Basketball is not a sport, it's a way of life.
Hold onto your butts, it's our first ever NBA Top 100! (Part 1: 100-51)
Good morning! Go ahead and get your coffee ready, Mr. Rush, because we’re going in. Presented before you is my first-ever NBA Top 100—or at least the first 50 players. I thought it would be easier to digest if we did this in two parts, meaning you’ll have to come back tomorrow. This is my first foray into this territory, so before any feelings are hurt, I thought I would lay down some of the parameters that governed my decisions when ranking players:
Availability is undervalued. This criterion will likely be the most upsetting for many when it comes to this list, but we saw several organizations' campaigns get sidetracked and hijacked by significant injuries to the team’s best player last season. I don’t care how dominant a player you are when you play—if I can’t count on you, that matters more than just about any other differentiating factor.
Role matters. We can call this the Jrue Holiday stipulation. I have Holiday ranked too low, but if the demand on the player is significantly less, I can’t value the impact quite the same.
This isn’t intended to be predictive…mostly. This list is a comprehensive measure of where a player is and has been. Of course, there is some assumption for what to expect next season, but this is not a bet on where a player will be a year or two from now. Established players with strong records who are still young are more likely to be forgiven for a down season, whereas young players on the rise may still have more to prove before they get higher billing (again, mostly).
Basketball is played on both ends. This seems a simple enough factor, but I’m still amazed by how many people completely discount a player being a liability on the defensive end simply because they are so generative on the offensive side—particularly because of how often a defensive stud is held to task for being offensively challenged. Don’t get me wrong, being the best offensive player in the league has more value than being the best defensive player, but we far too often excuse poor defensive play.
Proximity reflects similar value. For the most part, players are in groups of about 7–10 players of comparable value. Really, the only player in this entire list you couldn’t possibly convince me to move a few slots is the top-ranked player, as there is zero argument you can conjure that will sway me. So, try not to fret too much if you think the 23rd-ranked player got robbed because he’s not 19th. That doesn’t mean I don’t stand behind my rankings, just that the league is packed with talented players, so it’s not necessarily a slight if I have a lower value for your favorite player.
Stats are not the only form of impact. Defensive culture-setters will always have a warm spot in my heart. If a player’s impact is as a tone-setter defensively, while a difficult measure to quantify, that value will be reflected here. (All stats listed below player’s names are from last season.)
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s begin with the first half of the inaugural LBB top 100. And please, I want to hear your opinions in the comments. Also, a friendly reminder that viewing is always optimized through the Substack app.
#100 Deni Avdija, F, POR
Age: 23 Height: 6’9” Weight: 210 Exp: 4
PTS: 14.7 FG%: 50.6 3PT%: 37.4 AST: 3.8
The jump Avdija made last season wasn’t exactly under the radar, but I’m not sure many Wizards games were registering pings for much of the NBA’s national fanbase. Still, a young player with this size, defensive versatility, and expanding offensive game needs more attention than what he is currently being given.
#99 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, ORL
Age: 31 Height: 6’5” Weight: 204 Exp: 11
PTS: 10.1 3PT%: 40.6 3PM: 1.6 STL: 1.3
KCP is of one the league’s best team defenders on the perimeter and deserves credit as a good three-point shooter. However, he’s neither the shooter nor defender that his reputation would have you believe. Caldwell-pope is a very good player in a system, but more as a complimentary piece than as a singular talent.
#98 D’Angelo Russell, G, LAL
Age: 28 Height: 6’3” Weight: 193 Exp: 9
PTS: 18.0 AST: 6.3 3PT%: 45.6 FG%: 45.6%
D’Lo is the rare player who is somehow simultaneously overrated and underrated. As an engine for offense in quick spurts, few players can be more impactful. As a defender and decision-maker in big moments, few players can be more destructive.
#97 Immanuel Quickley, G, TOR
Age: 25 Height: 6’3” Weight: 190 Exp: 4
PTS: 17.0 AST: 4.9 3PT%: 39.5 FG%: 43.4%
The Raptors bet big on Quickley this summer, and if his performance after being traded to Toronto holds (18.6 PPG, 6.8 APG, 42.2% FG), he’s likely to move up this list. However, that production, which was the best stretch of his career, needs to be sustained over a full season. Still, the concern remains that lower-efficiency scoring guards who are more pass-second playmakers don’t usually lead to winning basketball.
#96 Dillon Brooks, F, HOU
Age: 28 Height: 6’6” Weight: 225 Exp: 7
PTS: 12.7 3PT%: 35.9 FG%: 42.8% STL: 0.9
The 10.7 field goal attempts, his lowest in five seasons, was an encouraging trend that will hopefully continue downward. Brooks is a defensive culture-setter who imbues teams with a toughness on the floor that can’t be quantified. Of course, that blade’s edge is thin, as he can also be a distraction and a source of unnecessary attention. Brooks remains one of the few players in the league where Laura Ingraham’s take doesn’t feel as offensive.
#95 Cam Thomas, SG, BKN
Age: 22 Height: 6’4” Weight: 210 Exp: 3
PTS: 22.5 AST: 2.9 TOV: 1.9 FG%: 44.2%
Thomas may wind up being the leading vote-getter for the Empty Calorie All-Stars this coming season, as he’s going to be given unfettered access to the shot buffet. We know he is a glutton for buckets, and an uncontrolled diet may be the worst thing possible for his development as an overall player. With all the freedom he is going to be given this coming season, it would be nice to see him continue to build on last season’s burgeoning playmaking abilities. While he seems to be everyone’s favorite underdog for leading scorer, there are some sneaky Jordan Poole concerns here as well.
#94 Klay Thompson, F, DAL
Age: 34 Height: 6’6” Weight: 215 Exp: 11
PTS: 17.9 3PT%: 38.7 3PM: 3.5 FT% 92.7
The pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction regarding opinions on Klay. Thompson remains one of the league’s deadliest and most efficient long-range specialists, having finished fourth in three-pointers made last season after leading the league the year before. Because he is still an elite shooter, Klay draws as much attention from defenses as any non-superstar in the league. If last year was more reflective of decline than the emotional difficulties of the situation, then perhaps this is the last time he’ll be on the list. However, until that has been solidified, Klay remains a scorer who causes fear in opponents in a way that still put defenses on tilt. The defense may no longer be a positive for himself, but in a Dallas system that has great back-end rim protection, he’ll look better than he has in the last two seasons.
#93 Anfernee Simons, G, POR
Age: 25 Height: 6’3” Weight: 181 Exp: 6
PTS: 22.6 3PT%: 38.5 3PM: 3.4 AST: 5.5
Look, health is the biggest concern, as Simons has proven to be one of the most incendiary scorers in the league when he can stay on the floor. Few players are better contested shot-makers, as he shot an insane 50.8% with a defender within two feet or less. His career 38.6% shooting from distance on high volume (6.6 attempts per game) makes him an ideal fit as a Tyler Herro-esque infusion of offense, but he may also be the same type of empty calories at times, particularly because Simons is such a poor defender.
Here’s a few reminders of how little space Simons needs to operate:
#92 Ivica Zubac, C, LAC
Age: 27 Height: 7’0” Weight: 240 Exp: 8
PTS: 11.7 REB: 9.2 FG%: 64.9 BLK: 1.2
Zubac may be one of the most underappreciated players in the NBA. That may seem like high praise, but he is not brought up nearly enough in conversations about the best second- or third-tier centers. Few players are more consistent on a nightly basis. Most teams would kill for a big man who catches everything, works the glass, and protects the rim with both his size and a deep understanding of positional fundamentals.
#91 Tobias Harris, F, DET
Age: 32 Height: 6’8” Weight: 226 Exp: 13
PTS: 17.2 FG%: 48.7 REB: 6.5 AST: 3.1
Harris’ postseason struggles last year have been well documented, but he remains a versatile scorer and defender. He rebounds well from the forward position and makes the right decision as a passer more often than not. He’s over-leveraged as anything more than a low-end third option or a high-level fourth, but he still remains a player who has a positive impact in many different areas of the game—as long as it’s not a big game.
#90 Jabari Smtih Jr., F/C, HOU
Age: 22 Height: 6’4” Weight: 210 Exp: 3
PTS: 13.7 BLK: 0.8 STL: 0.7 3PT%: 36.3%
This may already be too low on the list for Smith Jr., but it definitely will be by season’s end. The jump in three-point percentage (30.7% to 36.3%) over his first two seasons was extremely encouraging, as was the way he looked defensively playing the small-ball five in Şengūn’s absence. Really, it’s just a matter of the offensive game continuing to develop, as he is already one of the league’s most versatile defenders.
#89 Dereck Lively II, C, DAL
Age: 20 Height: 7’1” Weight: 230 Exp: 1
PTS: 8.8 FG%: 74.7 REB: 6.9 BLK: 1.4
Were Lively to remain just the player we saw last season—a smart defender with great recovery skills and an extremely efficient offensive player with good hands and deft passing ability as the roll man in the PnR—that would be enough to have him ranked. However, having seen the expansion of his game in the playoffs and considering how young he is, this will likely be the last time he’s outside of the top 75 for a while.
#88 Khris Middleton, SF, MIL
Age: 33 Height: 6’7” Weight: 222 Exp: 12
PTS: 15.1 FG%: 49.3 REB: 4.7 AST: 5.3
Look, this almost feels disrespectful to Middleton, but following two separate ankle surgeries this offseason, on a body that has already struggled to stay healthy for several years now—he’s played just 88 games combined over the last two seasons—it’s just hard to believe that he can summon his powers for anything more than short spurts. He’s also just not the defender that he once was due to the wear and tear.
#87 Donte DiVincenzo, SG, MIN
Age: 27 Height: 6’4” Weight: 203 Exp: 6
PTS: 15.5 3PT%: 40.1 3PM: 3.5 STL: 1.3
DiVincenzo became one of the league’s best three-point shooters last year, averaging career highs in both percentage and volume (8.7 attempts per game). In addition, he was one of the Knicks’ toughest perimeter defenders.
#86 Tyler Herro, G, MIA
Age: 24 Height: 6’5” Weight: 195 Exp: 5
PTS: 20.8 3PT%: 39.6 3PM: 3.1 AST: 4.5
Despite expectations that another leap was possible, we can finally settle on this being who Tyler Herro is. That’s not a bad thing, but the playmaking is never going to be more than decent, and the scoring, while impactful in bunches, is both inefficient (44.1% FG in ‘24) and feels empty too often. However, the defense is really the sticking point, as Herro gives up way too much on that end.
#85 Austin Reaves, G, LAL
Age: 26 Height: 6’5” Weight: 206 Exp: 3
PTS: 15.9 FG%: 48.6 3PT%: 36.7 AST: 5.5
Reaves is just the type of smart basketball player who is a perfect complement to most styles of play. He’s a good decision-maker as a lead ball handler, where his patience in the pick and roll allows him to dissect defenses. Reaves also excels as a secondary option off of curls and pin downs, where his fast processing speed and combination of shooting stroke and size make him a tough guard, as defenders have to equally honor both the shot and the drive.
I’m not sure he called “glass”, but you get the point.
#84 Miles Bridges, F, CHA
Age: 26 Height: 6’7” Weight: 225 Exp: 5
PTS: 21.0 REB: 7.3 STL: 0.9 BLK: 0.5
Due to issues off the court, Bridges has become a bit undervalued as a versatile scorer who can defend multiple positions. The return of LaMelo Ball should only further increase Bridges’ offensive impact, as their lob connection is one of the league’s most potent.
#83 Isaiah Hartenstein, C, OKC
Age: 26 Height: 7’0” Weight: 250 Exp: 6
PTS: 7.8 REB: 8.3 STL: 1.2 BLK: 1.1
“Mr. Brightside” won’t necessarily wow you when you look at the nightly box scores, but watch a few possessions of Hartenstein on defense, and you'll see one of the most energetically impactful and situationally intelligent defenders in the league. On the offensive end, Hartenstein is smart enough to always play within himself, making great decisions as a passer and only taking high-percentage shots. Yet, his best offensive value may come from the way he keeps multiple possessions alive with his tip-outs on the offensive glass.
#82 Naz Reid, F/C, MIN
Age: 25 Height: 6’9” Weight: 264 Exp: 5
PTS: 13.5 REB: 5.2 3PT%: 41.4 BLK: 0.9
Last year was finally the season when the greater basketball world came to realize what many of us had been saying for a few years now: Naz Reid is a dude! The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is one of the most offensively versatile bigs in the league, equally adept at spotting up as he is at attacking the interior. His defense is just as multi-faceted, as Reid moves his feet well when switched onto smaller players and has an uncanny ability to come in on the help-side for a big block.
#81 Brook Lopez, C, MIL
Age: 36 Height: 7’1” Weight: 282 Exp: 16
PTS: 12.5 REB: 5.2 3PT%: 36.6 BLK: 2.4
It’s not that Brook Lopez isn’t still a very effective basketball player, it’s just that as the Bucks have become a diminished group, Lopez’s limitations have become more exposed. The lack of rebounding—which we like to attribute to Giannis but has been a reality his entire career—and the fact that he only plays on about 75% of the floor don’t hurt him as much because of Milwaukee’s system, but they are just truths that must be considered when evaluating him as a total player. Still, Lopez remains a dominant rim presence, finishing tied with Walker Kessler for second in the league in blocks per game last season.
#80 Devin Vassel, G/F, SAS
Age: 24 Height: 6’5” Weight: 200 Exp: 4
PTS: 19.5 3PT%: 37.2 STL: 1.1 AST: 4.1
There may be few young players in the league better situated to jump into the mainstream consciousness than Vassell, whose game is perfectly structured to be a high-level secondary and tertiary option. Vassell can really stroke it, both off the catch and when he puts it on the deck, so the fact that he can operate without being the focal point means he will likely be putting up some serious scoring numbers in a much more functional Spurs offense this season.
#79 Jonathan Kuminga, F, GSW
Age: 21 Height: 6’8” Weight: 210 Exp: 3
PTS: 16.1 FG%: 52.9 3PT%: 32.1 REB: 4.8
Kuminga took a massive leap forward last year, then stumbled a bit as the burden of expectations he placed on himself became more than he could carry in high-leverage moments. His athletic gifts are in the top 1% of the league, and his processing speed has finally improved, but he still needs to get quicker at making decisions before the defense recovers on rotations. That adjustment will rely on building more confidence in his outside shot. Defensively, he has the tools and the disposition to be special, but his focus needs to be more consistent.
#78 Jalen Green, SG, HOU
Age: 22 Height: 6’4” Weight: 178 Exp: 3
PTS: 19.6 FG%: 42.3 3PT%: 33.2 TOV: 2.3
Green's talent is top-tier and was on full display during his incredible March run, when he averaged 28 points, shooting 47.9% from the field, along with an encouraging 39.4% from distance on 10 attempts per game. However, his overall numbers for the season reflect a player who favors a shot selection tougher than a bowl of dry Grape-Nuts. His defense improved once the Rockets switched to a more aggressive style, but it still leaves much to be desired in terms of decision-making. Expect him to rise in rankings as the season progresses, as long as he continues to work on his defense.
#77 Coby White, G, CHI
Age: 24 Height: 6’5” Weight: 195 Exp: 5
PTS: 19.1 FG%: 44.7 3PT%: 37.6 AST: 5.1
The notoriety Coby White received for his play this past season was much deserved, but it’s interesting that his per-36 numbers from his sophomore season (his last as a full-time starter before this year) are fairly comparable to this past season when he averaged 36.5 minutes per game. However, the increase in field goal percentage this past year is an important distinction, as it reflects White taking significantly more shots close to the basket. White has learned to leverage his shooting ability to get defenders off balance with a head fake before drives. This past season, 38.1% of his attempts came from 10 feet or less, by far the best mark of his career. The shift to becoming a more multidimensional scorer has made White a tough player to defend on the perimeter, as his size and quickness allow him to attack in several different ways.
Coby White’s ability to attack the rim has been the key to the expansion of his offensive game
#76 Jaden McDaniels, F, MIN
Age: 23 Height: 6’9” Weight: 185 Exp: 4
PTS: 10.5 FG%: 48.9 3PT%: 33.7 REB: 3.1
McDaniels is in the conversation for the league’s best perimeter defender, but his offense still needs a lot of work. There are games where his shot looks solid and confident, and then there are games where you don’t feel his presence on that end at all—McDaniels had 33 contests last season where he scored in single digits. If he can become a more consistent scoring threat, he has the ability to be a very impactful two-way player. As it stands, he’s a defensive force on the perimeter in a way rarely seen for players his size.
#75 Terry Rozier, G, MIA
Age: 30 Height: 6’1” Weight: 190 Exp: 9
PTS: 19.8 FG%: 44.3 3PT%: 36.3 AST: 5.6
Scary Terry struggled after being traded to Miami, averaging just 16.4 points on a rough 42.3% from the field. However, he has an established track record as a big shot maker and solid defender, and I believe that will return after a full offseason of getting healthy and acclimated to Miami’s system. The biggest concern is how marginalized he might become with Miami’s other guards, but Rozier’s ability to toggle on and off the ball makes him a versatile fit alongside either Herro or Butler.
#74 RJ Barrett, F, TOR
Age: 24 Height: 6’6” Weight: 214 Exp: 5
PTS: 20.2 FG%: 49.5 3PT%: 36.0 REB: 5.4
Barrett is starting to feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of the NBA (I’m clearly pandering to my older readers here), but if the numbers he put up in Toronto (21.8 points on 55.3% from the floor and 39.2% from three) are indicative of the player he is now, this will be the season he finally gets his respect. The biggest concern is that in the past we’ve seen his shooting percentages wax and wane, but he has proven to be a good three-level scorer and a consistently solid defender no matter what the efficiency numbers look like in the moment.
#73 CJ McCollum, G, NOP
Age: 33 Height: 6’3” Weight: 190 Exp: 11
PTS: 20.0 FG%: 45.9 3PT%: 42.9 3PM: 3.6
You can just pencil CJ in for 20 points a game this coming season, as he has averaged at least that for 10 straight years now. The three-point shooting is elite, and he’s coming off his best year in terms of efficiency from distance in his career. His 4.6 assists per game last season also reflect a good playmaker. The defense is always suspect, but he’s not a total sieve.
#72 Jerami Grant, F, POR
Age: 30 Height: 6’7” Weight: 210 Exp: 10
PTS: 21.0 3PT%: 40.2 REB: 3.5 STL: 0.8
Grant apparently traded some of his defensive XP for offense, but he has turned himself into a very good perimeter shooter over the course of his career. The lack of rebounding from the position isn’t great, and the regression defensively may be more a matter of situation than ability, but Grant has become an underrated player as a versatile offensive option.
#71 Brandon Miller, SF, CHA
Age: 21 Height: 6’9” Weight: 201 Exp: 1
PTS: 17.3 FG%: 44.0 3PT%: 37.3 REB: 4.3
It’s always better to be early than late. In Miller’s case, perhaps this is jumping the gun a bit, but what he showed in the second half of the season had superstar potential written all over it. The scoring wasn’t really surprising in terms of his ability to work on the move off-ball. But what should have Hornets fans giddy are the ways in which Miller operates offensively on the dribble, where he was already making tough shots at a high clip and displayed decision-making as a passer that I didn’t see in his game in college.
These plays are being made by a rookie!
#70 Michael Porter Jr., F, DEN
Age: 26 Height: 6’10” Weight: 218 Exp: 5
PTS: 16.7 FG%: 48.4 3PT%: 39.7 REB: 7.0
Assessing Michael Porter Jr.'s on-court value feels like one of those viral optical illusions. For those in support of MPJ, his ability to make tough shots from virtually anywhere on the floor, along with his efficiency and improved defensive play, make a solid argument. For those who are not fans, his tendency to be the last pass on nearly any possession, the way he fades in and out of games in terms of impact, and his defensive mistakes are convincing arguments to the contrary. For now, he's either a player being marginalized by his role or elevated by the system. I suppose it depends on how you look at it.
#69 Trey Murphy III, SF, NOP
Age: 24 Height: 6’8” Weight: 206 Exp: 3
PTS: 14.8 3PT%: 38.0 3PM: 3.0 REB: 4.9
If you asked pundits around the league which players they thought were primed for a star turn, Murphy III would be on many people’s short list. The size, the stroke, the sneakily explosive athleticism, and the ability to defend multiple positions are just about everything that you look for in a wing. Murphy has even shown a bit of playmaking off the bounce, which, considering his range, only further expands the potency of his offensive game. The biggest issue is the redundancy with Ingram and Murphy positionally, but expect New Orleans to find a way to ensure that Murphy is in the starting lineup this season.
#68 Kyle Kuzma, F, WAS
Age: 29 Height: 6’9” Weight: 221 Exp: 7
PTS: 22.2 FG%: 46.3 REB: 6.6 AST: 4.2
Kuzma may be a looter in a riot, but he’s been walking out with some real nice stuff during the chaos. (I apologize if any D.C. residents were triggered by this analogy.) Like many in the nation’s capital, his numbers get a boost from the fact that he gets to act with impunity (okay, I’ll stop now), but they still underscore how good of an overall basketball player Kuz has become. It’s a bit telling that he’s so comfortable in Washington, but someone has to put up numbers for every team.
#67 Fred VanVleet, PG, HOU
Age: 30 Height: 6’0” Weight: 197 Exp: 8
PTS: 17.4 FG%: 41.6 3PT%: 38.7 AST: 8.1
Fred VanVleet is like a tricked-out Honda Civic, he’s not going to turn the heads of the lay observer, but those who know understand he can go. The field goal percentage is always a bit rough, but whatever he gives away in terms of efficiency, he more than makes up for with his smart playmaking and dogged defense. He also fits the Mike Conley mold of being the absolute consummate professional.
#66 Alex Caruso, G, CHI
Age: 30 Height: 6’5” Weight: 186 Exp: 7
PTS: 10.1 FG%: 46.8 3PT%: 40.8 STL: 1.7
There may be no better defensive culture-setter in the league than Caruso. He plays with a tenacity that is absolutely infectious and does so while being one of the league’s smartest and toughest defenders. Because of his strength and elite technical acumen, Caruso effectively guards everything but centers and can even hold his own on a quick switch. But even when he’s not in a guarding position, Caruso is causing havoc, as he led the league in deflections per game this past season. The fact that he has turned himself into a viable shooter is like adding a cup size to Charlize Theron: it’s not necessary, but it only enhances the impact.
#65 Bradley Beal, SG/SF, PHO
Age: 31 Height: 6’4” Weight: 207 Exp: 12
PTS: 18.2 FG%: 51.3 3PT%: 43.0 AST: 5.0
Look, if Beal is healthy, then this is far too low on the list for the type of player that he remains. However, there is no longer a reason to think he’s capable of staying on the floor for long enough stretches to really show that player off—Beal hasn’t played more than 60 games in a season since before the world had heard of COVID. The efficiency and secondary playmaking are still impressive, but they just can’t be as impactful if they can’t be relied upon.
#64 OG Anunoby, F, NYK
Age: 27 Height: 6’7” Weight: 232 Exp: 7
PTS: 14.7 3PT%: 38.2 STL: 1.4 BLK: 0.7
Speaking of injury-prone stars whose value is diminished by their inability to stay healthy, OG may be the most singularly impactful perimeter defender we have seen since peak Kawhi. However, much like the Klaw, you’re always waiting for the next injury to upend a good run of play. The offense is nice but has never been as great as advertised; the defense, though, is everything that is promised and more.
#63 Herb Jones, F, NOP
Age: 25 Height: 6’8” Weight: 210 Exp: 3
PTS: 11.0 3PT%: 41.8 STL: 1.4 BLK: 0.8
Jones has been one of the league’s best defensive players since he came onto the scene three years ago. This season, he was acknowledged as such with his first selection to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. His length allows him to stay in front of ballhandlers and makes him a menace as the nearest off-ball defender on drives, as he has a knack for getting deflections. And if you’re a big, don’t turn your back on Jones, because he’s going to pick your pocket. The fact that he has made himself a legitimate long-range threat—particularly from the corners, where he shot 47.9% this season—makes him a player who now has a far greater impact than was thought possible when he entered the league.
Two minutes of Herb being a menace
#62 Aaron Gordon. F, DEN
Age: 29 Height: 6’8” Weight: 235 Exp: 10
PTS: 13.9 FG%: 55.6 REB: 6.5 AST: 3.5
Aaron Gordon is the rare player who has lowered his profile as far as individual ability while raising it in terms of the overall opinion of him. He’s a glue guy of the very highest order. Gordon’s impact isn’t always felt in the box scores, but his imprint is still all over the game. His combination of strength and athleticism makes him a player who can contend with pretty much all types of forwards on the defensive end, while offensively, he’s a smart player who feasts in the dunker spot and rarely plays outside of himself.
#61 Jalen Johnson, F, ATL
Age: 22 Height: 6’9” Weight: 220 Exp: 3
PTS: 16.0 REB: 8.7 STL: 1.2 FG%: 51.1
If you’ve watched Jalen Johnson play, you know big leaps are nothing to him, but the huge jump he made this year sure meant a hell of a lot to the Hawks' future. This past season, Johnson more than doubled his per-game averages from the year prior in points (5.6 to 16.0), rebounds (4.0 to 8.7), assists (1.2 to 3.6), and steals (0.5 to 1.2). The Hawks forward also increased his three-point percentage from 28.8% to 35.5%. If Johnson’s skills can continue to develop anywhere close to the level of his elite athleticism, the Hawks have a star on their hands.
#60 Jalen Suggs, G, ORL
Age: 23 Height: 6’5” Weight: 205 Exp: 3
PTS: 12.6 AST: 2.7 3PT%: 39.7 STL: 1.4
As both a point-of-attack defender and a wing roamer, Suggs is an absolute menace. Few players from the guard position have a bigger defensive impact on a play-to-play basis, as he insinuates himself into pretty much all the action he can from the moment the offense crosses halfcourt. Offensively, the playmaking needs to continue to improve, but the truth is Suggs will likely never be a high-end distributor. His reaching nearly a 40% three-point shooting percentage on 5.1 attempts is very encouraging, though.
#59 Myles Turner, C, IND
Age: 28 Height: 6’11” Weight: 250 Exp: 9
PTS: 17.1 REB: 6.9 BLK: 1.9 3PT%: 35.7
Over the last two seasons, Turner has turned himself into one of the best two-way centers in the league. Offensively, he is a legitimate stretch five whose mobility allows him to punish defenders at the rim as a roll man. The rebounding has never quite reached the level it feels like it should, but it’s not for a lack of activity on the glass. Turner really doesn’t take anything off the table, and he’s the type of player who is good for an explosive performance at pretty regular intervals—he scored 20 or more points 28 times last season.
#58 Franz Wagner, F, ORL
Age: 23 Height: 6’10” Weight: 225 Exp: 3
PTS: 19.7 AST: 3.7 REB: 5.3 3PT%: 28.1
They just don’t make many players with this combination of size, playmaking, and defensive effort and skill. Wagner is about as perfect a complementary star as a team could want. The shooting, which took the type of dive that gambling investigations are started on, saw Wagner shooting nearly 8% worse from distance than his career average. When that stabilizes, his combination of shooting and secondary playmaking make him a dangerous player in the Magic’s drive-and-kick system. Defensively, Wagner has limitations in terms of mobility, but he’s a smart defender who uses his strength and length to compensate.
#57 LaMelo Ball, PG, CHA
Age: 23 Height: 6’7” Weight: 180 Exp: 4
PTS: 23.9 AST: 8.0 STL: 1.8 3PT%: 35.5
LaMelo has an impressive blend of size, vision, and difficult shot-making ability that just isn’t available very often in a point guard. If he’s healthy and engaged—two massive ifs—then at just 23 years old, Ball has all the skills to be an elite point guard in the league. Even if his maturation process proves to be in arrested development, if he plays, he is good enough to be a highly impactful player on a nightly basis.
#56 Zach LaVine, SG, CHI
Age: 29 Height: 6’5” Weight: 200 Exp: 10
PTS: 19.5 REB: 5.2 BLK: 1.9 3PT%: 34.9
The opinions on Zach LaVine have gotten too aggressively sour. Yes, the injury concerns are fair, but LaVine averaged a reasonable 65 games a season over the prior five years, including playing 77 games just two years ago. This is a player who can easily score 20-plus points a night, doing so both efficiently and from all three levels. That remains extremely valuable.
#55 Darius Garland, PG, CLE
Age: 24 Height: 6’1” Weight: 192 Exp: 5
PTS: 18.0 AST: 6.5 FG%: 44.6 3PT%: 37.1%
Garland had a down year last season, due in part to a fractured jaw that clearly influenced his desire to penetrate. When he’s right, he’s one of the best passing guards in the league, utilizing his quickness to get past defenders before making a quick read to the open player. The three-point shooting being the second worst efficiency of his career was likely due in part to him just not really seeming confident and comfortable after returning from being hurt. His lack of size—him being listed at 192 pounds is laughable—makes him hunted often defensively, but Garland uses his quickness well on that end, despite often being physically overmatched.
#54 Cade Cunningham, G, DET
Age: 22 Height: 6’6” Weight: 220 Exp: 3
PTS: 22.7 AST: 7.5 FG%: 44.9 TOV: 3.4
The efficiency is a concern, but I believe in Cunningham’s ability to improve in that regard, particularly with him being a three-level scorer. Additionally, some of his finishing numbers will look better as the Pistons' spacing improves. The playmaking on the pick and roll is the bread and butter for Cunningham, and this, too, will look better with the addition of players who can more constituently knock down shots. Cade is set for a star turn this season and don’t be surprised if he finds himself in the All-Star Game.
Cade operating in the pick and roll
#53 Draymond Green, PF/C, GSW
Age: 34 Height: 6’6” Weight: 230 Exp: 12
PTS: 8.6 AST: 6.0 REB: 7.2 3PT%: 39.5
Draymond remains a defensive force because he is one of the smartest defensive players we’ve seen. Athleticism was never his greatest asset, so his body slowing down hasn’t quite caught up to his ability to compensate with the quickness of his processing. The three-point shooting last year was a surprising plus; however, teams still left him wide open, meaning it didn’t quite have the effect on spacing that you would hope.
#52 James Harden, PG, LAC
Age: 35 Height: 6’5” Weight: 220 Exp: 15
PTS: 16.0 AST: 8.5 FG%: 42.8 STL: 1.1
Harden remains one of the best pick-and-roll operators in the league, a skill that has allowed him to stay among the game’s best playmakers. However, the athleticism seems to drop a notch annually, and although he’s shown occasional flashes of his former self, there just isn’t enough gas left in the tank for him to function at that level of play consistently. The continued drop in shooting efficiency becomes more damaging each year as he gets further away from the player who feasted at the free throw line and was perennially among the league leaders in three-pointers made.
#51 Kristaps Porziņģis, C, BOS
Age: 29 Height: 7’2” Weight: 240 Exp: 8
PTS: 20.1 REB: 7.2 FG%: 51.6 BLK: 1.9
There isn’t much more valuable bang for your buck than Porziņģis. Despite the continuous injury issues, when he plays, he is such a freakishly gifted player that he tilts the way in which the game is played on both ends. There is no reason to believe that he can ever remain healthy enough to see his talent truly come to fruition, but until the injuries catch up to him, he remains a game changer at the center position.
COME BACK TOMORROW FOR THE CONCLUSION