05-25-2026, 05:15 PM
(05-25-2026, 03:04 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: Pippen proved he was a #1 option. Kukoc was a #2 option. Better player than either Williams or Chet.
I have been on so many iterations of this board over the years. Old timers know that Hakeem and Pip are two of my favorite players (Zeke being the 3rd). However, I've always conceded that Pip could never be a true #1 because a true #1 in the NBA always needs to be able to score year after year, especially in the playoffs, when defenses get tougher and are focused on taking out the primary option. Maybe in his prime if he were without Jordan, he could have done it for a year or two, but he didn't have that natural scorer ability to do it year after year like the great offensive players the game has seen. Dirk even before his title was a true #1 than Pip, even though Pip is the better all around player. Pip is like Jaylen Brown now. He can definitely elevate and carry a team, but as a team goes through a playoff series and the competition gets tougher, it will become apparent that he is not a true #1 option.
SGA is a generational talent. He went lower because people underestimated him. Now when you look at his college highlights and his Clippers highlights, you can see that he has always been special. It's frustrating that he has chosen to foul bait so much in recent years, but his creativity and midrange game are exceptional.