RealGM

Spill.

Gobert has had nigh-on MVP level seasons. Eaton has none.
Offensively he's (way) less limited than Eaton, defensively they're in the same class.
Gobert plays more minutes, and (way) more minutes compared to league average.
This isn't close to being close.

Gobert - Mutombo is.
Gobert - Eaton is a wash.

Era-to-Era, Defensive Peak is close but I prefer Gobert's mobility and agility. I also think Gobert has evolved to being a better shot deterrent than Eaton ever was.

Gobert plays significantly more minutes and has significantly more responsibility as a defender. Playing Drop-Coverage at a high level is the hardest defensive role in the NBA, and Gobert has done it marvellously for nearly a decade.

Should blocking is less important in the current 3 pointer chucking era. Eaton was slower but I think more of a defensive force because of the era he played in. You could not get Eaton switched onto a guard because nobody except maybe Reggie Miller was knocking down 3s when coming off screens and picks.

Gobert getting MVP consideration was a fluke caused a lack of better MVP options for one year.

Eaton fit his era better but Gobert's greater agility and ability to do something other than just shotblocking and stationary post defense makes him a bit the better defender. Offensively, Gobert is clearly superior.

This seems like it’s definitely Gobert. Defensively, I don’t think Eaton would be as good today, but in the context of their eras I think they’re comparable, and if anything I might give an edge to Eaton. But offensively there’s a huge gap IMO. Gobert is a genuinely positive offensive player IMO, while Eaton really really wasn’t.

Gobert plays significantly more minutes

Oh?

Both players played in the NBA for 11 seasons. Eaton averaged 29 min/g (25169 min, 875 g), Gobert 30 min/g (23042 min, 757 g).

Eaton played 36 min/g in 1988-89. Gobert has yet to play more than 34 min/g in any season.

Gobert has evolved to being a better shot deterrent than Eaton ever was.

Oh?

In 11 seasons Gobert blocked as many as 200+ shots in a season just once, 214 in 2016-17.

Eaton blocked 400+ shots in a season 1 time, 300+ shots in a season 6 times, 200+ shots in a season 9 times.

In their careers Eaton averaged 3.5 bs/g, Gobert 2.1 bs/g.

For the decade of 1983-84 to 1992-93 Utah with Eaton allowed the lowest 2pt FG% in the league at 47.1%, the lowest eFG% in the league at 47.0%.

For the decade of 2014-15 to 2023-24 Utah with Gobert allowed the 2nd lowest 2pt FG% in the league at 50.3%, the 4th lowest efG% at 51.6%.

SinceGatlingWasARookie wrote:Should blocking is less important in the current 3 pointer chucking era. Eaton was slower but I think more of a defensive force because of the era he played in. You could not get Eaton switched onto a guard because nobody except maybe Reggie Miller was knocking down 3s when coming off screens and picks.

Gobert getting MVP consideration was a fluke caused a lack of better MVP options for one year.

Tell that to Wemby. Most of the hype for his DPOY argument is based on his crazy block numbers.

Eaton was the worst offensive player in NBA history (who played a lot of minutes, scaled by the league-wide standards of the time they played). Gobert's not elite on offense but a useful secondary offensive guy. That's a HUGE difference.

I'd argue that Eaton was as useful as Gobert on defense but only because it was much easier for a huge guy to be an elite defender just staying near the rim.

Put Gobert in Eaton's time and he's at least as good on defense, probably better. Have Eaton play now and he's not that good on defense (and completely unplayable overall given his bad offense).

Eaton per 100 possessions
13.1 reb (3.5 Oreb)
1.6 ast (2.4 to)
8.0 pts (ts% 497)

Ben Wallace per 100 possessions
reb 17.4 (5.7 Oreb)
ast 2.4 (1.8 to)
10.4 pts (.474 ts%)

Wow, you are right, Eaton is actually significantly worse than Ben Wallace in simple box score.

Gobert easily.

Eaton was terrible player on offense, when he was on a court it was like 4 vs 5. Defensively he would be less dominant today also with p&r being so important part of the game. I don't see this close at all, Gobert is much much better.

Compare them how? Peak, prime, career?

Mark Eaton was a roleplayer who, while the best in the world at what he did, wasn't good at anything else. For example, he had a significantly worse rebounding % than Ben Wallace (who was previously mentioned ITT) despite being 7 inches taller than him. Conversely, Gobert is one of the most important players of his generation. I also wouldn't favor Eaton's career value: his prime was very short because he was a 26-year-old rookie and started declining in his early 30s - i.e., Gobert already has more prime years than Eaton.

onedayattatime wrote:Compare them how? Peak, prime, career?

Mark Eaton was a roleplayer who, while the best in the world at what he did, wasn't good at anything else. For example, he had a significantly worse rebounding % than Ben Wallace (who was previously mentioned ITT) despite being 7 inches taller than him. Conversely, Gobert is one of the most important players of his generation. I also wouldn't favor Eaton's career value: his prime was very short because he was a 26-year-old rookie and started declining in his early 30s - i.e., Gobert already has more prime years than Eaton.

For the great majority of his career, Eaton was (at best) the 2nd best shotblocker. Manute Bol is, by almost any indication, the greatest shot blocker in NBA history.

penbeast0 wrote:Eaton per 100 possessions
13.1 reb (3.5 Oreb)
1.6 ast (2.4 to)
8.0 pts (ts% 497)

Ben Wallace per 100 possessions
reb 17.4 (5.7 Oreb)
ast 2.4 (1.8 to)
10.4 pts (.474 ts%)

Wow, you are right, Eaton is actually significantly worse than Ben Wallace in simple box score.

It’d be interesting to know what kind of ORAPM numbers Eaton had. Almost every all-time great defender is a negative on offense, some greatly so, and there aren’t many exceptions. A solid plus player on offense + all-time grest defemder is a rare thing, which is why players such as KG, Duncan, Draymond, DRob, etc., are so incredibly valuable.

In JE’s RS+PS 1997-2022 RAPM set, there is tiny set of players who are -4 career defense impact players and the majority of them are negatives on offense, or are basically neutral. A player who can be a monster defensive impact player, and be a positive impact offensive player is a unicorn, a unicorn who is going to give your team a chance to win over a long stretch of time.

In JE’s set, we have nearly 2,500 player careers and out of these players, only TWO have a +2.0 or better ORAPM, and a -4 or better DRAPM, i.e., KG and Duncan. We only have three who are +1.5 or better ORAPM, and a -4 or better DRAPM, i.e., KG, Tim, and Draymond.



J.E.’s RAPM numbers have Big Ben as solidly negative but not disastrously so. There’s a pretty good chance Eaton is a bigger negative.

As for Gobert vs. Eaton, there’s probably < .1% chance Eaton was a neutral on offense.

In their own eras, comparable and Eaton was probably more impactful defensively because of how the game was played. But Eaton would be unplayable today.

I don’t think Gobert and Eaton are the on the same level as players at all

Maybe as pure rim protectors they’re equal but gobert is so much more athletic and he can be used in so many more coverages than Eaton (who can’t defend screens very well). Both are some of the best defenders of their era but Gobert would be an around 10-12 spots higher than Eaton on my greatest defenders list.

Offensively Gobert and Eaton are incomparable. Mark Eaton was a clear negative at everything on the offensive end of the floor other than screen setting and offensive rebounding. Gobert is a good pick and roll partner an elite screen setter and is good at moving off the ball and he is also a good offensive rebounder. Gobert isn’t more than a slight positive on offense and can be a negative in some situations, but Eaton is an offensive liability which eats a lot of his value as a player.

Gobert at his peak is a fringe to solid level All NBA player and Eaton is a good starter maybe a sub all star level guy at his peak

Gobert should not be in conversations with Eaton at all

Mutombo is a more accurate comparison to Gobert if you factor in offense.

giberish wrote:Eaton was the worst offensive player in NBA history (who played a lot of minutes, scaled by the league-wide standards of the time they played). Gobert's not elite on offense but a useful secondary offensive guy. That's a HUGE difference.

I'd argue that Eaton was as useful as Gobert on defense but only because it was much easier for a huge guy to be an elite defender just staying near the rim.

Put Gobert in Eaton's time and he's at least as good on defense, probably better. Have Eaton play now and he's not that good on defense (and completely unplayable overall given his bad offense).

For as much as Greg Ostertag's name has been reduced to a joke, his per 36 and per 100 possessions numbers are better than Eaton's even though Eaton's reputation is better.

SportsGuru08 wrote:
For as much as Greg Ostertag's name has been reduced to a joke, his per 36 and per 100 possessions numbers are better than Eaton's even though Eaton's reputation is better.

I don't think Eaton's offensive rep is better, just his defensive reputation.