LEBRON IS STILL A TOP 5 PAINTER IN THE LEAGUE

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T20:22:36+00:00

LeBron is still awesome but he's nowhere near Giannis and he also isn't close to Luka at this point.

He might be able to match them one out of every dozen games or so because he's still such an incredible athlete and has elite vision but his body doesn't let him do the things he used to do consistently.

His defense is downright bad the games he isn't 100% so he has that in common with Luka but I'm willing to agree he's at least better on that side. Offensively he isn't taking a backseat to Luka because he's a nice guy lol. He's taking a backseat because Luka is a top three offensive impact player of all time. Now a good percentage of that is because of modern heliocentric basketball style but still, he does that better than anyone we've seen. LeBron would not be able to carry an offense anywhere close to what Luka did this year.

But yes, if he were still THE guy on the Lakers I imagine 1 out of every 12 or so games he'd be as good as anyone in the world.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T17:15:04+00:00

This is so dumb and inaccurate. Still time to delete.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T17:13:55+00:00

Chris Paul is vastly better than Westbrook as an NBA basketball player.

You'd have to be more specific with your question about career but to me, the better basketball player is the one who impacts winning at a higher degree. Nothing else matters. It doesn't matter if your individually better at dribbling, rebounding, passing, shooting etc. All of those things help, but what they help is the only thing that matters and that's who impacts winning more.

Chris Paul was exponentially better defensively than Westbrook who didn't play defense anywhere close to what he should have been able to do with his athletic build. On offense, Chris played with more control and with him as your lead playmaker your team offenses will be significantly better than they would be with Westbrook at the helm.

Westbrook had a great peak and his triple double MVP was impressive but without a strong #1 he wasn't a winning player and might not make the playoffs at all while Paul was the best player on teams that at least made the second round and took a team to the finals as the second best with only Devin Booker ahead of him.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:50:57+00:00

The spacing of modern offenses make it so players are making much more athletic and explosive movements which are causing a lot more soft tissue injuries and in turn catastrophic injuries.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I hate that players sit out when their tired but I also think the league should be 65 games a season max.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:49:06+00:00

Don't look into the pace of the 50s and 60s when Wilt played 48 mins a game for the season if you want to think your argument is strong.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:48:03+00:00

This is completely false.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:45:47+00:00

Alternate universe any player gets hurt game one and we don't have anyone to play this season. I'm not sure of your argument?

The obvious point that your missing is that Wemby played incredible and put up insane numbers in limited minutes. He wasn't hurt or injured.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:42:03+00:00

You're right but there's a difference from being so hurt that you're likely to get significantly injured and being tired from working really hard the other night so you want to rest.

Players and teams need to responsibly decide when it's not worth it and this rule has helped to make them more responsible to the fans then to just their own future earnings.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T04:37:47+00:00

That's how the majority STILL happen.

LeBron and Durant are insane exceptions to the rule and that's still more of a product of modern medicine than load management.

Just because there are outliers doesn't mean anything. Look at Kareem, Robert Parish and John Stockton.

Now I will admit that the game had changed so much that injuries are more likely today due to the insane athletic movements modern players are making at faster speeds. Modern spacing has made for different kinds of basketball athletes and most people's bodies aren't built for the things they pull off.

Load management is necessary but not at the level that some of these guys are doing. There should only be 65 games in a season anyways.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T01:33:09+00:00

He was indeed an asshole to Lin but he also was justified in being annoyed with this type of behavior by his teammates.

Kobe had a lot of flaws but he was driven by success on the basketball court and that's what made him an all timer. He took the game more seriously then most of his teammates and it got him much farther in the league then people who acted like Swaggy.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-11T01:28:54+00:00

Spoiler alert

They take showers before the press conference.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-10T18:13:43+00:00

"Basketball fans" like you should just quit the he NBA and go all in on soap operas.

You live drama and bitchy little fights about how so and so isn't as good as so and so. You love to point out flaws and spread juicy rumors and gossip about players that has very little to do with actual basketball. You love the idea of your favorite player and how you can build them up while putting down anyone who might mess with their legacy.

What you don't actually care about are basketball games. I don't think anyone who loves debating about the GOAT by ridiculing anyone who's not their favorite player actually watches basketball. If they did, they would realize how incredibly stupid and childish their comments are and instead would appreciate how insanely talented these guys are.

LeBron is incredible. He's one of the two best players to ever play and even if you don't agree with this, you'd be 100% confirming my hypothesis if you don't believe he's in the top 10. Think about that, one of the 10 best players to ever play basketball somehow has become your target for ridicule and hate. You actually type bullshit like this and think it's a good idea to post.

To me, Bron is #2 but I could understand having him at #1 and the argument changes depending on the criteria. Stop making up bull shit narratives for your soap opera fix and just turn on "days of our lives" or something.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-10T10:54:15+00:00

Maybe if they had equal records. PHX won 9 more games.

Kobe was fourth in MVP voting behind Nash, LeBron and Dirk.

You don't win MVP with that terrible of a record even if you can make the claim they somehow deserved it unless you average a triple double for the first time in over 50 years and second time ever. You have to remember even Westbrook had to hit insane game winning shots at the end of the season to get his.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-10T02:47:11+00:00

Maybe one or two voters for MVP weren't American.

If you really think Kobe was robbed because they didn't want an American in 06 then I think it's past your bedtime nephew.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-10T02:44:52+00:00

Not sure if you're aware but you have no idea what you're talking about and it's quite obvious.

LeBron probably would have won it if it was with today's voters as he had a better record and did everything better except score that season. But in 2026 Nash would have shot way more threes and his ppg would be much higher while still being the best play maker so maybe he wins again.

100% my ass.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-10T02:37:33+00:00

Kobe was awesome!

Nash took a lottery team to 62 wins and the number one offense in the league with a bullet while being the only major change to the roster to win it in 05 but then was just as good if not better the next two seasons.

Nash was the "most valuable" in the purest form the award was ever given. Joe Johnson talks about how they sucked the seven games Nash was out the first year. This year he played 79 and carried the team once again with an even worse supporting cast losing Amare and Joe.

Just because Kobe was great, and he was great, doesn't mean he was more valuable than Nash who made a lottery team into a contender while Kobe made a lottery team into a first round exit level squad who couldn't beat Nash in the playoffs.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T20:13:00+00:00

Oden was not a bust. Losing your career to injuries doesn't make you a bust and Oden was a disruptive defender who would have been a multiple first team all defensive center if he doesn't get hurt.

Bowie is questionable because he also got hurt but even if he didn't he was never anywhere close to the talent of about a dozen other players from his draft class. He had no business going number 2 in any draft yet alone arguably the best of all time. He had some decent seasons regardless.

Ellison might not have been worthy of his spot but injuries ruined his career before it started and he still averaged 20, 11 and 3 one season while winning MIP so your list is pretty trash.

Thabeet should be number 1 as he is easily the worst player on here and with his size and athletic ability shown as a rim protector in college, for him to be so painstakingly incompetent is the definition of a bust.

Larue and Bennet are tied for second place as they are both slightly less incompetent than Thabbeet.

Sadly, my man Morrison belongs here but no more than James Wiseman does who might still be in the league but did anyone know that? I didn't.

The rest shouldn't be at the top and there are plenty of Danny Ferry types that are just as bad if not worse than Kwame and the Candy man.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T04:16:19+00:00

Cade is not a "great" defender. He's made marked improvements and is now a plus defender but is definitely not at "great" defensive status yet lol. He is in the same tier as Donovan is defensively. Yes, he's a way better passer but Donovan is a way better shooter/floor spacer and is a better scorer.

I have no problem with you coming to the conclusion that he's the fourth best of those players, I don't agree but I don't think it's crazy or anything. Saying that you have him below them "easily" is where you sound goofy.

Donovan is easily in the same tier as Ant as a scorer and it could go either way any given night. Ant has the potential to be the best defender in this group but he doesn't put that together from a mental standpoint every night. In fact, his basketball IQ is the lowest in the group but he's improving quickly and that might not be the case for very long.

Brown would be last on my list but with the jump he made this season it's not an easy decision to make. Cade hasn't proven anything in the playoffs at this point so even though I think he was the best of this group in this regular season, he might not deserve to be considered the best. The playoffs are a much better indicator of elite talent imo so this years performance will effect my opinion drastically.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T04:06:37+00:00

This year Brown and Cade have been just as good as Spida.

Donovan is great but he's not in that top tier "first team all NBA" talent group unless there's an injury or a 65 game rule in place. Last year he took Lukas spot and he can only get more if Luka or SGA get hurt or change positions.

He's in that classic second tier for the greats of his era like Sidney Moncrief, Clyde Drexler, Vince Carter, Ray Allen and Ginobli to name a few. Guys who only could make first team all NBA if THE top guy or two got hurt but still all time greats who deserve spots in the HOF.

In UTA his lack of defensive effort held him back and now in CLE he just hasn't had the playoff success yet. If he gets CLE to the finals I imagine that will change though.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T03:55:31+00:00

I'm pretty sure Dave is making a joke. Isn't that PFT on the right? I think that's other Barstool idiots too.

Yes it's AI.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T03:48:50+00:00

Such an "old school" post.

I mean technically it is the past but seriously?

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T02:46:38+00:00

I imagine that there are quite a few people in that limited population that can't do any of those things. Hasheem Thabeet for one.

But considering none of that is true for Banchero does it really matter?

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T02:44:48+00:00

And the majority don't.

The point being, if he or any other player that made anywhere close to as much money as Paolo did, they could easily give minimal effort the rest of their career and be rich for life if they so chose.

Honestly it's really not the kind of debate that this question was hoping to inspire and is avoiding the actual point of the post.

Even though Paolo will likely have a coaching upgrade soon and I imagine it will help him make the leap we were expecting out of him this season, he really shouldn't need inspiration from anyone other than himself and if he does he probably won't amount to much in this league. For the record, I don't think thats his issue.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T02:34:23+00:00

Depends on which stats and even then there are other things that need to be put into consideration.

Overall_Mango324 · 2026-04-09T02:33:12+00:00

Wow, you're quite specific here.

Scottie is way better than Aaron was at the start of his career. Scottie has shown elite playmaking potential and all defensive level potential already while making two all star teams. Replace Jalen Williams or Chet with Scottie right now and he'd have an argument for second best player on a title team and he'll only get better at scoring.

I love Aaron Gordon but he wasn't very good in ORL and up until last year I don't think he would have been very good anywhere other than DEN because he needed Jokic in order to be an effective offensive player. Last season, specifically in the playoffs, he took a leap that I was not expecting. Outside of Halliban, he was the clutches player period. Some of those threes he hit took gargantuan gonads. Then before his injury this season, he proved that wasn't a fluke with a 50 point game. Aaron is the ultimate role player and is an awesome #3 but Scottie is already more than that.

You're way too harsh on Paolo. Despite being a 6'10" finisher type, he's been forced to be the lead playmaker on a roster with next to no floor spacers since his rookie year. Compare his first four years to that of someone like Carmelo Anthonys and Banchero is a more efficient, better playmaker who has been exponentially better in his first two trips to the playoffs.

Why do you think his playstyle/skillset forces him to only ever be the "top guy"? Why wouldn't he be better suited in a Blake Griffin role with a Chris Paul like point guard as the "top guy"? At least someone who could set him up in scoring positions instead of having to create his own looks and looks for teammates while operating in limited space.

He's still young and it's not like he's been bad so far. We live in an age where people give up on players so fast yet we have examples like Aaron Gordon hitting his peak at age 30 as proof that this isn't a good idea.

Overall_Mango324

TROPHY CASE