What is a Championship Player?

[RRyder823]

When I was watching the Olympics, I was struck by the observation that while the roster was full of great players, they weren't exactly the kind of guys I'd want to build a team around (though they could be great on a particular team, and you obviously can win with an all-star team). Durant, Carmelo? I don't think so. Dramond (who I didn't see play) I'd want, if I was sure he'd play nicely with the other players.

Wait, you'd actually take Draymond over Durant and Melo?

For the price, yeah, absolutely.

So salary now factors into their ability to be a championship player?

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[Rockmaninoff]

This is an impossible question because no player is a champion alone.

What makes a champion team? I think it's at least a guy that can get efficient iso buckets and set people up, a guy that can set people up and get efficient buckets, and guys that can finish/D/board. Then you need chemistry and hunger, which comes from time (but not too much) and adversity (but not too much).

[DrWood]

the term "championship player," is probably not the best choice of words. The idea was the type of players you'd want to build a team around, so wouldn't include one-or-two-trick role players (who would still be needed to fill out the roster); it might not include the type of guys that fill up a stat sheet on bad teams, either.
Of course, single players don't win a championship. As someone else stated, I'd probably have included Stockton and Malone: they just kept meeting the wrong team at the wrong time.
The exception of "single players don't win championships" are the guys that attract veterans to play w/ them on the cheap.
So, probably I'm thinking of guys on a 2-4 man core of a team.

Middleton certainly would qualify with the defense he played a couple years ago. I think Giannis would qualify. I don't think Jabari would right now, simply because of how bad he is on defense.

[Rockmaninoff]

the term "championship player," is probably not the best choice of words. The idea was the type of players you'd want to build a team around, so wouldn't include one-or-two-trick role players (who would still be needed to fill out the roster); it might not include the type of guys that fill up a stat sheet on bad teams, either.
Of course, single players don't win a championship. As someone else stated, I'd probably have included Stockton and Malone: they just kept meeting the wrong team at the wrong time.
The exception of "single players don't win championships" are the guys that attract veterans to play w/ them on the cheap.
So, probably I'm thinking of guys on a 2-4 man core of a team.

Middleton certainly would qualify with the defense he played a couple years ago. I think Giannis would qualify. I don't think Jabari would right now, simply because of how bad he is on defense.

Is Kyrie Irving a championship player?

[DrWood]

Wait, you'd actually take Draymond over Durant and Melo?

For the price, yeah, absolutely.

So salary now factors into their ability to be a championship player?

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You're right. I wouldn't want Durant or Melo on my team, unless they came as veteran second-fiddles on the cheap, or if I had a bad team and I'd rather get blown out 120-95 every night than 115-76.

[Rockmaninoff]

Give Melo a good set up guy (old Billups/Kidd) and his teams are good. Give him a great set up guy, and his teams would be contenders.

I don't really buy Durant as a strong iso guy anymore. He's going to be a 3+Rebs stretch PF in GS.

[ReasonablySober]

Someone lucky enough to be on a team with the best player on the planet.