Two ouches in player ratings today

[BrianFromWA]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-110930/#nbarank-debates-higher

Who should be ranked higher: Andrea Bargnani or Brandon Roy?Note: Bargnani was selected No. 1. overall in the 2006 draft; Roy was picked sixth.

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: As wobbly as Roy's knees are, he showed he still has something left with that 18-point fourth quarter in Game 4 of the Dallas series. That's as many points as Bargnani has ever scored in a playoff game. Give me a guy who can take over in the postseason. (BFWA note: take a look at the other 5. :( )

Jovan Buha, ClipperBlog: Bargnani. If this were any other time over the past few years, it'd be Roy by a landslide. But with his body failing him, he's now an inconsistent role player at best. For all his faults, Bargnani can put a ton of points up, and thus has slightly more value.

Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: Roy. It's not fair to just assume further degeneration of his knees and game alike, and Roy showed against the Mavericks that he can still take over a game. It's reasonable to expect he's put his time in this offseason trying to reshape his game to cope with his lost athleticism. (BFWA Note 2: I'm pretty sure that if you don't have cartilage to stop bone-on-bone scraping, you're going to have further degeneration. And, see note #1)

Kyle Weidie, Truth About It: Bargnani. In a contest of Roy's knee versus Bargnani's heart, you gotta go with the one you don't have to stand on. Sure, Andrea will never be more than a complementary piece, and Roy possesses the soul that makes champions; but go ask the actuary who he'd rank higher.

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: Bargnani. It's simple: He has two fully functional knees. Which is pretty important when it comes to playing basketball.

And...

2. Who should be ranked higher: Ty Lawson or Raymond Felton?



J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: I'm taking a general manager stance on this one and going with the younger guy (by four years) who is still on his rookie contract and who showed great improvement from his first year to his second year in the league. That's Lawson.

Jovan Buha, ClipperBlog: Lawson. Last season, coach George Karl chose Lawson, not the almost-All-Star Felton, to be the engine behind the success of the deep and talented post-Melo Nuggets squad. Whether it's PER or per-36 minutes statistics, Lawson is the better and more efficient player, and will be for years to come.

Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: Lawson. The quick, shooting point guard will finally have his chance to stand out with Felton now in Portland, and J.R. Smith Wilson Chandler and Kenyon Martin away in China. And there's no telling how many Twinkies Felton has put down in the three months since the lockout began.

Kyle Weidie, Truth About It: Lawson. GMs today gobble up youth and speed like they gobbled up high school players in the mid-2000s. Plus, I'm still not buying what Felton's selling when the highlight of his résumé is pick-and-roll flirtations with Amare Stoudemire.

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: Lawson. Felton is a solid starter at point guard, but Lawson has the ability to be a star. The younger UNC point man will likely get his first opportunity to run a team from the starting lineup this season, and I don't think per-game averages of 15 points and eight assists are out of the question.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Both make perfectly good sense if you are looking at it objectively.........So most people in here will cry about it

 

[HailBlazers]

Both make perfectly good sense if you are looking at it objectively.........So most people in here will cry about it

Not gonna cry, just gonna say, perception is reality my friend. Jury's still out on Roy's knees and his ability to adapt his playing style to fit his team.

 

[Wheels]

I do miss healthy Roy taking over games. RIP