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This comparison became an actual discussion in another thread here, so I decided to make a thread about it. Personally, I think the answer is pretty obvious. But it’s worth discussing just how big the gap actually is and whether it’s even up for debate or not.

I do think that Kevin still gets underrated to this day, and it was at its peak during his Cleveland days. So that’s at least worth mentioning. But uh… yeah, please feel free to give your thoughts.

Draymond was a legitimate top 5 player in the entire league that season. You can argue that Kevin Love wasn't even a top 5 Cavs player in the finals because he was a complete liability.

colts18 wrote:Draymond was a legitimate top 5 player in the entire league that season. You can argue that Kevin Love wasn't even a top 5 Cavs player in the finals because he was a complete liability.

I don’t know about top five… I can settle for top ten though.

Green was inside my top 5 as well for 2016, that's the level Love never approached and especially not in 2016.

Not even close.

Draymond in 2016 had superstar impact. You can make a very strong case he was a top 5 player that season and it doesn't get talked about much, but his game 7 in the finals was all-time great.

This is a lot more one sided that I was expecting.

Outside of James, Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Durant, Leonard.. there's nobody in the league I would argue over Draymond in 2016's pool of players.

Draymond was actually a consensus top 5 player on the board in the POY project in 2016. I don't think I was voting at the time, but I would have had him 4th. Draymond vs. KD in 2016 would be a much more interesting question in 2016 vs. than Dray vs. Love. Love might not even have been top 30.

rk2023 wrote:Outside of James, Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Durant, Leonard.. there's nobody in the league I would argue over Draymond in 2016's pool of players.

I think he has a good case vs Kawhi as well. Maybe even better defensively while being a better playmaker/orchestrator with decent scoring that particular season. That was before Kawhi made his jump imo

No one without an agenda or some insane bias against players who do not score is taking Love.

Love has gotten underrated, but yeah its Draymond. He was crazy good that year with the aberrational 3-point shooting. If the Warriors win the title in 2016 and Draymond wins FMVP I wonder how he'd be looked at now.

1993Playoffs wrote:

rk2023 wrote:Outside of James, Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Durant, Leonard.. there's nobody in the league I would argue over Draymond in 2016's pool of players.

I think he has a good case vs Kawhi as well. Maybe even better defensively while being a better playmaker/orchestrator with decent scoring that particular season. That was before Kawhi made his jump imo

Its a debate but I'd still take Kawhi. Kawhi hadn't fully broken out offensively yet, but he was still at 21ppg with great percentages/advanced stats and finished 2nd in MVP voting (behind the unanimous 1st place finisher lol). Best player on a team that won 67 games. I'd go:

1. Curry
2. LeBron
3. Durant
4. Kawhi
5. Westbrook
6. Paul
7. Draymond

****, I miss that era of the NBA lol. 2016 was such an awesome season.

I'm curious as to why 4 people picked Love.

TheLand13 wrote:I'm curious as to why 4 people picked Love.

You know why lol.

There might be some discussion between '16 Dray (likely his peak) and peak Love (I've got Dray pretty clearly still), but '16 Love is not close.

2016 Draymond is better than any single season version of Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

eminence wrote:There might be some discussion between '16 Dray (likely his peak) and peak Love (I've got Dray pretty clearly still), but '16 Love is not close.

Peak Love is the last of the weak-MVP level, old-school Big Men archetype.

MiamiBulls wrote:2016 Draymond is better than any single season version of Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

I wouldn’t go that far.

MiamiBulls wrote:2016 Draymond is better than any single season version of Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

I'll toss into the hot-take jar and say that in the modern era, I would prefer Green over both across multiple situations (aside from the few ones needing floor-raising).

rk2023 wrote:

MiamiBulls wrote:2016 Draymond is better than any single season version of Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

I'll toss into the hot-take jar and say that in the modern era, I would prefer Green over both across multiple situations (aside from the few ones needing floor-raising).

I personally just don’t see an argument for it, unless I’m getting green as a support player.