Are AD & KD really better playmakers than Giannis?

[freethedevil]

This is insanity. Toronto didn't guard BroLo out to 25 and defended Giannis with the best wing defender possibly ever with a recent DPoY helping him at the rim and somehow one of the best seasons the league has ever seen has been largely deleted.

Giannis is a FAR better passer than either. It's not really all that close. His length and ability to get to the rim REQUIRES help and he is an creative assassin on the pass. Probably not at LeBrons level but he is getting there. KD is a better scorer but puts his head down and rarely makes anything but the easy pass. AD... that's just absurd. He isn't awful but it's not really a strength as compared to KD much less GA. He still struggles near the hoop with multiple defenders. His strength is playing off other playmakers. He will be outstanding with LBJ but he just isn't a guy you give the ball to and get out of the way.

Unless you believe playmaking is simply ability to score including shooting from distance this isn't remotely competitive. Also, an agent building up his guy isn't really as much an opinion as a statement designed to alter others' opinions.

Sent from my SM-G955U using RealGM mobile app

This completely. Especially with AD: What playmaking are people thinking they are seeing with him? He's not an offensive initiator at all which is partly why he's not been carrying teams as far as one of his supposed talent level might be expected to. As dominant as he can be in some respects, his offensive impact is limited without another playmaker. AD will never be the best player in the league for this reason; he's not carrying anyone to a title. He's really a souped-up #2 option to be frank. Which isn't a bad thing, but he's just not capable of being an anchor like Giannis where you can just dump him the ball and get points off dunks and kick outs until the defense shifts on him.

Giannis may not yet have a reliable jumpshot, but he does not need anyone to set up his offense, and playmakes for his entire team. The bucks current problem is literally 1) his unreliable jumpshot and 2) they dont have a secondary ballhandler for when Giannis gets triple/quadruple teamed, and the offense stalls. (Actually those should be reversed because Giannis will still need a reliable #2 even with a solid jumpshot if he wants to win consistently).

AD's improved the pelicans by roughly 15 wins these alst three seasons. AD isn't as good as Giannis imo, but if you're going to argue a certain archetype of player isn't conducive to winning, then you should be able to back it up with how they actually influnce their team's winning

[DCRYsing89]

Damn that’s a tough question,
I like Giannis a lot more, and feel he is definetly better than 1leg KD this season,
Though going back I still think you can justify Giannis over him last season (personally I have him over KD)

But I was talking about as a playmaker with Giannis being better, in that statemenT.

How can you have Giannis over a healthy KD last season? What is the justification there? From a playmaking standpoint, they are not that far apart at all. From a defensive standpoint, while Giannis can be an anchor on that end and is a better defender for sure, KD is no scrub there, particularly the last 2-3 seasons. From a scoring standpoint, this is where it is not even close at all, and it is in KD’s favour. They aren’t even remotely close in the same tier.

KD is also several tiers above Giannis as a shooter.

I personally value Playmaking and Defense over Scoring
(Especially when you still elite in that area)

It’s also a little bias,
Since I have never really liked KD, and always loved Giannis.

Though I understand you having KD over Giannis,
I still veiw the top 6 as very similar and quite hard to seperate (Curry, Giannis, Kawhi, KD, LeBron, AD with Embiid, Jokic, PG and Dame all knocking)

[And1+2]

Wait... People are actually saying Giannis is better than a healthy Kevin Durant in this thread? Will the disillusion ever stop on RealGM?

There are only three players that would have tipped the scales for the Bucks last season in Giannis' place. One of them can't play against himself, and the other two are Durant and LeBron.

[Johnny Firpo]

Do you have the stats to back this up? KD is a mediocre playmaker. He had a serie last year in OKC where he had more turnovers than assists.

Remember, playmaking includes scoring too, but I get your point.

I think youre missing the point. Rebounding and stealing are also playmaking.

I don't think I'm missing anything, he implied that passing and turnovers equal playmaking. They don't.

[BadWolf]

Wait... People are actually saying Giannis is better than a healthy Kevin Durant in this thread? Will the disillusion ever stop on RealGM?

There are only three players that would have tipped the scales for the Bucks last season in Giannis' place. One of them can't play against himself, and the other two are Durant and LeBron.

Last season's MVP clearly doesn't belong in this conversation /s

[triple_threat]

Remember, playmaking includes scoring too, but I get your point.

I think youre missing the point. Rebounding and stealing are also playmaking.

I don't think I'm missing anything, he implied that passing and turnovers equal playmaking. They don't.

Creating for others and passing to them while taking car of the ball is great playmaking

[Wooderson]

KD is a vastly better playmaker and it's not close. AD and Giannis are both below mediocre to even matter whose better.

Do you have the stats to back this up? KD is a mediocre playmaker. He had a serie last year in OKC where he had more turnovers than assists.

Remember, playmaking includes scoring too, but I get your point.

Playmaking has generally become known as creating offense for others with the ball in your hands.

[Edrees]

Who out of these players is the best center?

Paul, Curry or Irving?

not going to lie, I laughed pretty hard

[Pelly24]

Honestly, KD is a better playmaker than Giannis and I never thought it was close. The whole "Giannis is a point guard" thing was always gimmicky. He's a small forward who brings the ball up the court to initiate the offense. Giannis really only has one mode of attack, and that predictability makes him less dynamic of a player. It doesn't really matter in the regular season and in terms of his general ability to dominate day-to-day. The thing is KD has a nasty handle and can play at different speeds and slither between crevices of a defense in a way Giannis can't. He can create passing angles with his handle and just do more with the Rock. KD and LeBron are actually guards. LeBron is legitimately a point guard in every practical sense, while KD is more of a combo guard with the ability to legitimately run an offense.

[Wooderson]

Honestly, KD is a better playmaker than Giannis and I never thought it was close. The whole "Giannis is a point guard" thing was always gimmicky. He's a small forward who brings the ball up the court to initiate the offense. Giannis really only has one mode of attack, and that predictability makes him less dynamic of a player. It doesn't really matter in the regular season and in terms of his general ability to dominate day-to-day. The thing is KD has a nasty handle and can play at different speeds and slither between crevices of a defense in a way Giannis can't. He can create passing angles with his handle and just do more with the Rock. KD and LeBron are actually guards. LeBron is legitimately a point guard in every practical sense, while KD is more of a combo guard with the ability to legitimately run an offense.

The fact you think Giannis is a SF makes me think you haven't watched much of him the last few years.

[NO-KG-AI]

I think AD is the most safe and efficient with the ball, but Giannis is certainly more creative, especially in the open floor.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[Raps in 4]

Folks in this forum claim AD & KD are better passers, playmakers & facilitators than Giannis (just like Rich Paul)...

But is this a true or false claim?

I don't think I've seen a single person claim that.

[Sane]

KD is not better than Giannis would be if Giannis were surrounded by 2 of the best shooters in NBA history.

AD is not in the same league.

[theFireBlanket]

Rich & Bron can tell AD he's the best player in the league but at the end of the day, he's not.

Watch on YouTube