[steviechillzParticipant]

 The espn guys were discussing whether or not Andrew Bynum is a franchise player…I personally think NO FREAKIN WAY, but I’m biased as I am a Celtics fan and not exactly a Bynum fan, despite his above average post moves.  So I thought I’d list out who I think are franchise players right NOW(not in the past, but in the present season) in the league:

Kobe- I mean we know hes got 4-5yrs left of 20+ scoring…thats something i’d still consider a franchise player

Kevin Durant-Do i need to explain the amazing talents of Durantula???

Lebron

K-Love- Closest thing we will see to Larry :Legend ever again

Russell Westbrook- The guy has enough talent and would be the number 1 player on at least 12 other nba teams

D-Wade

Melo

Deron Williams- Didn’t have a great year, but not surrounded by the greatest talent and was out of shape for awhile

Dwight Howard

CP3

Drose

Rondo

 

Some who just missed the cut: Tony Parker, Dirk, Blake Griffin, Lamarcus Aldridge, Nash

 

Who are your franchise players?

 

[ShekiruBoomParticipant]

nothing in relation to this but i just wanna share bynum’s old myspace

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/see-andrew-bynums-myspace-page-from-when-he-was-1

damn he is rocking those shades

[bloodshyParticipant]

A month ago I’d have agreed with you about Bynum.  Not now.  I think he’s turning into the real deal before our eyes this year.  He’s still an immature girly-man, but he’s becomming a serious force on the court.  I now consider him a franchise player.  I also think Dirk should have made the cut.  I don’t value Melo like others do.  I just don’t think his pure-O game and no-D game adds up to a franchise player.  I pretty much agree with everyone else you have listed.

[natedogggParticipant]

Clearly the 2nd best centre in a league deprived of big men, if he keeps up this play there is no reason he isnt a franchise player. Obviously the only thing stopping him is his injury history.

[Tight ButtholeParticipant]

Dirk absolutely has to be on this list. I mean hes the defending NBA Finals MVP. Bynum is right on the border of being a franchise player. I think a lot of people will give him less credit than he deserves because of the dumb stunts he pulls, but mainly because hes been cast next to  an all time great franchise player in Kobe, the face of the franchise. But the list is solid. LaMarcus is right there, but team health has been so detrimentel to that franchise that its hard to predict if he’ll ever get there. You might even make an arguement the Tim Duncan could still be a franchise player, but on the last legs of it handing it over to Parker as you stated

A couple players I think have great potential to be a franchise player would be Kyrie Irving. The kid has done some pretty amazing things this year in Cleveleand, especially in 4th quarters.

DeMarcus Cousins has all the right physical tools to be a franchise player. You see some of the stat lines he puts up in bunches and you wonder why the Kings are as terrible as they are. But the obvious character issues and if management continues to coddle him, he’ll be lucky to make any all star games.

 

 

[r377Participant]

Can’t help but think Brandon Roy would have been on that list – if not for his knees 🙁

[truwizfan4Participant]

I think  in 1 or 2 years he be on this list as well 

[drew619Participant]

 How do you not have Kyrie on the list i know he’s young but he has all the tools to be a franchise player just hope injures don’t pile up on him

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

Kevin Durant.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

 People really need to stop negging other people opinion . When I do post, I dont’t neg anyone for their opinion. However unless a person is being staright up rude and a little Fing Bich.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

People really need to stop negging other people opinion . When I do post, I dont’t neg anyone for their opinion. However unless a person is being staright up rude and a little Fing Bich.

———————————————————————————————————————

 

People are probably negging you because you replied to a post that even you admited you didn’t read…

[DanEboyParticipant]

K-Love- Closest thing we will see to Larry :Legend ever again

What is this…..

 

[steviechillzParticipant]

 Could you really not infer that i was saying that k-love’s game is simillar to Larry Birds…Not that hard

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

I wasn’t just saying that because I got Negged. I have been Negged non stop by people I’m sure of non stop, but can’t prove. Why just because I have or I’d a different opinion at the time.

[omphalosParticipant]

Really, Kevin Love is Larry Legend? Because he’s white and he can shoot?

Honestly dude, the majority of your post was fine, but Love gets most of his shots outside from pick and pop situations, rarely handles the ball, plays a different position, is a poor individual and team defender, and passes well out of the post.

Contrast with Larry, who was an excellent shooter off the dribble, had great understanding of team D, essentially ran the point, had great handle for his size, and had excellent vision/passing from all over the court.

But on to the point of your post, I’d say Bynum is showing that he can take over when Kobe retires. Offensively he’s more reliable than Dwight (more moves in the post, better FT shooter for late game situations), and his size/length will allow him to be effective once his athleticism starts to fade, which is a luxury Dwight doesn’t have given how much he uses his athleticism as a crutch. Defensively, Bynum isn’t as far below Dwight as people think, and does a great job defending legit Cs. So yes, he can definitely take over the role of franchise player as Kobe ages.

Other obvious franchise players; Chris Paul, Kobe, Wade, Durant, Dwight, Rose, Dirk, Melo, Lebron.

Deron Williams I feel has peaked as a player, and I don’t think the finished product is that great. Yes, he’s a franchise player, but not an elite one.

Westbrook has all the talent, but is lacking too many qualities which would make him a franchise guy.

Rondo I think is definitely a franchise player, but like Nash will need the right players around him to be successful, because it isn’t in his nature to do it all himself.

Nash is still a franchise player.

Aldridge is a franchise player, but needs to develop his leadership before he fully realises that mantle.

There are a bunch of others who I’d deem franchise players, but the definition of a franchise player is so divided that it’d be pointless to go into the more controversial ones.

 

[JunkYardDogParticipant]

So d12 is a franchise player… because he puts great numbers whereas he kills his franchise…

and dirk is not a franchise player whereas he took them to the title ?….

[frogmanParticipant]

 haha the fact you said "K-Love- Closest thing we will see to Larry :Legend ever again" cracks me up. He only retired 20 years ago and you have Love being the closest thing to him until the end of time.. which is probably (hopefully) a longggg time away. Plus Love and Bird don’t even really play that similar.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

Franchise players now:  Kobe, Dirk, Durant, Rose, Lebron, Wade, Paul, Dwight

The Maybes:  Love, Aldridge, Blake, Bynum, Carmelo, Deron, Rondo, Westbrook, the Gasols

The Future: Wall, Cousins, Irving, Monroe

[phila9012Participant]

 Blake Griffen is not near a franchise player. He is athletic and he hustles. He can’t play at the end of games because he shoots 50% from the line. He is overrated. He can’t carry a team.

While you put dirk in the same class of player as him. Dirk was the one star on a championship team and yet he isn’t a franchise player, come on, he is great and a franchise player.

Then you made a racist comparison of kevin love to larry bird, they play different positions, and the way they play is different

Bynum is definately a franchise player. He shoots 20% better from the line than howard, which means he can play late in games more efficiantly. He has a great post game. If Kobe would pass, people would see that he is a franchise player.

[Tobe BryantParticipant]

I see where you were comparing the two, in terms of being players lacking elite athleticism and still maintaing the ability to shoot, rebound, and play hard for their franchise. This was no doubt a non-offensive race-card pull and it wasn’t bad on your part at all, hopefully no one gets angry!

[aamir543Participant]

Well before we start throwing out the term "Franchise Player" I believe we need a specific definition for what a franchise player is. Is the definition of a franchise player a guy that can lead a mediocore team to teh playoffs? If that is one of the criteria, than guys like KG and even Love don’t qualify. Is the definition a guy that is gifted enough to put up jaw dropping stats? To me it’s a combination of both, and I believe that teh term "Farnchise Player" should be used carefully, however I believe that there are several of them in the league, like Durant, Westbrook, Rose, maybe Love, Kobe, Lebron, Duncan(not anymore but 15.3 and 9 in 28 minutes is still petty good, don’t be surprised if he turns the clock back in the playoffs for 22 and 10, assuming his minutes go up), Lebron, Wade, even Garnett(not anymore). I’m blanking right now, but other guys, Dirk, Melo, a healthy Amare, CP3, Dwight, D-Will not quite, but close.

I know I listed a lot of names but, to simplify it, Westbrook, Rose, Kobe, Lebron, Durant, CP3, Dwight, a healthy Amare, and Melo, and Dirk too, don’t let that 21ppg fool you, he’s averaging 25 ppg since February, and scored 25 ppg in just 34 minutes per game in February. Don’t count the Mavs out. That’s 10 guys who I believe can carry a slightly below average team into the playoffs, meaning 6th seed or somthing like that.

[avavalisParticipant]

mmm..wait wasn’t adam morisson the closest thing to larry bird????

[WereadyBParticipant]

I’m a true and die hard lakers fan and Bynum is not a franchise player for two reason…. he doesn’t have anything special in his game other then he Is a big 7 footer with ability to drop step n hook shot (two standard things a big man should have) D12 has bounce out this world n a crazy body that’s y he would be consider more of a franchise player. 2nd reason is he not a jersey seller your franchise player has to be able to bring in money for your team. Bynum is no Shaq so
Ppl wouldn’t pay to see him play.

[steviechillzParticipant]

 damn guys, this wasn’t about a race thing.  it’s sad that a forum post about franchise players became a racist conspiracy.  How can I not compare the two…K-Love has excellent range, rebounding skills, simillar athleticism, and has clutch ability….how is that not comparable to Larry Bird?  Calm down for a second, take out the race card, and analyze the facts…they are a bit simillar, calm down!

[phila9012Participant]

 KG was a franchise player. He lead the timberwolves to the play offs many times. He also lead the timeberwolves to the conference finals with scrubs.

[mosdefParticipant]

To me there are 3 tiers in basketball/sports

1-the guy that demands the double and everyone fears. Makes other people better and just wins

2-the guy that works off the tier one guy. He could be an allstar and might be borderline tier 1 but something is missing

3-role player. 3pt specialist, person who set screens

Now Bynum to me right now could be a tier 1 but I would put him more in tier 2 right now. If Kobe is out during the playoffs and he carries his team to a series win, then I can place him in tier 1.

[mosdefParticipant]

I would have to say the best franchise player post Jordan was Tim Duncan when he was younger. He still won after David Robinson left. And the dude got people who really should not have won a ring: Vinny Del Negr@, Avery Johnson, Glenn Robinson, Stephen Jackson, Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan just won with people that had no right winning a ring.It didnt matter who it was, Tim Duncan won

[dede21]

Vinny Del Negro never won a ring he was on the Bucks by then

[aamir543Participant]

"KG was a franchise player. He lead the timberwolves to the play offs many times. He also lead the timeberwolves to the conference finals with scrubs."

If you read my whole post, you’d see that I was just bringing up somthing that many people think a franchise player needs to be able to do, and in the end I did classify KG as a franchise player, but that team that went to the Conference Finals was not just KG and a bunch of scrubs. Sam Cassell was a veteran leader that got them 19 and 8 on the season, Spreewell was still good and got them 17 a game, Wally Szczerbiak didn’t play much that season, but he did play in the playoffs and gave them 10 points per game. That’s no the greatest team but he had at two other legit guys that could put up 20 to help him. Do you know who D-Wade had in 2009 that year in Miami? His second leading scorer was a rookie Michael Beasley at just under 14 per game. Kobe in 2006 had Lamar at 14, Smush Parker at 11 and Chris Mihm at 10. When Smush Parker and Chris Mihm are your 3rd and 4th leading scorers you know that was a scrub a$$ team. 

And the T-Wolves won 58 games that season, however only three other times in his 13 year career with the T-Wolves did they win 50 or more games, and the second most was only 51. I know those teams weren’t the greatest, but they weren’t as bad as the teams some other guys had, and the last three years with the T-Wolves he failed to reach the playoffs. They finished higher than third in their division just once, and that wa the 2004 season. KG was a damn good player and in the end I did say he was a franchise player but you also have to look at the amount of times his teams missed the playoffs. Kobe only missed it once, Wade missed it that one year, Lebron hasn’t, and Duncan hasn’t. Hell, Nash is leading a scrub a$$ team to the playoffs. So although KG was a franchise player, he couldn’t do it all by himself.

[phila9012Participant]

 look at the teams Duncan has had. He played for the spurs with a great coach and a great front office that finds good players. The T-wolves blew literally every draft they had while garnett was there. Garnett is not in Kobe’s class. It takes a team to win, with the exception if you have lebron, wade, or kobe. You win as a team. Garnett played on the post, which means yo need decent people to create for you or feed you the ball. I may be a TWolves fan, but Garnett is equal or better than duncan. Garnett is the ultimate competitor. If you switch him with duncan, then the spurs still win 4 to five championships and the timberwolves still would win zero. Kahn is at least a quality GM. The GM before traded a first round pick for marco jaric. Had the Timberwolves had a better GM then they would have been able to win 1 or 2 championships, and Garnett might have retired a timberwolf.

[joecheck88Participant]

 Franchise players- Dwight Howard, Kobe, Durant, Wade, Lebron, Dirk, Rose, Chris Paul

[HaleParticipant]

Right now: Dwight, Kobe, Durant, Wade, Lebron, D-Rose, CP3, Dirk

Possibly: Love, Griffin, Westbrook, Rondo, Aldridge, Bynum, D-Will, Melo, Nash?

Future looks bright: Wall, Irving, Gordon, Rubio, Curry, Monroe, Cousins

[mosdefParticipant]

you were right about Vinny but still lok at those Spurs rosters.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

For those of you saying you won’t take Blake Griffin as your franchise player right now… Give him to me. I’ll take him and sell out my arena every night and live filthy from all of the revenue I’ll be bringing in. There aren’t too many players in the NBA who can sell out an arena despite the team having a losing season and that’s exactly what Griffin did last season.

He still has work to do on his game, but he’s an absolute monster who’s going to get better. There is no doubt that he’s a player who’s face you want on your franchise for the next decade.

[Future_Scout board]

 i see what your saying indiana, but he cant carry a team the way these other guys can.

i think y2g list is perfect. 

 

[imahustla1Participant]

 im still keeping my fingers crossed for Michael "B-Eazy" Beasley no one on the website cant tell me he has the skill and potential to be a franchise player he just needs to put it all together like the Kansas state days!

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we k

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became the

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became the top team

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became the top

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became the top team in the

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Griffin can’t carry a team yet, but it’s bound to happen. He’ll need some strong help around him, but so did Dirk when he won his first title.

Griffin is no doubt a franchise player. He has everything you want, plus you know he’s going to get better. Didn’t we know Kevin Durant was a franchise player before OKC became the top team in the West?

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

DP

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

My work computer does this from time to time when the page refreshes during my post or something. My bad.

[Future_Scout board]

 lol at the dp

…

true is bound to happen but the same thing can be said love, bynum, westbrook, etc. he can carry a team yet so i’ll leave him off the list. 

 

[aamir543Participant]

@Phila9012, I agree with what you’re saying, but I was just responding to someone saying that the T-Wolves team he led to the Conference Finals was full of scrubs, which is far from true, and that although he did a good job of leading average T-Wolves teams to the playoffs, however he didn’t do it every year, and missed the postseason his last three seasons in Minny. I do agree with you that the Spurs still win their 4 tittles, but I would say that T-Wolves would crack the first round a couple more times, Garnett had some play making abilities on offense that Duncan didn’t, however Duncan was the more advanced and reliable and go-to offensive guy, and if Garnett was the best low post defender and rim protecter at the time, than Duncan was a very close second, he was one of hte best rim protecters of the time, second to Garnett in my opinion, Duncan was the anchor of the Spurs’ feared D, and I believe that his stats would have been even better had the Spurs had a bit of a faster paced offense. Overall, like you said adding Garnett to the Spurs would not change their tittle years. Unfortunatly KG’s 98 T-Wolves team was plagued by injuries, they had a 19 and 10 KG, 18 and 9 Marbury, a 13 ppg Sam Mitchell, and the injury plagued guys were Gulgolata who was good for 20 and 9, and Anthony Peeler, a deadly three point shooter at 45%, and 13 ppg. Gulgolata was missing in the playoffs, and they won 45 that season with Gulgollata and Peeler missing half the season, and I remember watching an NBA classic game a year ago where they were showing one of Marbury’s good games(With Phoenix), and Gulgollata(also with Phoenix, I read somewhere that he left Minny to go play with J-Kidd, only to get Marbury again, lol) That team could have made some noise, but Duncan’s team wasn’t very deep either. It was Robinson at 15 ppg, Sean Elliot at 11, and Avery Johnson and Mario Ellie at 9 ppg. A solid all around team, bu that particular roster wasn’t the greatest, and I believe that for that team to win it all it took an extra special post and offensive player like Duncan, not to say Garnett wasn’t but Duncan has one of the best post games of all time.

Wow, 18-posts, but no one’s touching my record of 26 when I was a noob, lol.

[Author]

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