RealGM

Who is the better basketball player?

I'd take Sabonis. Everytime, in every scenario.

chilluminati wrote:I'd take Sabonis. Everytime, in every scenario.

Totally agree with you^^

Definitely LaVine for me.

Sabonis

Domas' ability to conduct offense out of the post is a luxury and he's one of the best rebounders of the decade. Defense isn't a strong point but he's more productive on that end than most give him credit for, particularly if he's paired with a mobile rim protector (not the case in SAC). Lack of spacing is mitigated by a competent mid range arsenal

There are unique settings where I'd prefer LaVine, i.e. if volume scoring/perimeter shot creation are desperate needs

Westbrook apparently

I think, if a poll went up, it would be pretty unanimous. Even LaVine would vote for Sabonis.

Sabonis needs to link up with Jaren Jackson. That pairing might save their careers and increase their value collectively.

Lavine is hopeless.

So far this season - LaVine

0the consensus is only that zach is better than ja at this moment

Only one of them pass the ball and Basketball is a team game.

Sabonis has some of the best PR in the league. I’ve gone to a few Kings games over the past couple years and he’s gotta be one of my least favorite guys in the league to watch. His counting stats are fine, but he’s a liability out there. He can't move his feet and switch on defense at all, can’t protect the rim, and doesn’t have a good offensive bag, easily gets shut down by guys with length and size. I was at the Nuggets/Kings game last year and the corpse of Deandre Jordan was giving him size problems down low.

He’s one of those guys who puts his team in an impossible situation to build around given his limitations and salary.

Frank Dux wrote:Sabonis has some of the best PR in the league. I’ve gone to a few Kings games over the past couple years and he’s gotta be one of my least favorite guys in the league to watch. His counting stats are fine, but he’s a liability out there. He can't move his feet and switch on defense at all, can’t protect the rim, and doesn’t have a good offensive bag, easily gets shut down by guys with length and size. I was at the Nuggets/Kings game last year and the corpse of Deandre Jordan was giving him size problems down low.

He’s one of those guys who puts his team in an impossible situation to build around given his limitations and salary.

Agreed. And we can say the exact same thing about LaVine, too. I cannot believe an NBA GM thought putting those two on a team together with Demar Derozan was a good idea.

Sabonis is an all star caliber player.
Lavine isn't.

Sabonis but only Sabonis is overrated. Wouldn't want either.

Sabonis puts up empty stats, he has no impact in games.

Half of his assists are hand offs which are fake assists.

Sabonis is a decent player, slightly overpaid, with decent impact, so he has some value.

Lavine is a good player, extremely overpaid, with no impact, highly negative player.

Frank Dux wrote:Sabonis has some of the best PR in the league. I’ve gone to a few Kings games over the past couple years and he’s gotta be one of my least favorite guys in the league to watch. His counting stats are fine, but he’s a liability out there. He can't move his feet and switch on defense at all, can’t protect the rim, and doesn’t have a good offensive bag, easily gets shut down by guys with length and size. I was at the Nuggets/Kings game last year and the corpse of Deandre Jordan was giving him size problems down low.

He’s one of those guys who puts his team in an impossible situation to build around given his limitations and salary.

Said this many times, but he is most overrated player in a league by far imo. I do not think he is starter quality center, I sure wouldn't want him to start on my tesm, but people here want to put him on all-nba...

KGtabake wrote:Sabonis is an all star caliber player.
Lavine isn't.

No hes not... I do not think he is starter caliber player. Sabonis is an all star same way vooch was an all star, put empty stats on bad team once, and people who don't even watch thought he was good for a second. I think people finally waking up from Sabonis spell and see who he is, a lower tier role player cast as a leading man.

That said, I still do not think Lavine is better. Maybe LAvine is better, both neither player has serious impact on winning IMO.

I think LaVine might be the most unlucky player of the last decade (not including guys with injuries and stuff). I get and totally agree that LaVine is not a good defender and isnt good enough to be a #1 option to turn a bad team into good or even average. And because of that, he kind of has been labeled as this empty stats chucker.

While in reality he's a very high efficient scorer who doesnt dominate the ball and has never really played with a good facilitator or a legit #1 option. He can get you 24-25ppg on 60+ TS%, dish out a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio and all on sub 5 Time Per Possession.

I still think if you were to put LaVine on a team that has a true #1 option/elite facilitator and has a solid defense where you can just put him on the 3rd best perimeter player on the opposing team. I think he would excel.

Put him on Boston instead of Jaylen Brown (the past few years, not this year), I dont think you see much of a drop off. Put him on Denver over Murray, I think Denver gets better. Again he's just never been on a team where he gets to play his correct role in my opinion. He's kind of been stuck as the mercenary getting traded from bad team to bad team, where he is being asked to be the 1st option or like a 1a/1b option on a bad team.

Again no I dont think he's good enough to elevate a bad team as the primary guy. Just dont think he's ever been given a shot to be a legit 2nd option on a good roster. And I think he would excel in that scenario.

As a Bulls fan and watching LaVine for many years...the player you want is Sabonis.

LaVine is one of the most talented, athletic, smooth, quick, fast and efficient guards you can have...but...

He is low IQ, does not consistently play defense and most of all...he does not win.