Thought-Provoking Question of the Day (split from game thread/poll added)

[Hadlowe]

Thought-Provoking Question of the Day​

Would you trade Demarcus for Anthony Davis?

Umm, yes.

1) supremely talented scoring center with suspect defense and prone to fits of pique vs. supremely talented scoring power forward with superb defensive awareness and shot-blocking ability who is a media darling. I'd normally take option #2, but Demarcus wins this one because he did punch Donte Greene that one time and that makes me like him more.

2) Unibrow vs. no unibrow. Gotta go with the unibrow.

3) Tie-breaker. Being in the SEC, I hate anyone that went to Kentucky, so . . . everyone loses. I choose Thabeet.

 

[JLoss22]

I'd trade Cousins for Davis in a heartbeat. Wouldn't think twice about it.

 

[spudfan]

Nope, wouldn't trade Cousins for Davis at this point. If Davis shows that he can take over games in the future I would though. I would rather have an unstoppable big who gets other teams in foul trouble than the combination of rim protector and highly efficient offense. It seems it is easier to find a rim protector than the offensive, post game star.

Can't go wrong with either player but in theory I think Cousins should be easier to build around.

 

[The_Jamal]

Absolutely. Davis is the last guy in the NBA i'd be willing to deal Cousins for, since he's made his strides this season.

 

[Glenn]

Absolutely. Davis is the last guy in the NBA i'd be willing to deal Cousins for, since he's made his strides this season.

Sarcasm, I presume. It would be a difficult choice. I'd like to see the unibrow sustain what he is doing but I suspect he will just get better and better. So will Cousins. Can we have both?

 

[whozit]

Sarcasm, I presume. It would be a difficult choice. I'd like to see the unibrow sustain what he is doing but I suspect he will just get better and better. So will Cousins. Can we have both?

I like your idea better than having one or the other. Rather have both (ain't happening).

 

[The_Jamal]

Sarcasm, I presume. It would be a difficult choice. I'd like to see the unibrow sustain what he is doing but I suspect he will just get better and better. So will Cousins. Can we have both?

huh? Oh, I guess I worded it weird.

Davis is the only guy I would trade Cousins for with the improvements Cuz has made this season. Last year, I think I had Kyrie and Steph Curry on the list as well. So "Davis being the last guy in the NBA i'd trade Cuz for" in my mind meant he was the only guy i'd trade him for.

Been up for awhile, don't judge me

 

[randymoss1881]

No way I trade cousins for Davis. Davis is a finesse player when he dominates he won't get other players in foul trouble DMC will get the other team in foul trouble. Also DMC is becoming a great passer that is a big tool for a big man he just needs to become an above average defender with 26-12-3 ( his average per36 min)

 

[Hadlowe]

Nope, wouldn't trade Cousins for Davis at this point. If Davis shows that he can take over games in the future I would though. I would rather have an unstoppable big who gets other teams in foul trouble than the combination of rim protector and highly efficient offense. It seems it is easier to find a rim protector than the offensive, post game star.

Can't go wrong with either player but in theory I think Cousins should be easier to build around.

Interior defenders aren't impossible to find, but they are still pretty rare and are more commonly the slow-footed 7' paint clogs like Hibbert, Mutombo and Mark Eaton than they are the nimble shot blocking 4's like Davis, Ibaka or Henson.

Pure low post players are pretty rare these days. Bynum, Jefferson and Howard are the only ones that really come to mind. The illegal defense rule changes have made it harder to operate down low for the last ten years, so you see a lot of post players facing up at the high post and operating out of the triple-threat. That is where Cousins is head and shoulders above most of the competition, being a respectable mid-range jumpshooter, good on the dribble-drive to the rim, and a guy with good court vision and touch on his passes as well as a decent low-post scorer.

In all seriousness, I'd still rather have Davis because of his two-way prowess which makes it easier to find a front court partner. With Cousins you need Anthony Davis. With Davis, you can slot in Cousins, David Lee, Tyson Chandler or Andrea Bargnani and still be okay.

 

[Chupacabra]

In my world you only trade dominant low post scoring big men for better dominant low post scoring big men, Lebron James in his prime or Michael Jordan in his prime. So my answer would be no.

GO KINGS!

 

[MizzouKing]

I'd have to think long and hard about it, but my answer would also be NO. Demarcus has a deep investment in this team, strong loyalty to Sacramento, and is growing into his role in a way that Davis could not...at least not by the time his contract was up! Instead of watching Davis wave bye-bye out the rear view window, I'd rather be dancing at the re-signing party with an in-his-prime DMC and a few thousand of his closest friends.

 

[jalfa]

thing with Davis is, the dude is putting up those numbers while still being incredibly raw and on a team that doesn't have a clue how to feature him correctly. you can already see some flashes of a low-post game, he's already got that jumper pretty much down and his ball handling is insane. he'll fill out, get better in the post and become a nightmare of epic proportions and that's just on offence. he and his arms are already scary as hell on the other end and he's basically operating on instincts there. so yeah, for the two-way potential and because he's younger, I'd take Davis over Cousins.

 

[Kingsfan23]

I wouldn't trade cuz for Anthony davis. Davis is going to have a stud all-around all-star career. On the other hand I, as a kings fan, envision cuz being maybe the most offensively dominant big man of this generation. Someone who you can just run the offense through and get you 26/13/6

 

[spudfan]

Interior defenders aren't impossible to find, but they are still pretty rare and are more commonly the slow-footed 7' paint clogs like Hibbert, Mutombo and Mark Eaton than they are the nimble shot blocking 4's like Davis, Ibaka or Henson.

Pure low post players are pretty rare these days. Bynum, Jefferson and Howard are the only ones that really come to mind. The illegal defense rule changes have made it harder to operate down low for the last ten years, so you see a lot of post players facing up at the high post and operating out of the triple-threat. That is where Cousins is head and shoulders above most of the competition, being a respectable mid-range jumpshooter, good on the dribble-drive to the rim, and a guy with good court vision and touch on his passes as well as a decent low-post scorer.

In all seriousness, I'd still rather have Davis because of his two-way prowess which makes it easier to find a front court partner. With Cousins you need Anthony Davis. With Davis, you can slot in Cousins, David Lee, Tyson Chandler or Andrea Bargnani and still be okay.

Do you see Davis becoming the goto guy on the offensive side? I am not sure if I do, which is what it would take for me to want him over Cousins. Basing my decision on Davis never becoming the #1 scoring option he would need a stellar guard to get the "easy baskets". And if I have to chose between a big who can get easy shots and a small, I go with the big.

 

[Hadlowe]

Do you see Davis becoming the goto guy on the offensive side? I am not sure if I do, which is what it would take for me to want him over Cousins. Basing my decision on Davis never becoming the #1 scoring option he would need a stellar guard to get the "easy baskets". And if I have to chose between a big who can get easy shots and a small, I go with the big.

I choose the big who is going to have a major impact on both sides of the court. Cuz is by far my favorite king, but he is not a defensive stopper. Cuz may make that big post play in crunch time that Davis doesn't, but Davis is going to get that key chasedown block down the stretch that Cuz can't.

 

[spudfan]

I choose the big who is going to have a major impact on both sides of the court. Cuz is by far my favorite king, but he is not a defensive stopper. Cuz may make that big post play in crunch time that Davis doesn't, but Davis is going to get that key chasedown block down the stretch that Cuz can't.

So you take Howard over Cousins?

edit: and Marc Gasol?

 

[The_Jamal]

Do you see Davis becoming the goto guy on the offensive side? I am not sure if I do, which is what it would take for me to want him over Cousins. Basing my decision on Davis never becoming the #1 scoring option he would need a stellar guard to get the "easy baskets". And if I have to chose between a big who can get easy shots and a small, I go with the big.

He already is. 19 PPG, 14 shots, just a hair under 6 FTA/game. Great efficiency.

If that's not a go to guy, don't know what is

 

[spudfan]

He already is. 19 PPG, 14 shots, just a hair under 6 FTA/game. Great efficiency.

If that's not a go to guy, don't know what is

Indeed, it's great efficiency, which is what I said in my first post on the subject. Being highly efficient, by itself, in no way makes a player the go-to guy. This is his highlight mix from his last game. Note that almost every one of his baskets was a dunk which was set up by our old friend Tyreke Evans. Until Davis can be the guy where you give him the ball (go-to guy) and he goes to work to get you the basket I don't take him over Cousins. I am not sure he will be that player, which is why I asked Hadlowe if he thought he could be. If he can be then I take him over Cousins.

 

[Bricklayer]

Cuz is far more the goto guy, he's completely bending/destroying defense at 23. By 27 he could be an all time offensive presence.

Love my defenders and shotblockers. Would love for Cuz to be both. But frankly its easier to find a roleplayer who defends the rim next to Cousins than it is to find a roleplayer with goto guy offensive skills.

I would of course answer this the opposite way if I were a Pelicans fan,

 

[spudfan]

Cuz is far more the goto guy, he's completely bending/destroying defense at 23. By 27 he could be an all time offensive presence.

Love my defenders and shotblockers. Would love for Cuz to be both. But frankly its easier to find a roleplayer who defends the rim next to Cousins than it is to find a roleplayer with goto guy offensive skills.

I would of course answer this the opposite way if I were a Pelicans fan,

Don't read my last comment or watch the video. You will miss Tyreke.

 

[Bricklayer]

He already is. 19 PPG, 14 shots, just a hair under 6 FTA/game. Great efficiency.

If that's not a go to guy, don't know what is

Its not really. If you watch the games half his points come from running the floor hard, then there's the occasional jumper. He's their best player, but he's not at this stage a throw it to him against a set defense and watch him go to work guy.

 

[Bricklayer]

Don't read my last comment or watch the video. You will miss Tyreke.

I was going to post this one. Same idea:

Finishes on the break, offensive rebound follows, scattered jumpers, hits some guys with facing passes. There is a gulf between that sort of thing and what Cousins does. Or actually Cousins does some of that stuff too, but when he does it feels like he's floating. Then he posts up and things get serious.

 

[VF21]

I split this discussion from the game thread because I suspect it will gain momentum in the next few days when the Pelicans come to town. AND I was finally able to figure out how to add a poll after the fact.

 

[Kingster]

Cousins will never have Davis's athleticism and ability to defend the rim. The question is: How far in his offense will Davis develop? Davis isn't one-dimensional. He can shoot the ball. He does have pretty good footwork at his very young age. It's a tough one, but I'd take Davis because I think in a couple of years he'll be very good offensively as well as defensively.

 

[KingMilz]

He already is. 19 PPG, 14 shots, just a hair under 6 FTA/game. Great efficiency.

If that's not a go to guy, don't know what is

19ppg on mainly others spoon feeding him/easy buckets not to say he does not have skills, but Cousins you can go to, to get you buckets Davis is more a finisher with the ability to sometimes to create, Cousins can create all the time. If Cousins actually got spoon feed more than once a game (if that) like 99% of these big men his efficiency would sky rockets instead he's the one doing the spoon feeding to others.

That's why I have never been impressed by efficiency of players like Griffin/Dwight/Drummond sure your going to shot a high % when well over 60% of your buckets are a results of great PG play/team ball movement with them just hanging around the rim waiting for the ball for a open lay up/dunk or putback.

On the question I only say no cause Cousins cause I'm bias and Cousins showed loyalty to the Kings when probably no other up and coming All Star/Superstar would have. Davis is a superstar in the making but you can't go wrong with either guy the only thing is Davis does keep getting niggling injuries all the time it seems.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Cuz is far more the goto guy, he's completely bending/destroying defense at 23. By 27 he could be an all time offensive presence.

Love my defenders and shotblockers. Would love for Cuz to be both. But frankly its easier to find a roleplayer who defends the rim next to Cousins than it is to find a roleplayer with goto guy offensive skills.

I would of course answer this the opposite way if I were a Pelicans fan,

I'm as big of a Cousins fan as there is, but I think I'd do the trade. And I'm not quite so sure it's easier to find a supporting defender to Cousins as it is to find a supporting post scorer to Davis. In the "get a big man defender to pair with Cousins" discussions we've narrowed it down to guys like Ibaka, Drummond, and John Henson who are expensive, unattainable, or both. Meanwhile, you can get away with a David West type next to a Davis (like the Pacers do with Hibbert), and I think those guys are much easier to find.

And no, I would not say the same for Howard or Gasol. They're not 20. I was skeptical of Davis when he came into the league, annoyed at the hype he got over Cousins during national team camps, but at this point he's starting to prove me wrong. I think unfortunately it's much more likely that he'll develop the footwork and skill on the offensive side of the ball to go with his athletically-driven defense than for Cousins to turn his largely groundbound (albeit offensively dominant) style into a defensive stopper as well.

 

[spudfan]

Cousins will never have Davis's athleticism and ability to defend the rim. The question is: How far in his offense will Davis develop? Davis isn't one-dimensional. He can shoot the ball. He does have pretty good footwork at his very young age. It's a tough one, but I'd take Davis because I think in a couple of years he'll be very good offensively as well as defensively.

That's the big question to me. I am not convinced he is on the path to having an elite low post game. Only time will tell. The concern with super athletic players is they rely on it too much and end up like Howard or Griffin. He is still very young and has a great work ethic so I am excited to see how he turns out. Crossing my fingers he can manage to not get injured as much He played 64/82 last year and 17/24 so far this year.

 

[The_Jamal]

It really just depends on your preference. Davis looks like KG reincarnate. Possibly even better. Took KG awhile to establish himself and Davis is already close to being the best 2-way big in the league. As a Kings fan, I say F-no and stick with our guy. As a basketball fan, well.... I still make the trade because of what Davis has already put up and how much potential he still has in him

 

[bajaden]

Two entirely different kind of players. God knows I love Anthony Davis, but I have to say no. I'm going to leave the dance with the one I brought. My biggest concern with Davis, is his durability. He missed over 20 games last season, and has already missed 7 games this season. Say what you want about Cousins, but so far, he's proven to be very durable. Great talent doesn't help you if its sitting in street clothes on the bench. Now it could just be a small bump in the road, and for Davis sake, I hope so. Very tantalizing idea though. What I'd really like, is to have Davis along side of Cuz wearing the same uni.

 

[spudfan]

I'm as big of a Cousins fan as there is, but I think I'd do the trade. And I'm not quite so sure it's easier to find a supporting defender to Cousins as it is to find a supporting post scorer to Davis. In the "get a big man defender to pair with Cousins" discussions we've narrowed it down to guys like Ibaka, Drummond, and John Henson who are expensive, unattainable, or both. Meanwhile, you can get away with a David West type next to a Davis (like the Pacers do with Hibbert), and I think those guys are much easier to find.

And no, I would not say the same for Howard or Gasol. They're not 20. I was skeptical of Davis when he came into the league, annoyed at the hype he got over Cousins during national team camps, but at this point he's starting to prove me wrong. I think unfortunately it's much more likely that he'll develop the footwork and skill on the offensive side of the ball to go with his athletically-driven defense than for Cousins to turn his largely groundbound (albeit offensively dominant) style into a defensive stopper as well.

I don't think Davis would need a supporting post scorer, it would be a guard or sf with elite penetration ability if you base it on his current game. The general rule is you need someone who can either get or set up easy buckets. Preferably both. With Davis not being that person (right now) it's what he would need to be paired with. If you think he will eventually be that player it makes sense to pick him over Cousins. So the comparison should be is it harder to find a player like that, or is it harder to find a help defender + rim protector.