Saw this poll on ESPN, thought it was an interesting one...

 

Anthony Davis or Kevin Durant? Which one would you pick right now?

At this very moment, if they're both healthy, I go KD.

KD by a hair.

AD because of what he does on both sides of the court and his age.

 

But also mainly because I'm a huge fan.

Kevin Durant

 

Easier to find someone who can come close to doing what Anthony Davis does in terms of defense than it is to find someone who can come close to doing what Kevin Durant can do on offense. Durant isn't exactly what I'd consider a slouch defender either.

 

Superstars are so hard to come by in the league, and I think each is just that, but I think that Durant doesn't need as much talent around him to win a title as Davis might. If you are in the playoffs and it's inside the last 2:30 of a game, you can give the ball to Durant and let him go to work every possession for the rest of the game. If you are in the same situation and you picked Davis, then you are relying on him to do that, which isn't something that he's really capable of when we're talking playoff crunch time, or more likely, you are relying on someone else to do it. If nothing else, you are relying on a guard to go get the ball to Davis where he wants to begin operating with it.

 

If I'm building a team, then I'll take the guy who can get the ball where he wants it for the shot he wants to take unless the other option is Shaq and he's just so physically gifted that there's not really a player who can match him. I know Davis is very gifted physically, but not in the way that Shaq was in terms of absolutely no one being able to stop him from posting up so deep and just turning and scoring over them. Davis is gifted in an "I'm going to block or alter shots", "I have fluid motion because I grew but didn't lose my coordination and agility" way, but I don't think of him as a Shaq or Wilt in terms of being the kind of guy who is peerless in terms of physical dominance.

 

I do think that Anthony Davis is the perfect #2 player on a team with a guy like a Durant, Jordan, or whoever though. He doesn't need the ball to be effective and he can control the game by doing tons of other things. He also probably makes your star an even better player because they can leave lobs at the rim for him when help comes and can play tighter on guys defensively knowing he's there to erase at the rim. Think of it this way though: to win a title, you are probably going to need to win lots of close games through the year (to lock up a high seed and get some rest to heal nagging injuries, to close out playoff series early and stay fresh, to beat the best teams in the playoffs, especially on the road).

 

You just don't want to have to rely on Davis to go and trade baskets with the other team's star for that last 2:30. If you are the Pelicans and you are playing the Warriors, they are fine by letting Steph Curry go one-on-one and being able to score without having to come within 15 feet of Davis to do it. You probably aren't as fine with hoping that Davis can match him bucket for bucket, especially when a Curry or Durant can even out a three point game in a way that Davis just can't.

Right now for one year? I'll take KD. Otherwise I'm taking Davis, he's gonna be really special.

This is The Brow's reply:

 

Taco Bell Buzzer Beater | New Orleans Pelicans

Kevin Durant

 

Easier to find someone who can come close to doing what Anthony Davis does in terms of defense than it is to find someone who can come close to doing what Kevin Durant can do on offense. Durant isn't exactly what I'd consider a slouch defender either.

 

Superstars are so hard to come by in the league, and I think each is just that, but I think that Durant doesn't need as much talent around him to win a title as Davis might. If you are in the playoffs and it's inside the last 2:30 of a game, you can give the ball to Durant and let him go to work every possession for the rest of the game. If you are in the same situation and you picked Davis, then you are relying on him to do that, which isn't something that he's really capable of when we're talking playoff crunch time, or more likely, you are relying on someone else to do it. If nothing else, you are relying on a guard to go get the ball to Davis where he wants to begin operating with it.

 

If I'm building a team, then I'll take the guy who can get the ball where he wants it for the shot he wants to take unless the other option is Shaq and he's just so physically gifted that there's not really a player who can match him. I know Davis is very gifted physically, but not in the way that Shaq was in terms of absolutely no one being able to stop him from posting up so deep and just turning and scoring over them. Davis is gifted in an "I'm going to block or alter shots", "I have fluid motion because I grew but didn't lose my coordination and agility" way, but I don't think of him as a Shaq or Wilt in terms of being the kind of guy who is peerless in terms of physical dominance.

 

I do think that Anthony Davis is the perfect #2 player on a team with a guy like a Durant, Jordan, or whoever though. He doesn't need the ball to be effective and he can control the game by doing tons of other things. He also probably makes your star an even better player because they can leave lobs at the rim for him when help comes and can play tighter on guys defensively knowing he's there to erase at the rim. Think of it this way though: to win a title, you are probably going to need to win lots of close games through the year (to lock up a high seed and get some rest to heal nagging injuries, to close out playoff series early and stay fresh, to beat the best teams in the playoffs, especially on the road).

 

You just don't want to have to rely on Davis to go and trade baskets with the other team's star for that last 2:30. If you are the Pelicans and you are playing the Warriors, they are fine by letting Steph Curry go one-on-one and being able to score without having to come within 15 feet of Davis to do it. You probably aren't as fine with hoping that Davis can match him bucket for bucket, especially when a Curry or Durant can even out a three point game in a way that Davis just can't.

 

Davis is clearly the 3rd best player in the NBA at worst, and you are reducing him to a guy best suited to be a #2? Come on man...

I'd still take KD at the moment, but the gap is really narrow.

 

The thing is, if Brow really focused on being a force at the three, he would be the best small forward in the game in short order. He was a 6'1" guard for most of his developmental years and the notion he can't create for himself is just absurd to me. There aren't 5 guys in the game as skilled as Davis and he's 21. Fast forward 3 years and it will be hard to grasp just how many ways he can dominate the game. That will include being a legit threat from the perimeter while making plays off the bounce and dominating in the paint.

 

Brow is a once in a lifetime talent, and it is going to be a blast to watch him develop...

Davis is clearly the 3rd best player in the NBA at worst, and you are reducing him to a guy best suited to be a #2? Come on man...

 

You're missing what I'm saying.

 

I just think he's a perfect #2 guy on a Dream Team because he doesn't have to have the ball to have a huge impact on the game. If I'm building a franchise, I want Durant first, then him second.

 

There's more value added if you have to build a contender and you have Durant/Davis than if you have Durant/Curry, IMO, because Durant and Curry both do the same thing-- scoring the ball, really well. Davis can still be productive without cutting into what either of those two did if he were paired with either of them. Put Durant and Curry together though, and you see some overlap in skills.

You're missing what I'm saying.

 

I just think he's a perfect #2 guy on a Dream Team because he doesn't have to have the ball to have a huge impact on the game. If I'm building a franchise, I want Durant first, then him second.

 

There's more value added if you have to build a contender and you have Durant/Davis than if you have Durant/Curry, IMO, because Durant and Curry both do the same thing-- scoring the ball, really well. Davis can still be productive without cutting into what either of those two did if he were paired with either of them. Put Durant and Curry together though, and you see some overlap in skills.

 

You're just aimlessly rambling to say KD is very slightly better with a half decade plus of experience. I 100% get what you're saying.

 

Davis has the overall skill set to be one of the best ever at at least 2 positions and likely 3 if he turned his focus to the perimeter. As it stands he will likely develop into a legendary four that impacts the game in ways very few have ever done.

 

He's a star and a #1 option at 21 years old. The ceiling is the sky...

You're just aimlessly rambling to say KD is very slightly better with a half decade plus of experience. I 100% get what you're saying.

 

Davis has the overall skill set to be one of the best ever at at least 2 positions and likely 3 if he turned his focus to the perimeter. As it stands he will likely develop into a legendary four that impacts the game in ways very few have ever done.

 

He's a star and a #1 option at 21 years old. The ceiling is the sky...

 

No, I'm saying the same thing that you said, that I'd take Durant. I just threw in why I'd love to pair him with Davis if I could pick another guy.

 

Aimlessly rambling is talking about Davis developing the kind of stroke he'd need to shoot 3's in the NBA consistently.

 

How many players get that much better once they are in the NBA? I understand Davis has talent, but I'm going to be surprised if he's ever a threat to shoot the NBA three. Kind of making a big assumption with Davis there. He's 21, most players either are what they are, or are very close to the player that they'll eventually become by their third year in the league. Yes, he will get better, but I don't know if we see him transform his game like that.

No, I'm saying the same thing that you said, that I'd take Durant. I just threw in why I'd love to pair him with Davis if I could pick another guy.

 

Aimlessly rambling is talking about Davis developing the kind of stroke he'd need to shoot 3's in the NBA consistently.

 

How many players get that much better once they are in the NBA? I understand Davis has talent, but I'm going to be surprised if he's ever a threat to shoot the NBA three. Kind of making a big assumption with Davis there. He's 21, most players either are what they are, or are very close to the player that they'll eventually become by their third year in the league. Yes, he will get better, but I don't know if we see him transform his game like that.

 

Well lets see Jordan, Kobe, Lebron three guys who will go down as top 10 players ever definitely got better still after just their third year. Jordan completely transformed his game at an even older age. Lebron and Kobe have too. Davis is 21 and still has much more time to change his game even more. As GT has said the sky is the limit for him still.

Well lets see Jordan, Kobe, Lebron three guys who will go down as top 10 players ever definitely got better still after just their third year. Jordan completely transformed his game at an even older age. Lebron and Kobe have too. Davis is 21 and still has much more time to change his game even more. As GT has said the sky is the limit for him still.

 

I'm not saying he won't get better. I'm saying that there are very few, especially guys who are already playing at the level of Davis, who get THAT much better. The window as far as growth and development in his game that shows exponential gains is rapidly dwindling.

 

By the end of your third or fourth year in the NBA you just are who you are. That's at least three years of the top coaches in the game. Davis had one year of college under a guy that's basically running an NBA farm team in a program with a former professional strength & conditioning coach, all that. He's essentially been developed to be a professional for the past four seasons. Historical trends would indicate that this and next year are some of his best seasons, and he's basically that player or less thereafter.

 

The best example of a guy that I would liken to the thought of someone who just revolutionized their game once in the NBA for a bit would be Dirk, Tony Parker, Marc Gasol. See a trend there though? Yes, after Dirk's rookie year, people were labeling him a huge bust. Obviously though, his situation was likely becoming acclimated with the American game, overcoming the language barrier, things of that nature. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a player who: a.) isn't foreign & b.) came straight from high school unless you throw out his first year (which would be while Davis was developing in college) and show the kind of progression that indicates Davis is still going to keep developing at an already crazy pace.

 

Again, I'm not saying he won't get better because he will. When a guy is 24-27 years old, those are likely going to be the peak years of his career if you look at historical trends. Maybe not their very best years statistically, but their most complete in terms of leading competitive teams and being the franchise cornerstone if nothing else. Davis obviously hasn't reached those yet, but I don't know if there's another jump from 21-24 like he's seen from 19-21. If he continues to ascend at the pace he did from 19-21 until he's 23 or 24 even, then the numbers that he'll be posting will just be ungodly.

 

It's more likely that he steadily progresses, while the trajectory of that progression declines a little bit with each passing season. Barring injury, he's the best player in the league during the time he's in the 24-28 year old age range, but his best statistical seasons are likely going to be somewhere in the 23-25 age range based on when he came into the league.

 

Still, that's not today and right now Durant is in that age range. He's 25 and in the midst of what will history indicates will be the best 3-4 year stretch of his career. It's the perfect mix of having time to adapt and gain experiences versus trading off what you've increased in basketball IQ against an erosion of your pure athletic skills due to age, wear and tear, etc.

 

You can look at other great's career stats and see that they started to really level off at the end of his third year year, and that next season is going to represent a nice baseline of what to expect from him for the rest of the way. Further, any seasons where there's a huge increase to any of the year 3/4 baselines in Years 5+ will likely be an anomaly that lasts a season or so.

 

It was the same for Jordan. Same for Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Pistol Pete. Wilt is one of the few guys whose numbers remained relatively steady, though his assists and rebounds did sort of top out after year 3.

 

Here's the link to the all-time career stats, and the numbers will support what I'm saying: NBA.com/Stats

 

Historically, whether biological and/or behavioralism, even the best of the very best kind of begin to level out after their third season, level off into their prime, then start to significantly decline after 28 or so.

 

If Davis doesn't level out soon, then he's going to be significantly different from even the best to ever play despite already playing at a pace to put him in consideration for that discussion once his career concludes should he just progress normally.

^Disagree. He's only going to continue to improve. His age is his biggest asset.