Would they be great on other teams?

[DERRENMATTS]

Some players are truly great, and you can see it when they can play for any team and make them better than they were previously.

Lebron, on his first tour with Cleveland, was able to take a talentless team deep into the playoffs.

If you take Lebron off of this CLE team, they most likely aren't heading to the Finals (and we probably beat them in the ECF).

That's why Lebron can be called great.

But what about Steph, Klay, Draymond? If you take Steph and put him with Orlando, are they a playoff team next year?

If you put Klay with the Kings, are they immediately transformed into a playoff team?

If Draymond goes to LA, are the Lakers heading to the Finals?

I would doubt any of them would transform their team that significantly the way Lebron can, and did.

But yet, collectively, they make Golden State great; a perennial championship team.

So maybe it's not about getting transcendent players. Getting a bunch of really good players who mesh extremely well together is the more attainable goal.

And to clarify, you'd still need really good players (players who are much better than the ones we have now). It's still a game where top talent wins.

[FLCeltsFan]

There are very few truly great players like LeBron, Bird, Jordan. You are right that it's more attainable to get a collective group of very good players - stars, but not superstars and build them into a winning machine.

It was interesting to see how much Evan Turner struggled once he left the Celtics. I think the coach knowing how to use each player's strength is a plus too.

[jmost]

Russell is the ultimate example of a player who made any team he was on a great one. And he's still underappreciated. Fourteen winner take all games in his pro career, and he won all fourteen.

[Roadrunner]

May 29, 2017 21:50:44 GMT -5 jmost said:

Russell is the ultimate example of a player who made any team he was on a great one. And he's still underappreciated. Fourteen winner take all games in his pro career, and he won all fourteen.

I believe Bill Russell won an NCAA, Olympic, and NBA championship in 1-year. He is the GOAT.

[DERRENMATTS]

May 29, 2017 21:27:33 GMT -5 FLCeltsFan said:

There are very few truly great players like LeBron, Bird, Jordan. You are right that it's more attainable to get a collective group of very good players - stars, but not superstars and build them into a winning machine.

It was interesting to see how much Evan Turner struggled once he left the Celtics. I think the coach knowing how to use each player's strength is a plus too.

Right. Under Brad, Jordan Crawford had the most shining moments of his NBA career. Evan Turner received a massive new contract after Brad resurrected his career from the ashes. IT became an All-NBA 2nd teamer under Brad, after being a miscast in SAC and PHO.

Which makes me wonder how much better Brad can make Hayward, or Paul George, or Jimmy Butler if they were under him?

But yeah, as Brad gets better at his craft, and as he has better talent to work with, we may be able to contend without a true transcendent player. I mean, right now he's coaching a highly limited team that he's brought to the ECF!!!