RealGM

Slight variation of the popular question, but if you have some all-time starting five, who are you picking as your 6th man?

My all-time 5 depends on my mood but currently I'd go - Curry/Jordan/James/Durant/Olajuwon

To me I'd go with the scoring combo guard type role, so I would pick James Harden. Someone who can either score on his own or create and get others involved. I like that Harden's stepback 3 kind of exists in a vacuum and doesn't necessarily rely on his teammates.

An all time team probably will have multiple offensive engines already that can be staggered.

So my sixth man may be more of a defense/rebounding punch guy who also can pass and score

Scottie pippen would be a helluva sixth man, specially since he can play multiple positions defensively (meaning he can fit seamlessly in different lineups with whoever the other 5 guys are) the spacing would be the only issue but his offensive reboundinh conpensates it a fair bit imo

Another option is a versatile big who can play the 4 or 5 and contribute defense/spacing/passing. A sixth man minutes garnett would be outright unfair

Peak Grant Hill.

Manu, I want a 6th man who can handle coming off the bench and he was the best ever that actually had that role. Kevin McHale or Bobby Jones probably the best big if that's what's needed.

Dennis Rodman.

I don't know what my starting lineup would be, but I think my bench would look something like:

1996 NWO Rodman - Defense, rebounding, hustle, high offensive IQ, screens, ratings
2012 James Harden - Amazing per-possession efficiency and decision-maker, shoots 3's
2007 Yao Ming - Size, defense against other giants, Chinese market share
1986 Paul Pressey - Do-it-all wing, point forward, helps against opposition's full-court press, plays defense
1977 Maurice Lucas - Enforcer, rebounder, good passer and defender
1990 Derek Harper - Can defend PGs and SGs, very good D, shoots 3's, high IQ
1997 Mookie Blaylock - Can play d against quick guys, excellent TOV economy, shoots 3's

Really hate to leave off guys like Doug Christie, Willie Wise, Clifford Robinson, and Andre Iguodala. Only so many spots.

Rodman would win sixth man of the year in whatever all-time league I'm in. Most of the other sixth men will be dorks looking to score. Rodman is outrebounding Wilt and Russell in just 28 MPG.

Downtown Freddie Brown

First name to come to mind is Hondo Havlicek. Since I don't know who the starting five is, I'd want to go with a highly versatile guy as my 6th man. Hondo can play guard or SF. Can be a big-time scorer off the bench to kickstart the offense. Unlike most other scoring 6th men, Hondo was also an eight-time All Defensive team member (five of them as first team). Plus he has elite endurance and a non-stop motor to give the team a jolt of energy. And the cherry on top was that he was a great teammate; no matter who he's playing with, I wouldn't have to worry about personality clashes with potential teammates.

If I don't have KG in my starting lineup he's definitely the first guy off the bench for me. Unless I specifically need a high volume of 3's I can plug him in anywhere anytime for stretches, and even then there are worse shooters

Steve Nash sounds like a mad 6th man, staggering minutes with LeBron and Curry, who would be in my starting 5.

giordunk wrote:Slight variation of the popular question, but if you have some all-time starting five, who are you picking as your 6th man?

My all-time 5 depends on my mood but currently I'd go - Curry/Jordan/James/Durant/Olajuwon

To me I'd go with the scoring combo guard type role, so I would pick James Harden. Someone who can either score on his own or create and get others involved. I like that Harden's stepback 3 kind of exists in a vacuum and doesn't necessarily rely on his teammates.

If you are giving me 6 stars and 5 generic g-leagers, then i want to see if I can get my 6 stars to proce a back up at every position.
With Curry/Jordan/James/Durant/Olajuwon a center might be nice because Hakeem ca play power forward, Durant small forward, LeBron off guard and MJ point guard. Or add a guard like say Jason Kidd who can defend either guard spot. Jordan can play small forward, LeBron power forward, KD can play center height wise but I don't think KD wants to defend a powerful aggressive guy like prime Demarcus Cousins.

With no specific players, just positions: I want 1 C, 2 PF-C, 3 PF-SF, 4 OG-SF, 5 OG-PG, 6 PG
The 6th man is whichever one of them does best comig off the bench.
Then my 5 minute per game g League players. A ultra big slow center. A ultra fast small point guard. A shoots but can't defend small forward, a defends but can't shoot small forward.

I'd pick a center because they have the best players. If I have an all time team I already have my bases covered, so why not add Kareem to your team or something.

HeartBreakKid wrote:I'd pick a center because they have the best players. If I have an all time team I already have my bases covered, so why not add Kareem to your team or something.

I'd say cause all-time centers offer diminishing returns in a way no other position does.

Jaivl wrote:

HeartBreakKid wrote:I'd pick a center because they have the best players. If I have an all time team I already have my bases covered, so why not add Kareem to your team or something.

I'd say cause all-time centers offer diminishing returns in a way no other position does.

How so?

The sixth man for me is a guy who can lead an offence (when playing with the bench guys) but also off ball (in the closing lineup with the starters and who the lead creator is).
Harden doesn't fit that since he went to Houston, while this is clearly Manu Ginobili.
IRL, a player like that is too good to accept coming off the bench (especially in terms of the impact it will have on his numbers and personal accolades), that's what made Manu so unique and the Spurs so devastating for so long.

HeartBreakKid wrote:

Jaivl wrote:

HeartBreakKid wrote:I'd pick a center because they have the best players. If I have an all time team I already have my bases covered, so why not add Kareem to your team or something.

I'd say cause all-time centers offer diminishing returns in a way no other position does.

How so?

Supposing you already have +38 minutes of all-time center play, you're only effectively getting 10 extra minutes of that. Can't really play them together like basically all other positions can, mainly by a lack of space.

You already have Jordan/LeBron/Durant on your team, and you choose James Harden as your 6th man Absolutely terrible choice, the last thing your team needs is a ball dominant iso scorer. There are literally dozens of players I'd pick over Harden, but just for this exercise, I choose KG.

Larry Bird.

He can score, pass, rebound, shoot, and plays solid D.

I’d probably have him as a starter, but he’s amazing as a 6th man.

Curry, Jordan, Lebron, KG, (insert center of choice)

Kobe

My starting 5 would have Hakeem/LeBron at C/PF so my 6th man would be KG. For one he's just an all-time great player who fits on any team build and can fill multiple positions/roles, but he'd also provide insurance in case I come up against any all-time teams featuring monster frontcourts. I'll take Hakeem/Garnett to hold their own defensively against any possible twin tower duo in NBA history

Barkley