This was perhaps the craziest offseason in NBA history, one that shook up the league's landscape and never seemed to end. Even as training camps opened, the NBA's general managers were keeping busy. But they did find time to fill out NBA.com's ninth annual GM Survey.
Can Phil Jackson pull off his fourth three-peat, or will the new-look Miami Heat win a title in the first year together? Will LeBron James win another MVP award now that he's got a pair of stars around him, or is it Kevin Durant's time? And if you were putting together an NBA franchise, which of the two is the player you'd most like to start with?
Those are just a few of the 60 questions NBA general managers responded to. See how their opinions compare to yours and if they got it right a year ago.
General managers were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel. Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to each question of the survey, rather than all 30 GMs.
Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Which team is the most fun to watch? |
| 1. |
Oklahoma City |
51.8% |
| 2. |
Phoenix |
23.2% |
| 3. |
Dallas; L.A. Lakers; Miami |
7.1% |
| 6. |
Golden State |
3.6% |
| - |
Last year: L.A. Lakers |
30.8% |
|
|
Utah Jazz fans |
| Which team has the best home-court advantage? |
| 1. |
Utah |
46.4% |
| 2. |
L.A. Lakers |
21.4% |
| 3. |
Oklahoma City |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Boston, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Miami, Portland, San Antonio |
| - |
Last year: Cleveland |
37.9% |
|
|
LeBron James |
| Which player is most athletic? |
| 1. |
LeBron James, Miami |
50.0% |
| 2. |
Josh Smith, Atlanta; Dwyane Wade, Miami |
10.7% |
| 4. |
Dwight Howard, Orlando;
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; JaVale McGee, Washington; Derrick Rose, Chicago; John Wall, Washington
|
| - |
Last year: LeBron James |
69.6% |
|
|
Ray Allen |
| Which player is the best pure shooter? |
| 1. |
Ray Allen, Boston |
53.6% |
| 1. |
Kyle Korver, Chicago |
21.4% |
| 3. |
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City |
14.3% |
Also receiving votes:
Also receiving votes: Stephen Curry, Golden State; Jason Kapono, Philadelphia; Steve Nash, Phoenix
|
| - |
Last year: Ray Allen |
57.1% |
|
|
Derrick Rose |
| Which player is fastest with the ball? |
| 1. |
Derrick Rose, Chicago |
21.4% |
| 2. |
Chris Paul, New Orleans;
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City |
17.9% |
| 4. |
Rajon Rondo, Boston; John Wall, Washington |
10.7% |
Also receiving votes:Gilbert Arenas, Washington; Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix; Aaron Brooks, Houston;Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee;
Ty Lawson, Denver
|
| - |
Last year: Chris Paul |
42.9% |
|
|
Ray Allen |
| Which player is best at moving without the ball? |
| 1. |
Ray Allen, Boston |
40.7% |
| 2. |
Richard Hamilton, Detroit |
37.0% |
Also receiving votes:
Caron Butler, Dallas; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Paul Pierce, Boston; Luis Scola, Houston; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland
|
| - |
Last year: Richard Hamilton |
67.9% |
|
|
Kobe Bryant |
| Which player is the best at getting his own shot? |
| 1. |
Kobe Bryant |
70.4% |
| 2. |
Dwyane Wade |
11.1% |
| 3. |
Carmelo Anthony |
7.4% |
Also receiving votes:
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; LeBron James, Miami; Brandon Roy, Portland
|
| - |
Last year: Kobe Bryant |
69.0% |
|
|
Dwight Howard |
| Which player is the best offensive rebounder? |
| 1. |
Dwight Howard, Orlando |
37.0% |
| 2. |
Kevin Love, Minnesota |
11.1% |
| 3. |
Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers; Brendan Haywood, Dallas;
Zach Randolph, Memphis; Josh Smith, Atlanta |
7.4% |
Also receiving votes:
Al Jefferson, Utah; David Lee, Golden State; Paul Millsap, Utah; Greg Oden, Portland; Luis Scola, Houston; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland
|
| - |
Last year: Dwight Howard |
74.1% |
|
|
Steve Nash |
| Which player is the best passer? |
| 1. |
Steve Nash, Phoenix |
75.0% |
| 2. |
Chris Paul, New Orleans |
14.3% |
| 3. |
Jason Kidd, Dallas |
7.1% |
| 4. |
LeBron James, MIami |
3.6% |
| - |
Last year: Steve Nash |
58.6% |
|
|
LeBron James |
| Which player is most dangerous in the open floor? |
| 1. |
LeBron James, Miami |
67.9% |
| 2. |
Chris Paul, New Orleans |
10.7% |
| 3. |
Dwyane Wade, Miami |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Jason Kidd, Dallas; Tony Parker, San Antonio; Derrick Rose, Chicago; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
|
| - |
Last year: LeBron James |
62.1% |
|
|
LeBron James |
| Which player is the best finisher? |
| 1. |
LeBron James, Miami |
60.7% |
| 2. |
Dwyane Wade, Miami |
17.9% |
| 3. |
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Carlos Boozer, Chicago; Dwight Howard, Orlando;
Josh Smith, Atlanta; Amar?e Stoudemire, New York
|
| - |
Last year: LeBron James |
55.2% |
|
|
Luis Scola |
| Which player does the most with the least? |
| 1. |
Luis Scola, Houston |
14.3% |
| 2. |
Steve Nash, Phoenix |
10.7% |
| 3. |
Shane Battier, Houston;
Marc Gasol, Memphis; J.J. Redick, Orlando |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Matt Bonner, San Antonio; Glen Davis, Boston; Kirk Hinrich, Washington; Dwight Howard, Orlando; Chris Kaman, L.A. Clippers; Kyle Korver, Chicago; Brook Lopez, New Jersey; Kevin Love, Minnesota; Kevin Martin, Houston; Paul Millsap, Utah; Joakim Noah, Chicago; Mehmet Okur, Utah; Kendrick Perkins, Boston; Rajon Rondo, Boston
|
| - |
Last year: Mehmet Okur |
14.3% |
|
|
Ron Artest |
| Who is the toughest player in the NBA? |
| 1. |
Ron Artest, L.A. Lakers |
37.0% |
| 2. |
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers |
18.5% |
| 3. |
Dwight Howard, Orlando |
7.4% |
Also receiving votes:
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; Reggie Evans, Toronto; Kevin Garnett, Boston; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Chuck Hayes, Houston; Stephen Jackson, Charlotte; Shaquille O?Neal, Boston; Kendrick Perkins, Boston; Luis Scola, Houston; Ben Wallace, Detroit |
| - |
Last year: Ron Artest |
42.9% |
|
|
Steve Nash |
| Which player is the best leader? |
| 1. |
Steve Nash, Phoenix |
32.1% |
| 2. |
Chauncey Billups, Denver |
17.9 |
| 3. |
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; Chris Paul, New Orleans |
14.3% |
| 5. |
Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers;
Jason Kidd, Dallas |
7.1 |
| - |
Last year: Chauncey Billups |
28.6% |
|
|
Steve Nash |
| Which player has the best basketball IQ? |
| 1. |
Steve Nash, Phoenix |
46.3% |
| 2. |
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers |
22.2% |
| 3. |
Jason Kidd, Dallas |
14.8% |
Also receiving votes:
Shane Battier, Houston; Chauncey Billups, Denver; Andre Miller, Portland; Chris Paul, New Orleans; Tayshaun Prince, Detroit |
| - |
Last year: Steve Nash |
36.5% |
|
|
Kobe Bryant |
| Which player would you want taking the game-winning shot? |
| 1. |
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers |
78.6% |
| 2. |
Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City |
7.1% |
Also receiving votes:
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; Dwyane Wade, Miami |
| - |
Last year: Kobe Bryant |
89.7% |
|
|
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