Who would you rather

 John Wall? Younger, quicker… if he had DeAndre and Blake on his team — wow.

Rudy Gobert — almost gonna call Co-MVP/DPOY next year with Rudy and Kawhi Leonard.

Butler — I like defense. But might depend on the team…

Hakeem. On an all time draft how many guys do you pick ahead of The Dream? MJ, Bird, Magic, LeBron, Bill Russell… anybody else? Heck maybe not even Russell. My all time five just might be Magic, Mike, Larry, LeBron, and Hakeem. Jordan might be the only guy I clearly take ahead of Hakeem to build a team. Killer skill set. Unguardable. At his best, was a combo of Russell, Wilt, and Kareem.

 John Wall- young stud

Gobert- he is really long

Klay Thompson- has the magic touch

Jimmy- Would give me all the buckets

I’ll take The Big Diesel anyday

 Wall-Cries less

Gobert-Cries less

Klay Thompson

Gordon Hayward-Cries less

Hakeem

John Wall –  Close, but he’s bigger, faster & more athletic. Now that he’s developed better change of pace & a jump shot, he’s damn near unstoppable. Great leader too. 

Rudy Gobert – Defensive anchor. Great rebounder. Finishes everything around the rim. Runs floor hard. Sets great screens. Team first guy & great in the locker room. 

Klay Thompson – Bigger. Healthier. Better defender. 

Gordon Hayward – Close, but Hayward is more of a team first guy. No ego. Will do whatever the team needs & never complain. 

Shaquille O’Neal – Hakeem Olajuwon was more skilled & prob the better basketball player, but O’Neal is arguably the most dominant force ever. A complete freak of nature. 

 Wall

Gobert

Klay

Hayward

Shaq

Wall and Paul are great players, but I think Wall is a much better leader.

Gobert will never score like Cousins, but he’s a great defender and I’ll take that over points.

Klay just gives you a lot more on the defensive end than Beal, and Klay stays healthy.

Butler is a better two way player, but I’d take Hayward on my team any day.

Hakeem is my favorite player of all time, so I’m biased.

 I think Paul’s a little overrated — but come on, he’s on another level than Wall as a floor general.

Gobert should be Defensive POY — he’s the #1 reason Jazz are suddenly so good. What has Cousins ever accomplished?

Klay Thompson and it’s not even close.

Hayward vs. Butler is a tossup.

Really tough but I’ll take Shaq. He was a little more unstoppable in his prime because his signature move — turning and dunking in your face — had less room for error. 

 John wall – more great years left in him, plus Paul’s constant whining has dropped him down a notch in my book!

Gobert – difference maker without being a douche and actually caring about teams success

Klay same reason as everyone else… not close!

Hayward – Jimmy’s best is better but I’ll take consistency and character. 

I know I have used character as a deciding factor in a few of these which will look a little contradictory by not going hakeem but Shaq was the most brutal dominating force I’ve ever seen so I can’t go past the diesel

 I’d take the better shooters all the way around; Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, DeMarcus Cousins, Dream. 

Basketball, when reduced to its essence, is a shot-making contest.

 John Wall over Chris Paul but only b/c he is younger. Both are Great PG’s – I also like Wall’s size. 

Gobert over Boogie. I realize Gobert doesn’t give much on Offense but Boogie’s personality is unstable. He will Never win & where ever he goes teams will expend Enormous energy just trying to manage him. It’s not worth it. 

Klay Thompson over Bradley Beal. Thompson is a better shooter & we Know that Klay is utterly Clutch. His game 6 performance in OKC last year rescuing Golden State from elimination was the Greatest Conference Finals 2 guard Clutch performce since the 76ers’ famous 2/guard the Boston Strangler Andrew Toney at the Boston Garden in 1982 when he set the Celtics on fire in game 7 after the Sixers had Blown a 3-1 series lead. Famously the Incredible Boston Celtics fans began chanting "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!" when it became clear that Phila would win. I also LUV Klay’s Lock down Defense & his personality is PERFECT for a team – Zero ego. KT does not get Nearly enough credit for the consistently Great player he is. 

Butler or Hayward is tough, Both are All Star level players, Butler is a better defender, I feel like Hayward makes his teammates better. I call it a tie. 

Shaq over Hakeem. I realize Hakeem schooled a young Shaq but outside of Jordan Shaq was the single most Dominant player I have personally Ever seen. Shaq was a Monster & he just does not get the credit het deserves. Only Shaq & Jordan have won 3 straight Championships while earning unanimous Finals MVP’s all 3 years. It is a level of Dominance all to themselves b/c in the modern NBA no one else has even come close to approaching it. Hakeem was amazing & led the Rockets to 2 straight Titles w/ MVP’s & he was absolutely amazing. But Shaq is a mount Rushmore level talent. 

 CP3 over Wall, CP3 is more creative and I’d say still a better player.

Klay over Thompson, Klay is a better shooter IMO

Butler over Hayward, Butler is a better all round player and far superior defender

Hakeem over Shaq, both are greats but the Dream was more mobile and again a better defender

DMC over Gobert, Gobert is better defender but DMC has big scoring advantage and is more a team centre piece.

 Wall over CP3-Wall is younger and has a good team around him with beal and CP3 is in a weird situation right now.

Thompson over Beal-I really like beal, he reminds me of ray allen on the sonics like Bill simmons said, but Thompson is longer and bigger and doesnt have te injury concern.

Butler over Hayward-Butler is a very good all around player and can carry a team idk if Hayward can or not. plus butler is more athletic.

Shaq over Hakeem-Shaq didnt have as much pure skill as hakeem, but shaq was a monster of a man and was one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA.

DMC over Gobert-I think cousins can be the best player on a championship team if he has a very good 2nd option, he can shoot threes and playmake and pretty much everything. Im not sure Gobert can carry a team like DMC cause his offense isnt great.

who is the pf option? 

 John Wall he is younger and in the drive and kick era of the NBA he can get to the basket to score or draw in the help defenders and find the open man whenever he wants.  Plus he is good at anticipating and getting in the lanes defensively creating offense out of passing lane defense.

Rudy Gobert he is less of a headache and the best rim protector in the NBA.  Plus his offense has picked up he is super efficient in the paint off of post ups now and has always been an athletic roll man terrific at finishing at the rim.  His free throw shooting has also really improved.

Bradley Beal now that he has proven to stay healthy for a full season.  He is younger and improving better than Thompson who has pretty much leveled off at this point.  Beal has become a more efficient scorer taking better shots, improving as a 3pt shooter, and attacking the basket/drawing fouls.  He also has developed as a passer and ball handler.

Jimmy Butler he is a workhorse that can log huge minutes, he has improved as a scorer, is a willing passer, and is a much better defender than Hayward.

Hakeem Olajuwon (this is coming from a Lakers and huge Shaq fan) because of his defense, better basketball IQ, and skill on the offensive end.  Shaq was a beast offensively and hard to stop in his athletic prime near the basket, but in the long run IQ and skill will hold up longer than being physically dominant.