If NBA GMs Were Starting a Franchise Today, They’d Pick These 4 Players Ahead of Kevin Durant

Thanks to the annual NBA.com GM poll we know the four players NBA GMs would choose to start a franchise with instead of Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant during a 2017 preseason game.
Image via USA Today Sports/Cary
Kevin Durant during a 2017 preseason game.

For the sixteenth year in a row, the NBA.com GM survey was released showing what the men who ultimately make the league's personnel decisions think about the upcoming season.

Some of it wasn't that shocking. For instance, 93 percent of those responded said they believe the Golden State Warriors will win the title for the third time in four years, likely making casual fans wonder (once again) if they should even tune in this season. That figure becomes even more staggering once you note that GMs weren't allowed to vote for their own teams (or players). Good luck rest of the NBA. 50 percent of GMs also said they think LeBron James will win his fifth MVP Award, and 82 percent said they think Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA.

However, one of the answers that wasn't as lopsided was this one: if you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the NBA, who would it be? This, of course, is especially interesting since the respondents providing their insights are (presumably) the experts in the field.

Their answers were:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota – 29 percent (down from 48 percent the year before)

In all their were 47 questions, which also included who will win the Rookie of the Year (Lonzo Ball - 62 percent), which player has the best basketball IQ (LeBron - 64 percent) and which rule most needs to change (Playoff seeding - 27 percent). It's definitely a worthy time-sink to see the two cents of NBA front offices in an easily digestible format. Plus it weeds out the doinks that overrun most fan polls (though that 93 percent backing the Warriors probably mirrors the thoughts of the masses).

Check out all the results right here.

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