Top 50 NBA Players (for real this time)

[HurricaneDij39]

The other thread got hijacked, so have fun...

*Last year's ranking in parenthesis.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (7)
2. Kawhi Leonard (9) (Play in 70 regular season games if you want to be #1.)
3. James Harden (2)
4. LeBron James (1)
5. Kevin Durant (3) (By all accounts he should be higher, but the injury really dampens his overall outlook.)
6. Stephen Curry (5)
7. Damian Lillard (8)
8. Anthony Davis (4)
9. Paul George (17)
10. Russell Westbrook (6)
11. Nikola Jokic (19)
12. Joel Embiid (13)
13. Karl-Anthony Towns (12)
14. Kyrie Irving (10)
15. Ben Simmons (11)
16. Jimmy Butler (15)
17. Klay Thompson (16)
18. Kemba Walker (22)
19. Donovan Mitchell (26)
20. Bradley Beal (25)
21. Luka Doncic (NR)
22. Nikola Vucevic (NR)
23. Rudy Gobert (28)
24. Blake Griffin (30)
25. Chris Paul (14)
26. LaMarcus Aldridge (21)
27. Khris Middleton (41)
28. Draymond Green (23)
29. Victor Oladipo (18)
30. C.J. McCollum (35)
31. Jamal Murray (NR)
32. DeMar DeRozan (20)
33. Mike Conley (NR)
34. Devin Booker (43)
35. Pascal Siakam (NR)
36. Jrue Holiday (38)
37. Andre Drummond (32)
38. Tobias Harris (NR)
39. D’Angelo Russell (NR)
40. Kyle Lowry (37)
41. Buddy Hield (NR)
42. Trae Young (NR)
43. Kevin Love (29)
44. D’Aaron Fox (NR)
45. Jayson Tatum (46)
46. Malcolm Brogdon (NR)
47. Clint Capela (42)
48. Steven Adams (34)
49. Eric Bledsoe (48)
50. John Collins (NR)

Honorable Mention: Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter, Julius Randle, Otto Porter, Lauri Markkanen, Gary Harris, Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, DeAndre Ayton, Kristaps Porzingis, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Ja Morant.

Dropped from last year’s list: Porzingis, Hayward, Teague, Otto Porter, Lou Williams, John Wall, Al Horford, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, Paul Millsap.

 

[bksballer89]

Kyle Lowry is too high

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Kyle Lowry is too high

Interesting because I had him at #37 last year and people on my other board were saying he was too low.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

As for the actual thread...

It would be interesting to see the reasoning behind some of your changes from last year. There were some significant jumps and drops.

I get your point (and agree to an extent) re: Kawhi. But load management is how it's done now. So I can't say I really agree with his ranking (not that there's anything wrong with #2 lol).

But for example, why did AD drop from #4 last year to #8 this year?

Why did PG jump from #17 to #9?

Westbrook drop from #6 to #10?

Lou Williams had arguably his best year as a pro, but dropped out of the top 50?

Player roles for the upcoming season have a lot to do with where I ranked them in this case.

 

[trojanfan12]

Player roles for the upcoming season have a lot to do with where I ranked them in this case.

So this is more of a prediction as to where they will be by the end of the year then?

 

[HurricaneDij39]

So this is more of a prediction as to where they will be by the end of the year then?

Yes and no. It takes into account their abilities of today as well as their roles for the upcoming season.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The other thread got hijacked, so have fun...

*Last year's ranking in parenthesis.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (7)
2. Kawhi Leonard (9) (Play in 70 regular season games if you want to be #1.)
3. James Harden (2)
4. LeBron James (1)
5. Kevin Durant (3) (By all accounts he should be higher, but the injury really dampens his overall outlook.)
6. Stephen Curry (5)
7. Damian Lillard (8)
8. Anthony Davis (4)
9. Paul George (17)
10. Russell Westbrook (6)
11. Nikola Jokic (19)
12. Joel Embiid (13)
13. Karl-Anthony Towns (12)
14. Kyrie Irving (10)
15. Ben Simmons (11)
16. Jimmy Butler (15)
17. Klay Thompson (16)
18. Kemba Walker (22)
19. Donovan Mitchell (26)
20. Bradley Beal (25)
21. Luka Doncic (NR)
22. Nikola Vucevic (NR)
23. Rudy Gobert (28)
24. Blake Griffin (30)
25. Chris Paul (14)
26. LaMarcus Aldridge (21)
27. Khris Middleton (41)
28. Draymond Green (23)
29. Victor Oladipo (18)
30. C.J. McCollum (35)
31. Jamal Murray (NR)
32. DeMar DeRozan (20)
33. Mike Conley (NR)
34. Devin Booker (43)
35. Pascal Siakam (NR)
36. Jrue Holiday (38)
37. Andre Drummond (32)
38. Tobias Harris (NR)
39. D’Angelo Russell (NR)
40. Kyle Lowry (37)
41. Buddy Hield (NR)
42. Trae Young (NR)
43. Kevin Love (29)
44. D’Aaron Fox (NR)
45. Jayson Tatum (46)
46. Malcolm Brogdon (NR)
47. Clint Capela (42)
48. Steven Adams (34)
49. Eric Bledsoe (48)
50. John Collins (NR)

Honorable Mention: Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter, Julius Randle, Otto Porter, Lauri Markkanen, Gary Harris, Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, DeAndre Ayton, Kristaps Porzingis, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Ja Morant.

Dropped from last year’s list: Porzingis, Hayward, Teague, Otto Porter, Lou Williams, John Wall, Al Horford, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, Paul Millsap.

overall i think its solid but my biggest issues would be:

-I think Embiid has the talent to be the most dominant player in the league and should be higher

-Vucevic is good but a center that rebounds, scores and doesnt shoot the 3 and isnt really that good defensively just has limits on how good he can be- i think he is too high

-Simmons can get to where he is ranked if he develops a shot but id like to see him prove it first

-I cant rank Klay Thompson so high when he will likely barely play this year, wont be 100%, and is going into his age 30 year with a rebuilt knee

-Donovan Mitchell should be higher- i think he is going to be amazing this year

-I think Lillard will finish ahead of Curry in end of season MVP voting

 

[HurricaneDij39]

overall i think its solid but my biggest issues would be:

-I think Embiid has the talent to be the most dominant player in the league and should be higher

-Vucevic is good but a center that rebounds, scores and doesnt shoot the 3 and isnt really that good defensively just has limits on how good he can be- i think he is too high

-Simmons can get to where he is ranked if he develops a shot but id like to see him prove it first

-I cant rank Klay Thompson so high when he will likely barely play this year, wont be 100%, and is going into his age 30 year with a rebuilt knee

-Donovan Mitchell should be higher- i think he is going to be amazing this year

-I think Lillard will finish ahead of Curry in end of season MVP voting

Vuc certainly wasn't afraid of Embiid last season when they matched up. And Orlando had one of the highest ranked defenses in the entire league during the second half of last season...

 

[Montalban]

Speaking of all time Greats I'm watching Bernard King on the James Brown show just now. Very impressive guy. Speaks very eloquently and intelligently. Surprised me.

 

[tlance]

Speaking of all time Greats I'm watching Bernard King on the James Brown show just now. Very impressive guy. Speaks very eloquently and intelligently. Surprised me.

And why would it surprise you that an athlete can be well spoken?

 

[Montalban]

And why would it surprise you that an athlete can be well spoken?

My general bias against black, drug-taking athletes I guess. I remember he was in trouble with cocaine and I guess I thought he was just one of those dumb athletes who made it through school because of his athletic ability.
Goes to show you how you shouldn't pre-judge people but I usually do. I was very impressed with the things he had to say and how articulate he was

 

[HurricaneDij39]

HurricaneDij's Annual Top 50 NBA Players List (Year 12)

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Shaqdaddy bait post LOL

Yeah... that really worked out well.

 

[GNG]

Kyle Lowry is too high

Why?

 

[CitySushi]

Julius Randle is going to have a monster year because who else is going to do shit on the Knicks?

 

[tlance]

Julius Randle is going to have a monster year because who else is going to do shit on the Knicks?

Does that make him a top 50 player though?

It shouldn’t, IMO.

In fantasy basketball, sure. Not real life.

Regardless of what Randle’s stat line shows at year end, I will go out on a limb and say there are 50 better all around players in the NBA many of whom will have inferior stats.

 

[trojanfan12]

Does that make him a top 50 player though?

It shouldn’t, IMO.

In fantasy basketball, sure. Not real life.

Regardless of what Randle’s stat line shows at year end, I will go out on a limb and say there are 50 better all around players in the NBA many of whom will have inferior stats.

Not saying Randle is a top 50 player...

But the "good player on a bad team" argument isn't a good one, imo.

First off, it only seems to be used when someone wants to argue against a player, but ignored when someone wants to argue for a player.

Chris Bosh was a top 50 player in Toronto. His stats dropped when he joined a better team with 2 other top 50 players on it. Was he suddenly no longer a top 50 player? Or did he sacrifice numbers for titles?

Same with Kevin Love.

If Randle puts up great numbers with the Knicks and then they go out and put better players around him or he moves to a better team...is he suddenly not as good because his stats drop due to him actually having help?

 

[CitySushi]

Does that make him a top 50 player though?

It shouldn’t, IMO.

In fantasy basketball, sure. Not real life.

Regardless of what Randle’s stat line shows at year end, I will go out on a limb and say there are 50 better all around players in the NBA many of whom will have inferior stats.

Well much of Canes list factors in production. I think Randle was fantastic last year and showed a lot of improvement. I think he continues that trajectory.

 

[CitySushi]

Just feel like there's a lot of inconsistency in the list with where guys are placed due to 1) skillset, 2) production 3) injury potential and 4) projections.

It's incredibly difficult to navigate or really discuss the list because there are too many factors. If Cane had simplified it to who would be the best 50 players next season and not just top 50 NBA players, you'd have a much different list, IMO. Like KD and Klay shouldn't even make the list, tbh.

 

[tlance]

Not saying Randle is a top 50 player...

But the "good player on a bad team" argument isn't a good one, imo.

First off, it only seems to be used when someone wants to argue against a player, but ignored when someone wants to argue for a player.

Chris Bosh was a top 50 player in Toronto. His stats dropped when he joined a better team with 2 other top 50 players on it. Was he suddenly no longer a top 50 player? Or did he sacrifice numbers for titles?

Same with Kevin Love.

If Randle puts up great numbers with the Knicks and then they go out and put better players around him or he moves to a better team...is he suddenly not as good because his stats drop due to him actually having help?

That is exactly my point.

Kevin Love was definitely overrated because of his stat stuffing in Minnesota when he was viewed as a top 10 player. I believe he is rated correctly now in the top 30-35 range.

Bosh was a little overrated in Toronto and perhaps a little underrated in Miami. The reality is he was probably always a top 20 player, probably not ever top 10-15.

I don’t know exactly where to rank Randle today, but we know he can post offensive numbers. He could always do that. We also know he has other limitations as a player that hinder his overall value to a team. For me, seeing him improve his defense and/or his shooting will cause me to move him up my list. Posting 24 and 12 with the same limitations doesn’t do it for me. That just makes him the modern era David Lee.

So don’t fall into the trap of overrating him next season unless he shows tangible progress in those areas of weakness and/or he is able to produce those numbers with high efficiency.