Bob Lanier vs Elvin Hayes in today's league

[durantbird]

There's a difference in efficiency for Lanier, and defensively Hayes was All Defense but Lanier was solid and also had one pretty good defensive year.

Lanier's moves and size might possess some challenges to today's defenses. Hayes is the more celebrated one historically though with some proven play-off success.

Who would fair better today?

[70sFan]

I think that Lanier was significantly better player during their primes and I don't see the reason to believe anything would change today. Hayes is a better defender and I think he'd translate very well, but his offense is very problematic.

[penbeast0]

If Hayes accepts being a 5th option scorer and learns a 3 point shot, his defense and motor were a lot better and he was a lot quicker and more athletic and switchable. Lanier is a traditional mid-post scorer who is much more likely to be able to add a 3 point shot and be a strong offensive, weak defensive center today. The trouble is that that type of center is valued much less in the modern league.

[70sFan]

If Hayes accepts being a 5th option scorer and learns a 3 point shot, his defense and motor were a lot better and he was a lot quicker and more athletic and switchable. Lanier is a traditional mid-post scorer who is much more likely to be able to add a 3 point shot and be a strong offensive, weak defensive center today. The trouble is that that type of center is valued much less in the modern league.

Although I agree with most of what you said, we still have KAT as the star now, even though Lanier was definitely a better defender than him in his prime. I don't think Lanier was really a bad defender and I doubt his defense would unable him to become a star today.

[penbeast0]

KAT's ability to shoot the 3 at a guard level rate gives him a job. Look at the terrific per minute scoring post players without strong defense like JV, Enes Kanter, Thomas Bryant. While Lanier is a step up from those guys, that's the general type of player that is most impacted by the move away from interior and post scoring focused offense to 3 point spamming modern offense.

The problem isn't his defense per se, it's that the modern offenses devalue his offensive style and his defense and body type make it less likely that he will translate to the modern game UNLESS (and here's the key) he becomes a 3 point spamming big like KAT. Lanier is indeed one of the bigs of his era that did actually develop a 3 point shot in the 80s in Milwaukee so it's certainly possible that he might turn into a KAT level player.

Hayes shows no sign of that level of shooting in his career. His athleticism and defense would still get him an NBA job like a rich man's version of OO in Atlanta even if he never really develops a 3 point game but they would certainly try to teach him to shoot 3's. Certainly they wouldn't use him spamming that inefficient mid post jump shot that he used so much in Washington as it was a poor scoring option even then (though it had the Iverson type value of drawing attention at least).

[70sFan]

KAT's ability to shoot the 3 at a guard level rate gives him a job. Look at the terrific per minute scoring post players without strong defense like JV, Enes Kanter, Thomas Bryant. While Lanier is a step up from those guys, that's the general type of player that is most impacted by the move away from interior and post scoring focused offense to 3 point spamming modern offense.

The problem isn't his defense per se, it's that the modern offenses devalue his offensive style and his defense and body type make it less likely that he will translate to the modern game UNLESS (and here's the key) he becomes a 3 point spamming big like KAT. Lanier is indeed one of the bigs of his era that did actually develop a 3 point shot in the 80s in Milwaukee so it's certainly possible that he might turn into a KAT level player.

Hayes shows no sign of that level of shooting in his career. His athleticism and defense would still get him an NBA job like a rich man's version of OO in Atlanta even if he never really develops a 3 point game but they would certainly try to teach him to shoot 3's. Certainly they wouldn't use him spamming that inefficient mid post jump shot that he used so much in Washington as it was a poor scoring option even then (though it had the Iverson type value of drawing attention at least).

Lanier isn't a post up player strictly though. I think his versatile scoring skillset and decent passing chops would be very valuable in the modern league, even without three point shot (and as you said, Lanier was more than capable shooter and he could develop a three pointer).

[Samurai]

Far more confident that Lanier would be the superior 3-point shooter than Hayes if both were born in the mid-90's. In today's game, Lanier strikes me as some type of cross between Chris Bosh's shooting stroke in Boogie Cousins' body. Hayes is more athletic and a better defender, both as a rim protector and on the perimeter. But assuming Hayes is the same guy that he was (just born in a different year), I don't see anything in him that makes me believe he would see himself as anything besides a #1 option on offense. If anything, it may be even worse today since he could easily fall head-over-heels in love with the 3-ball even though he wouldn't be very good at it. His propensity to toss up an alarming number of bricks offsets the value he provides on defense and on the glass.