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Putting together my own greatest peaks list, and this is a comparison I'm having a lot of trouble with and changing my mind on almost daily.

Interested to see what opinions are on these guys at their best vs each other.

- Both efficient and resilient playoff scorers, Kawhi with his shooting and Wade with his slashing and underrated midrange game

- Both good defenders. Kawhi would have the edge here, even after he left his defensive prime and entered his offensive one, which were two different periods. Both were strong team defenders and strong man defenders, but Kawhi was better at it, and was more versatile/switchable, being able to defend up to 4 positions

- OTOH, Wade has an equally big playmaking and lead guard edge on Kawhi, possibly even bigger

- Kawhi a better rebounder

- Wade a better and more vocal leader

Both also extremely clutch.

Just a bitch of a comparison.

if im allowed to just say 2017, 2019 and 2021, then kawhi. I think to say giving kawhi the "edge" defensively isnt really fair. He literally had teams pulling him away from the basket to try to play 4 on 4 becuase him being anywhere near the rock was suicidal. Kawhi also has a frontrunning argument for being the best overall on ball defender in history considering era, peak, versatility. the way he defended lebron, giannis, james harden jimmy butler, donovan mitchell, luka doncic, even kd two years ago.

Leonard may be a below average playmaker who can only make passes in front of him, but he was better at playing off of other players, and has shown it his entire career. Wade had some problems playing with lebron in the HALF COURT, when games slowed down and they couldnt force turnovers and really took more of a backseat than leonard would have if it was him playing with lebron dominating the basketball.

Wade is higher on an all time great list, but if we are talking all time talent, Respect to wade, I need to compare him to lebron and steph, and kd, and jokic and giannis.

2006 Wade is really, really, really good. It's one of the best 20 peaks ever, as he absolutely rampages through the playoffs on his way to a championship, after a strong, near MVP calibre season.

Problem with Kawhi is picking a year where he was healthy. It almost has to be 2017. He should have won MVP that year, and his defense was still at least all-defense level. He murders everyone in the playoffs, and barely misses shots, but then we have Zaza Pachulia.

I lean Kawhi, but Wade did play almost twice as many playoff games that year and win finals MVP. I think these peaks are close.

Very close but I’m going with Kawhi. Although, it’s only because of “peak”, where we can pick the best version of them.

Wade.
Peak Wade was maybe the 2nd best peak ever among shooting guards behind MJ.
I value his slashing and playmaking abilities over Kawhi's shooting ability.
Also prime Wade vas very good in defense. He is a bit underrated there and he was pretty close to Kawhi.

Very very close. I'd go with 2016-2017 Kawhi. One of the greatest peaks of any player ever.

I thought you were going to ask who got paid more under the table LOL and my answer to that question would be Wade.

Kawhi peaks higher as a player imo, but every single season in his prime, he basically gets hurt or is limping to the finish line.

So I think Wade is the more prudent choice.

Any more Wade takers?

I'm Wade ... Because I'm already tired of all the BS with KL recently lols

And Wade is like 3rd best SG ever behind Jordan/Kobe

I dont think Kawhi peaks as high as Wade in 2010 vs the Celtics, which is where he to me might be at his best. Wade if not injured from 07 would very likely peak even higher, but its close.

The problem with Leonard is 2017 was his best season, but he got hurt in the playoffs. Then 2019 his defense wasn't remotely what it had been and he missed so many regular season games. We could look past that but then he was hobbled in the finals and we'd look far worse on that but the warriors broke down.

So I don't really see how you don't take Wade here. You get a full season and playoffs.

As for who was best at their best...there you can make a good case for Leonard. But we've never seen him without so much talent around him it's hard for me to not take a pause there. So I'd still lean Wade.

Kawhi had the best peak is not even close. He was the best player in the world.

Now that peak was less than 1/4 of a season compared to Wade being in the top 3 top 5 consideration for a decade. I'll give kawhi the hottest flash in the pan win on this one.

Edit. There was a time where kawhi trade could fetch any player. Wade didn't have that. Ps Wade is my favorite player.

I'd take Wade but it's close Kawhi was an absolute beast! Wade was just unreal though, he was seemingly everywhere on the court at once making big plays. And he lived at the rim, guy was just utterly unstoppable. He also brought all the intangibles as well.

Kawhi at his peak was basically:

- 30+ ultra efficient PPG
- Highly limiting opposing team's best player
- Great defensive rebounding

Getting 30 efficient points from your best player while he simultaneously shuts down the opposing team's guy, its tough to ask for more than that from a player.

Wade at his peak was basically:

- 30+ efficient PPG
- High level teammate utilization
- Good man and team defense

Does this basically come down to Kawhi's defense vs. Wade's playmaking?

Kawhi. As good as Wade was in 2009, he never had a season of the calibre of 2017 or 2021 Kawhi.

Can we define "peak"?

Personally, "peak" is not just one moment, one game, or one season. It's a series of seasons and playoff runs. I'd say a select 3-5 year span where a player was at his best.

So, with my definition, the answer is Wade.

Anderson Hunt wrote:Can we define "peak"?

Personally, "peak" is not just one moment, one game, or one season. It's a series of seasons and playoff runs. I'd say a select 3-5 year span where a player was at his best.

So, with my definition, the answer is Wade.

The dictionary definition of peak would lend itself to one whole season.

Wade put the entire team on his back to win a Finals, so Wade is comfortably ahead for me. Then add that he should have won another Finals MVP in 2011 had LeBron not choked.

I would agree with those who said Kawhi at his absolute apex may have been better than Wade, but for sustaining it at minimum of an entire season let alone several, Wade was better. Its pretty close, with tradeoffs between the two.