(Both can be true) Mark Jackson's GSW were in no way built around Steph Curry. In 2010, GSW sign and trade 6-year $80 Million for All-Star David Lee to go with $66 million(2008) man Montae Ellis. In 2013, GSW sign and trade 4-year $48 million for All-Star Andre Iguodala. Also in 2013, after 4 years with GSW Steph got a non-max contract of 4 years 44 million. In 2015, Klay Thompson got 4 years 68 million. Numbers don't lie...It took Steph 8 years, 2 MVPs, and 3 championships to get a max contract. Mike was 6'6, Kobe 6'8...I have given my reasons for not thinking GSW was built around Steph, but I also would say Isiah would be the best argument. He was definitely the best player on the Pistons, but they also had Mark Aguirre, Bill Lambeer, and Rodman all at least 6'6". I don't think the Bad Boys were built around him as he was not as bad/dirty as the others. Aside from Steph who already had 2 MVPs and Championships, max contracts to players under 6'6 tend to end up horrible decisions. Can you build a championship team starting with a max player under 6'6"?
Kobe was 6'8?!? It takes like literally 2 seconds to find out that's not even close to accurate and another 2 seconds to search images of Mike and Kobe standing next to each other. Come on man...Michael and Kobe are so famously 6'6 in shoes, how in the world did you ever think 6'8? You getting Kobe mixed up with T-Mac or did Kobe start taking Lebrons HGH and grow a few inches in his late 30s like LeBron? The fact remains as soon as Lee was hurt and Draymond had to start, that team took off defensively while Steph was still doing his thing. Without the vacuum that Steph creates, Klay isn't as free to stand around and just catch and shoot. The championship warriors were built around Steph, pre championships, the backcourt was always the discussion-Monta or Steph. They chose Steph. Isiah may be the anomaly, but i don't think so. They aren't much different from the Bad Boys II. Both Bad Boys were stacked with all stars at every position. Isiah just happened to be better than Billups. But, to answer the question-not without a more advantageous front court. There's no Michael Jordan. No Steph. Even LeBron has had big front lines through his career starting with Big Z-had Bosh and Love and AD, 3 of the greatest PF's of these past few decades. LeBron with Wade and some blue collar rebounding specialist doesn't win a single ring imo. LeBron doesn't win the bubble without AD. LeBron misses the playoffs for the 3rd time in his Lakers career without AD. The 3-1 comeback does come to mind. Love played that critical defense on Steph, but he was not good that series, the biggest factor was Kyrie's ISO scoring and LeBron just providing what he always did-stuffing the stat sheet and putting pressure at the basket. Kyrie avg 27 on almost 50/40/90 splits. All time good level. In fact, LeBron is a ball pounder. A stat sheet stuffer that needs everything to go through him. LeBron without super team ups would be ringless today. Ball pounders can win a lot of regular season games-but they just can't win a ring unless they have overwhelming talent. -James Harden. To a small extent-Magic without Kareem. Westbrook. Oscar Robertson. Some ball pounders are also chuckers-Harden, and young Lebron, but not all chuckers are ball pounders(MJ, Kobe, AI, Wade,T-Mac). I'll change my answer to-An under 6'6 player is highly unlikely to win a ring as the best player, unless his team is stacked or has a better front line than their opponent.
