Without knowing the rest of the roster, which PG would you pick first: Magic or Curry?

[rtiff68]

1. Magic was a great shooter at his peak (1987-90). He was ATG free throw shooter, excellent midrange shooter and good three point shooter when he actually shot them at decent volume.

2. Magic didn't score a lot, but he never struggled with scoring the ball. He was always extremely efficient and he could up his volume anytime Lakers needed that. He was inarguably better scorer than someone like Duncan or Garnett among top 10 players.

3. Defensive weaknesses has nothing to do with my point. I said he had no weaknesses offensively.

Doubling down on a bad take is not a great look.

Magic was not a “great shooter,” especially in the greater context of NBA history. You, as a hoops history buff (and I generally enjoy your content here a ton, for what it’s worth) should certainly know that.

He could shoot well enough to keep teams honest, but he was never a great shooter. That, and assuming someone who was never a great volume scorer but “could’ve been if they wanted” is one of the weakest common arguments on boards like this. It’s the same thing some people argue about Ginobili: “he could’ve averaged over 30 if he wanted to!”

Magic was great, but there’s no need to pretend that he was things that he wasn’t.

I won't back down from my take, sorry but you won't convince me that Magic isn't a great scorer or shooter. Magic's game wasn't about scoring, but he never had any problems with upping his volume when wanted to. He didn't take a lot of jumpers either, but he could punish you everytime you tried to leave him open.

Magic wasn't ATG shooter, but his shooting touch was exceptional. You can't be 90% FT shooter without great shooting touch. You also can't average 20 ppg on 60% TS for almost decade of long postseason runs without being a great scorer.

Magic’s game wasn’t about scoring, and he was phenomenal— we can agree on that.

I suppose we’ll leave it at that.

[DCasey91]

Remember Magic only shot below 70% from the charity stripe in three playoff series. 3 out of 40. I repeat that 3 out of 40.

LBJ was 14 out of 50 at sub 70%.

At an average of 6.7 per game. Had 8 at 90+% count em 8. Saying he’s a liability as a shooter is false and should be taken out of any discussion lmao.

I can’t see the argument for Curry here at all.

Remember your are talking about the best 6”9” ballhandler ever not close and been entrenched in the top ten all time and will stay that way from pretty much here on out.

The question is you want a different version of Lebron or Curry? Duh easy answer lol.

RealGM overrates the heck out of Curry and Garnett. Draymond a DPOY on the floor doesn’t Curry’s % do a ++ uptick and doesn’t Klay cover his obvious defensive weaknesses? I rest my case. You are getting Duncan like scoring from Magic not someone who isn’t resilient.

[BallerTalk]

Steph is way more versatile and fits way more lineups/schemes than Magic.

gotta go Steph because it's just a much better chance he'll fit better next to whoever you throw out next to him.

Curry. He has the play making capabilities as magic...

Curry IS the more versatile guy here.

Only on RealGM

[clyde21]

Steph is way more versatile and fits way more lineups/schemes than Magic.

gotta go Steph because it's just a much better chance he'll fit better next to whoever you throw out next to him.

Curry. He has the play making capabilities as magic...

Curry IS the more versatile guy here.

Only on RealGM

how is Magic a more versatile player than Steph?

[dhsilv2]

Steph is way more versatile and fits way more lineups/schemes than Magic.

gotta go Steph because it's just a much better chance he'll fit better next to whoever you throw out next to him.

Curry. He has the play making capabilities as magic...

Curry IS the more versatile guy here.

Only on RealGM

I'd be honestly suprised to see anyone really drive in and not come to the conclusion that Curry can be put on more teams and that he'd be more scalable.

[JN61]

Magic 10/10 of times... Any other pick is fooling themselves.

[JN61]

curry is the perfect pg for todays game

Clearly he is not.

[Salieri]

Steph is way more versatile and fits way more lineups/schemes than Magic.

gotta go Steph because it's just a much better chance he'll fit better next to whoever you throw out next to him.

Curry. He has the play making capabilities as magic...

Curry IS the more versatile guy here.

Only on RealGM

how is Magic a more versatile player than Steph?

Because he doesn't need to have a secondary ball handler and distributor next to him.

In order to unleash Curry's off-ball legendary skills, you need to take the ball off his hands and give it to someone else. Otherwise, you end up in a Mark Jackson type offense, minimizing his impact and relying on Curry's brilliance instead of a system that puts him in a position to succeed.

Magic doesn't need that. He would be pretty much ideal for nowaday's heliocentric offense style. If Doncic is capable of doing what he does, Magic wouldn't have a problem at all. He is more versatile than one of the most versatile superstars ever -Curry- because he is the whole system.

Of course, that doesn't mean Magic wouldn't benefit from having a secondary ball handler. He would. But he wouldn't need it to succeed. Curry does.

It all comes down to this:

- Curry needs a good distributor and floor general.
- Magic needs shooters and scorers.

In this current NBA landscape, I think there are more (and better on average) options for shooters than for ball handlers. Pretty much every role player is required to shoot, that doesn't happen with floor general skills.

I really respect Curry a lot, and I've stated many times that Curry is the most valuable player on the planet right now until further notice. But Magic is probably the only player who can claim to be even more portable than him. Maybe Dirk too, I don't know.

[JN61]

Remember Magic only shot below 70% from the charity stripe in three playoff series. 3 out of 40. I repeat that 3 out of 40.

LBJ was 14 out of 50 at sub 70%.

At an average of 6.7 per game. Had 8 at 90+% count em 8. Saying he’s a liability as a shooter is false and should be taken out of any discussion lmao.

I can’t see the argument for Curry here at all.

Remember your are talking about the best 6”9” ballhandler ever not close and been entrenched in the top ten all time and will stay that way from pretty much here on out.

The question is you want a different version of Lebron or Curry? Duh easy answer lol.

RealGM overrates the heck out of Curry and Garnett. Draymond a DPOY on the floor doesn’t Curry’s % do a ++ uptick and doesn’t Klay cover his obvious defensive weaknesses? I rest my case. You are getting Duncan like scoring from Magic not someone who isn’t resilient.

Moral of the story: Children doesn't remember.

[DCasey91]

Poster mentioned before. All you need with Magic is shooters there’s a bucketload today lol.

Pull up any game highlight clip. Subtract one or two defenders in the lane and sub out the long two spot up jumpers for open threes.

Magic will just be another LBJ ran system and we all know how ATG that is.

How is Curry more versatile than Magic that I don’t get. Just give the ball to Magic simple job here.

[dygaction]

Different times, why not compare players during equal times versus a player in the 70-80-90 to players today?

Because there really is no competition then. I don't think other best PGs in Curry's equal times, like Dame or CP3, really have a case.

[_qubik]

Magic is the best PG all time, Curry arguably isnt even a PG

[dygaction]

Remember Magic only shot below 70% from the charity stripe in three playoff series. 3 out of 40. I repeat that 3 out of 40.

LBJ was 14 out of 50 at sub 70%.

At an average of 6.7 per game. Had 8 at 90+% count em 8. Saying he’s a liability as a shooter is false and should be taken out of any discussion lmao.

I can’t see the argument for Curry here at all.

Remember your are talking about the best 6”9” ballhandler ever not close and been entrenched in the top ten all time and will stay that way from pretty much here on out.

The question is you want a different version of Lebron or Curry? Duh easy answer lol.

RealGM overrates the heck out of Curry and Garnett. Draymond a DPOY on the floor doesn’t Curry’s % do a ++ uptick and doesn’t Klay cover his obvious defensive weaknesses? I rest my case. You are getting Duncan like scoring from Magic not someone who isn’t resilient.

ATG ranking or PG ranking, Magic is comfortably ahead, but I have seen so many build you $15 or $20 teams or all time starting 5 polls, where Curry is taken a lot more than Magic. Mainly because his historically great shooting, spacing, and off ball and at the same time has great handle and good playmaking.

[Winsome Gerbil]

Magic makes the game easier for everybody else, so him.

[dygaction]

Poster mentioned before. All you need with Magic is shooters there’s a bucketload today lol.

Pull up any game highlight clip. Subtract one or two defenders in the lane and sub out the long two spot up jumpers for open threes.

Magic will just be another LBJ ran system and we all know how ATG that is.

How is Curry more versatile than Magic that I don’t get. Just give the ball to Magic simple job here.

We don't know yet, maybe you also need a KAJ. LBJ is significantly better at defense and scoring.

[SleepingDragon]

Magic can play all 5 positions, it's way easier to build around him than Curry.

[IAMZOOTED2]

Had to be Magic. Guy can facilitate and guard all 5 positions

[BallerTalk]

Steph is way more versatile and fits way more lineups/schemes than Magic.

gotta go Steph because it's just a much better chance he'll fit better next to whoever you throw out next to him.

Curry. He has the play making capabilities as magic...

Curry IS the more versatile guy here.

Only on RealGM

how is Magic a more versatile player than Steph?

You mean Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the 6'9" point guard widely regarded as the best to ever play the position?
Magic Johnson, the guy who has notoriously played all 5 positions on the court in the NBA?
The Magic Johnson who has LITERALLY been a champion on ever level of the sport with a disparate assortment of talent around him?

You think Wardell Stephen Curry II is more versatile than that guy?

[dygaction]

Curry.

I value scoring more than playmaking. Steph can be the primary scorer on a championship team.

2015? Injuries to the Cavs
2016? Injuries to them (was poor)
2017/2018 NO. 2019? Cool score
2021? Cool score what happened lost to the Grizzlies.

As a PG Curry is somewhat overrated (Passing/turnovers goes up the more he shot hunts).

It doesn’t read out that way.

Magic + Durant and the godly team is chips too let’s not forget that. My god Magic with Durant F that noise.

Magic did have better options in KAJ and Worthy.

[DaPessimist]

Love Steph, but I'm taking Magic. He's just a more versatile all-around player, and would be a mismatch nightmare in the modern NBA.