NBA.com did this blog where they asked writers who they would build their team around, Lillard or Anthony Davis, and every one of them chose Davis. Of course it's understandable that they'd chose Davis. But whose team is headed towards the playoffs with a roster that was supposed to suck, and whose team is sitting 12 games under .500 with a roster that was supposed to be one of the powers in the West? http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2016/...thony-davis-or-damian-lillard/#comment-782247
Can the Warriors guard Anthony Davis? I wouldn't want to give them a leg up in a potential playoff series.
All things being equal, you take Anthony. But considering all things aren't equal, you go with Damian. Like Sinobas said, one team was supposed to compete for a top seed, and the other was supposed to compete for a top draft pick. You have to take into account that the Pelicans aren't run very well, so that really plays a big factor in how crappy they're doing.
Lillard has quickly become my favorite player of all time. His leadership, work ethic, killer instinct, demeanor, loyalty, are so rare to find and he has all of it. I'd take him over steph curry and I can admit curry is out of this league talented, but he just isnt dame.
Nobody can tell me Anthony Davis wouldn't love to play in Portland with Dame and CJ....now that's a big 3 with a future
Too bad he's signed through 2020 and not the type of guy who would demand a trade even if they continue to go nowhere.
Davis is the type of player who comes around once in ten years. He is an absolute beast and his skill set is just insane. Davis may be brittle but he has the chance to be one of the top 5 players in the league. I'd take him over Lillard in a second but since that wont happen i'm not sad at all at having Lillard on this team and i'm fine with him being the franchise player for the next 10+ years.
Lillard makes everyone around him better. Does Davis? Nah. Choice ain't even that hard. I will not be blinded by the media, or some stats.
Anthony Davis is the most overrated player in the NBA. He's talked up like an MVP candidate, once-in-a-generation player, yet his team is likely to get a top 4 pick during a season that he's basically healthy. Think about that guys...it's his fourth year and New Orleans is on pace to get a top four pick. I just read an ESPN Article title that praised his 50+ scoring night as a "glimmer of hope in a season ravaged by injuries." Why is he constantly getting the excuse of either having a bad team, injuries, or coaching change? What injuries? Oh you mean Tyreke Evans, the guy who gets scapegoated for not fitting in with team's chemistry. Yet somehow now that's missed half their games, he's the missing piece to their team? (On another note, they should've never let go of Monty) If you want to talk about generational superstar on bad teams, LeBron James took terrible Cleveland teams deep in the playoffs each year. Kevin Durant carried the Thunder to the playoffs without Westbrook. Westbrook nearly carried the Thunder to the playoffs without Durant and would've gotten there if he himself didn't get injured so much that year. Kobe brought some terrible Laker teams to the playoffs. Somehow, this amazing two-way player in Anthony Davis has his team at 22-34 in a year when the West is not as consistently solid from top to bottom. Yet somehow he's the third best player on the planet? Sounds more like Carmelo Anthony. I'm not saying he's not a good player. He's a great player and I'd love to have him in a Blazer uniform. But pegging him as an MVP candidate or generational player is just silly. Let's see him will the Pelicans to win consistently first. On the other hand, Damian Lillard has lifted the Blazers to the 6th seed of the Western Conference after losing four starters. According to popular opinion, he's not even an All-Star while Anthony Davis is a generational superstar. Give me a break.
Yep.. and the team name is the Pelicans. The "Pelicans" are never going to win a championship. I'll take Dame.
Writers always base a franchise player on talent alone.... never attitude or leadership. Davis is supremely talented but he couldn't lead a frat on a successfulful pub crawl on Fat Tuesday. Dame has got it where it counts. Isaiah Thomas was the same way..... just do anything to win.
How many times have the Blazers gone after the talented-but-injured big man who's the superstar talent when healthy over the high-scoring alpha dog that just happens to will teams to victory? We don't have much room to talk...
Davis took that Pelicans to the playoffs last year - and it is not as if they had tons of talent on that team last year as well. Injuries really have them over the barrel this year. I do think that Davis is a bit overrated and Dame is still underrated by these writers - but you can not write off Davis based on the record of an injured team with a new coach. Remember, the Pelicans have Dante, Babbitt and Alonzo Gee on their roster - and these guys actually played some this year because of injuries. Last time Babbitt was on Portland's roster with Dame, Aldridge, Batum and Wes the team finished with 33 wins.
