RealGM

Who would you take top 5 if these players were available in the 2023 draft, and you knew how good they would turn out to be. You get 5 selections.

Talent level I think I'd go like this:
Curry
Giannis
Jokic
Kawhi
Kobe
KD
Harden
AD (at his best better than this, but maddeningly inconsistent)
Luka
Butler

But have to have some adjustment for availability if I'm all-knowing, so I'll go with Curry/Giannis/Jokic/Kobe/KD. Strongly debated Giannis vs Harden vs KD for the last two spots.

No shame in being #10 on this list either, strong list.

Didn't Kobe force his way to the Lakers? If I'm a smaller market, that might determine if I draft him.

I hate ranking active players and particularly young players like Luka in all-time lists as it is not fair to past players to project large chunks of a career. Players with one foot out the door like LeBron and Paul don't matter unless they add rings, but a young guy like Luka he hasn't possibly even peaked yet and you are basically just guessing on his prime. Though most everyone here has at least peaked aside from Luka, and only Giannis and Jokic are currently at peak.

Curry, Giannis, Jokic and Kobe are perennial MVP candidate tier players. This is the top tier you can be in as an active player.

Durant and Kawhi would be in Tier 1 if their prime wasn't too short or reduced by injury.

Luka is super young so really hard to project but he could be in Tier 1 if he can get in the right team situation. Maybe he needs the motivation of the title to bring it in training camp from day 1. Too young to be coming to camp out of shape, though. I understand wanting to preserve his body for the long haul but extra weight is only more stress on the joints.

As for Harden, Butler, AD, I think these are Tier 2 players. They've gotten some MVP discussion some seasons in their careers, but mostly are more high level all-stars than true superstars.

Tier 1 = Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Kobe
Tier 1.5 = Durant, Kawhi, Luka
Tier 2 = Harden, Butler, AD

For a top 5 draft, probably Luka goes #5 knowing the injury histories.

kendogg wrote:I hate ranking active players and particularly young players like Luka in all-time lists as it is not fair to past players to project large chunks of a career. Players with one foot out the door like LeBron and Paul don't matter unless they add rings, but a young guy like Luka he hasn't possibly even peaked yet and you are basically just guessing on his prime. Though most everyone here has at least peaked aside from Luka, and only Giannis and Jokic are currently at peak.

Curry, Giannis, Jokic and Kobe are perennial MVP candidate tier players. This is the top tier you can be in as an active player.

Durant and Kawhi would be in Tier 1 if their prime wasn't too short or reduced by injury.

Luka is super young so really hard to project but he could be in Tier 1 if he can get in the right team situation. Maybe he needs the motivation of the title to bring it in training camp from day 1. Too young to be coming to camp out of shape, though. I understand wanting to preserve his body for the long haul but extra weight is only more stress on the joints.

As for Harden, Butler, AD, I think these are Tier 2 players. They've gotten some MVP discussion some seasons in their careers, but mostly are more high level all-stars than true superstars.

Tier 1 = Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Kobe
Tier 1.5 = Durant, Kawhi, Luka
Tier 2 = Harden, Butler, AD

For a top 5 draft, probably Luka goes #5 knowing the injury histories.

I don't think Kobe is a tier ahead of Harden.

Kobe has 4.2 Career MVP shares while Harden sits at 3.6 [They rank 10th and 12th respectively].

All players in Tiers are in order [though I prefer and value the tiers over order]

Tier 1 - Dynastic players and routinely Top 3 for most of prime
Curry, Jokic & Giannis

Tier 2 - Title favorites with right supporting cast
Kobe & Harden

Tier 3 - Elite guys who are weapons rather than the system
Kawhi, KD & AD

Tier 4 - Yet to prove or just not good [consistent] enough
Luka & Butler

I fully expect Luka to climb the ranks but there is no reason for me to just thrust him up into the upper echelon of NBA's greats until he does it.

As for Butler, again, great player, but he is being compared to Top 50 guys + Luka, come on.

1. Jokic
2. Giannis
3. Kobe
4. Curry
5. KD

Assuming I get them for their whole careers

1. Luka
2. Jokic
3. Curry
4./5. Giannis/Kobe

1. Curry - 4 rings
2. Jokic - feels like it's his league
3. Giannis - close to Jokic
4. Kobe - more difficult personality wise than the above
5. Durant - danger of him switching teams, kind of a dick
6. Doncic - not sure yet if he's going to separate himself from Harden status
7. Davis - Injury but dominant 2 way big at best
8. Harden - questions about whether he can lead team to title but long mostly healthy run
9. Kawhi - not enough healthy prime years
10. Butler - definitely 10th

Kobe Curry Durant Giannis Jokic is my slate - feel like that should be pretty clear. Though if I had an early pick, I would game the system and pick Giannis, Jokic, or Curry. As they were later bloomers (~ year 4 in their careers), this would give me a chance to stockpile better talent through the lottery and build around them.

Not in any sort of order. Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Luka and Kobe. Didn’t have to think hard about it considering Davis’ and Kawhi’s health problems. Butler doesn’t belong here.

eminence wrote:Talent level I think I'd go like this:
Curry
Giannis
Jokic
Kawhi
Kobe
KD
Harden
AD (at his best better than this, but maddeningly inconsistent)
Luka
Butler

But have to have some adjustment for availability if I'm all-knowing, so I'll go with Curry/Giannis/Jokic/Kobe/KD. Strongly debated Giannis vs Harden vs KD for the last two spots.

No shame in being #10 on this list either, strong list.

What do you mean by talent? I love AD but I’d say Luka is more talented

MyUniBroDavis wrote:

eminence wrote:Talent level I think I'd go like this:
Curry
Giannis
Jokic
Kawhi
Kobe
KD
Harden
AD (at his best better than this, but maddeningly inconsistent)
Luka
Butler

But have to have some adjustment for availability if I'm all-knowing, so I'll go with Curry/Giannis/Jokic/Kobe/KD. Strongly debated Giannis vs Harden vs KD for the last two spots.

No shame in being #10 on this list either, strong list.

What do you mean by talent? I love AD but I’d say Luka is more talented

Why?

70sFan wrote:

MyUniBroDavis wrote:

eminence wrote:Talent level I think I'd go like this:
Curry
Giannis
Jokic
Kawhi
Kobe
KD
Harden
AD (at his best better than this, but maddeningly inconsistent)
Luka
Butler

But have to have some adjustment for availability if I'm all-knowing, so I'll go with Curry/Giannis/Jokic/Kobe/KD. Strongly debated Giannis vs Harden vs KD for the last two spots.

No shame in being #10 on this list either, strong list.

What do you mean by talent? I love AD but I’d say Luka is more talented

Why?

I think I might have misunderstood talent here, so we mean like, given what we know about them as a rookie what he could become at his peak or talent so far?

AD is always weird for me to evaluate because I think gentry making him become a back to the basket guy more than a face up and rolling one + the torn labrum killing his jump shot probably set him back a few pegs

MyUniBroDavis wrote:

70sFan wrote:

MyUniBroDavis wrote:
What do you mean by talent? I love AD but I’d say Luka is more talented

Why?

I think I might have misunderstood talent here, so we mean like, given what we know about them as a rookie what he could become at his peak or talent so far?

AD is always weird for me to evaluate because I think gentry making him become a back to the basket guy more than a face up and rolling one + the torn labrum killing his jump shot probably set him back a few pegs

I don't think Davis fails to Luka either way. He's absurdly talented, just injury prone and very inconsistent effort-wise. He has the tools to impact the game in a way Doncic will probably never reach.