The third installment of ESPN's All-Time #NBArank examines the top 10 power forwards. Our NBA Insiders weigh in on the rankings and talk about how different they might look when the final curtain comes down on the careers of Blake Griffin and Draymond Green.
1. Which top-10 power forward would you rank differently?
Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider: I would not have Dennis Rodman in the top 10. With just two All-Star Games, he is out of place in this group. I would give the nod to Dolph Schayes, who was an All-NBA first-team pick six times, albeit in a smaller league in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Marc Stein ESPN.com: I'm guessing this will surprise everyone zero percent, but I'd have Nowitzki over The Mailman ... which, to be fair, is almost how it ended up. It's not so much because Dirk has a championship on his resume and The Mailman doesn't; it's because Dirk revolutionized his position and thus holds a more significant place in the game's history on top of his Malone-esque longevity and elite standing as an all-time scorer. And I say all that with the greatest admiration for Malone, having been privileged enough to soak in his whole career as both a fan and a media member because he played at the top for so long.
Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Insider: Without mentioning the debate of Duncan's true position (oops), I'll risk being labeled a hoops hipster by saying Bob Pettit should be a few spots higher. He won two MVPs, finished in the top six of the voting nine times -- in all but his first and last seasons -- and top three five times.
Tom Haberstroh, ESPN Insider: I'd put Kevin Garnett ahead of Dirk Nowitzki and Charles Barkley. I don't think Garnett's work on the defensive end is getting its proper due here. He might be the best power forward defender not named Tim Duncan, and Garnett averaged six assists per game in his prime.
David Thorpe, ESPN.com: Both Kevin McHale and Pau Gasol deserve to be higher -- each helped define an era. McHale's low-post game is still studied by smart coaches, and Gasol helped win titles while proving that elite talent in Europe can be elite in the NBA. Each was better than Kevin Garnett.
2. Should Chris Webber have made the top 10?
Pelton: No, I don't think so. Webber's peak was high, but in large part because of injuries he didn't contribute a lot of value outside of that, and his level of play dropped off in the postseason.
Stein: I struggle to quibble with this one too much. On pure talent, Webber certainly had the all-around game to bump Gasol or Rodman down a rung or two, because we've rarely seen a big man with his diverse package of skills. The top 10, though, can be an unforgiving place. Are Pau and The Worm getting too much credit for the roles they played on great teams where they weren't the primary star? Fair question. But Webber's overall resume, like it or not, suffers from the lack of a championship that I'm sure his Sacramento Kings would have won in 2002 had they been able to get past the Lakers in that unforgettable Western Conference finals.
Doolittle: He's already too high at No. 11. Webber really had only five or six seasons of elite play that weren't clipped by injury, and his playoff record was limited.
Haberstroh: I can live with his No. 11 ranking. In his prime, CWebb probably was better than Pau Gasol, but Gasol is still churning out 20-and-10s at age 35 while Webber played his last game one day after turning 35. Considering this is as much about longevity as it is peak, Webber's fine where he is. Injuries stink.
Thorpe: As a prospect, yes. But based on his career, no. He left some talent on the table, in my eyes. He was far better than Bob Pettit, of course, but on overall production for his time, he is lucky to be 11th, and that won't last for long.
3. Where will Blake Griffin be ranked at the end of his career?
Pelton: Maybe at the bottom of the top 10. I could see him putting together a résumé similar to Pau Gasol's, but barring late development, I don't see him getting any higher than eighth.
Stein: Can you tell how many championships he'll have by then? Or what the rest of his health chart looks like? On pure talent, like Webber, Blake can do more than some of the gents who are already parked in the top 10. But let's face it: Pesky voters like me are influenced greatly by team success. Like it or not.
Doolittle: There's a bit of a chasm between the Nos. 8 and 9 PFs in our voting. If Griffin remains healthy, he's on the path to hit No. 9. Getting higher than that will be tough.
Haberstroh: Not ahead of Chris Bosh, who dedicated himself to the defensive end to win championships after putting up big offensive numbers as a go-to guy. Griffin is one of the best offensive power forwards in the game today, but seeing him just a little below the top 10 at age 26 is a surprise to me.
Thorpe: He is headed for the top eight to be sure, and in fact may already rank there in terms of overall offensive talent and production. Bucket scorers at his level almost never can pass the way he can. Or dribble attack for that matter, either.
4. Will Chris Bosh and Kevin Love eventually be ranked in the top 10?
Pelton: I don't think so. Bosh is unlikely to add much to his legacy at this point, and Love probably isn't going to get sufficient credit as the third option on a team that might not even win a championship.
Stein: If I'm not sure on Blake, I'm even less confident for Bosh or Love. Remember that part about how the top 10 is an unforgiving place?
Doolittle: Similar cases, but I think it'll be tough for either one. Both put up their best numbers on bad-to-mediocre teams. Bosh obviously had some playoff success, and presumably Love will have some as well during his Cavs career. However, the perception for both will always be that they were riding LeBron's coattails. Bosh's play this season, though, has me optimistic that he can get to the top 10.
Haberstroh: Bosh should. At 31, he already owns more win shares than Dennis Rodman, Chris Webber and Jerry Lucas did in their careers, so he shouldn't be all the way down at 16th. Kevin Love has Blake Griffin syndrome; not enough defense for me.
Thorpe: Bosh can, if people learn to respect his defense the way they should. What he did for those "Big 3" Heat teams on that end was special. Love may have more trouble because of his lesser role in Cleveland. Plus, Bosh and Griffin will be ahead of him, and there are only a few guys we can kick out of the top 10. Seven should be set in stone -- the top six and Gasol.
5. Will Anthony Davis, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis make the top 10 eventually?
Pelton: Davis stands the best chance, certainly. He has already had an All-NBA first-team season and he won't turn 23 until next month. I'd say he's well on his way to cracking the top 10. Green could perhaps get there if the Warriors win multiple championships. Too early to say for Porzingis, though I will say this -- he's more likely to get ranked as a center than as a power forward in my mind.
Stein: You just listed three of my current faves to make this whole exercise more agonizing. Appreciate that. They all can -- I've learned firsthand that it's not wise to make pronouncements about what Green supposedly can't do -- but it's just too early in the game to know on any of these guys. Take Porzingis, for example. I wrote a long story in November, largely on cue from Nowitzki himself, that getting carried away with Zinger's potential was perfectly normal and understandable because his career is off to a better-than-expected start. But then you take a step back and realize he's more than 15 seasons behind Dirk in the longevity standings. You need good health and some good fortune, too, to be an all-timer. As the poor Mr. Brow is already well aware.
Doolittle: Wow, talk about a riddle for Nostradamus. I'd say yes on Davis. As the Pelicans figure things out -- or Davis eventually leaves them -- his two-way impact should lead to serious MVP contention. Green probably won't get there. He has a lot of ground to make up, and it's hard to imagine the convergence of factors leading to his current level of productivity staying in place for more than a couple of years. Porzingis, who knows? I'd say no, because he's so young and there's still so much that can go wrong. But you have to love his potential.
Haberstroh: I'll say yes to Anthony Davis. If you lead the league in PER in your age-21 season, you've got all-time top-10 potential written all over you. And not just at his position. Check back in five years on Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis. Not ready to ordain them yet.
Thorpe: Again, very little room for more than one probably. Davis needs some major help from his teammates, coaches and management, but I do expect him to end up as a top-10 all-time guy. Green is in the absolutely perfect situation, one that can't last forever. He's very special but not someone who projects to that level. Way too early to make a call on Porzingis and the Knicks in general. Super talented to be sure, but so was Shawn Kemp at this age.