Todays League: Bird vs Duncan vs Magic

Matt15 · Post #1 » by **Matt15** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 1:14 am

In todays league which player would you rather have for 5 years in their primes?

prolific passer · Post #2 » by **prolific passer** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 1:49 am

Tough choice but I chose Magic. He can pretty much do it all offensively.

henshao · Post #3 » by **henshao** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 2:25 am

I still say Jokic is what Bird would look like with a time machine

No-more-rings · Post #4 » by **No-more-rings** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 4:28 am

henshao wrote:I still say Jokic is what Bird would look like with a time machine

Probably as close as you’ll get but Jokic is arguably better offensively given better scoring resilience probably due to size. Bird at least pre-87 was a better defender by a good margin.

I’d probably rather have Bird in a vacuum, but Jokic’s story isn’t written yet if he pulls of a championship or two we could be looking at this differently. He may want to get out of Denver at this point though. He’s wasting a lot of prime years on a team that’s ok but far from ideal.

No-more-rings · Post #5 » by **No-more-rings** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 4:38 am

Magic and Bird are both ATGs offensively, but I just have a hard time seeing how this isn’t Duncan. Duncan plays like one of the top 5 or 10 defenders ever while also giving you a reasonably efficient 20-25 ppg.

Colbinii · Post #6 » by **Colbinii** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 5:37 am

henshao wrote:I still say Jokic is what Bird would look like with a time machine

Best case outcome for Bird--sure.

SNPA · Post #7 » by **SNPA** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 6:09 am

You take early prime Bird and reap the rewards. Bird was an ATG then and the game has moved towards him.

falcolombardi · Post #8 » by **falcolombardi** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 6:33 am

Tim duncan for me. The combination of all time defense and strong offense focal point is too alluring

Magic would be tempting as he prolly would be game breaking offensively

AEnigma · Post #9 » by **AEnigma** » Sat Dec 3, 2022 8:34 am

Duncan made the most of his career, but in the modern league I wonder whether he would have stayed more at that 1998-2000 size. Could assume he suffers a knee injury anyway, but then should also assume Bird breaks his back and Magic contracts some new stigmatised disease.

Would ideally hope Duncan extends his range. However, I would be happy to gamble on finding some offensive superstar to pair with Duncan, and I probably have the fewest questions with him. All three have valid arguments though. Jokic makes sense as a Bird comparison. Giannis crossed with Davis for Duncan to some extent. Trickier for Magic; maybe Lebron crossed with Haliburton? In any case, tough to go wrong.