Best 5 Across All Eras

[SNPA]

Let’s do this…

Across all eras.

Assume players are at their peak.

Assume league average reserves, league average coaching and league average accommodations.

Assume all players you select come from their era, so no using the argument “but if he had grown up with X or Y it’d be different.” What we saw on the court at their peak is the player…no adjustments.

The competition could be a real team from a real era or a fantasy team of players from any era. Any five guys could be on the opposing team (same league average backups/coaching/etc).

Your best starting 5 of all time.

Call this the GOATPT (Portability Team).

…….


I highly value portability. I think GOAT’s should be GOAT’s in any era.

I also highly value interplay between players. Some players have games that mesh better with other great players, and since teams need more than one great player to win a title the interplay ability of stars is a huge factor.

Interplay between the 5 counts.

This is a team.

The best starting 5 for a team ready to play a game against Mikan or Jokic or fantasy all-time all-stars tomorrow. Make up any competition and put the game in any era.

Who you got…

[Colbinii]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

[SNPA]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

3 of my 5.

LeBron is going to be very controversial IMO. In the early eras his shoulder down drives are fouls. In the 80/90’s it’s so crowded and physical that style has real limitations. Clearly he’d be a great in any era, but is he as portable as others? This is before we get to the interplay component with a team of other stars.

[Colbinii]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

3 of my 5.

LeBron is going to be very controversial IMO.

Maybe.

In the early eras his should down drives are fouls.

On the other hand, he is extremely intelligent as a basketball player and showed he could evolve over his 21-year career. No reason to think he wouldn't change his skill-set like we saw him do.

Plus, his strength would allow him to handcheck like nobody else. How exactly is anyone going to get by him?

In the 80/90’s it’s so crowded and physical that style has real limitations.

You mean when illegal defense existed?

Just put LeBron on one end and the other 4 guys on the other side. Who exactly is stopping him? It would be like a smarter, more skilled and better passing Charles Barkley.

It's also hilarious when people mention physical era. As if one of the most physically gifted players in NBA would somehow struggle in a "more physical" era.

Clearly he’d be a great in any era, but is he as portable as others?

ATG defender? Check
ATG passer? Check
ATG IQ? Check
ATG Physical Tools? Check

How isn't he portable to other eras?

This is before we get to the interplay component with a team of other stars.

He won with 3 different supporting casts.

[AEnigma]

Curry/Kawhi/Lebron/Garnett would be my core four. Fifth is up in the air. Do I want a defensive centre (e.g. Walton or Hakeem) to shift everyone down but possibly disrupt my spacing, or Jokic to elevate my offence but lessen my defensive versatility? Do I want Jordan on the wing, or do I want a more complementary figure like Manu who will not insist on being the lead scorer, or do I want Durant as a sort of middle ground figure?

[SNPA]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

3 of my 5.

LeBron is going to be very controversial IMO.

Maybe.

In the early eras his should down drives are fouls.

On the other hand, he is extremely intelligent as a basketball player and showed he could evolve over his 21-year career. No reason to think he wouldn't change his skill-set like we saw him do.

Plus, his strength would allow him to handcheck like nobody else. How exactly is anyone going to get by him?

In the 80/90’s it’s so crowded and physical that style has real limitations.

You mean when illegal defense existed?

Just put LeBron on one end and the other 4 guys on the other side. Who exactly is stopping him? It would be like a smarter, more skilled and better passing Charles Barkley.

It's also hilarious when people mention physical era. As if one of the most physically gifted players in NBA would somehow struggle in a "more physical" era.

Clearly he’d be a great in any era, but is he as portable as others?

ATG defender? Check
ATG passer? Check
ATG IQ? Check
ATG Physical Tools? Check

How isn't he portable to other eras?

This is before we get to the interplay component with a team of other stars.

He won with 3 different supporting casts.

James’ game has been based on the shoulder down drive. Yes, he has evolved but that was the foundation of his game for most of his career. In an era where that’s a foul, or a monster named Laimbeer/Mason/Oakley who has no problem trying to hurt him, forces him to a different foundation we don’t know what that foundation would have been or how good he’d be at it. We do know James excels on teams built for his success. Maybe building this team around him is someone’s idea of the best 5 across all eras. I don’t think his offense, and ball dominance, gets more juicy from a squeeze than other combinations of players.

Defensively I agree, he is very portable.

[AEnigma]

Lebron with spacing has led some of the best playoff offences in league history — and as you acknowledged, he is a huge boon to a defence. I kept Curry, but conceivably you could just abandon any possible weak link on defence and play large with Lebron as your lead playmaker. Something like Lebron/Manu/Klay/Kawhi/Garnett would be oppressive on one end and extremely dynamic on the other.

[rk2023]

Curry or West
Jordan
LeBron
Garnett (HM: Bird)
Russell

Part of what I consider being portable includes defense.

[rk2023]

Also, I feel as if excelling as an all around point-PF : pseudo Big in the 08/12 Games should debunk some of the James-specific reservations in context of putting together some of these ‘god-squads’

[jojo4341]

I was actually going to re-start another 12-man roster thread too but I like these as well. My 12-man roster is actually more set in stone than starting 5 because it's more limited. I might change my mind next week but for now:

PG - Curry
SG - MJ
SF - Lebron
PF - Hakeem
C - Jokic

GOAT shooter, the GOAT wings, the GOAT (at least to me) post defender and GOAT big man passer/analytics man. I know Curry and Jokic have their shortcomings on defense, but considering what they bring to the table offensively, I'd hope they'd simply outscore teams out of the gate. And prime MJ, Lebron and even Hakeem are very capable help defenders. Small, pesky guards could cause a problem (ie Allen Iverson), but I didn't want to go smaller with Steph already in the lineup.

I wanted a twin tower setup to account for older eras and rules where big men dominated. What if I'm up against a frontcourt of Shaq + Wilt? Jokic and Hakeem also provide low/high post options. At the same time, I have the spacing and ball movement (Steph and Jokic). Midrange? 3/5 are excellent at it. You could say this team is too tall but the footwork of Hakeem at PF make it a non-issue against small-ball teams. Lebron is also someone who can guard all 5 positions in spurts. And although he's a ball-dominant player, sometimes you need that structure if the team as a whole is going cold. Otherwise, we can play a free-flowing motion offense with Curry/Jokic/MJ helping with that regard.

Bird and KG also got serious consideration but for now, they're off the team.

[SNPA]

Also, I feel as if excelling as an all around point-PF : pseudo Big in the 08/12 Games should debunk some of the James-specific reservations in context of putting together some of these ‘god-squads’

If I thought James would take on a Pippen role on this team it’d make a big difference but that’s not what we’ve seen. James in a role where he isn’t the main offensive player, during his peak, makes him what? Great on D, yes. But offensively what is he? Distributor? There are better options. Shooter, nah. Barkley like postup guy…is he dominant enough that way to warrant a spot?

I think it’s a complex subject because some eras take away or limit his offensive impact IMO. Same for someone like Giannis, it doesn’t translate to early eras…many of those moves are offensive fouls. Contrast this with Bird, he can come off a screen a stick one in your face in any era…no adjustment needed.

[AEnigma]

These exercises are not about abandoning talent altogether. If I did a team of Curry/Manu/Klay/Draymond/ADavis, okay, I get a gorgeous fitting team, but you can upgrade either the playmaking or defence by substituting Lebron in for one of those players, almost certainly by more than the trade-off in the other direction. I can say I want Eddie Jones or Kawhi for their defence — but is the gap between them and peak Lebron enough to make up for Lebron’s offence (in transition alone, even…)? No.

“Is he dominant enough” what are we even talking about? He is one of the best finishers in league history and one of the best playmakers in league history, and those arguably above him tend to be significantly worse defensively.

Unless you are running with Nash or Magic, Lebron is one of your absolute best choices as lead playmaker… and both Nash and Magic limit your defence in ways he does not. And even then, the idea that Lebron would not successfully play off Steve Nash is a ridiculous meme (Magic, sure, I have some questions).

Maybe Barkley and Zion are bad fits, but why would you take them over Lebron? Shaq, okay, now we have a little more of a point, but there are way too many all-time centres to lock ourselves into Shaq if it limits you that way. Giannis? Well, you can play him at the 5 and still run Lebron with three spacers, but alright, say you want Giannis at the 4. Maybe you are pairing him with Garnett or Jokic. Even then, are you really finding three perimetre pieces who provide more overall value? I do not think so, no.

[SNPA]

I was actually going to re-start another 12-man roster thread too but I like these as well. My 12-man roster is actually more set in stone than starting 5 because it's more limited. I might change my mind next week but for now:

PG - Curry
SG - MJ
SF - Lebron
PF - Hakeem
C - Jokic

GOAT shooter, the GOAT wings, the GOAT (at least to me) post defender and GOAT big man passer/analytics man. I know Curry and Jokic have their shortcomings on defense, but considering what they bring to the table offensively, I'd hope they'd simply outscore teams out of the gate. And prime MJ, Lebron and even Hakeem are very capable help defenders. Small, pesky guards could cause a problem (ie Allen Iverson), but I didn't want to go smaller with Steph already in the lineup.

I wanted a twin tower setup to account for older eras and rules where big men dominated. What if I'm up against a frontcourt of Shaq + Wilt? Jokic and Hakeem also provide low/high post options. At the same time, I have the spacing and ball movement (Steph and Jokic). Midrange? 3/5 are excellent at it. You could say this team is too tall but the footwork of Hakeem at PF make it a non-issue against small-ball teams. Lebron is also someone who can guard all 5 positions in spurts. And although he's a ball-dominant player, sometimes you need that structure if the team as a whole is going cold. Otherwise, we can play a free-flowing motion offense with Curry/Jokic/MJ helping with that regard.

Bird and KG also got serious consideration but for now, they're off the team.

I’d counter that team by getting four high volume/efficiency three point shooters and a monster rebounder, put the game in this era, play fast as hell and just try to prove the math that 3>2.

[jojo4341]

I was actually going to re-start another 12-man roster thread too but I like these as well. My 12-man roster is actually more set in stone than starting 5 because it's more limited. I might change my mind next week but for now:

PG - Curry
SG - MJ
SF - Lebron
PF - Hakeem
C - Jokic

GOAT shooter, the GOAT wings, the GOAT (at least to me) post defender and GOAT big man passer/analytics man. I know Curry and Jokic have their shortcomings on defense, but considering what they bring to the table offensively, I'd hope they'd simply outscore teams out of the gate. And prime MJ, Lebron and even Hakeem are very capable help defenders. Small, pesky guards could cause a problem (ie Allen Iverson), but I didn't want to go smaller with Steph already in the lineup.

I wanted a twin tower setup to account for older eras and rules where big men dominated. What if I'm up against a frontcourt of Shaq + Wilt? Jokic and Hakeem also provide low/high post options. At the same time, I have the spacing and ball movement (Steph and Jokic). Midrange? 3/5 are excellent at it. You could say this team is too tall but the footwork of Hakeem at PF make it a non-issue against small-ball teams. Lebron is also someone who can guard all 5 positions in spurts. And although he's a ball-dominant player, sometimes you need that structure if the team as a whole is going cold. Otherwise, we can play a free-flowing motion offense with Curry/Jokic/MJ helping with that regard.

Bird and KG also got serious consideration but for now, they're off the team.

I’d counter that team by getting four high volume/efficiency three point shooters and a monster rebounder, put the game in this era, play fast as hell and just try to prove the math that 3>2.

How many shooters are we talking and who are they? For the perimeter, MJ and Lebron provide good resistance. Hakeem can guard stretch 4s. With those shooters, who's to stop Jokic and Lebron (or MJ) getting to the rim at >60% efficiency? Oh, and Hakeem is also there for rebound and easy putbacks. Not saying you're wrong, but it's not that simple.

[SNPA]

I was actually going to re-start another 12-man roster thread too but I like these as well. My 12-man roster is actually more set in stone than starting 5 because it's more limited. I might change my mind next week but for now:

PG - Curry
SG - MJ
SF - Lebron
PF - Hakeem
C - Jokic

GOAT shooter, the GOAT wings, the GOAT (at least to me) post defender and GOAT big man passer/analytics man. I know Curry and Jokic have their shortcomings on defense, but considering what they bring to the table offensively, I'd hope they'd simply outscore teams out of the gate. And prime MJ, Lebron and even Hakeem are very capable help defenders. Small, pesky guards could cause a problem (ie Allen Iverson), but I didn't want to go smaller with Steph already in the lineup.

I wanted a twin tower setup to account for older eras and rules where big men dominated. What if I'm up against a frontcourt of Shaq + Wilt? Jokic and Hakeem also provide low/high post options. At the same time, I have the spacing and ball movement (Steph and Jokic). Midrange? 3/5 are excellent at it. You could say this team is too tall but the footwork of Hakeem at PF make it a non-issue against small-ball teams. Lebron is also someone who can guard all 5 positions in spurts. And although he's a ball-dominant player, sometimes you need that structure if the team as a whole is going cold. Otherwise, we can play a free-flowing motion offense with Curry/Jokic/MJ helping with that regard.

Bird and KG also got serious consideration but for now, they're off the team.

I’d counter that team by getting four high volume/efficiency three point shooters and a monster rebounder, put the game in this era, play fast as hell and just try to prove the math that 3>2.

How many shooters are we talking and who are they? For the perimeter, MJ and Lebron provide good resistance. Hakeem can guard stretch 4s. With those shooters, who's to stop Jokic and Lebron (or MJ) getting to the rim at >60% efficiency? Oh, and Hakeem is also there for rebound and easy putbacks. Not saying you're wrong, but it's not that simple.

Wilt down low. Fill in with guys like Dame/Ray Allen/etc. I’d need to think about the shooters some more but that’d be the basic approach. Jack up as many threes as possible as quickly as possible.

[jojo4341]

I’d counter that team by getting four high volume/efficiency three point shooters and a monster rebounder, put the game in this era, play fast as hell and just try to prove the math that 3>2.

How many shooters are we talking and who are they? For the perimeter, MJ and Lebron provide good resistance. Hakeem can guard stretch 4s. With those shooters, who's to stop Jokic and Lebron (or MJ) getting to the rim at >60% efficiency? Oh, and Hakeem is also there for rebound and easy putbacks. Not saying you're wrong, but it's not that simple.

Wilt down low. Fill in with guys like Dame/Ray Allen/etc. I’d need to think about the shooters some more but that’d be the basic approach. Jack up as many threes as possible as quickly as possible.

Fair enough. I was thinking:

Dame
Steph
Klay
Durant
Wilt

They can definitely torch us if hot. I mean it's all about percentages and how well either can rebound.

[SNPA]

How many shooters are we talking and who are they? For the perimeter, MJ and Lebron provide good resistance. Hakeem can guard stretch 4s. With those shooters, who's to stop Jokic and Lebron (or MJ) getting to the rim at >60% efficiency? Oh, and Hakeem is also there for rebound and easy putbacks. Not saying you're wrong, but it's not that simple.

Wilt down low. Fill in with guys like Dame/Ray Allen/etc. I’d need to think about the shooters some more but that’d be the basic approach. Jack up as many threes as possible as quickly as possible.

Fair enough. I was thinking:

Dame
Steph
Klay
Durant
Wilt

They can definitely torch us if hot. I mean it's all about percentages and how well either can rebound.

Can’t clone Steph.

[MyUniBroDavis]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

3 of my 5.

LeBron is going to be very controversial IMO. In the early eras his shoulder down drives are fouls. In the 80/90’s it’s so crowded and physical that style has real limitations. Clearly he’d be a great in any era, but is he as portable as others? This is before we get to the interplay component with a team of other stars.

He’s literally the least controversial pick on that team lmao

[SNPA]

LeBron
Curry
Bird
Garnett
Russell

Something like this with ultimate spacing for the modern game and massive size with LeBron/Bird/Garnett/Russell for the older eras. Russell makes for an ideal rim protector and post defender for Wilt/Kareem/Hakeem/Shaq/Jokic/Giannis, adds rim protection for LeBron/Jordan match-ups, and is athletic enough to be switch-y.

3 of my 5.

LeBron is going to be very controversial IMO. In the early eras his shoulder down drives are fouls. In the 80/90’s it’s so crowded and physical that style has real limitations. Clearly he’d be a great in any era, but is he as portable as others? This is before we get to the interplay component with a team of other stars.

He’s literally the least controversial pick on that team lmao

Hard disagree.

Optimizing James takes some away from others on offense (see Bosh/Love/etc.). 3 and D guys get a bump but that’s not likely who’d be amongst the other four dudes and is era specific.

James’ shoulder dip drives are fouls for the first few decades. He’d have to play a different style, and would he be as good in that style? How would that style in those eras interplay with the rest of the team? Those are legit questions.

[Dutchball97]

I would probably hedge my bets. Portability discussions usually lean towards spacing and 3-point shooting but put a modern guard in the 60s and they're going to be less effective with the strict carrying rules and a lack of spacing.

Point Guard: Jerry West - To combat the aforementioned problem I'd take West here to handle playmaking duties under some of the older era rules. I don't doubt he'd thrive under any ruleset though as he's a strong defender and has plenty of range to adapt to a 3-point line.

Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan - Of course I'm going to take Jordan here. I'm also not worried about him in modern day play. If Butler can lead a team to the finals while barely attempting threes then so can Jordan.

Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard - The perfect connecting piece for any team full of players who like the ball in their hands. He's going to be lethal any time he gets the ball and a lesser offensive load also opens up his defense more.

Power Forward: Larry Bird - I really couldn't decide on this one. At different points I had LeBron and Garnett here as I just couldn't decide what I value the most for a PF across eras. Defense is incredibly important but that's mainly going to be addressed at center, 1-3 are all elite defenders at their position as well and Bird at his peak was definitely no negative on that end either. Offensively I think he brings just what this team needs; range, secondary playmaking and a bit of size.

Center: Bill Russell - Didn't need to think about this at all. A superstar team like this doesn't need more scoring, it needs a steady presence in the middle to anchor the defense and rebound. While being the best defensive center is enough of an argument, I also believe his athleticism would allow him to handle teams going small and we've seen how effective he is guarding giants.