positions, but you have to admit he is a step slower than he was 4 years ago. If you watch any pistons games lately he plays in spurts. He make a nice shot or grab a big rebound, but he consistently disappears for 5 or 6 minutes at a time.
Wouldn’t you rather have a motor-guy like J Smooth or marion who are running the floor, blcoking shots and finishing in transition?
I would.
And if attitude is your big thing go get a Mark Madsen. I want BALLERS
March 12th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
GEE...my style is a style that's not a style says:
Matrix – Most consistent out the 5
Smith – Young and producing great and has time to do more
Wallace – The scorer our the bunch but injury prone
Prince – To inconsistent has a great nights then vanishes
AK – Solid but really lacks in scoring, nice wife though
March 12th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Juanito says:
Mox WC –
I watch every Pistons game, and lately I have seen a guy stepping up huge when the team needs him most. Nailin 3′s, dishin on the break, dropping facials on cats, posting up…
I won’t admit he’s a step slower cuz I don’t think he is. Just because LeBron went crazy in Game 6 last year, all of a sudden Tayshaun has Nash-like defense? Nobody in the history of the league could have stopped LeBron in that game, so that’s really an unfair assessment. Prince is one of the best finishers in the game incidentally, and plays a lot smarter D than guys like Smith or Marion. You want a BALLER? Maybe that will win you pick-up games at the park, but I want an all-around player that can pick up slack for everyone else on the team. And get me deep into the playoffs every single year. Go ahead, you can have Josh Smith. Enjoy the lottery every year too…
March 12th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
2 Easy says:
YallAllReadyKnow – I was just referencin wat dime said about the 3 earlier this season. Shawn Marion was like the O line beacuse he got no attention but did all the dirty while Nash was the popular QB and STAT was the flashy WR.
Austin Burton – I thought this was about just versatile players not long rangy wings, my bad. Thats y I included S Jack and Manu and guys such as those. I hate to say this because I dont want to sound like a dick rider (see Boondocks) but Lebron could conceivably be on this list. He does a multitude of things and hes big and long. He can play more than one position etc etc etc.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Amar says:
Ak is far from his peak (back when he was getting 3.5 blocks and like 2 steals / game), but he’s a much more cerebral player right now than any of those other guys.
I think he is the best ball handler, and passer out of the bunch. He can bring the ball up the floor, initiate the offense, make the flashy pass for the assist and drive and dish like a guard.
He’s just not as athletic as he used to be, and while Tay has a better three point shot, AKs percentages are really good for his skill set.
I see the argument that if he wasn’t on a team with boozer, okur, millsap that he probably would get to play inside a bit more, and get more boards and blocks, and easy shots than he currently does. Out of everyone on the list, he’s the only won with a gold medal. And he basically did it all himself.
He should be no lower than 3rd on this list.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Smooth says:
1. Josh Smith
2. Matrix
3. AK47
4. Tayshaun Prince
5. Gerald Wallace
March 12th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Austin Burton says:
I’m not saying Marion is living up to the expectations everyone (including himself) had for him in Miami. But 14 points and 10 boards aren’t crappy averages.
Also consider that the Heat stink, have already established a losing culture, and therefore the players around Marion can’t be judged on the same plane as the players in Phoenix. When you’re playing with guys who want to win, the game changes from when you’re playing with guys who have accepted defeat. You have to consider all the factors: Is Marion getting as many good passes because guys on his team are looking out for themselves? Is he blocking fewer shots because he’s playing the 3 instead of the 4 and is now farther away from the basket? Is he playing those extra minutes in games where his team is behind and therefore the offense changes than if they were ahead? It’s an inexact science and you can’t just go by the numbers.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Dave says:
Man, GW is underrated even on this list. Outside of the injuries (which really aren’t his fault), I think he’s the only “foundation” player in this list — someone that you can actually build a team around.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
dagwaller says:
Austin, the thing is, it’s not JUST the numbers. Granted, GW has injuries, AK has had his locker room issues (point being: all of them have their drawbacks), but due to his me first attitude, Marion’s going to be in those crappy situations a LOT the rest of his career. When you’re a player that “doesn’t need plays run for you”, and yet you want to be paid like and treated like the man (on and off the court), there are going to be issues.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
nah. tayshaun stays healthy and doesnt even speak in the locker room.
he’s the best out of the group
ask reggie miller
March 12th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
dagwaller says:
Yall, my only problems with Tay are that he seems like he’s reached his ceiling. That could be way off – I haven’t checked stats or anything – but I can’t really see him getting any better, nor making anyone else better, except on defense (since he’s pretty sound fundamentally there).
March 12th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
ML says:
Wow Austin you actually got a good article for once.
1.Tayshaun
2.Josh Smith
3. AK
4. Gerald Wallace.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Sean says:
J.Smith
Wallace (damn you, Geoff Petrie!)
AK47
Matrix
Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
1SKILLS says:
Wallace
Smith
Marion
Kirilenko
Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Tim says:
Prince
Kirilenko
Marion
Wallace
Smith
Ranking these as best all around everything players…If it were a game 7 and I need one them on my squad, I”m taking Prince everytime…
ask T Mac how he liked Prince shutting him down when the Pistons were down 3-1 vs Orlando
see his rookie year when he barely played that year, yet took over against Philly….
see when Reggie got blocked, changing the entire series…
Have any of the other guys had so many consistent crunch time performances? Sure he’s not noticed in the season…but he always does something noteable when it counts….
However, if you’re talking fantasy players, the list would probably be flipped…
March 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Nimit says:
1) Josh Smith (age plays a big part here, can still grow on the offensive end)
2) Ak47 (great defender, not playin upto his standards this season but look out for a monster post season, for the jazz to have any chance he needs to be the third all star in the team consistently)
3) Tayshaun Prince (perfect for detroit basketball but could fit anywhere, can flat out lock his man up. You may look at the stats and say that he doesnt get as many blocks and steals as the others but hes really good at ball denial and marking, he doesnt let his guy free for a sec, especially in the playoffs)
4) Gerald Wallace (over-rated and over-paid, a natural third guy on an elite team, but would rather have him than a 29 year old guy who depends completely on speed and athleticism, both of which are going to start diminishing in the second year of the contract he signs this offseason)
5) Shawn Marion (See Gerald Wallace)
March 12th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
You guys basically made my point for me… Ask T-mac on Orlando and ask Reggie Miller- EXACTLY! Tayshaun was awesome 4 years ago.
LBJ dropped 24 consecutive points on his ass. True Bron was on fire but if Tay is so good in the playoffs and ball denial is his specialty then wtf??
He fits in well with Detroit because they are a great Team and play Team defense.
Prince would not shine anywhere else except San Antonio maybe
March 12th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Smitty313 says:
J-Smoove – he still has more upside
Crash – He’s the closes to being a number 1 option
Matrix – The most consistent
Prince – Damn some reason I thought he was younger
AK47 – For that bitch fit he through last year about not getting the ball.
The theme with these guys is none of them can be number one players to me.
March 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
word says:
Wallace
Smith
Matrix
AK
Prince
March 12th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Dennis Castro says:
Why does Gerald Wallace look like Bubz from The Wire in that pic?
March 12th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
dagwaller says:
I think he looks like Andre 3000
March 13th, 2008 at 5:12 am
YOUNGFED says:
Wallace
Smith
Matrix
Price
AK
March 13th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Muwu says:
1. Prince. You might think i’m crazy, but he’s the only one that never complains about his situation and has no character issues (aside from Wallace). The advantage of Prince over Wallace is he isn’t perma-injured. He comes from a winning, defensive tradition in Detroit.
2. Wallace. A good guy with a lot of talent.
3. Josh Smith. He’s the most talented of all of them but has had some character issues and questionable decision making. Also more concerned with getting his blocks than playing team defense.
4. Andrei Kirilenko. Has had some complaining issues during the summer, and can be pretty inconsistent some times, but still pretty talented.
5. Shawn Marion. Anybody who could be happy going from winning Phoenix to crappy Miami is worthless in my book.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Borgs says:
The most fundamentally sound, best passing, versatile, instinctive and intelligent basketballer in this group is the reigning FIBA Europe MVP, AK-47. Go to YouTube and scope out some of his Russia stuff – the guy just bleeds basketball nous. He was playing pro ‘ball as a 16 year-old (albeit in Russia’s top league)! He almost single-handedly carried Russia – a MASSIVE underdog – to the European Championship last offseason. He’s undoubtedly the king of this lot. I mean, occasional quadruple-double threat and multiple 5x5s! What more can you do?! All that and he’s not even close to the best athlete in this bunch.
Anyone arguing that Kirilenko’s not the best passer is pretty naive to say the least. I don’t care about assists per game, either. He just has a nose for a passing lane at both ends. It’s purely instinctive.
However, his contract is a cap-killer, and it’ll never be justified in Utah. Put him on another team as an offensive centrepiece, and he’s back to 2004, all-court stats.
So, on ability only:
1. Andrei Kirilenko
2. Josh Smith
3. Tayshaun Prince
4. Gerald Wallace
5. Shawn Marion
Considering age, salary & ability:
1. Josh Smith
2. Gerald Wallace
3. Andrei Kirilenko
4. Tayshaun Prince
5. Shawn Marion
March 13th, 2008 at 8:30 am
williams says:
Josh Smith – he is only 22 i didnt even know that.. what an upside his ceiling is higher than the sistine chapel, arguably the best statistically already.
1. J-Smoove
2. Matrix
3. Wallace
4. Kirilenko
5. Prince – Shouldnt even be on the list.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:52 am
dagwaller says:
Borgs – damn, good post, slipping in, “albeit,” “nous,” and, “naive” too! I agree with your points, too.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
SCHOPSY says:
I can’t believe people would have Tayshaun anywhere but 5th on this list.
5. Prince – a clear cut 5th here
4. AK47
3.Marion
2.G-Wall
1.Josh Smith
March 13th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
dh says:
maybe lamar should be compared with ^ them guys too…
ODOM (6-10, 230)
28 years old
13.7 pts, 10.1 rebs, 3.4 asts, 0.9 stls, 0.8 blks per game
51% FGA, 29% 3PA, 67% FTA
$14.5 million salary next season
March 13th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Don’t sleep on Danny Granger. The kids gonna be on this list sooner than later.
March 13th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Solly says:
I don’t think any of those guys are value for money. I’d much rather a classic small forward or a real power forward. All those players are overrated.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Hyun says:
J-Smoove- I dont understand whats with the comments about character issues. Twice the same Pistons beatwriter (Chris McCosky) has made false claims about Josh fighting or arguing in the locker room. Both times, Josh and all of his teammates said they were outright lies. The guy has a vendetta against Smith and its been proven that he does. If you would pay attention to the news more, you would have seen that McCosky got a lot of heat for his latest false accusation on Smith and has lost alot of his credibility as a sports writer. There was another issue where Smith got mad at Woodson because he wouldnt get him the ball in a crucial play. But Woodson is a horrible coach, the hawks gm has tried to fire him 3 times already but ownership wont let him. Watch a Hawks huddle theres times when the coach is talking and no one in the huddle is even looking at him. Afterwards, Smith made a private and a public apology to the coach, teammates, and everyone else. It doesnt seem Smooth has locker room problems. Horford publicly admitted to yelling at Josh during practice in front of everyone for not going hard enough. Smith didnt retaliate by being a jerk, he playfully poured ice water on him while he was in the shower to tell him to cool down.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Hyun says:
Im guessing Juanito is from Detroit which is why he thinks Smooth has an attitude problem. You dont remember that Chris McCosky got in a lot of trouble for totally fabricating the whole incident about him yelling at Lue? If i remember right, it was even on the frontpage of yahoo.com
March 14th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Hyun says:
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/13/josh-smith-questions-chris-mccoskeys-journalistic-skills/
McCosky also got the contract situation wrong and the previous year claimed that Josh fought with Zaza Pachulia and pinned him against a locker. That incident was also totally denied and when asked about it the entire hawks team laughed about it because it was so ridiculous. This time they aint laughing because its obvious that McCosky has a problem and they are getting pissed. Sorry Ill get off my soapbox.