Obviously Kawhi has already done this, but which of these guys wins the next title as their team's best player or at least a very close second best - I feel I have to add that qualifier especially for Kyrie because there's a good chance Tatum will be the best player if they ever win a title together.

I got Kawhi, then Ben Simmons, then Giannis as my top 3 in order.

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None of these guys will win so as long as the big three in GS are together and in their prime.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Ok but unless you think that will last another 12-15 years you can still answer the question.

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Listen to the river sing sweet songs
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GS rules out Westbrook (he has a small chance), Kawhi, and Irving ( ). Lauri needs to get away from Hoiberg to win anything. I'd say Giannis because he's my favorite after Westbrook.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

So you think Westbrook, Kawhi, and Kyrie will comebine for zero rings the rest of their prime?

I'd take that bet in a heartbeat.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Why is Kyrie even on this list? Wall is better than him and a more formidable talent. All these guys except Lauri are alphas and current or future MVPs. Kyrie hasn't even cracked second team All NBA yet. Joke.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

The joke here is that you seem to be unaware this also applies to John Wall.

Kyrie is on the list because he's talked about a lot and I felt like putting him on the list. Start your own list if you feel so inclined.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I think Kyrie is the logical choice here. Take out the rooks since they all play for bad teams as of now and no telling if/when that is going to change.

Between the vets you have Russ and Leonard in their primes in direct comp with the Warriors in the same conference. Russ's best chance is this year, after that he will lose George and his team will regress. Can't count out Spurs ever, but they look to be trending downward despite the great start this year. They'll always be up there, but I don't see a blueprint for putting together a team that can either beat Golden State or be ready to contend after Golden State is done.

I think that leaves us with Giannis and Kyrie. Giannis is obviously better, but plays on a one star team in Milwaukee. Kyrie is young, has already won a title and plays with at least one other star (Hayward) and possibly 1-2 more in the making with Brown and Tatum. If Lebron goes west and starts to fade a bit, Boston immediately becomes the top contender in the East.

_________________

You think Wall is going to win a NBA title before Kyrie gets another one? I don't.

_________________

Wall led the Wizards to three playoffs as the alpha and counting. Kyrie led the Cavs to the worst record in the conference or close to it during the same timeframe. Much better.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

I almost replaced Kyrie with Tatum. That'll be a difficult call.

Agree to disagree with the Spurs obviously. I think they have a good chance of winning the title this year if they are healthy. I think they had a good chance of beating the Warriors last year before the bush league injury. He's the only player in the NBA who can shut down Durant, effectively crippling GS's offense. He did 3 different times last season.

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

No way, not with that bum LeMarcus playing. Even if GS loses because of injuries or something the Cavs will trounce the Spurs in 5.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Not true. You have your timeline mixed up. The only season Wall made the playoffs and Kyrie didn't the Wizards had 44 wins and the Cavs had 33.

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I have my doubts it will last but Aldridge looks fantastic this year.

Anyway, you said all of this last season and the Spurs with a healthy Kawhi outplayed Golden State by a wide margin collectively. We'll see this year how it goes. Hopefully Kawhi gets and stays healthy.

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

They qualified for the playoffs. 44 and 33 is a huge difference. 44 is a winning record and 33 is crap. Wall made the playoffs as the alpha, Kryie made it because of LBJ.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

You're so full of shit. Your entire NBA posting history has consistently shit on 44 win teams as specifically not being any better than 30 win teams. Now that changes because you need to twist your own logic just to shit on Kyrie?

Anyway, if 44 wins and 33 wins is a huge difference, than 33 and 15 is a huge difference also, making the Cavs not close to the worst record in the conference that year. I win either way

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Spurs look as though they may be equipped to challenge G.S. in the West. Aldridge playing like an elite player and my main man Rudy Gay on board. Watch OUT World 2nd edition is now a likelihood.

_________________

Fair enough on the Spurs. At least for this season. How long do you think their window stays open or do you think it will always be open based on the recent history of the franchise, coach and star player?

Regarding Tatum, he still has to pass up Brown and Hayward before he gets to headline a poll like this.

_________________

Yeah in the grand scheme of things there might be no difference, but not so in our discussion which is about individual players. A young star leading his team to the playoffs as the best player is a huge accomplishment, something we'd definitely want to see if the Bulls had a comparable young star. Then you'd like to see them win 52 instead of 44 next year, and so on. So, in this context, I'm not BS'ing.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

I think it'll be open at least as long as Kawhi is in his prime, so 5-6 more years minimum. I really like guys like Murray, Green, Anderson, Mills, etc and they always seem to find them to replace the previous ones. I thought they would miss Simmons more than they have especially without Kawhi but they haven't missed a beat. I have high expectations for Murray specifically.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

There's two things going on here - which player is going to get to a title first based on a combination of fortune and talent, and which player is better. Regarding Wall I was talking in terms of the latter question. I do think Irving is overrated - he won't taste 1/10th of the success he had when he was with LBJ.

I really want Giannis to do it but he needs to leave Milwaukee to do it. Would be cool if could do it in Milwaukee though.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

You must resemble a pretzel after that post.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Only one thing going on here - who will win a title first as a star on the team?

The "who's a better player" discussion wouldn't be a poll, and it would be fairly short. It's Kawhi.

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Honestly speaking the east is going to be wide open once LBJ declines so who knows what can happen. That being said, just like it was in the 2000s, the talent is concentrated out west. It'll be cut throat competition out there and the winner will slaughter whoever comes out of the east. So for that reason for the foreseeable future you might not have any champion emerge out of the east.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

If Ben Simmons gets some decent help the 76ers will be competing with the West big boys within a year or two. There will always be 1-2 East teams that can beat the West champ in any given series.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Way too premature. Weren't they all bed ridden like 12 months ago? Maybe they'll be players in 4-5 years if their joints stick together.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

In not saying anything about any of them except Simmons. If he stays healthy, and one season being hurt is not enough to assume he won't, he's going to take over this league sooner rather than later.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Won't get past Giannis.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Kawhi has to be the safest bet, with Giannis as a close second. Defense will always matter and these guys happen to be the best offensive and defensive players on their team. That doesn't mean much on its own but, Kawhi is already proven, so I think you have to take him, but Giannis is the prototype forward you want. So, my money is on Kawhi, my mind's on Giannis, and my heart is on MARKKANEN.

Rookie of the Year

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul