07-04-2021, 10:22 PM
(07-04-2021, 10:01 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: So who you think wins a title first, Luka or Trae ? I don't get the comparisons between them just because they were traded for each other. They're games are similar but Luka is much bigger and stronger, so he has that over him obviously. But Trae is much faster. Luka is a better rebounder, again his size. Passing is a push, Luka may be a better shooter, but both take bad shots. Trae is really small, but he plays tough and knows how to draw fouls. I think most observers didn't expect Trae to be as good as he is. So there is a shock factor in play here. Trae Young is a star so some have a hard time accepting that. That trade isn't all that one-sided now. Especially since the Mavs threw in Cam Reddish.
My take is that while Luka is the better player, Young is much better than expected.
But most importantly, each player ended up in the right place and was able to breathe life back into their respective franchises in a way the other couldn't have, were their destinations reversed.
Anyone who's familiar at all with ATL knows that a white European would've been a hard sell to that team's fans. Here in Dallas, Dirk has paved the way for that type of player. Trae Young absolutely wouldn't have been given the keys here so quickly at the time, due to the combo of DSJ and Carlisle. If the Mavs had drafted him, we might STILL have fans who preferred DSJ to this day, and I kind of doubt Young would've had as much of a chance to shine.
I think both players are good enough to have won over the other's city, eventually, but I think it would've been bumpier in both cases. I think both teams do the deal again, knowing what they know now.
However, I don't care how well Ayton is playing right now - PHX and SAC would both absolutely take Luka if they had it to do over.