Who is the best NBA Player in the world right now?

[Homer38]

The Warriors would make easily the final in 2017 without Durant. 2018, the Warriors would have lost to the Rockets if Houston would not have been cold like crazy in the 3 points.

[KGtabake]

I think that after so many days, people realize how dumb the poll options were.
Giannis, Doncic, Harden represent the "other" option. Talking about total fail of a thread.

[GiannisAnte34]

Kevin Durant is likely off of that top players tier... what player has come back from such an injury and maintained their MVP level greatness?

Dominique Wilkins, but I'm skeptical about KD aswell. I think he will decline considerably, but he will still be a top 10 player even with that.

Wilkins had the surgery in January of 92, came back to play in the 92-93 season where the Hawks finished 4th seed with a 43-39 record.

If you're saying he was an MVP candidate, he was a fringe candidate. Players who were definitely better for MVP case; Barkley, Jordan, Malone, and Olajuwon.

Do I think Durant could be the 5th best player in the league post achilles? Sure I think so, but he is never going to dazzle the league with a real MVP caliber year ever again.

[mademan]

I don't think Kawhi is less ball dominant, I think he is more methodical, KD can pull up from anywhere, and he was a good fit for Warriors team speed. Replacing Harrison Barnes by all star makes them better on paper, but balance of the team is the key, and it can be disrupted if you add too much talent. KD can literally fit in on any team.

He fit amazingly as the 2nd most impactful player on the Warriors, and I do agree that he is the best player in the world who could have fit that role. Although Kawhi would have an argument. Lebron I don't think could have best fit that role. Ditto Giannis.

LeBron would change the philosophy of that team completely.

It doesnt really matter. They have such overwhelming talent that they were going to win every year they were healthy. That they were legit challenged by a Harden led team and may have been saved by a Paul injury is embarrassing in itself.

[bballgod07]

Harden? The guy that won the MVP and cheated out 4 out of 5 MVP

[Homer38]

He fit amazingly as the 2nd most impactful player on the Warriors, and I do agree that he is the best player in the world who could have fit that role. Although Kawhi would have an argument. Lebron I don't think could have best fit that role. Ditto Giannis.

LeBron would change the philosophy of that team completely.

It doesnt really matter. They have such overwhelming talent that they were going to win every year they were healthy. That they were legit challenged by a Harden led team and may have been saved by a Paul injury is embarrassing in itself.

And Harden was not even good in this series!

[mademan]

Harden? The guy that won the MVP and cheated out 4 out of 5 MVP

Harden's not getting any respect for best player until that play carries over into the post season.

[Harry Garris]

Replacing Harrison Barnes with any all star level wing would have made the Warriors better. That's not a case for KD being better than Lebron, Kawhi, or Giannis. I would argue that as good as the Warriors were with KD they would have been even better with Kawhi, as he was a better defender and less ball dominant which would have fit the Warriors system better than KD did.

I don't think Kawhi is less ball dominant, I think he is more methodical, KD can pull up from anywhere, and he was a good fit for Warriors team speed. Replacing Harrison Barnes by all star makes them better on paper, but balance of the team is the key, and it can be disrupted if you add too much talent. KD can literally fit in on any team.

He fit amazingly as the 2nd most impactful player on the Warriors, and I do agree that he is the best player in the world who could have fit that role. Although Kawhi would have an argument. Lebron I don't think could have best fit that role. Ditto Giannis.

This just isnt true though. After KD joined the Warriors their offense became less free-flowing and more iso heavy. And KD is an amazing iso player, one of the best in the league. But KD isos are never going to be as efficient as running Curry pick and rolls with Draymond with Klay running off screens on the other side of the court.

With that being said Kawhi is also a dominant iso player and proved in the playoffs last year he can fulfill that role just as well as KD can. Kawhi has also become a lethal 3 point shooter, and KD always really struggled from 3 in the playoffs before he joined the Warriors and benefitted from their spacing. I consider him a better player than KD because in addition to being comparable offensive hes much better on the defensive end.