Rank These 16 Current NBA Players

[trojanfan12]

See, that is a pet peeve of mine.

1 hot stretch in the playoffs doesn’t change who the player is.

Middleton is a very good player. Deserving of being in the top half.

But 3 or 4 basically ignores who he has been for his entire career, IMO.

Same with Simmons, but on the other side.

Exactly. Even an average NBA player can have a streak of games where he looks like a perennial all star. The question is...can they sustain it

If something ''clicked'' with Middleton and what we saw in the playoffs is how he plays going forward...he'll move up.

 

[Shanemansj13]

See, that is a pet peeve of mine.

1 hot stretch in the playoffs doesn’t change who the player is.

Middleton is a very good player. Deserving of being in the top half.

But 3 or 4 basically ignores who he has been for his entire career, IMO.

Same with Simmons, but on the other side.

I dont think Simmons is comparable at all actually. Middleton has always been a very productive offensive and defensive player.

How Lavine a better player? He’s had two seasons being proven offensively, but defensively he is meh and he led his team to nothing so far. More potential sure and if that’s what the list is about I would have Morant higher. If you believe LaVine is a better overall player now, fine, but I dont believe that to be true. He doesn’t have the proven track record of Middleton even if Middleton isn’t a true #1

 

[Shanemansj13]

I dont think Middlton’s play was a “streak”. He averaged 24 ppg in the playoffs and Finals. He averaged 21 basically the last 3-4 seasons. He is just underrated and one of the top defensive players on this list, along with a top 3 shooter on the list. He is more rounded than most of the players on the list, that’s the difference imo

 

[trojanfan12]

I dont think Middlton’s play was a “streak”. He averaged 24 ppg in the playoffs and Finals. He averaged 21 basically the last 3-4 seasons. He is just underrated and one of the top defensive players on this list, along with a top 3 shooter on the list. He is more rounded than most of the players on the list, that’s the difference imo

People get too caught up in stats. I don't think the issue has been as much the points that he scores as it has been, when he scores them. If memory serves, prior to this past season, he would score fine in the first 3 quarters or in the earlier playoff games. But late in games/series, when they really needed him, he hasn't played well.

Last year, he didn't...he stepped up late in games/series.

 

[tlance]

While I agree if it is a ranking of entire careers, I believe @HurricaneDij39 does this rankings as a player ranking going into the each new season for the upcoming season. Their most recent playoff production would be much more relevant in that instance.

Still shouldn’t change a players’ ranking as much as most people do.

A couple spots sure, but those guys he is just behind are top 15 overall players.

Middleton isn’t close to that, IMO.

 

[tlance]

I dont think Simmons is comparable at all actually. Middleton has always been a very productive offensive and defensive player.

How Lavine a better player? He’s had two seasons being proven offensively, but defensively he is meh and he led his team to nothing so far. More potential sure and if that’s what the list is about I would have Morant higher. If you believe LaVine is a better overall player now, fine, but I dont believe that to be true. He doesn’t have the proven track record of Middleton even if Middleton isn’t a true #1

Middleton hasn’t led his team to anything either.

He led the Bucks the same way Kyrie led the Cavs.

 

[Shanemansj13]

People get too caught up in stats. I don't think the issue has been as much the points that he scores as it has been, when he scores them. If memory serves, prior to this past season, he would score fine in the first 3 quarters or in the earlier playoff games. But late in games/series, when they really needed him, he hasn't played well.

Last year, he didn't...he stepped up late in games/series.

Yeah but it's different when you are a clear #2. Giannis has the ball more and for good reason. So imo it's hard to take that away from Middleton. Like I said before I think he is underrated and when he does produce consistently but not at a very high level people take him for granted, even when he does step up late. He is a top 5 player on that list without a doubt. KAT and Booker are the only obvious players better than him but you can make a case he is better than any other player, might stick Bam or Sabonis in there too.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Middleton hasn’t led his team to anything either.

He led the Bucks the same way Kyrie led the Cavs.

He was 23 years old and took longer for him to develop like Giannis. LaVine is 25 and yes his ceiling is higher. He can take the next step this year but if the Bulls don't get the playoffs or fail miserably that won't look good with all the talent they have on the roster.

 

[Mebert]

He was 23 years old and took longer for him to develop like Giannis. LaVine is 25 and yes his ceiling is higher. He can take the next step this year but if the Bulls don't get the playoffs or fail miserably that won't look good with all the talent they have on the roster.

Lavine has the athleticism to be elite at defense, but until he decides to even be just ok at it he is self-limiting his ceiling. if this was a ranking of pure scoring he is in the same group as KAT and Booker

 

[tlance]

He was 23 years old and took longer for him to develop like Giannis. LaVine is 25 and yes his ceiling is higher. He can take the next step this year but if the Bulls don't get the playoffs or fail miserably that won't look good with all the talent they have on the roster.

The Bulls have the talent to be a 6 or 7 seed. That is it.

I would rather have Middleton as a number 2 in most cases.

But swap him for Lavine and I don’t think it makes the Bulls a better team.

Don’t think it helps the Bucks either.

Point being, you are fixated on 1 player that I ranked above Middleton.

If 2021 playoff Middleton is here to stay? Then he should be higher. But I need to see it in a larger sample.