McGrady + Shaq or Kobe + Dwight

[Patterns]

Shaq would have more fun playing with McGrady relative to Kobe or Wade; McGrady would play to Shaq whereas Kobe and Wade never played in optimal consonance with Shaq (even though they won titles together, which tells you how much better those partnerships might've been ...)

WTF? GTFO.

3 rings.

[cwas2882]

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How can you know this when Dwight hasnt even entered his prime yet? Get real kid. People make so many (Please Use More Appropriate Word) statements on realgm.

Like this one:

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22 yr old shaq = 22 yr old dwight btw

[bballmaniac27]

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How can you know this when Dwight hasnt even entered his prime yet? Get real kid. People make so many (Please Use More Appropriate Word) statements on realgm.

So you're saying you would rather take a young player who shows great promise over a proven top 10 player of all time? Not saying Dwight can't become better than Shaq, but I think I'll take my chances with the proven player.

[shawngoat23]

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How can you know this when Dwight hasnt even entered his prime yet? Get real kid. People make so many (Please Use More Appropriate Word) statements on realgm.

Exhibit A of a (Please Use More Appropriate Word) statement: your own post.

I have no love for Shaq. He's arrogant, and he's been overrated by a lot of people who haven't seen other bigs, but he's certainly better than Howard. I would have to think that when I say Shaq is much better than Howard, or anything Howard will ever become, that I'm much more objective than you.

Elite big men typically don't improve too much over the course of their careers. They generally put up their best stats early, maybe perhaps 4-5 years into their career and then plateau for a while before eventually declining. Take a look at Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Hakeem, Robinson, Shaq, and Ewing. I'll account for the fact that Howard is 3-4 years younger than these guys, and he still doesn't compare (or to a guy like Moses). And keep in mind that these guys faced stiffer competition.

What am I supposed to think when I see that rookie Shaq, at age 20, put up 23.4/13.9/1.9/0.7/3.5 on 56.2% shooting, number already better than 4th year Howard at age 22, in his so-called breakout year? Facing stiff competition against guys like Hakeem, D-Rob, Ewing, Mutombo, etc., rather than just Yao? That second-year Shaq was able to put up 29.3/13.2/2.4/0.9/2.9 on 59.9% shooting? Basically, a younger Shaq with less NBA experience than Howard is able to put up better stats against better competition.

Furthermore, Shaq has an impact on the game that goes beyond his numbers. I'm hard pressed to think that Howard can match those numbers, let alone his impact. True, he's athletic, but young Shaq was a bigger and more athletic version of Howard before he became a fat slob. I doubt Howard's work ethic alone will put him above Shaq. In fact, I guarantee it.

I can tell that prime Howard won't touch Shaq because I can observe the development patterns of similar players and reasonably ascertain what his potential might be. I certainly don't just ride my favorite player and heap unreasonable expectations upon him. It's fairly unbecoming, and the Magic already have one Stan.

[tha_rock220]

If prime Shaq had T-Mac the Lakers wouldn't have lost the championship in 2003 or 2004. The Lakers had a winning record without Kobe during the 3Peat because he was too busy trying to prove his value to the titles. So I'll go with Shaq and T-Mac. I don't see McGrady shooting his team out of a finals in an effort to win a finals mvp.

[Greer]

People who don't think "prime" dwight has a chance to pass shaq then they are ignorant. Heck Duncan is about a championship away from everyone declaring him better than Shaq. We just had a thread where the majority of people thought Dwight could catch duncan.

Ultimately this comparison comes down to Dwight being that much better than Mcgrady. Prime Mcgrady lasted for like a couple years. IMO Dwight of right now is a better player than Prime Mcgrady. Dwight has already got out of the first round at 22.

Shaq and Kobe are very comparable players in History. I think they are fairly equal in their career success and dominance on the league. So Shaq and Kobe is a wash in this comparison. With Shaq having the edge if you had to choose someone.

We really don't know who prime Dwight is. And that is where this comparison falls apart. You can't bring in a 22 year old superstar and compare him to HOFs and superstars who have been in the league 11+ years. Dwight Howard is already the best big man in the entire league and it is scary to think he is 22 and still is considered raw.

[Cevap]

Shaq Tmac. Kobe would run Dwight out of town anyways.

[J-Mezzy]

I don't think Dwight will ever be as good as Shaq, but I do feel he can reach similar success. The league is dominated by guards and there are very few elite young bigs. Duncan and Garnett are aging and Yao, well, Yao is Yao. Dwight will be (we have not seen Oden play) the most dominate player in the game. I believe he will win titles, multiple titles.

[DrunkOnMystery]

The OP asked us to assume they were all rookies. Rookie Shaq was better than the other three put together as rookies.

As for the second, completely absurd point about whether or not Howard will eclipse Shaq, with guarantees on both sides, you're all insane if you think anything is certain. Howard could hurt himself in game 1 against Detroit/Philly and never play again, or he could go on to average 20/20 for the next decade, win 8 titles, 5 mvps, 6 finals mvps and be considered one of the greatest ever. You have no idea, I have no idea, and claiming you have anything, even a so called "educated guess" is ludicrous since the whole argument is arbitrary and subjective anyway.

[ITK9]

prime t-mac =prime kobe
prime shaq>>>>>>>>>>>>>kobe

[Alex_De_Large]

easy.
tmac+shaq= 6 championships.

[Greer]

tmac + Shaq = injuries.

[Alex_De_Large]

2000-2006, man.

[Baller 24]

tmac + Shaq = injuries.

Prime is the keyword. Pwnd.

[Cammo101]

I'll take Kobe and Dwight because they play every night and compliment each other better. And because TMac would cause them to lose in the 1st round every year.

[Greer]

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Prime is the keyword. Pwnd.

Is prime in the OP? I don't think so. We are talking about Dwight's "future" prime, that we all "know" about, and kobe, tmac, and shaq all stepping into a time machine that takes them back to 1990's. Some how they are all rookies at the same time and even play on the same teams. Interesting. Stupid comparison.

I know you are not the OP. But for a comparison like this at least throw make one side all potential like lebron and dwight vs kobe and shaq. Don't leave the potential guy all alone with three players who are past their primes for the most part.

[cjx]

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WTF? GTFO.

3 rings.

It's true. They should've won 5 together.

[Storm Surge]

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Is prime in the OP? I don't think so. We are talking about Dwight's "future" prime, that we all "know" about, and kobe, tmac, and shaq all stepping into a time machine that takes them back to 1990's. Some how they are all rookies at the same time and even play on the same teams. Interesting. Stupid comparison.

I know you are not the OP. But for a comparison like this at least throw make one side all potential like lebron and dwight vs kobe and shaq. Don't leave the potential guy all alone with three players who are past their primes for the most part.

If you think it is so stupid then why are you posting in this topic. GTFO, most people don't have a problem with this, this is for discussion not some official NBA ranking crap.

There are tons of more stupid comparisons, like Jordan vs. LeBron on the boards.

[RoyceDa59]

I'll take Kobe and Dwight and the reason is because I believe you'd get a good 15+ years out of both of them whereas McGrady and Shaq have been injury prone their whole careers. Prime Dwight may be closer to Prime Shaq than most of us are willing to admit and through my eyes, Kobe has always been a better overall player than McGrady (and it's never really been arguable).

[Greer]

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If you think it is so stupid then why are you posting in this topic. GTFO, most people don't have a problem with this, this is for discussion not some official NBA ranking crap.

There are tons of more stupid comparisons, like Jordan vs. LeBron on the boards.

GTFO eh? w/e, I post in it because I can. I don't have a huge problem with it. But it is a dumb comparison. Seriously you throw in a player who has been in the league for only 4 years with tons of potential with 3 players who have been in the league for 11+ years, two HOF and one superstar. It makes no sense especially when you start grouping them together as teams. You can't compare potential players to HOF's, it is the same thing as Jordan vs Lebron.