• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

Starting an NBA Franchise - 1st pick

Who would you take with your 1st pick to start a franchise?

  • LeBron James

  • Kevin Durant

  • Stephen Curry

  • Kawhi Leonard

  • James Harden

  • Russell Westbrook

  • Anthony Davis

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo

  • Karl-Anthony Towns

  • Ben Simmons

  • Other


Results are only viewable after voting.

Mike A. S.

Well-Known Member
1,553
268
83
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
If you were starting an NBA franchise and you could draft anyone to start your franchise with, who would you take?
 

msgkings322

Throbbing Member
115,194
46,560
1,033
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Hoopla Cash
$ 4,700.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
This is tough. Probably need to go young so Giannis.
 

Mike A. S.

Well-Known Member
1,553
268
83
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
This is tough. Probably need to go young so Giannis.
Yep, gotta go young. Otherwise I'm sure most would easily say LeBron. But because of age and there still being so many ultra-talented youngsters then ya gotta choose a young one.
 

flyerhawk

Well-Known Member
96,037
32,785
1,033
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Location
Hoboken
Hoopla Cash
$ 500.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I assume you are talking about the beginning of their careers? Lebron without a second of pause.

If you are saying current age players then either Giannis or KD or, if you are being very optimistic, Simmons.
 

Mecca

ClipGangOrDontBang
44,080
22,870
1,033
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Location
Snottsdale
Hoopla Cash
$ 19,999.54
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Damn, Giannis, Porzingis.

I waddle between which guy day to day.

One guy is stupid athletic.

But, can't shoot.

The other is not nearly the athlete and looks super malnourished. But, long as Fuck and can stick a needle in your eye from anywhere on the court.

Excellent thread by the way.....

I think in a season or two, my answer could change to Simmons.
 

flyerhawk

Well-Known Member
96,037
32,785
1,033
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Location
Hoboken
Hoopla Cash
$ 500.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Damn, Giannis, Porzingis.

I waddle between which guy day to day.

One guy is stupid athletic.

But, can't shoot.

The other is not nearly the athlete and looks super malnourished. But, long as Fuck and can stick a needle in your eye from anywhere on the court.

Excellent thread by the way.....

I think in a season or two, my answer could change to Simmons.

All 3 of them have potential to be all time greats despite all of them having different skill sets.
 

Mike A. S.

Well-Known Member
1,553
268
83
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I assume you are talking about the beginning of their careers? Lebron without a second of pause.

If you are saying current age players then either Giannis or KD or, if you are being very optimistic, Simmons.
No, I'm meaning right now with their current ages.
 

CitySushi

Andrew Wiggin's burner account
15,264
7,986
533
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Hoopla Cash
$ 102,675.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Giannis without question. Think Porzingas should be an option up there too. LOL at anyone who would start a franchise with Russ though.

Giannis is already really good and just has so much upside. I like Simmons too. Anthony Davis though would still be my 2nd pick. It's crazy, but he's only 24 still.
 

knowyourenemy

Well-Known Member
5,985
1,348
173
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Leonard, Giannis, Simmons.

Obviously, the other guys would help you win now but it'd be pretty easy to build around any of the 3 players mentioned above.
 

Sparhawk

SportsHoopla Ombudsman
19,682
11,598
1,033
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Location
Dark Side of the Moon
Hoopla Cash
$ 6,357.27
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Should put their ages up there.
I went 'Other' and would take Embiid.
 

CitySushi

Andrew Wiggin's burner account
15,264
7,986
533
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Hoopla Cash
$ 102,675.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I love Embiid and Davis is great -- but I wouldn't build around a center.

No question, but if you had to choose a player right now to start a franchise with, would it be AD or Embiid? Your opinion isn't wrong of course whichever way you choose, just curious to know what your thoughts are.
 

CitySushi

Andrew Wiggin's burner account
15,264
7,986
533
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Hoopla Cash
$ 102,675.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Even though I acknowledge Kawhi as the 3rd best player in the NBA, I don't know if I could really peg him as a guy to build a franchise around. I think he does everything really well, but nothing exceptional aside from defense. I would choose a guy to build around who had a specific skillset that was exceptional and then cater the team around it. At least that's my logic.
 

Cyder

Justin
41,611
20,092
1,033
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Porzingis because of his age. Or the Greek freak. I'm assuming it's an expansion team and will take a few years to get to the point they can compete
 

knowyourenemy

Well-Known Member
5,985
1,348
173
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
No question, but if you had to choose a player right now to start a franchise with, would it be AD or Embiid? Your opinion isn't wrong of course whichever way you choose, just curious to know what your thoughts are.

AD is a great player. I'd probably take Embiid because I'm a 76ers fan and for the sheer entertainment value.

But you can't really ignore Embiid's injury history. So I know most people would probably pick AD.
 

knowyourenemy

Well-Known Member
5,985
1,348
173
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Even though I acknowledge Kawhi as the 3rd best player in the NBA, I don't know if I could really peg him as a guy to build a franchise around. I think he does everything really well, but nothing exceptional aside from defense. I would choose a guy to build around who had a specific skillset that was exceptional and then cater the team around it. At least that's my logic.

.388 for his career from 3, he can score from anywhere on the court. You can basically combine him with any other star player in the NBA and they'll be a formidable duo. Not the case with Giannis and Simmons. In fact, Leonard/Giannis or Leonard/Simmons would be nice duos. Giannis/Simmons would not.

In some ways, that makes him the perfect player to build around. His playing style can mesh with anyone.
 

Sparhawk

SportsHoopla Ombudsman
19,682
11,598
1,033
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Location
Dark Side of the Moon
Hoopla Cash
$ 6,357.27
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Embiid over AD? Embiid is just a year younger than AD.

It's early still for Embiid.

Compare their age 23 seasons :
Embiid has a higher TRB% 20.1 - 17.2
higher AST% 19.2 - 11.1
similar STL% 1.8 - 1.7
similar BLK% 4.5 - 5.1
similar TS% .567 - .580

Embiid gets killed in TOV%, doubling that of AD.

Embiid still needs to get his legs under him.
Still needs to remain healthy.
But, if he can start knocking down that 3ball like he did last year, then I think he becomes the better player.

AD is better right now.
Embiid has a higher ceiling, if that makes sense.
 

CitySushi

Andrew Wiggin's burner account
15,264
7,986
533
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Hoopla Cash
$ 102,675.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
.388 for his career from 3, he can score from anywhere on the court. You can basically combine him with any other player in the NBA and they'll be a formidable duo. Not the case with Giannis and Simmons. In fact, Leonard/Giannis or Leonard/Simmons would be nice duos. Giannis/Simmons would not.

In some ways, that makes him the perfect player to build around. His playing style can mesh with anyone.

I guess I look at it more from a role player perspective, than meshing with another superstar. Again if I could build the franchise, then I would feel like I would have some control over who else is on the team. If you say took the best player off each franchise and I had to pick a player to fit the most with any team, hands down it would be Kawhi. But if I'm building a team from scratch, I can cater an offense towards a player instead of just finding guys to mesh. Don't know if that made enough sense in writing, just having an off day I think conveying my thoughts.

Totally agree with your assessment on the players though. The reason I would elect to go with Giannis is because of the mismatches he creates. I can play him at pretty much any one of the 5 positions on the court and have a significant edge somewhere.
 

knowyourenemy

Well-Known Member
5,985
1,348
173
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I guess I look at it more from a role player perspective, than meshing with another superstar. Again if I could build the franchise, then I would feel like I would have some control over who else is on the team. If you say took the best player off each franchise and I had to pick a player to fit the most with any team, hands down it would be Kawhi. But if I'm building a team from scratch, I can cater an offense towards a player instead of just finding guys to mesh. Don't know if that made enough sense in writing, just having an off day I think conveying my thoughts.

Totally agree with your assessment on the players though. The reason I would elect to go with Giannis is because of the mismatches he creates. I can play him at pretty much any one of the 5 positions on the court and have a significant edge somewhere.

Fair enough. Giannis would be my second choice.

I'm looking at it as if we're doing a snake draft with all the other players in the NBA (kind of like how you'd do on NBA2K in the fantasy draft mode). I'd take Kawhi #1 and when it wrapped back around to me to pick at #60 and #61, I could just pick the best two players available and they'd probably fit well with him.
 
Top