Context: I want to form an all-time team with prime Steph/Klay/KD/LeBron but have issues about the 5.
Jokic is obviously the best out of AD and Dwight but he is not a good rim protector and I have enough scoring/offense with Steph/KD/LeBron and playmaking with Steph/LeBron. Jokic’s screening and rebounding will be really helpful though and he will allow the team to play true 5 out which gives LeBron the best spacing.
AD is the most versatile defender compared to Dwight (more switchable) but he is not big enough to body bigger bigs like Jokic or Shaq. I like AD’s off ball game the most out of the 3 + he is a good FT shooter
Dwight is a defender that matches up the best against true bigs like Shaq and he has a good off ball game when focused on his strengths (unlike say 2011 where he stopped PnR due to media pressure).
Which big fits this team the best?
no Salary Cap? I will go with Prime AD, since AD can adjust, can switch and can defend, but if Dwight is okay with just defending the paint, I will go with Dwight, Prime Dwight is a monster on defense but he also have a high Ego which dont want to catch lobs, That is why I am going with AD, Help Defender of LBJ and KD is enough to guard inside and Midrange, also AD can pass the ball effectively.
AD just need to man up when it’s Shaq.
Other than that, he’s clear.
Jo/Jokic wouldn’t be fair if they were paired with one of those guys in their prime. We’d see three peats. (Why is klay in this conversation lol?)
Is it peak ad? His peak was actually crazy. Could defend, post, athletic, and had a solid 3pt shot. This version of AD, KD, and Porzingus had me worried that the league was going to be filled with athletic, skilled giants like them. Luckily, the only guys we’ve had like that since them are probably Lauri and Wemby
hack a dwight is the counter to this so AD is easily the answer here for no weaknesses
Biggest AD fan there is but Dwight is clearly the answer… this would create the perfect starting lineup btw.
Prime Shaq is the only answer.
Jokic regardless.
Any center at that point with those other four guys.
Alternative answer: Tim Duncan would be a great fit. He played the 4 or 5. Unselfish, no ego, defense, rebounding, shot blocker, scorer, etc.
With Bron and Steph you don’t need another playmaker. Give me the best defensive player of the last 20 years in Dwight. Jameer nelson running pnr with dwight was insane, lebron or curry running that with prime Dwight would be a dream.
I would pick the most athletic center & that would be prime dwight
I say AD because he’s a great defender (DPOY level eventho he never won it) who can rim protect and switch out and guard wings/guards in P&R…he can damn near singlehandedly make a mediocre defensive team a top 5 defensive team by himself
AD is also a bucket…u can run him in the P&R as a roller and u can iso him at the elbow or short corner
Dwight is a great shot blocker but he doesn’t wanna leave the paint on P&R and he’s a limited offensive player
As great as Jokic is, most of his offensive strengths are Bron’s offensive strengths and tbh I rather run my offense through Bron than Jokic…plus Jokic is damn near a cone on defense
The only thing holding AD back in this convo is his health lol
Bubble AD is a defensive Anchor in the Playoffs, a Spacer, and an Excellent Lob. Perfect for Raising the Cieling.
Put Nate Robinson there lmao who cares? It wouldn’t matter.
dwight
powellhoward because nikola and davis’ shooting isn’t really necessary when you have steph, klay, durant, and lebron so might as well get a good defender for the position