Know who I’m not sure about? Lamarcus Aldridge.

[Kblaze8855]

I feel like the general consensus is, he wasn’t all that great, and I don’t think that’s fair even though I myself don’t think he was all that great. I don’t know how to explain rationally. I feel like you severely underrate him even though you and I probably think the same thing. It’s stupid but I’m coming right out and admitting what I’m saying doesn’t make any sense so I don’t need you to come tell me.

I just feel like he and his career are pretty underrated even if I don’t…personally…think he’s that great. I’m going to think of a better way to word that and return later hopefully able to explain myself.

[Wardell Curry]

He was a very good player who was an All-Star level at his peak but he's not all time great in the sense that we think about it(top 20, top 50, top 100), he never had any remarkable supporting casts really and he played in boring cities nobody cares about. His play was also not flashy and he wasn't good enough for people to care about his level of play disregarding that fact.

What else is there to say?

[Kblaze8855]

Also in this category….Demar Derozan. Underrated as hell considering how much of a joke he’s often considered. But that doesn’t mean I think he’s great. I can admit I’m probably not being fair in my assessment of him due to peer pressure/conditioning to see him as a joke. I think I can both acknowledge my own unfairness, and that my unfairness might be rooted in valid criticism, but I’m not sure what the word for it is.


Both those guys are probably underrated…even if I’m not looking to have them on a team I wanted to do big things. I don’t necessarily have to want you on my team to acknowledge your greatness. I can just want you to be great over there. You don’t need to be great on my team. Be great up the street.

[Clifton]

Elton Brand vibes there, KB?

There's something about a guy who a) you know he's going to go to work every night and give you 20/9, and b), you know how he's gonna do it, the other team knows how he's gonna do it, and he's gonna do it anyway.

That's important to have in 4th quarters and playoff games. Even if his peak wasn't what some other guys peaks were, or the talent wasn't first rate, he didn't have to improvise all the time. You knew what you had.

Compare to a guy like Sheed Wallace, who was way more talented, and who did really impressive and intelligent things on the court even if he only gave you 16 that night, but you never knew quite how he was going to get that 16, you never knew if he was going to take himself out of the game mentally, etc. LMA was reliable.

(Now someone's going to come in and show me all his numbers dropped in the postseason, and I'll just shrug, because I share OP's sentiment overall)

[Kblaze8855]

He was a very good player who was an All-Star level at his peak but he's not all time great in the sense that we think about it(top 20, top 50, top 100), he never had any remarkable supporting casts really and he played in boring cities nobody cares about. His play was also not flashy and he wasn't good enough for people to care about his level of play disregarding that fact.

What else is there to say?

The weird thing is I really like that kind of player. I like mid range masters who make incredibly tough shots look routine. It isn’t the most efficient way to play but I respect the skill needed to get away with it. I really can’t put my finger on why I’m not that into LaMarcus Aldridge considering that. I’m also not one of those “But what he won tho?” types. I don’t care if a guy lost when his teams should have lost. I love a good tough pull-up or a fadeaway. I don’t care if you take 19 shots for 23 points. Stylistically I’m pretty pro Aldridge. But in reality?

He can just be great over there. Don’t bring that shit over here.

[Kblaze8855]

Elton Brand vibes there, KB?

There's something about a guy who a) you know he's going to go to work every night and give you 20/9, and b), you know how he's gonna do it, the other team knows how he's gonna do it, and he's gonna do it anyway.

That's important to have in 4th quarters and playoff games. Even if his peak wasn't what some other guys peaks were, or the talent wasn't first rate, he didn't have to improvise all the time. You knew what you had.

Compare to a guy like Sheed Wallace, who was way more talented, and who did really impressive and intelligent things on the court even if he only gave you 16 that night, but you never knew quite how he was going to get that 16, you never knew if he was going to take himself out of the game mentally, etc. LMA was reliable.

(Now someone's going to come in and show me all his numbers dropped in the postseason, and I'll just shrug, because I share OP's sentiment overall)

Oh Elton Brand can deeeeefinitely be good over there.

I don’t care what anyone’s numbers say. Keep him off my property. I will release the hounds if you force me.

[John8204]

I think he's a Hall of Fame short lister but he's not going to get in. He was a fine player, somewhat underserved by playing on small market teams in rebuilds. He's a seven time All-Star and five time All-NBA so I wouldn't say he was a bum or anything. This generation of centers (Griffin, Drummond, and Aldridge) will be interesting to see how they are historically contextualized in the post Jokic/Wemby/Zion/Embiid world.

[iamgine]

He's a really good 2nd option. Legit could've won a few with San Antonio but had a tough luck vs Thunder and then Kawhi got injured. That Kawhi - Aldridge pairing was whooping Durant - Curry Warriors before Kawhi got injured.

[Charlie Sheen]

Felt like he was just in between where he would get his proper due of power forwards who were lethal in the pnr. Better than David West but not as good as Karl Malone. He didnt have the sizzle of a young amare or get on any e40 records like sheed

You either gotta be great or have charisma to get your due as a player. Very good aint cutting it... you will be forgotten. Charisma aint a fixed thing either. It means very different things to different people.

[tpols]

Trailblazer LMA had a mean post game especially out of the left block where he would lower his left shoulder and move guys and then hit them with a feathery jumper. Or pump and pivot and do something else. He had an extremely high skill level and was strong, but had almost no athleticism in terms of jumping or running.

[tpols]

Oh Elton Brand can deeeeefinitely be good over there.

I don’t care what anyone’s numbers say. Keep him off my property. I will release the hounds if you force me.

If Tim Thomas didn't hit that miracle shot in 2006 and Lakers get past the Mavs (clips would've been a given) we could've seen a Kobe Wade ultimate showdown.

[Charlie Sheen]

If Tim Thomas didn't hit that miracle shot in 2006 and Lakers get past the Mavs (clips would've been a given) we could've seen a Kobe Wade ultimate showdown.

The Tim Thomas shot was not the miracle to me on that sequence. Steve Nash uncharacteristically played that possession as poor as he could have nearly turning the ball over and then missing his own 3 that led to the Thomas shot.

[tpols]

The Tim Thomas shot was not the miracle to me on that sequence. Steve Nash uncharacteristically played that possession as poor as he could have nearly turning the ball over and then missing his own 3 that led to the Thomas shot.

Yea it was a 2013 ray Allen sequence that happened. Star misses, offensive rebound, role player hits season saving shot.

[Kblaze8855]

He was a fine player, somewhat underserved by playing on small market teams in rebuilds. He's a seven time All-Star and five time All-NBA so I wouldn't say he was a bum or anything.

I think this is my issue. Isn’t a 7 time all star and 5 time all nba guy too accomplished to call a “fine player” and “not a bum or anything”?

I think it’s just an issue with how we describe players in general. We only have terminology for elites. If you aren’t top…whatever…all time? We don’t even have appropriate descriptions.

A 7 time all star isn’t a good player. Raja Bell was a good player. A guy in HOF short list, 20k points, 5 time all nba range? He’s gotta be great…a legend even. But calling him that makes you want different words for the Duncan and Shaq types.

Not sure what to do about that. It’s like there’s a whole range of guys from like 700th to 100th all time we don’t even have a way to describe.

Like…what’s Caron Butler if Bobby Jackson was good? Really good?

Then what’s Shawn Marion? Really really good?

How many “really” goods = a great?

Feels like everyone who isn’t like…pantheon great….is just “He was pretty good but nothing special”.

We all need to work on that I think but I don’t know the solution.

[ShawkFactory]

If Tim Thomas didn't hit that miracle shot in 2006 and Lakers get past the Mavs (clips would've been a given) we could've seen a Kobe Wade ultimate showdown.

Lol irrelevancy aside, those are some pretty huge if’s