RealGM

Which duo would you rather build around?

If they were at their peak or only when they were together?

Homer38 wrote:If they were at their peak or only when they were together?

I guess both

At their peak(s), I would go with James/Davis. The defense and physical advantage such a duo would already provide a theoretical team outweighs the favor in sheer offense given by a Curry/Durant pairing (I am holding all else equal, teammate-wise, for this exercise). Not to mention, the former pairing would have quite the stellar scoring combo amongst themselves - especially with bludgeoning teams interiorly and/or garnering a high FT-Rate.

At peak this comp doesn't make a ton of sense since LeBron and AD's two way impact will be worth more than the mostly offense add from Steph and KD (not that they can't hold their own defensively, just that LeBron/AD gives you a top defense and top offense out of the gate).

Peaks, Lebron + AD

Curry and KD were better when they were together though, Lakers duo was just injured too often (not that Curry and KD had flawless durability either).

RCM88x wrote:Peaks, Lebron + AD

Curry and KD were better when they were together though, Lakers duo was just injured too often (not that Curry and KD had flawless durability either).

Keeping in mind that they were playing with a dpoy and another all star while LeBron and AD weren't. I mean I give them full credit for being part of the most dominant team of all time but its not an overall apples to apples sort of comparison. In terms of which to build around I think it depends how much you want to penalize for AD's health issues if we are gonna deage them all to about 22-23 and then build. I suspect I'd go with the Laker duo because LeBron was so consistent for about 13-15 straight years.

Healthy peak AD and Lebron? Gotta go with them, presuming we're rounding out with a quality cast of roleplayers and what have you.

Steph and KD nets you INSANE offense, for sure, but the two-way angle evens things out and (for me, at least) leans it in the direction of the other duo. Can't really go wrong either way, obviously.

Assuming peaks with health, easily Lebron & AD. I think Curry+Draymond would be a more interesting question even though I would still probably go with Lebron + AD.

rk2023 wrote:At their peak(s), I would go with James/Davis. The defense and physical advantage such a duo would already provide a theoretical team outweighs the favor in sheer offense given by a Curry/Durant pairing (I am holding all else equal, teammate-wise, for this exercise). Not to mention, the former pairing would have quite the stellar scoring combo amongst themselves - especially with bludgeoning teams interiorly and/or garnering a high FT-Rate.

We’re seeing how good the Lakers can be with a 65,000 minute, injured, 38 year old LeBron. Imagine this same team with even 2020 LeBron, and then imagine them with a 2018 or 2017 or 2016 or 2013 or 2012 or 2009 type LeBron.

That’s not taking anything away from Curry and KD, though Draymond’s defense and playmaking helped make that Warriors team so good.

2020 LeBron/AD goes above any version of Steph/KD and arguably over any duo ever besides 2001 Kobe/Shaq. If you expand it to career peaks, 2017 LeBron/2020 AD washes 2017 Steph/2014 Durant even more.

For the entire time they spent together though, you go the 3 years of Steph/KD because of the persistent injuries both LeBron and AD had outside of 2020.