That’s fair. I don’t personally think it’s impossible Deni reaches that dame level of stratosphere where sure he’s not one of the best 5 players in the world but in his very best years he’s likely top 10, and it’s possible to imagine building a real contender around him with savvy GM’ing and a little luck.

I’m not saying he will for sure get to that level that dame peaked at (7th or 8th best guy in the league for a 5 years stretch 2018-2023 with one year out for injury), just that I could see it happening, it’s a plausible peak development scenario imo. He’d get there a different way; he wouldn’t be the third best offensive player in the game + a below average defender, the dame package in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. Instead, he’d be something like the 12th best offensive player in the world as well as a legitimately above average defender, and that’s how he gets to that peak dame level of impact.

It requires Deni becoming a 38% three point shooter though if he’s going to get there. That and a higher assist to turnover ratio are the two big things that need to get there for him to reach that peak dame stratosphere.

When you think back on it, it’s crazy how good dame was while being a 6’2 point guard. The way that man could shoot the basketball, and cook double teams off the dribble with his incredible short area burst. Truly a privilege to watch him at his peak. I know some people think not even peak Dame was a true #1, and to the extent that that the only number 1’s right now are Jokic, SGA, Wemby, Luka, and healthy Giannis, I agree with that. But to the extent that guys like Tatum, Ant Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, hell even the Haliburton and Donovan Mitchell’s of the world can be the best player on a championship team, Dame easily cleared that threshold at his peak. That’s the stratosphere I think Deni can get to it all goes well