Talent vs Value
There is a thin line between value and talent. The public perception can become quite muddled when trying to differentiate the two. The definition of value is “the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something”. This is why we have awards like the Most “VALUABLE” Player to award the player who meant the most to their team. Different players in the league may have similar stats but that does not mean that they are the same. Talent merely does not win championships, the San Antonio Spurs are examples of valuable players working together to win championships. Talent brings money, but value brings in championships.
Stemming from the Harden vs. Wade debate, many would say that Wade is better because of his overall play that includes offense and defense (Would it kill Harden to play perimeter defense at least once?) but Harden’s value to the Rockets is much higher than Wade’s. We have seen Miami Heat win games without Wade because they also possess the best player in the NBA, Harden can miss a game and we can count that as an automatic loss. Wade used to be that type of player but because of the additions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, he no longer has that high value he had while entering the league.
Talent can supersede value with players such as Paul George. George is becoming one of the best players in the league and everyone is witnessing this as the Pacers are undefeated. The problem (Lack of a better word) is that the Pacers may have the best starting line-up in the league, from a top 5 center in Hibbert, a former all-star David West, a rising young star Lance Stephenson and one of the most underrated guards in the league, George Hill. If Paul George has an off night (In which he hasn’t) one of the four other starters can pick up the slack and the Pacers can still win. George is a very valuable piece to that team but his talent only enhances the team to its full potential.
Derrick Rose is one of the most perfect examples of a player whose value rises above his talent. While still fighting off rust, Rose has been in the spotlight not because of his amazing talent, but the value he has brought to the team. Without the emergence of Jimmy Butler and Nate Robinson last year in the 2nd half of the season, the Bulls were looking at a first round exit. This year solely because of Derrick Rose’s comeback, Bulls are perceived to be one of the top teams in the East. The NBA viewers sometimes take value for granted, The Oklahoma City Thunder’s point guard Russell Westbrook went down in the playoffs with an injury and his value rose immensely when the Thunder struggled against the Grizzlies even with the 2nd best player in the league, Kevin Durant.
If you don’t believe in value over talent take a look at these stats,
Player A: 10.8 PTS 7.5 AST 2.0 REB
Player B: 17.1 PTS 10.1 AST 2.4 REB
Which player would you consider the higher value to their team? If you are wondering who Player A is, it is the point guard of one of the most stacked teams in the NBA, Deron Williams while Player B is Jeff Teague. Jeff Teague’s value is not as high as Williams but his numbers portray a different story. Williams is not the single reason why the Brooklyn Nets are underachieving but he is a factor and if the Brooklyn Nets want to be a championship team then his play will have to step up immensely.
Players such as Derrick Rose, James Harden, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Stephen Curry and Dirk Nowitzki all have something in common; their teams build around them, showing their true value. When GM’s put pieces around a certain player to specifically fit their play to help elevate their player profile.
Let’s put everything in perspective, being talented is a wonderful thing in the NBA, but it is your value that brings more to the table. A team may take a less talented player because of the value he brings to the team. Talent is something that teams can possess but value is needed.
