sc8581 wrote:
I'm in the minority about 80% of the time on this forum, doesn't mean I'm wrong lol.
When I started posting on here two years ago, 3 of my first posts were...Trade Monroe for Leonard Trade Monroe for Hayward Trade Monroe for Ilyasova and a pick or another player
I got hated on then too but looking back all 3 would have been great moves huh?
To be fair Monroe for Kawhi was never a realistic possibility from the Spurs POV. Pop said very early in Kawhi's career that he felt that he was the future of the Spurs. On this particular issue you're wrong though. I usually preface most of what I say with "in my opinion" for the sake of not sounding dismissive of opposing view points, but this one is pretty clear cut.
No doubt, athletes in general today are better. But in each and every era in the past there have been athletes who were clearly a notch above the rest and ahead of their time. MJ was one of those. Bill Russell played decades ago but if he was in the NBA today he'd be considered an elite athlete:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2AlFrOj5Mc[/youtube]
Just because MJ played in an earlier era doesn't mean his athleticism wouldn't be up to par in this era. Don't take my word for it, there's hours upon hours of footage on youtube...the combination of speed, first step, flexibility, strength, vertical and probably most impressive his body control would make him one of best athletes in the entire league today.