build around Bird or Barkley

[joeyjoejoe]

Both were great players, both had problems with their back, who would you build around

[StephHamann]

Both were great players, both had problems with their back, who would you build around

Johnson
Aigne
Bird
McHale
Parish


3-6 rings in the 2010s

[SHAQisGOAT]

Larry Bird, not all that much to discuss.

Bird had better/more impact from the get-go, more proven as a winner and as an overall player, one of the best ever at improving teams/teammates, does more on the basketball court (arguably more all-around/versatile offense ever), had a top5 all-time peak (though Barkley had a beastly and underrated peak/prime).

Not really a "fair" question towards Chuck though... I don't wanna underrate him or something but it is what it is.

[kshutts1]

Both were great players, both had problems with their back, who would you build around
Who would I build around is a question I heavily consider when making GOAT tiers. Bird is in my first, Barkley is in my third. No offense, but this is not even a fair comparison, as great as Barkley was.

[Harison]

Bird >>

[chocolatethunder]

I'm saying this as a lifelong Sixer fan and Celtic and Bird hater who saw both of them play in their primes. It's Bird and it's not even close. If you asked me that while they were still playing I would have said Barkley because I didn't want to admit that Bird was good but now that they're both gone I can admit it. Barkley was amazing and did things that no one his size will ever do again. He was also much more skilled than he's given credit for. Bird was skilled from the gate and just about as a tough as a competitor as there ever was. He had the knack for doing the right thing at the right time. So while yes I love Chuck and he's one of my favorites I can't be a homer and just ignore that Bird was better. Bird was better.

[played0ut]

I'm saying this as a lifelong Sixer fan and Celtic and Bird hater who saw both of them play in their primes. It's Bird and it's not even close. If you asked me that while they were still playing I would have said Barkley because I didn't want to admit that Bird was good but now that they're both gone I can admit it. Barkley was amazing and did things that no one his size will ever do again. He was also much more skilled than he's given credit for. Bird was skilled from the gate and just about as a tough as a competitor as there ever was. He had the knack for doing the right thing at the right time. So while yes I love Chuck and he's one of my favorites I can't be a homer and just ignore that Bird was better. Bird was better.

how does bird compare to players nowadays. what about his passing style vs lebron's.

[jzek]

One is nicknamed Legend and the other Round Mound.

[Thorpesaurous]

For my money Bird is the easiest of all the truely great players to build around. Because he fits in so many spots. He can play with the ball and without because he's the best shooter among the 6 or 8 players or so at his level. He can play on the block or off of it.

Barkley, because he must have the ball to be effective, and because because he's such a liability defensively at a position that requires more, and because to cover for that liability it really calls for another player who typically would get in the way of what he does so well offensively, is actually among the more complicated of the really really good players to build around in my opinion.

[Myth]

How is this a question?

[3peated]

How is this a question?

punctuation

[Crown&Coke]

Chuck's peak was pretty dominant. But Bird is on a whole different level altogether. To me this is not something that should be close, at all. No offense to Barkley because he was a stud

[RoundMoundOfReb]

bird

[GimmeThat]

Lillard
Thompson
George
Barkley
Perkins/Asik

Dragic/Hill
Tony Allen
Melo
Barkley
Collins/Asik


can't get away without having an elite coach though

pretty sure these are cap salary friendly rosters


think they'll contend, even 2 peat?

[bizil]

Yep gotta go Bird on this one! No shame there cause at one point Bird was arguably the GOAT at least in terms of perimeter players. But in terms of the best PURE forwards ever (I'm saying that cause Duncan to me is a PF-C hybrid but still the GOAT PF) peak wise, u could make the case that Barkley is just behind Bird and LeBron. I think u could make the case u would rather build around Barkley than guys like Doc, Barry, Baylor, KG, Dirk, Hondo, and Mailman.

[chocolatethunder]

how does bird compare to players nowadays. what about his passing style vs lebron's.
Bird was a better passer and saw the floor better than any forward ever. Lebron is a really good passer for sure but Bird had PG sense. He's wasn't a good passer for a forward he was a better passer that plenty of point guards. He just saw the game and the floor better than most players. He saw the game in the way Magic saw it. He just saw things before they happened and was just great. I'm not taking anything away from Lebron, he's great.

[chocolatethunder]

For my money Bird is the easiest of all the truely great players to build around. Because he fits in so many spots. He can play with the ball and without because he's the best shooter among the 6 or 8 players or so at his level. He can play on the block or off of it.

Barkley, because he must have the ball to be effective, and because because he's such a liability defensively at a position that requires more, and because to cover for that liability it really calls for another player who typically would get in the way of what he does so well offensively, is actually among the more complicated of the really really good players to build around in my opinion.
I of course chose Bird too but I wanna say a thing about Barkley. He may have been a poor defender for sure but he played the passing lanes and he was a tremendous rebounder. He didn't necessarily need the ball to be effective because he could get points off of steals and for certain get points off of rebounds. Actually Barkely and Bird were on the same level defensively. Bird was for sure the better player but defense had nothing to do with it.

[Round Mound]

Barkley was More Dominant and Efficient than Bird was but Bird was a Better Passer (Barkley was easily the Best Passing PF but Bird Was The Best Passing Non Big Ever!), Creator of Offense as a Passer and Long Range Shooter. Barkley could Score More Easily Individually at a Higher FG% because of his Mixture of Attributes: Speed, Agility, Power, Strenght, Weight, Lower Center of Gravity, Leaping Ability, Driving to the Basket etc with Great Touch and Skills Around the Basket. Bird was a Great Rebounder but Barkley was Better at That. Defensively They Are Close...Bird Was a Better Team Defender and Barkley a Better Shot Blocker. It Depends On What You Need Really.

Ofcourse Where Are Talking About: 79-88 Bird and 86-95 Barkley.

[zoom17]

Larry Bird

[redboy]

no matter how good he is, building around a 6'6' pf is hard

[Round Mound]

no matter how good he is, building around a 6'6' pf is hard

6`4 5/8 ft

He could Play SF too.

Imagine:

C: Parish/Walton
PF: McHale/Maxwell
SF: Barkley/Wedmen
SG; Ainge/Lewis
PG: Tiny/DJ

Im Sure Barkley Would Averaged somethingg like 30-12-5 on 60% FG in his Peak. With That Much Help Around.

Barkley Would Have Become a More Dangerous Nightmare Offensively For L.A

[That_Admiral]

Bird is the word. I would find it easier to build around him.

[bizil]

Bird was a better passer and saw the floor better than any forward ever. Lebron is a really good passer for sure but Bird had PG sense. He's wasn't a good passer for a forward he was a better passer that plenty of point guards. He just saw the game and the floor better than most players. He saw the game in the way Magic saw it. He just saw things before they happened and was just great. I'm not taking anything away from Lebron, he's great.

I think Lebron has PG sense as well. If one thinks Bird is a better passer that's ok and I wouldn't argue. But Bron has PG type handles and speed in the open court. Lebron is more similar to Magic than Bird is in that sense. U could put Lebron at PG flat out and Bron could defend the PG as well. U can't say the same about Bird.