Post by 2 years left on Jul 3, 2020 19:10:40 GMT -8
The method for ranking the players is pretty simple: if their contracts were the same, would I trade them for the player below them in the rankings? If yes, they are the better player. Crazy stuff I know.
25. Arvydas Macijauskas SG 24 6'4'' 220 B- A C C+ D+ C
We kick this list off with a player I'm not super high on but he has shown value as a second option. Arvydas can put the ball in the hoop and scored 25 ppg on very solid percentages last season on a Pacers team that gave the Knicks a real fight on their way to the finals. Of course he does have flaws such as meh defense, poor rebounding and below average handling of the ball. A lot of teams can overlook those flaws and would be happy to slot him in as a solid second or very good third option in an outside offense.
24. Chris Kaman C 22 7'0'' 268 B C- D+ B- B C
I can't lie, I'm possibly putting too much stock into his very good pre here. If he can somehow keep up around 3 bpg with low turnovers he might be too low though! Obviously he is just a role player but his jump shot is decent which is a nice bonus. He still has a few camps left so even if his potential is used up he should be able to reach B defense and B+ rebounding. If the blocks and turnovers hold he is a very valuable player but until we see a few real sims it is too early to get too excited over him.
23. Gerald Wallace PF 22 6'9'' 226 A- C C+ A- B+ B
Any young big with A- defense and B+ rebounding should have a lot of value but Gerald is trying his best to prove that wrong. While sitting around 3 stocks per game isn't bad, it would be nice if he can hit 2 bpg at some point. Everything on offense is just bad. He has always shot terribly from the field and below average from the free throw line. Add in three or more turnovers to the mix and he becomes a great player to make an option while you are tanking. There is still some hope here for when a team actually tries to win with him as a starter so until he fails at that I think he is worth taking a chance on. Erick Dampier just went for a possible lotto first, it is rough out here.
22. Pau Gasol PF 24 7'0'' 261 B+ C C+ B+ B B
There will always be questions with Pau. What if he was camped in inside scoring is the biggest one. Without that he just has not developed enough as as scorer. He also struggles a bit with turnovers like Gerald but not as much it seems. Since he has showed similar or better numbers everywhere else that is enough to put him ahead. If he can hit the 2s for bpg he can be a very solid fourth starter on many teams. Unfortunately, he was drafted above Arenas and the Suns thought he'd be a franchise player.
21. Amar'e Stoudemire PF 22 6'11'' 248 A- C- C- B B B
While a bit disappointing overall still, Amar'e did start with C defense and rebounding and has managed to hit B in both. That is already a pretty big win and has made him into a very solid big man. The bad here is that he averages more turnovers than stocks so far in his career and is a below average free throw shooter. I know at some point his inside scoring was capped but I'm not sure if he can be an option scorer on a very good team. Pre shows some signs of progress as a shot blocker and if he does settle around 2 he may be worth a second look at a higher spot.
20. Lamar Odom SF 24 6'11'' 233 B+ B B+ B+ B B
Odom has received a lot of hate over the course of the league but has quietly developed into a solid big man. If he can build on his 2.5 bpg last season I'm actually a fan! The turnover problems pop up here yet again which is holding him back of course. Also not a fan of his below average jump shot and he is yet another big with solid scoring ratings that just can't be an option on a good team. After looking like a real turd his first season this a pretty nice turnaround though!
19. Al Jefferson PF 19 6'10'' 289 B C- D+ C+ B- A
Our potentially most controversial inclusion is also our first rookie to make the list. I just want to start off by saying he is uncamped. With +24 I think it is reasonable to expect him to hit or come close to B+ B- B ratings in the core areas. He showed great handling in pre and 1 bpg already. He has received a lot of hate but he looks pretty good to me! How far he climbs or potentially falls in the future depends on what his potential did in his first TC but worst case scenario he should at least hit the level Pau and Amare are at currently without the turnover problems if he receives all of his camps.
18. Carmelo Anthony SF 20 6'8'' 235 B B+ C+ C- C+ A
Back to back players who were traded straight up, great and fair trade! Melo scored 25 ppg as a rookie on solid percentages as he carried a very sad Nuggets team to the playoffs. This was more because of nobody else putting in any effort to make it but still a solid rookie season. His defense is just brutal, though! It is possible that he continues to develops and becomes a great first option caliber player but until we start seeing those numbers on a good playoff team I find it hard to list him any higher than this.
17. Tyson Chandler C 22 7'1'' 251 B+ D+ C- A- B- C
Tyson is another player that I may be putting too much stock into pre for but it isn't exactly surprising if he has finally crossed the hurdle into the 2s for bpg. Hopefully he can eventually hit B rebounding or better and become a complete role player at C for any team. The turnovers have stayed low throughout his career and while he does have B+ inside, it is clear that is pumped up by jumping. 12/11 with 3 to 1 stocks is hard to find in this league and it looks like that is now his floor moving forward.
16. Andrei Kirilenko SF 24 6'9'' 223 B+ C+ C+ A C B
Well, I have some egg on my face after calling Kirilenko dead in his first and second seasons! He has shown solid progress since then and has been traded for pretty solid value a few times now. The defense is great, the rebounding is solid and he hits his free throws. Great fourth guy to have on any team and trading Pierce for him last season took the Hornets from well under .500 to finishing close to 50 wins. Not bad and I'm sorry for doubting him!
15. Caron Butler SG 24 6'7'' 231 B B+ B B C B
Caron is another player where we have to see how he does on a good team as an option. Should I be putting him above a more proven player in Kirilenko? Probably not! But I love me some outside shooting and Butler did show potential last season with 24 ppg on ok percentages on a team that tried a little bit to win. He also adds near 2 steals to that with only 2 turnovers at SG. Solid rebounder as well for the position. I think he has the potential be the #3 on a good team even if his numbers might suffer this season with Zo and Bosh likely the main guys in Minnesota.
14. Joe Johnson SG 23 6'7'' 240 B A- B- C+ C- C
I said Joe was close to his peak as a rookie and received a lot of hate for it. I do want some apologies for that! With that being said, his peak is pretty good! He has averaged 27 ppg for the last two seasons leading a decent team in New Jersey to the playoffs with little help. His percentages last year were great and had him near the top of the league in points per shot. No turnover concerns either and his stocks almost cancel out the few he does average. This will probably be his first full season next to a superior player in Arenas so it will be interesting to see where his volume is.
13. Eddie Griffin PF 23 6'11'' 231 C+ C C- A- B C
My biggest regret in this league is not dealing a future to the Rockets for their pick that became Kwame Brown so I could draft Eddie. It was the first draft, I didn't want to get too crazy! Eddie has proven himself as one of the league's better defensive bigs the past two seasons averaging 4 stocks per game with above average rebounding numbers. Add in very low turnover numbers and you have yourself a very good non-option big for an outside offense.
12. Andris Biedrins C 18 6'11'' 240 C+ D- D B+ B A
Can the Warriors boost please stop? Just look at those ratings. He still has most of his camps left too, ugh. So yeah, Biedrins is pretty good and depending on how the next few TCs go he has a reasonable chance at ending up better than Dwight Howard. Pretty great value for the first pick after the lotto! Of course we have only seen limited action from him in pre but he put up close to 3 stocks per game in only 28 mpg while only turning it over once per game. Depending on how his pot looks now and after next TC he could end up being a future DPOTY once his camps are all in. This is dumb.
11. Jamal Crawford PG 24 6'6'' 190 B- A B C D+ A
Initially forgotten for some reason, the once hyped Crawford has faded a bit the last few seasons. He still puts up good numbers but his team has been mediocre. Is it all his fault? Of course not! He still is a great scorer with low turnovers and decent stats defense. Is he a top 10 player in the league you can build around like some said he'd be? I don't think so.
10. Dimitris Diamantidis SG 24 6'5'' 201 B+ A C+ C C C
We all know his rookie year was just stat padding but Dimitris is still pretty, pretty good! He averaged 24 ppg last season on great percentages for a team that sadly choked and got swept in the first round. For some reason he was the one blamed and shipped out! He does not play much defense but he did come close to canceling his out turnovers with steals last season. If he keeps that up with his solid rebounding for a guard what more can you ask for? Don't be greedy! The Lakers were willing to deal Dirk for him as the main piece in return so it is clear they are high on him. Will be interesting to see how he does as the man on a team that came close to beating the champs in the playoffs.
9. Chris Bosh PF 20 7'0'' 238 A- C C- B+ B A
Bosh made some moves in TC and is now looking very nice with B rebounding. He still has two ACs left so it will be interesting to see where they are used. It was not a crazy pre but the near 3 stocks to less than 1 turnover per game is obviously really good for a guy who had decent volume as a scorer. I think he has a solid chance at becoming a good 2nd or 3rd option on a top team. The base is good he just needs another solid TC and at only 20 it is hard to not see one coming sooner than later.
8. Zach Randolph PF 23 6'10'' 261 B C+ C- C+ B+ B
Last season ZBo really surprised me. He put up 24/11 playing as a big man on a team that led the East for most of the season. His shot blocking has not developed a whole lot but he is still well into the positive when it comes to stocks to turnovers ratio. Shooting 48% from the field for his career is great and the 85% from the free throw line is even more impressive for a big man. He needs a good defensive big next to him to function but it is clear he can be the third guy on a very good team.
7. Dwight Howard C 19 6'10'' 225 B D+ D+ B B A
Not a fan of wasting camps on Dwight's inside but that is what the Grizzlies have done! In the end I doubt it will make much of a difference but still would prefer him to have less volume than more. What we saw from his first 12 pre games on offense was really bad and the less said the better. He already has capped shot blocking which is amazing and he adds solid steals numbers to that. He should be in the mix for DPOTY for most of his career so can't complain too much about being useless on offense. Not sure he can reach the level of Ben Wallace but he has a chance.
6. David West C 24 6'9'' 253 B- C C A B+ B
I compared West to Camby before TC and I feel even better about that comparison now. The jump he had on defense is just great even if it looks like it was more post defense than shot blocking. He still has +10 left including +5 to his shot blocking so he should eventually hit the 2s with ease. There are no real flaws to be found here as long as you are just viewing him as a defensive big. Option scorer isn't going to happen even with the very good jump shot but every team can use a player like Camby so that is just fine.
5. Dwyane Wade SG 22 6'4'' 213 B+ C+ B- B+ C+ A
It was a pretty disappointing TC for Dallas. Wade did not move except for a jump with his defense. Not great. I'm not sure if his handling can develop enough at SG to allow him to play PG long-term but if he can get under 3 per game he should be good enough there. The biggest question is if his 3pt shot can develop enough. If it does, look out. If it does not, give harold a hug.
4. Tony Parker PG 22 6'3'' 191 B B C+ B+ D+ B
My beautiful boy slots in here. He averaged 30 ppg last season shooting 48% while also averaging around 2 spg and 2 topg. Tony carried a team to the playoffs almost by himself in a tough conference! I'm a big fan! It will be interesting to see how he does now joining a team that won 54 without him and didn't lose anybody important in the trade for him. Can he keep up his great numbers and take the Cavs to the next step? We will see!
3. Gilbert Arenas PG 22 6'4'' 199 B+ A C C- D+ B
I once said Parker could end up better than Arenas. It is close, but I do think the advantage with A outside is just too much to overcome for now. Arenas is not perfect but he does have a title already and averaged nearly a point per minute last season. He also came close to a 50/40/90 season on his insane volume. Not hard to see why the Clippers love him.
2. Yao Ming C 24 7'6'' 313 B C D+ B+ B+ A
The ratings are nothing special and that is ok! Yao is a complete big man. He is at 49% from the field for his career and is also well above average at the free throw line. If he can stay around the 3 bpg he averaged in pre that would just be lovely. Turnovers could be lower but they are at a level where they are not much of a problem at all. It is hard to find a better franchise player to build around.
1. LeBron James SF 20 6'10'' 233 A- B+ B- C+ B- A
Well, we found a better franchise player to build around. Lebron is already at A- B+ scoring and is only 19. He might not have even lost any potential yet! Not sure his future is at PG but he is still very good there. It might be a few more seasons before he has 'arrived' so try to take advantage of the time we have left!
25. Arvydas Macijauskas SG 24 6'4'' 220 B- A C C+ D+ C
We kick this list off with a player I'm not super high on but he has shown value as a second option. Arvydas can put the ball in the hoop and scored 25 ppg on very solid percentages last season on a Pacers team that gave the Knicks a real fight on their way to the finals. Of course he does have flaws such as meh defense, poor rebounding and below average handling of the ball. A lot of teams can overlook those flaws and would be happy to slot him in as a solid second or very good third option in an outside offense.
24. Chris Kaman C 22 7'0'' 268 B C- D+ B- B C
I can't lie, I'm possibly putting too much stock into his very good pre here. If he can somehow keep up around 3 bpg with low turnovers he might be too low though! Obviously he is just a role player but his jump shot is decent which is a nice bonus. He still has a few camps left so even if his potential is used up he should be able to reach B defense and B+ rebounding. If the blocks and turnovers hold he is a very valuable player but until we see a few real sims it is too early to get too excited over him.
23. Gerald Wallace PF 22 6'9'' 226 A- C C+ A- B+ B
Any young big with A- defense and B+ rebounding should have a lot of value but Gerald is trying his best to prove that wrong. While sitting around 3 stocks per game isn't bad, it would be nice if he can hit 2 bpg at some point. Everything on offense is just bad. He has always shot terribly from the field and below average from the free throw line. Add in three or more turnovers to the mix and he becomes a great player to make an option while you are tanking. There is still some hope here for when a team actually tries to win with him as a starter so until he fails at that I think he is worth taking a chance on. Erick Dampier just went for a possible lotto first, it is rough out here.
22. Pau Gasol PF 24 7'0'' 261 B+ C C+ B+ B B
There will always be questions with Pau. What if he was camped in inside scoring is the biggest one. Without that he just has not developed enough as as scorer. He also struggles a bit with turnovers like Gerald but not as much it seems. Since he has showed similar or better numbers everywhere else that is enough to put him ahead. If he can hit the 2s for bpg he can be a very solid fourth starter on many teams. Unfortunately, he was drafted above Arenas and the Suns thought he'd be a franchise player.
21. Amar'e Stoudemire PF 22 6'11'' 248 A- C- C- B B B
While a bit disappointing overall still, Amar'e did start with C defense and rebounding and has managed to hit B in both. That is already a pretty big win and has made him into a very solid big man. The bad here is that he averages more turnovers than stocks so far in his career and is a below average free throw shooter. I know at some point his inside scoring was capped but I'm not sure if he can be an option scorer on a very good team. Pre shows some signs of progress as a shot blocker and if he does settle around 2 he may be worth a second look at a higher spot.
20. Lamar Odom SF 24 6'11'' 233 B+ B B+ B+ B B
Odom has received a lot of hate over the course of the league but has quietly developed into a solid big man. If he can build on his 2.5 bpg last season I'm actually a fan! The turnover problems pop up here yet again which is holding him back of course. Also not a fan of his below average jump shot and he is yet another big with solid scoring ratings that just can't be an option on a good team. After looking like a real turd his first season this a pretty nice turnaround though!
19. Al Jefferson PF 19 6'10'' 289 B C- D+ C+ B- A
Our potentially most controversial inclusion is also our first rookie to make the list. I just want to start off by saying he is uncamped. With +24 I think it is reasonable to expect him to hit or come close to B+ B- B ratings in the core areas. He showed great handling in pre and 1 bpg already. He has received a lot of hate but he looks pretty good to me! How far he climbs or potentially falls in the future depends on what his potential did in his first TC but worst case scenario he should at least hit the level Pau and Amare are at currently without the turnover problems if he receives all of his camps.
18. Carmelo Anthony SF 20 6'8'' 235 B B+ C+ C- C+ A
Back to back players who were traded straight up, great and fair trade! Melo scored 25 ppg as a rookie on solid percentages as he carried a very sad Nuggets team to the playoffs. This was more because of nobody else putting in any effort to make it but still a solid rookie season. His defense is just brutal, though! It is possible that he continues to develops and becomes a great first option caliber player but until we start seeing those numbers on a good playoff team I find it hard to list him any higher than this.
17. Tyson Chandler C 22 7'1'' 251 B+ D+ C- A- B- C
Tyson is another player that I may be putting too much stock into pre for but it isn't exactly surprising if he has finally crossed the hurdle into the 2s for bpg. Hopefully he can eventually hit B rebounding or better and become a complete role player at C for any team. The turnovers have stayed low throughout his career and while he does have B+ inside, it is clear that is pumped up by jumping. 12/11 with 3 to 1 stocks is hard to find in this league and it looks like that is now his floor moving forward.
16. Andrei Kirilenko SF 24 6'9'' 223 B+ C+ C+ A C B
Well, I have some egg on my face after calling Kirilenko dead in his first and second seasons! He has shown solid progress since then and has been traded for pretty solid value a few times now. The defense is great, the rebounding is solid and he hits his free throws. Great fourth guy to have on any team and trading Pierce for him last season took the Hornets from well under .500 to finishing close to 50 wins. Not bad and I'm sorry for doubting him!
15. Caron Butler SG 24 6'7'' 231 B B+ B B C B
Caron is another player where we have to see how he does on a good team as an option. Should I be putting him above a more proven player in Kirilenko? Probably not! But I love me some outside shooting and Butler did show potential last season with 24 ppg on ok percentages on a team that tried a little bit to win. He also adds near 2 steals to that with only 2 turnovers at SG. Solid rebounder as well for the position. I think he has the potential be the #3 on a good team even if his numbers might suffer this season with Zo and Bosh likely the main guys in Minnesota.
14. Joe Johnson SG 23 6'7'' 240 B A- B- C+ C- C
I said Joe was close to his peak as a rookie and received a lot of hate for it. I do want some apologies for that! With that being said, his peak is pretty good! He has averaged 27 ppg for the last two seasons leading a decent team in New Jersey to the playoffs with little help. His percentages last year were great and had him near the top of the league in points per shot. No turnover concerns either and his stocks almost cancel out the few he does average. This will probably be his first full season next to a superior player in Arenas so it will be interesting to see where his volume is.
13. Eddie Griffin PF 23 6'11'' 231 C+ C C- A- B C
My biggest regret in this league is not dealing a future to the Rockets for their pick that became Kwame Brown so I could draft Eddie. It was the first draft, I didn't want to get too crazy! Eddie has proven himself as one of the league's better defensive bigs the past two seasons averaging 4 stocks per game with above average rebounding numbers. Add in very low turnover numbers and you have yourself a very good non-option big for an outside offense.
12. Andris Biedrins C 18 6'11'' 240 C+ D- D B+ B A
Can the Warriors boost please stop? Just look at those ratings. He still has most of his camps left too, ugh. So yeah, Biedrins is pretty good and depending on how the next few TCs go he has a reasonable chance at ending up better than Dwight Howard. Pretty great value for the first pick after the lotto! Of course we have only seen limited action from him in pre but he put up close to 3 stocks per game in only 28 mpg while only turning it over once per game. Depending on how his pot looks now and after next TC he could end up being a future DPOTY once his camps are all in. This is dumb.
11. Jamal Crawford PG 24 6'6'' 190 B- A B C D+ A
Initially forgotten for some reason, the once hyped Crawford has faded a bit the last few seasons. He still puts up good numbers but his team has been mediocre. Is it all his fault? Of course not! He still is a great scorer with low turnovers and decent stats defense. Is he a top 10 player in the league you can build around like some said he'd be? I don't think so.
10. Dimitris Diamantidis SG 24 6'5'' 201 B+ A C+ C C C
We all know his rookie year was just stat padding but Dimitris is still pretty, pretty good! He averaged 24 ppg last season on great percentages for a team that sadly choked and got swept in the first round. For some reason he was the one blamed and shipped out! He does not play much defense but he did come close to canceling his out turnovers with steals last season. If he keeps that up with his solid rebounding for a guard what more can you ask for? Don't be greedy! The Lakers were willing to deal Dirk for him as the main piece in return so it is clear they are high on him. Will be interesting to see how he does as the man on a team that came close to beating the champs in the playoffs.
9. Chris Bosh PF 20 7'0'' 238 A- C C- B+ B A
Bosh made some moves in TC and is now looking very nice with B rebounding. He still has two ACs left so it will be interesting to see where they are used. It was not a crazy pre but the near 3 stocks to less than 1 turnover per game is obviously really good for a guy who had decent volume as a scorer. I think he has a solid chance at becoming a good 2nd or 3rd option on a top team. The base is good he just needs another solid TC and at only 20 it is hard to not see one coming sooner than later.
8. Zach Randolph PF 23 6'10'' 261 B C+ C- C+ B+ B
Last season ZBo really surprised me. He put up 24/11 playing as a big man on a team that led the East for most of the season. His shot blocking has not developed a whole lot but he is still well into the positive when it comes to stocks to turnovers ratio. Shooting 48% from the field for his career is great and the 85% from the free throw line is even more impressive for a big man. He needs a good defensive big next to him to function but it is clear he can be the third guy on a very good team.
7. Dwight Howard C 19 6'10'' 225 B D+ D+ B B A
Not a fan of wasting camps on Dwight's inside but that is what the Grizzlies have done! In the end I doubt it will make much of a difference but still would prefer him to have less volume than more. What we saw from his first 12 pre games on offense was really bad and the less said the better. He already has capped shot blocking which is amazing and he adds solid steals numbers to that. He should be in the mix for DPOTY for most of his career so can't complain too much about being useless on offense. Not sure he can reach the level of Ben Wallace but he has a chance.
6. David West C 24 6'9'' 253 B- C C A B+ B
I compared West to Camby before TC and I feel even better about that comparison now. The jump he had on defense is just great even if it looks like it was more post defense than shot blocking. He still has +10 left including +5 to his shot blocking so he should eventually hit the 2s with ease. There are no real flaws to be found here as long as you are just viewing him as a defensive big. Option scorer isn't going to happen even with the very good jump shot but every team can use a player like Camby so that is just fine.
5. Dwyane Wade SG 22 6'4'' 213 B+ C+ B- B+ C+ A
It was a pretty disappointing TC for Dallas. Wade did not move except for a jump with his defense. Not great. I'm not sure if his handling can develop enough at SG to allow him to play PG long-term but if he can get under 3 per game he should be good enough there. The biggest question is if his 3pt shot can develop enough. If it does, look out. If it does not, give harold a hug.
4. Tony Parker PG 22 6'3'' 191 B B C+ B+ D+ B
My beautiful boy slots in here. He averaged 30 ppg last season shooting 48% while also averaging around 2 spg and 2 topg. Tony carried a team to the playoffs almost by himself in a tough conference! I'm a big fan! It will be interesting to see how he does now joining a team that won 54 without him and didn't lose anybody important in the trade for him. Can he keep up his great numbers and take the Cavs to the next step? We will see!
3. Gilbert Arenas PG 22 6'4'' 199 B+ A C C- D+ B
I once said Parker could end up better than Arenas. It is close, but I do think the advantage with A outside is just too much to overcome for now. Arenas is not perfect but he does have a title already and averaged nearly a point per minute last season. He also came close to a 50/40/90 season on his insane volume. Not hard to see why the Clippers love him.
2. Yao Ming C 24 7'6'' 313 B C D+ B+ B+ A
The ratings are nothing special and that is ok! Yao is a complete big man. He is at 49% from the field for his career and is also well above average at the free throw line. If he can stay around the 3 bpg he averaged in pre that would just be lovely. Turnovers could be lower but they are at a level where they are not much of a problem at all. It is hard to find a better franchise player to build around.
1. LeBron James SF 20 6'10'' 233 A- B+ B- C+ B- A
Well, we found a better franchise player to build around. Lebron is already at A- B+ scoring and is only 19. He might not have even lost any potential yet! Not sure his future is at PG but he is still very good there. It might be a few more seasons before he has 'arrived' so try to take advantage of the time we have left!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65552195/tyler_parker_5_guys_kings.0.jpg)
