Biggest What if's in NBA history?

scrabbarista · Post #81 » by **scrabbarista** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:13 am

Someone mentioned Magic to the Bulls and I mentioned Hakeem to the Blazers, but the other all-time legend whose career was shaped by a literal coin flip was Lew Alcindor, who might've ended up in Phoenix. Those are the three biggest what-ifs of the era of 50/50 odds for the number one pick. The Hakeem one is the craziest, because Portland already had a superstar in the making who we already know could play well with Hakeem. How many more than two titles might Hakeem have won, and how might all of our top ten lists look as a result?

SweaterBae · Post #82 » by **SweaterBae** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:26 am

scrabbarista wrote:
SweaterBae wrote:Arvydas comes over when drafted. Portland takes MJ, etc.

What if Portland won the 50/50 coin flip with Houston in 1984?

They take Hakeem instead of Bowie and pair him with his college teammate, Clyde Drexler. That would've been something.

Too soon!

SkyBill40 · Post #83 » by **SkyBill40** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:35 am

What if Jim McIlvaine wasn't given that ludicrous contact that caused Shawn Kemp to force a trade away from the Sonics?

What if John Paxson didn't hit the game winner in game 6 of the Bulls/Suns Finals? Does Barkley get his ring in a game 7 win?

What if the Suns hadn't lost the coin flip in the Lew Alcindor draft?

What if the Sonics had never been sold and moved from Seattle?

Sent from my [Samsung Z4 Fold] using RealGM mobile app

RoyceDa59 · Post #84 » by **RoyceDa59** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:48 am

For me it will always be what is the Detroit Pistons drafted the obvious pick in Carmelo Anthony over Darko Milicic at 2nd overall in 2003.

They create a Dynasty that challenges all of LeBron’s success in the east for the next decade.

Melo was the 2nd best scorer of that generation. If he was drafted into a team with Veteran guidance from Billups, Rip, Ben, I think he becomes a champion and his career trajectory puts him in the top 15 all time discussion.

Billups
Hamilton
Melo
Sheed
Wallace

Prince as utility 6th man.

They’d win multiple championships and Melo likely challenges LBJ as best player of the decade.

WarriorGM · Post #85 » by **WarriorGM** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:48 am

If the Warriors scored 5 more points in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals are we now talking about Stephen Curry as the greatest player of all-time?

Blame Rasho · Post #86 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:59 am

WarriorGM wrote:If the Warriors scored 5 more points in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals are we now talking about Stephen Curry as the greatest player of all-time?

Yeah another lost finals mvp in that series for him but yeah sure… keep stanning him. It is funny to read.

WarriorGM · Post #87 » by **WarriorGM** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:03 am

Blame Rasho wrote:
WarriorGM wrote:If the Warriors scored 5 more points in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals are we now talking about Stephen Curry as the greatest player of all-time?

Yeah another lost finals mvp in that series for him but yeah sure… keep stanning him. It is funny to read.

Thank you for being a dedicated reader.

migya · Post #88 » by **migya** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:18 am

Lost Angel wrote:what if the Bulls didn’t trade the 11th pick for Charles Oakley in 1985? And instead selected Karl Malone, who went 13th.

Malone
Pippen
Jordan

Think they wouldn't stay together very long after winning a couple of championships but they win two at least late 1980s. They were that good those three. Would probably be known as they greatest trio ever.

migya · Post #89 » by **migya** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:21 am

RoyceDa59 wrote:For me it will always be what is the Detroit Pistons drafted the obvious pick in Carmelo Anthony over Darko Milicic at 2nd overall in 2003.

They create a Dynasty that challenges all of LeBron’s success in the east for the next decade.

Melo was the 2nd best scorer of that generation. If he was drafted into a team with Veteran guidance from Billups, Rip, Ben, I think he becomes a champion and his career trajectory puts him in the top 15 all time discussion.

Billups
Hamilton
Melo
Sheed
Wallace

Prince as utility 6th man.

They’d win multiple championships and Melo likely challenges LBJ as best player of the decade.

Melo would've been the best scorer for the Pistons but his defense would've only gotten a bit better and that'd have taken a few years at least. He'd have more championships than Lebron but his flaws would be cited in how great he is discussions. He'd probably leave by 2008 or 09, looking to be the outright best player on an average team to try to win mostly on his own.

jehosafats · Post #90 » by **jehosafats** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:56 am

Really easy. What if the 2001-2002 Sacramento Kings won the WCF.

LarsV8 · Post #91 » by **LarsV8** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 5:12 am

Blazers offered Drexler and #2 pick for Ralph Sampson.

Hakeem, Glyde and Jordan would have been a pretty solid core.

JN61 · Post #92 » by **JN61** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 8:42 am

Swift21 wrote:
JN61 wrote:
Swift21 wrote:
They lost one because he got injured. He wasn't winning a title with Westbrook and he knew it.

And would he still be winning 20-23 and next 2?

He's not winning another one without Steph. That's all I know.

And curry isn't winning one without Durant so it's all even I guess.

Soca · Post #93 » by **Soca** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:44 am

JN61 wrote:
Swift21 wrote:
JN61 wrote:And would he still be winning 20-23 and next 2?

He's not winning another one without Steph. That's all I know.

And curry isn't winning one without Durant so it's all even I guess.

He already has won without Durant. Twice if we're being precise.

Even if you meant from this point forward. It's not the same thing.

Swift21 · Post #94 » by **Swift21** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:35 pm

JN61 wrote:
Swift21 wrote:
JN61 wrote:And would he still be winning 20-23 and next 2?

He's not winning another one without Steph. That's all I know.

And curry isn't winning one without Durant so it's all even I guess.

Steph already has.

Post #95 » by **Kilroy** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:39 pm

What if Kobe, Shaq and Phil had kept the band together....
What if Magic never got HIV...

Jasen777 · Post #96 » by **Jasen777** » Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:30 pm

One of the largest in the last 10 years anyways, what if the iron wasn't kind? (and Philly won in OT)

Watch on YouTube

prophet_of_rage · Post #97 » by **prophet_of_rage** » Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:51 pm

links135 wrote:What if we're all already dead and this is all just the dream of a werewolf

What do you mean what if?

Sent from my SM-S9080 using RealGM mobile app

prophet_of_rage · Post #98 » by **prophet_of_rage** » Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:56 pm

Gusto1903 wrote:
picc wrote:Tim Duncan to Orlando changes nearly everything.

This changes like almost 20 years of NBA Basketball and derails one of the most longterm consistent dynasties.
What was the reason again for it not happening?

Doc messed up and told him no wives on the plane.

Sent from my SM-S9080 using RealGM mobile app

scrabbarista · Post #99 » by **scrabbarista** » Thu Jul 3, 2025 2:03 pm

J the Drafter wrote:Imagine if Stern hadn’t leaked the FBI’s referee investigation to the press. That investigation would have altered NBA history if it actually forced the NBA to get rid of star calls and prevented rigging. (Wade wouldn’t have gotten all those free throws in the 2006 finals, the Warriors wouldn’t have gotten all those favorable calls and non-calls in game seven of the 2018 WCF, the Lakers wouldn’t have had help against the Nuggets in the 2020 WCF, etc.)

Good post, but I believe the Stern leak was after the 2006 Finals.

jehosafats · Post #100 » by **jehosafats** » Thu Jul 3, 2025 2:18 pm

What if some of the refs in the 2002 Western Conference Finals weren't degenerate gamblers who threw game 6 in favor of the Lakers? Would the Kings have had a dynasty?