With Karl-Anthony Towns deserving acknowledgment as the unanimous rookie of the year for the 2015-16 season and the NBA Draft heating up after Tuesday night’s lottery, a debate came into my mind. If I could pick any big man in the NBA to start my franchise with and have as the cornerstone of my franchise for the next 10-15 years whom would I pick?
If you could select any player in the NBA the decision would be pretty simple, Steph Curry. You could consider LeBron but at age 31, his peak prime days are limited. Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook would have to garner some consideration as well but ultimately most would opt for Curry.
If you limit the discussion to big men though the pool of players is a bit more limited. DeMarcus Cousins would be out, because let’s be honest he is DeMarcus Cousins. Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge would elicit a slight consideration because of their production. Aldridge’s projected ability to be good late into his 30s and Griffin’s entertainment and marketable value could make them good candidates, but at the end of the day the debate really comes down to two people: Anthony Davis or Karl-Anthony Towns.
Anthony Davis
Davis is 23 years old and through four NBA seasons has basically averaged 21-10-2 with 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 51%-28%-78% from the field.
He has a very impressive 26.3 Player Efficiency rating (top 5 in the NBA since entering the league) and has been a high level offensive and defensive player with a +2.1 offensive and defensive box plus/minus rating.
He has made three all-star teams, one All-NBA 1st Team and led the Pelicans to a winning record and the postseason one time.
Basically he is a freakishly springy, active and athletic big man who can protect the rim, guard the pick and roll, finish at the rim, knock down an 18 foot jump shot consistently, attack the offensive glass incessantly and is developing a more stout, muscular frame. May people considered Davis to be an MVP favorite coming into the 2015-16 season (myself included) and regard him as the best under 25 player in the NBA.
The knocks on Davis would be his growing injury issues, (he will have knee and shoulder surgery this summer) that have caused him to miss 68 games in his first four NBA seasons. He has not had a major injury at this point but the fact that he has been injury prone consistently through his first four seasons with a number of ailments means that he is injury prone and could have that issue for the remainder of his career which could in theory shorten his career or prime.
Karl Anthony Towns
Towns is 20 years old and is coming off of one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, averaging 18-10-2-2 while shooting 54%-34%-84% from the field. He had a player efficiency rating of 22.5 and was a +1.6 offensive player despite the T’Wolves struggles and a +1.2 defensive player.
Towns had one of the best rookie seasons for a big man that we have seen in the modern era of the NBA, matching Tim Duncan and Shaq as the only players to average 18-10 while shooting 54% during their rookie campaign.
Anthony Davis comparatively averaged 13-8-1 and 2 blocks his rookie season while shooting 51% from the field and 71% from the free-throw line (he didn’t attempt a three-pointer) and had a PER rating of 21.7.
If Davis is some freaky, unholy combination of Kevin Garnett, Marcus Camby and David Robinson, Karl-Anthony Towns projects to be a futuristic evolution of Rasheed Wallace and Tim Duncan.
There is no real knock on Towns at this point, other than the fact that his body type and lack of elite NBA athleticism for his position could have a minor effect on his potential and ceiling.
The Pick
This is obviously a very tough decision to make, especially with only having the luxury of one season’s worth of Karl-Anthony Towns in the NBA, but that is what makes this such a fun hypothetical debate. Davis has already made a 1st Team All-NBA appearance, led his team to the postseason and been an MVP candidate, but he also has growing injury issues that could hamper his career. Towns just had one of the better and more efficient rookie seasons we have ever seen, but hasn’t had the chance to prove he can be a leader and winner and will never have the freakish athletic ability that Davis possesses. Davis is 23 and a better player at this point than Towns, but Towns is three years younger and could project to be the better player by the time he reaches the age of 23.
Call me crazy but after a very measured internal debate I believe as of right now I would rather start a franchise with Karl Anthony Towns and bank on him being able to be the best true center in the NB. A player that can also shoot the three ball and give me 22-10 for the next 15 years as a heady player with the right attitude. Someone who’s game won’t suffer greatly with a slight loss of athleticism as he heads into his mid-30s.
I will admit that Davis has the higher ceiling as an athletic freak like we have never really seen before and could end up being the better player, but his injury issues and the safer feeling I have with Towns make him the savvier decision for my hypothetical franchise.
Who would you pick?
