Continuous top 10 NBA Players list

[CitySushi]

Stemming from another thread about involving Kawhi, who are your top 10 NBA players right now:

1) Steph Curry
2) Lebron James
3) Kevin Durant
4) Anthony Davis
5) Russell Westbrook
6) Demarcus Cousins
7) Paul George
8) Blake Griffin
9) Kawhi Leonard
10) James Harden

Other Notables(in no order): Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Andre Drummond, John Wall, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Marc Gasol, Draymond Green.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

If we are basing it off actual games played.....

1. Curry

2.Bron

3. Kawhi

4. George

5. BG32

Cousins has been hurt, Davis is always hurt....

By Seasons end Westbrook, Durant, Harden should be at the top again.

 

[ManuForever]

If we are basing it off actual games played.....

1. Curry

2.Bron

3. Kawhi

4. George

5. BG32

Cousins has been hurt, Davis is always hurt....

By Seasons end Westbrook, Durant, Harden should be at the top again.

Wow, I'm shocked (pleasantly) that you have Kawhi that high. Didn't expect many to put him in the Top 10. I think he is top 10 (then again I'm biased.)

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Shouldn't a player at least make a single freaking playoff berth before we rank them a top 10 player.

Rookies get year one or year two pass.....but missing the playoffs after 5 years in the league???
Half your career is over at that point.

Over 50% of the leagues makes the playoffs, and its only 5 players on the court.

 

[Bolts]

If we're going based off right now as in how they're playing along with team performances, Steph is #1. I still think LeBron is the best player in the NBA though, but "right now" makes me factor in how they're playing. I'd also say Cousins shouldn't be top 10 right now because he's missing too many games. His numbers might suggest he is top 10 and if he plays 60-65+ games he might crack the list but you have to stay on the court and only 9 times this season he's gotten through a game without getting injured.

 

[Bolts]

Shouldn't a player at least make a single freaking playoff berth before we rank them a top 10 player.

Rookies get year one or year two pass.....but missing the playoffs after 5 years in the league???
Half your career is over at that point.

Over 50% of the leagues makes the playoffs, and its only 5 players on the court.

I'm assuming this is about Cousins being top 10 considering he is the only one on there to not make the playoffs(and if it's not, my bad). While I do agree by the 5th year a top guy should get his team there, there's a lot of factors that contribute to it besides the player. Cousins might have had his problems on and off the court, but when you look at his teams ever since he's been in the NBA.....they've not been good. When you factor in the Maloofs era and moving into the new ownership who might not know what they're doing either, all of the coaching changes he's been through, and all of the draft pick busts the team has selected(Jimmer, TRob, Nik, McLemore might be on the list soon) that are supposed to help lead the team to the playoffs next to Cousins, it shouldn't be a total surprise he hasn't made it. Add in the fact that the West has been tough for years and it's gonna be even tougher for a top player to get his team to the playoffs. This is the first year he's actually had a quality team around him and probably the best coaching situation despite the fact that Karl wanted him traded, it's unfortunate he's been hurt because the team has been pretty good when he plays.
Look at Steph, his team drafted Klay, Draymond, Barnes, even Ezeli who is a solid backup center. They also made moves to bring in guys like Bogut and Iggy to improve the defense. You think GSW would be where they are if you swapped those picks with the Kings picks? Hell no
Or KD, his team got Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka which led to them being to the playoffs year after year.
Or you can look at the current MVP of your Spurs, Kawhi. He fell into a better spot than any of these guys, right into the starting lineup of a title contender fill with veterans that have championship experience. I'm a big fan so I'm happy he's doing well, but I don't think he'd be having close to the same success if he got put into the same situation Cousins is in.
If you don't think Cousins is good enough to be a top 10 player based off his talent compared to other players or because of his attitude history, fine. But he's been given a shitty hand ever since he got handed the purple hat to the Sacramento Kings dumpster fire.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

1) Steph Curry
2) LeBron James
3) Kevin Durant
4) Anthony Davis
5) Russell Westbrook
6) Kawhi Leonard
7) Paul George
8) Blake Griffin
9) DeMarcus Cousins
10) Jimmy Butler


James Harden does not belong in the top 10. His defensive effort is disgusting and is a huge reason why Houston is struggling to start the season.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Give me Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard over Harden ANY DAY. Defensive stoppers that help out in almost every aspect of the game.

 

[tsubibo]

Give me Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard over Harden ANY DAY. Defensive stoppers that help out in almost every aspect of the game.

I agree. Harden may score buckets but if you can't even put a hand in front of your man then you are a liability on the court 50% of the time.

 

[WiggyRuss]

this is so tough to do...but..lets try

1. LeBron James
2. Steph Curry
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Anthony Davis
5. Kevin Durant
6. Paul George
7. James Harden
8. Blake Griffin
9. CP3
10. Kawhi Leonard

just missed: John Wall, Kevin Love, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Andre Drummond

 

[CitySushi]

Shouldn't a player at least make a single freaking playoff berth before we rank them a top 10 player.

Rookies get year one or year two pass.....but missing the playoffs after 5 years in the league???
Half your career is over at that point.

Over 50% of the leagues makes the playoffs, and its only 5 players on the court.

You can be a top 10 player without having a surrounding cast. Just like you can be a top 10 player without being the primary option in late game situations.

No one disputes Anthony Davis being a top 10 player, yet last year was the first year he made the playoffs (as an 8th seed, who got swept). Is this accomplishment much more than not making the playoffs in a terrible situation?

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

AD was in year 3.
I expect great players to at least limp into a single playoff appearance by year 3.

Part of being great is lifting up other players to some team success.
Great is not putting up statistics for a horrible team.

1 great player can drag scrubs to the playoffs.
Heck Lebron took a bunch of spare parts to the finals even.

How great can a player possibly be if he cannot even remotely sniff a playoff now in his SIXTH SEASON???

 

[CitySushi]

I understand your position on playoffs and winning being a determining factor, but you have to look at surrounding cast. You can't simply say one great player can drag a team of spare parts to the playoffs. Even peak Kobe Bryant couldn't do that after they disbanded the team and traded Shaq. They didn't make the playoffs and I think that's when he was thinking about going to the Clippers, if I recall.

Lebron is not just any top player, he's an all time great. He's an outlier, when it comes to using him as an example for pretty much anything.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Wiggins has to be getting close.

His first 4 games were awful and he's still got himself a pretty good season going right now.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Wiggins has to be getting close.

His first 4 games were awful and he's still got himself a pretty good season going right now.

To being top 10? Uhh, no. Maybe in a couple years.

 

[ManuForever]

this is so tough to do...but..lets try

1. LeBron James
2. Steph Curry
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Anthony Davis
5. Kevin Durant
6. Paul George
7. James Harden
8. Blake Griffin
9. CP3
10. Kawhi Leonard

just missed: John Wall, Kevin Love, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Andre Drummond

Leonard > Harden just due to his defensive presence on the court. I'd never put Harden over him. I don't care how many points he scores. Paul George is a legit debate though. Blake Griffin and CP3 though...maybe. Close maybe.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

To being top 10? Uhh, no. Maybe in a couple years.

Uhhh what do like 25ish make an all star team? He's probably going to find himself on that this year.

I'd consider that close as he continues to close the gap.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Uhhh what do like 25ish make an all star team? He's probably going to find himself on that this year.

I'd consider that close as he continues to close the gap.

Top 12 in each conference make it plus injury replacements. Typically they pick 2 from each position (10) then add the next best two remaining after those selections. I doubt Wiggins makes it this year. Think about who he'd have to beat out.

SF- Durant, Leonard.
SG- Harden, Thompson, Hayward, Knight

Plus all the excess PG's with how deep that position is in the West, I think 1 is a lock to be a PG. So unless a couple players get injured I doubt he makes it. Not taking anything away from him, he's been really good this year. But one good year typically won't shoot you in front of players that have been just as good or better for years now. If that was the case Bledsoe would've been an all-star last year.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Top 12 in each conference make it plus injury replacements. Typically they pick 2 from each position (10) then add the next best two remaining after those selections. I doubt Wiggins makes it this year. Think about who he'd have to beat out.

SF- Durant, Leonard.
SG- Harden, Thompson, Hayward, Knight

Plus all the excess PG's with how deep that position is in the West, I think 1 is a lock to be a PG. So unless a couple players get injured I doubt he makes it. Not taking anything away from him, he's been really good this year. But one good year typically won't shoot you in front of players that have been just as good or better for years now. If that was the case Bledsoe would've been an all-star last year.

Good point. But is Hayward even better right now? Wiggins scores over 2 more PPG and has a higher PER. Wish hed rebound and assist more but really Hayward doesnt do a whole lot more of either.

Now its cherry picking a bit but Wiggins without his first 4 games when he was way off is at 24.6, 47% and 38% while only scoring less than 20 in 2 of the 13 games.

I think he is on a good track. And Klay hasnt upped his game though he probably will get in anyways.

Long ways to go though lol.

 

[The Derski]

1. Stephen Curry
2. Lebron James
3. Anthony Davis
4. Russell Westbrook
5. Kevin Durant
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