RealGM

2024 All-Star Starters
Luka / Hali
SGA / Mitchell
Kawhi / Tatum
Giannis / AD
Jokic / Embiid

2016 All-Stars
Curry / Westbrook
Harden / CP3
Kawhi / PG
LeBron / KD
AD / Draymond

Assume 2024 rules/refs. Both teams get a training camp and an exhibition season to gel. Everyone is fully healthy.

Note that the 2016 team is not that season's All-Star starters. That wouldn't be a match worth looking at since those starters included Kobe, Wade and Anthony. The team above is the best one I thought could be made from that season's All-Stars.

Peak Curry, LeBron, Harden, Westbrook, KD, Draymond with very close to peak AD, PG, Kawhi.. no offense to guys like Tatum, and a semi-injured Hali, Mitchell, older AD/Kawhi but the talent gap/fresh legs is pretty big in favor of 16.

Just peak Curry and LeBron swings it too much into their favor by themselves..

I don't want to be a reductionist, just doing it for visual convenience:
Curry > Luka (controversial?)
Harden >= SGA
Kawhi = Kawhi (both non-peak).....KD was better thank Kawhi in 2016 though
Lebron > Giannis
AD < Jokic

2016 was quite a unique season for MVP talent and has better bench/depth despite 2024 Embiid.

I'd want Gobert on that 2016 team to give a big body if Embiid/Jokic are going off. There's so much positional versatility elsewhere that you can afford to carry him even if he's playing as a 3rd center behind AD and Green. You don't need so many PGs that you are listing Chris Paul as a reserve 2 guard.

AdagioPace wrote:I don't want to be a reductionist, just doing it for visual convenience:
Curry > Luka (controversial?)
Harden >= SGA
Kawhi = Kawhi (both non-peak).....KD was better thank Kawhi in 2016 though
Lebron > Giannis
AD < Jokic

2016 was quite a unique season for MVP talent and has better bench/depth despite 2024 Embiid.

2016 kawhi is better than 2024 kawhi, no?

also might take sga over 2016 harden tbh though i'm suprised he was picked

Am I crazy for saying 2024? I feel SGA can guard Curry well, Giannis would do decent on Lebron, and I think Kawhi is kinda a wash. I just don't see anyone on that 2016 squad stopping Jokic, Giannis, and Joel. I mean, 2016 doesn't even have a center. Are we trusting Harden to guard Luka? I guess that matchup isn't going to have much defense either way. I feel like 2016 undeniably has more talent, I just don't like how they matchup (too small)