You are starting an NBA team from scratch

[ivanvamp]

And every single player in the world is available to you.  You have to pick ONE player to start your franchise.  Who do you take?
 
My candidates:
 
- LeBron James - Duh.  
- Kevin Durant - Injury aside, he's obviously insanely good.  Still just 26.
- Anthony Davis - Only 21, a 25/12/4 player.
- Stephen Curry - A shooter's shooter, just 26 years old.
 
There are some great point guards:  Paul, Lillard, Irving, but you can find quality PG play.  It's tough to match what LeBron and Durant bring to the table, for obvious reasons.  But the guy I'd select is Anthony Davis.  There just aren't that many transcendent bigs that are dominant on both ends of the floor.  You have rim protectors like Asik and Ibaka, but neither of those guys is really much of an offensive player.  Or you have offensive bigs like Love and Aldridge, but neither of them is a particularly good defender.  Anthony Davis is an elite rim protector and an emerging, dominant offensive force.  And he's just 21 years of age.
 
So yeah, Anthony Davis is the one I'd want.

 

[CreightonGubanich]

LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet, and likely will be for the next couple of years, but I think my answer would be Davis. His range of talents, at his age, is incredible. He's the evolutionary Kevin Garnett. 
 
Tough luck for KD, he might go his whole career without ever being the answer to this question.

 

[Detts]

 
 

 
 

 

[mauf]

The right answer depends on the quality of talent you think you can assemble around your one star.
 
If your roster aside from your star will look like a typical expansion team, then you have to go with Davis -- the others will be old or will leave by free agency by the time you can develop a decent supporting cast. 
 
On the other hand, if you can immediately assemble a supporting cast worthy of a contender, then you go with LBJ.

 

[Kliq]

LBJ has proven that he can win 55 games with a terrible coach and a mediocre supporting cast, I would go with him, even if he is older than the other two. Davis is young and great and probably the next kingpin of the league, but he is still unproven. Let's not forget how great of a player Durant is. Last season he averaged 32-7-5 and a just a sniff away from 50-40-90. He is significantly better than Davis is right now, and he only just turned 26.
 
Steph Curry isn't even the best PG 26 and under. I would take Westbrook over him.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/86383-whod-you-pick-first-for-the-next-10-years/#entry5720811

Most people took Davis.

 

[mauf]

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/86383-whod-you-pick-first-for-the-next-10-years/#entry5720811

Most people took Davis.

Different question -- that one assumed 10 years of club control.

 

[Devizier]

Lebron James is going to remain my answer.

 

[Cellar-Door]

To me it is a 2 man race the winner of which depends a great deal on situation and goals:
 
Without any outside info:
 
Lebron:
Best player in the world right now, probably gets you the best chance to win in your first 3-5 years
He's already a global star which means he gets you more in merch and ticket sales.
 
Davis:
He's 21 and still improving, a big man (harder to find than wings) he gives you the best chance for a Duncan/Spurs type 10-15 year dynasty.
 
If it is the NBA and I'm getting the right to poach a player for some reason?
Davis is the clear winner since he doesn't get paid much.

 

[gryoung]

The NBA officials. 

 

[ALiveH]

It's only been 9 games, but what Davis has done statistically over 9 games if he can continue that pace for the rest of the year would be better than any single season Lebron has ever had.  And, Lebron hasn't looked physically right this year for whatever reason & his numbers are way down. Even the season Davis put up last year as a 20 year old is better than what Lebron is on pace for this year. Plus, Davis is only 21 and will add the 3-pointer to his arsenal next year.  I'd take Davis under any circumstance.

 

[Devizier]

It's only been 9 games,

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Clearly you must begin with a facial expressionist. Danny and the Brain Doctor must be pissed. 
 
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12080142/milwaukee-bucks-hire-facial-coding-expert-help-team-improve

 

[nighthob]

Clearly you must begin with a facial expressionist. Danny and the Brain Doctor must be pissed. 
 
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12080142/milwaukee-bucks-hire-facial-coding-expert-help-team-improve

Owners Wesley Edens and Mark Lasry, who bought the Bucks for $550 million in April, currently employ facial coding expert Dan Hill to go beyond the numbers and instead bring science into the equation in an effort to gain an edge, The New York Times reported.

"I look for quick, micro-expressions and instances of the say/feel gap -- said this, but felt that -- to guard clients against what I call speed bumps: hidden objections that keep a person from buying, if not recognized and addressed," Hill told The New York Times.

It's good to see that Dan Hill found a post-one hit wonder career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jPMXzxvdL8

 

[ALiveH]

It's only been 27 games and Davis is still leading the whole league in PER, WS and WS/48.  He's only 21 and supposedly will add a 3P shot to his game over this offseason.  His TS%, PER, WS/48 and Ortg-Drtg this year all blow away Durant & Lebron's career averages, or what they were doing at 21.  But, yeah, it's only 27 games.  The longer it keeps going the more it starts to look like a pattern though.