Who would you rather build a team around: Jason Kidd or Isiah Thomas?

[Smoke117]

Discuss. I'll give my thoughts later...headed down to the collective right now for that buddha.

[bizil]

Damn this is a good question! Isiah was the better offensive player while Kidd was a walking triple double and the better all around player. If I had a team full of scorers and needed a PG to put us over the top I would take Kidd. If I had a team that needed a #1 scoring threat AND great floor general in one I would take Isiah.

Scoring wise, Isiah was capable of turning into AI at the drop of a hat. BUT at heart, Isiah was a pass first PG. So for me it comes down to Isiah's combo of great scoring and great passing vs. Kidd's versatility and all around brilliance. I really think it comes down to a matter of taste or what a team needed.

[sunnyboy91]

I dont think you win a championship with IT as your first scoring option, and I think Kidd brings more intangibles and a better all round skill set to help the team compete for a championship better than IT as a 2nd or 3rd scoring option.

[bizil]

I dont think you win a championship with IT as your first scoring option, and I think Kidd brings more intangibles and a better all round skill set to help the team compete for a championship better than IT as a 2nd or 3rd scoring option.

Isiah won TWO RINGS as Detroit's first scoring option!!! LOL

[Smoke117]

Isiah won TWO RINGS as Detroit's first scoring pption!!! LOL

Those Piston championship teams were like the 2000 Blazers though...everyone got in on it.

[bizil]

Those Piston championship teams were like the 2000 Blazers though...everyone got in on it.

But Isiah was still THE MAN on that team!! He lead the team in scoring average in the regular season AND the playoffs! And before that Pistons team got READY to win a ring, Isiah was ALWAYS averaging over 20 points a night. Isiah was a legit alpha dog! EVERYBODY KNOWS Isiah was the go to guy on the Pistons! BOTTOM LINE!! But Isiah was ALSO a pass first PG who made everybody better at the same time!

And that Pistons team didn't have the scoring depth of the 2000 Blazers. But at the same time, the Blazers DIDN'T have an alpha dog scorer on that team. BUT they had squad full of VERY GOOD scorers! Two totally different teams in terms of makeup.

[Jasper]

never liked Zeke , he was a punk.

I'll take Kidd , even though he had family issues in his playing days... novice ?

KIdd, rebounded, besides his teammates first and he was 2nd -3rd option in any play.
True PG .... He was in 2 championship series ... build is a strong word, PG's typically never get a team to the title.

[Smoke117]

The 89 playoffs was actually quite balanced:

18.2ppg, 17.6ppg, 14.1ppg, 12.6, 10.1...it doesn't really get any more balanced than that. Joe Dumars averaged 27.1ppg to his 21.3 in their sweep of the lakers in the finals.

[bizil]

never liked Zeke , he was a punk.

I'll take Kidd , even though he had family issues in his playing days... novice ?

KIdd, rebounded, besides his teammates first and he was 2nd -3rd option in any play.
True PG .... He was in 2 championship series ... build is a strong word, PG's typically never get a team to the title.

Now in terms of Zeke's attitude, I wasn't a big fan of that at all! And I see why some would take Kidd over Zeke for sure. BUT Isiah won two rings for the Pistons as THE MAN. So we can't take that away from him either.

[bizil]

The 89 playoffs was actually quite balanced:

18.2ppg, 17.6ppg, 14.1ppg, 12.6, 10.1...it doesn't really get any more balanced than that. Joe Dumars averaged 27.1ppg to his 21.3 in their sweep of the lakers in the finals.

They were balanced BUT Isiah was the still the man on those teams! That's all I'm saying! Isiah was known as a legit alpha dog who can carry a team offensively. Dumars was NEVER on Zeke's level in that regard! Isiah was a pass first PG who could ALSO dominate scoring when needed. ONCE Detroit got a team capable of winning rings, Isiah DIDN'T have to put up 22 points and 13 assists a night anymore. Isiah had ANOTHER GEAR that Dumars didn't have scoring wise.

[Smoke117]

They were balanced BUT Isiah was the still the man on those teams! That's all I'm saying! Isiah was known as a legit alpha dog who can carry a team offensively. Dumars was NEVER on Zeke's level in that regard! Isiah was a pass first PG who could ALSO dominate scoring when needed. ONCE Detroit got a team capable of winning rings, Isiah DIDN'T have to put up 22 points and 13 assists a night anymore. Isiah had ANOTHER GEAR that Dumars didn't have scoring wise.

Eh...Isiah could come up big, yes, but he couldn't carry a team with consistency for a season. Luckily...he didn't have to as the Pistons were incredibly deep.

[bizil]

Eh...Isiah could come up big, yes, but he couldn't carry a team with consistency for a season.

LMAO!! U don't know the game if u think Zeke couldn't carry a team consistently. Zeke's was a pass first PG who could ALSO dominate scoring! So you have to view him through that prism! Zeke's way of carrying a team wouldn't be like MJ or Bird. He would do it his way.

WHY were people calling Zeke the best little man of all time until Iverson came around? IT WAS BECAUSE he could dominate offensively and carry his team. Just because he wasn't like an MJ, Bird, or Magic carrying a team DOESN'T mean Isiah couldn't carry his team consistently. Zeke was one of those rare small 6'1 and under guards who could carry a team HIS WAY!

[Smoke117]

LMAO!! U don't know the game if u think Zeke couldn't carry a team consistently. Zeke's was a pass first PG who could ALSO dominate scoring! So you have to view him through that prism! Zeke's way of carrying a team wouldn't be like MJ or Bird. He would do it his way.

WHY were people calling Zeke the best little man of all time until Iverson came around? IT WAS BECAUSE he could dominate offensively and carry his team. Just because he wasn't like an MJ, Bird, or Magic carrying a team DOESN'T mean Isiah could carry his team consistently. Zeke was one of those rare small 6'1 and under guards who could carry a team HIS WAY!

lol...you're asking that question to somebody who finds both players overrated. I'm just saying...he couldn't carry a team as a scorer consistently. He was a big game performer and good scorer, but his efficiency always left a lot to be desired. The Pistons got great when they became the deepest team in the league...that's just a fact.

[Rake2204]

Eh...Isiah could come up big, yes, but he couldn't carry a team with consistency for a season. Luckily...he didn't have to as the Pistons were incredibly deep.

On the contrary, Isiah Thomas carried the Pistons for years. Detroit won 16 and 21 games in the two seasons prior to his arrival. After an 18-game improvement his rookie year, Thomas began pushing teams well beyond what their peak would have been without his presence. We're talking about a guy who averaged 21 points and 14 assists in 1985.

And yeah, as Jack McCloskey began filling in the supporting cast like Thomas deserved (eventually adding Dumars, Rodman, Salley, Dantley), you better believe Isiah's numbers dropped, and it was completely by design. One of the more consistent and oft-repeated themes of the Pistons' championship runs is Thomas' open willingness to share and sacrifice personal glory for the sake of team success. But that doesn't mean he wasn't still carrying the club, or at least serving as its de facto No. 1.

For a full decade, Thomas was the Pistons. For years, he lifted sub-par teams with gaudy numbers. Once the cast improved, he successfully managed one of the best basketball teams in NBA history over a multi-year span.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Those Piston championship teams were like the 2000 Blazers though...everyone got in on it.

Except those loaded 2000 Blazers choked because they didn't have a superstar go to scorer in the grind it out half court against set defenses. Choked away a massive lead against LA.

Sidekicks gonna sidekick. At some point you need the alpha out there.

Isiah however can get to the basket and knock down jumpers. Oh, and my answer is Zeke. Kidd can carry a bad squad better but with competent supporting cast, Zeke can play a role better.