What will it take for Joker to be in top 10 conversation? - Page 20

Exquisite074 · 11-17-2025, 02:34 PM

This is a silly thread. He's an amazing player, top in the league for any amount of time is no small feat - but his career PPG is only 21.9 right now - after a decade - and probably only a few more dominant years before his decline. He's an all time great for sure, but GOAT? No way! Look at his first 5 years compared to Shaq, Kareem, or even David Robinson - he got off to a VERY slow start for a GOAT of a player! So What will it take for Joker to be in top 10 conversation? 10 more years like the last 5 - with a couple more MVPs and 3-4 more rings. That would give him a solid career despite the slow half decade start... but if he only has 2-3 more dominant years then the drop off for last 5 years, his career achievements and stats will solidify that he's an all-time great - but not a top 10... but that's still an incredible achievement and very fun now to watch in his prime!

hermanotarjeta · 11-17-2025, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rats60

No, Olajuwon > Shaq.

Shaq has been an essential part of more rings than joker and Hakeem combined!

To even have Joker above Olajuwon at this time is questionable.

Joker needs more rings to be legitimized by history.

yiguiri2002 · 11-17-2025, 03:13 PM

Joker just needs more time. He's currently behind Hakeem and Shaq because, well, he's 30. No player at 30 has cracked the Top 10 in the last 30 years except for maybe LeBron, and that's when they let players come straight from high school.

We need to get back to this thread in 2030 or when he retires, whatever comes first.

pingbling23 · 11-17-2025, 03:46 PM

Joker is amazing but to knock out elite bigs he needs some all defensive team selections.

hermanotarjeta · 11-17-2025, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pingbling23

Joker is amazing but to knock out elite bigs he needs some all defensive team selections.

He also needs to be able to knock OKC out of the playoffs over the next several years to achieve that greatness.

rats60 · 11-17-2025, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Shaq has been an essential part of more rings than joker and Hakeem combined!

To even have Joker above Olajuwon at this time is questionable.

Joker needs more rings to be legitimized by history.

Championships are a team accomplishment. If it wasn't for Kobe and DWade, Shaq has ZERO rings. At least Hakeem won one without another star like Joker. Joker has 3 MVPs and 2 runner-ups the last 5 seasons. For his career Shaq won 1 MVP and finished 2nd twice. Hakeem 1 and 1. If Joker finishes top 2 in MVP voting this season, he will tie Bill Russell and Larry Bird for the most consecutive top 2 MVP finishes ever.

hermanotarjeta · 11-17-2025, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rats60

Championships are a team accomplishment. If it wasn't for Kobe and DWade, Shaq has ZERO rings. At least Hakeem won one without another star like Joker. Joker has 3 MVPs and 2 runner-ups the last 5 seasons. For his career Shaq won 1 MVP and finished 2nd twice. Hakeem 1 and 1. If Joker finishes top 2 in MVP voting this season, he will tie Bill Russell and Larry Bird for the most consecutive top 2 MVP finishes ever.

If rings don’t matter, you must rank Karl Malone pretty high on your list relative to Shaquille.

imbluestreak23 · 11-17-2025, 09:15 PM

Hakeem played with Clyde --> OG top 50
David Robinson did nothing and only won once he got Duncan --> definitive top 10 guy
Shaq played with Kobe --> definitive top 10
Shaq played with Wade --> new wave top 75

Who else are we talking about here? Ewing? Yeah he didn't win, and he didn't play with any top 50 guys.

To knock Jokic is intellectually lazy. Go win some defensive awards? How about getting the old farts listed above to be as offensively efficient both inside and on the perimeter, average triple doubles, and win chips without another top 25 player as a wingmate.

You hate his career scoring average? No worries, I got that one. Joker had to fight against a racist scouting report and prove that white phats actually are good at basketball. Remember, mid 2010s the light skin creme bois weren't looked in a positive light on the basketball court, much akin to the racist baseball scouts pre Jackie Robinson. Joker has had to "overcome" his race. This is undeniable whether it hurts your feelings or not.

11-17-2025, 03:13 PM	#478
yiguiri2002 Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 12,505 afigueroaquevedo2002 yiguiri2002	Joker just needs more time. He's currently behind Hakeem and Shaq because, well, he's 30. No player at 30 has cracked the Top 10 in the last 30 years except for maybe LeBron, and that's when they let players come straight from high school. We need to get back to this thread in 2030 or when he retires, whatever comes first. __________________ Basketball Sets: Threads Century Greats Jerseys - Innovation Stat Line Jerseys Soccer Sets: 2018 World Cup Prizm Peru Parallels - 2015 Select Soccer Peru Parallels Players: Red Bulls Parallels, 17-18 Thibs Prizms, Soccer Legends Autos

11-17-2025, 09:15 PM	#483
imbluestreak23 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Meandering the matrix code that the hobby/forum overlords spit out Posts: 17,786 shortslabs	Hakeem played with Clyde --> OG top 50 David Robinson did nothing and only won once he got Duncan --> definitive top 10 guy Shaq played with Kobe --> definitive top 10 Shaq played with Wade --> new wave top 75 Who else are we talking about here? Ewing? Yeah he didn't win, and he didn't play with any top 50 guys. To knock Jokic is intellectually lazy. Go win some defensive awards? How about getting the old farts listed above to be as offensively efficient both inside and on the perimeter, average triple doubles, and win chips without another top 25 player as a wingmate. You hate his career scoring average? No worries, I got that one. Joker had to fight against a racist scouting report and prove that white phats actually are good at basketball. Remember, mid 2010s the light skin creme bois weren't looked in a positive light on the basketball court, much akin to the racist baseball scouts pre Jackie Robinson. Joker has had to "overcome" his race. This is undeniable whether it hurts your feelings or not. __________________ @shortslabs I'VE WITNESSED HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE HERE...IT'S ROTTEN https://www.youtube.com/c/TylerShort

11-17-2025, 02:34 PM	#476
Exquisite074 Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: California Posts: 386 IversonExquisite IversonExquisite	This is a silly thread. He's an amazing player, top in the league for any amount of time is no small feat - but his career PPG is only 21.9 right now - after a decade - and probably only a few more dominant years before his decline. He's an all time great for sure, but GOAT? No way! Look at his first 5 years compared to Shaq, Kareem, or even David Robinson - he got off to a VERY slow start for a GOAT of a player! So What will it take for Joker to be in top 10 conversation? 10 more years like the last 5 - with a couple more MVPs and 3-4 more rings. That would give him a solid career despite the slow half decade start... but if he only has 2-3 more dominant years then the drop off for last 5 years, his career achievements and stats will solidify that he's an all-time great - but not a top 10... but that's still an incredible achievement and very fun now to watch in his prime!

11-17-2025, 03:46 PM	#479
pingbling23 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 15,961 pingbling23	Joker is amazing but to knock out elite bigs he needs some all defensive team selections.