Where would Peak Kareem rank in today’s NBA?

[Matt15]

Where do you think Peak Kareem would rank overall in today’s NBA?

[TheGOATRises007]

The best player

[One_and_Done]

Probably the best player.

[70sFan]

Probably the best player.

How could you assume he'd be any good if he played against cavemen?

I hope you don't believe he'd be smart defender today.

[One_and_Done]

Kareem's skillset on offense would be even more effective today. He'd have open lanes and space to crush it on offense.

[70sFan]

Kareem's skillset on offense would be even more effective today. He'd have open lanes and space to crush it on offense.

What about his defense? Can we even assume he'd be smarter than McGee?

[One_and_Done]

Well, it wouldn't be his strength, but he played in an era closer to today at least compared to Russell. His defence is more debatable, which is why I said 'probably'.

[70sFan]

For real though, Kareem would be the likely best player in the league. Jokic and Shai are so good that it wouldn't be a lock number 1, but he'd definitely compete against them.

[70sFan]

Well, it wouldn't be his strength, but he played in an era closer to today at least compared to Russell. His defence is more debatable, which is why I said 'probably'.

Yeah, he played one season after Russell won his last ring to be precise. Somehow it doesn't make him play in cavemen league and run in straight line to one spot on defense.

[TheGOATRises007]

Kareem's skillset on offense would be even more effective today. He'd have open lanes and space to crush it on offense.

Funny how you don't use these arguments for perimeter driven players in the older days.

And you say you're consistent.

[One_and_Done]

Much like Duncan, the league was vastly different at the end of Kareem's career compared to the start.

[One_and_Done]

Kareem's skillset on offense would be even more effective today. He'd have open lanes and space to crush it on offense.

Funny how you don't use these arguments for perimeter driven players in the older days.

And you say you're consistent.

Some players would play better today, others would play worse. It depends on their skillset and play style. This is not complex.

[70sFan]

Much like Duncan, the league was vastly different at the end of Kareem's career compared to the start.

Yeah and Kareem was a roleplayer at the end of his career. By your own words Duncan's prime ended in 2008, so he wasn't dominating anyone in modern era.

By this logic Kareem should have absolutely dominated the cavemen league by ridiculous amount and yet he won one title in his first 10 years and missed the playoffs twice.

[capfan33]

Only said top 3 because I’m conservative with era translation. With that being said, think he’s better than jokic although jokic is quite a bit better offensively, only unsure about SGA dependent on the playoffs. But very likely the best.

[One_and_Done]

Much like Duncan, the league was vastly different at the end of Kareem's career compared to the start.

Yeah and Kareem was a roleplayer at the end of his career. By your own words Duncan's prime ended in 2008, so he wasn't dominating anyone in modern era.

By this logic Kareem should have absolutely dominated the cavemen league by ridiculous amount and yet he won one title in his first 10 years and missed the playoffs twice.

Someone's prime can end, but the act of them playing in a vastly different environment can tell you alot about their game. Duncan's ability to adapt to more modern style offenses late in his career taught us a great deal about his defensive bball IQ for example. It made you think 'wow, if Duncan had 2 good legs, he'd be even more incredible today'. Sometimes of course, playing in a more modern era can also expose a player, e.g. Mikan when the league changed. If Demar had played in the 90s, people would rate him much more highly also.

[70sFan]

Sometimes of course, playing in a more modern era can also expose a player, e.g. Mikan when the league changed.

Mikan playing after broken leg that didn't heal properly exposed him?

If Demar had played in the 90s, people would rate him much more highly also.

No, they wouldn't. Demar would not be anything special in the 1990s.

[capfan33]

Kareem's skillset on offense would be even more effective today. He'd have open lanes and space to crush it on offense.

Funny how you don't use these arguments for perimeter driven players in the older days.

And you say you're consistent.

Some players would play better today, others would play worse. It depends on their skillset and play style. This is not complex.

Sort of, it’s more about how much they stood out relative to the talent pools in their respective eras. I think the specifics of how their skill sets/physical attributes would translate is important but secondary.

[One_and_Done]

Kevin Love, Okafor, Greg Monroe, Rondo, T.Allen, Hibbert, etc, are other examples of guys who the league just changed on, and it exposed them to differing degrees.

[70sFan]

Kevin Love, Okafor, Greg Monroe, Hibbert, etc, are other examples of guys who the league just changed on, and it exposed them.

Did they also break their leg and didn't recover due to mediocre medical treatment?

[capfan33]

Don’t think Okafor was ever that good anyways, never tracked what happened to Love after Lebron left.