Post by 2 years left on May 20, 2020 18:25:50 GMT -8
Just want to start off by saying that these are not trade value rankings. These players were simply ranked by who I would pick if the goal was to win this season. Young players will indeed improve and be ranked higher in the future!
1. Tim Duncan C 25 7'0'' 275 A- C B A+ A B
2. Alonzo Mourning C 31 6'10'' 266 A- C- C A- A- D
3. Shaquille O'Neal C 29 7'1'' 320 A+ F+ C A+ A C
There are three clearly at the top of this group. Tim Duncan is the best player in the league. No argument there. I do think there would be mixed opinions on who to pick between Zo and Shaq. I went with Zo since he can shoot free throws and seems to have better handling. Is there a wrong answer on who to pick between them? Not really. I do think more would lean towards Zo though since Shaq has been mocked quite a bit for his lack of range so far.
4. David Robinson C 36 7'1'' 250 B C- D- A+ B+ D
5. Dikembe Mutombo C 35 7'2'' 261 B- C- D A A C
6. Ben Wallace C 27 6'9'' 250 C+ F D- A A B
7. Marcus Camby C 27 6'11'' 240 B C- C A A- C
A nice mix of aging two-way studs and younger DPOTY caliber players. I do not think there is much argument against David Robinson as the best of this group. He just led the defense of the champs and he is currently putting up 15/12 with over three blocks and low turnovers on 50% from the field. Pretty, pretty good. Mutombo is a better rebounder but lacks in every other area. Wallace and Camby are prototype non-option centers. Wallace shoots less and blocks more so went with him as the better of the two. I know he is currently playing PF but get over it.
8. Theo Ratliff C 28 6'10'' 230 B- C- C- A C+ D
9. P.J. Brown C 32 6'11'' 240 C+ C C A B C
The talent at the position starts to fall off here. Theo can block the shot but he turns it over and is not the best at boxing out. Not ideal but would still work as a non-option man in the middle for most teams. PJ Brown is not a flashy player but he is currently averaging over 11 rebounds a game and less than a turnover for the Heat with some ability to block the shot. That is nice to have and sets him apart from this next group of specialists.
10. Shawn Bradley C 29 7'6'' 263 C C D B C D
11. Jim McIlvaine C 29 7'1'' 264 C+ D+ F A C+ D
12. Mikki Moore C 25 7'0'' 225 C+ C C- B- C+ C
13. Joel Przybilla C 22 7'1'' 260 C D C- B+ B- B
14. Kelvin Cato C 27 6'11'' 260 C+ C- D B+ C+ C
15. Adonal Foyle C 26 6'10'' 250 C+ F+ D B B- B
Oh boy. A lot of similar players here who are not good at boxing out but all of them can give you two blocks a game or more as a starter. Shawn Bradley leads the pack since for his career he has given his team around four stocks per game. The rebounding is not good but nobody is perfect. The rest are a step down as shot blockers but about the same when it comes to rebounding. No need to say much more about any of them. Besides Mikki Moore of course, great trade for Denver!
16. Dale Davis C 32 6'11'' 230 C+ C- C- B+ A- D
17. Michael Olowokandi C 26 7'0'' 279 B- D F+ B+ B- C
18. Samuel Dalembert C 20 6'11'' 255 C C- D+ B+ C+ B
19. Vlade Divac C 33 7'1'' 260 B- C- C A- B- C
20. Rasho Nesterovic C 25 7'0'' 248 B- C- D- B C+ B
Really starting to hurt if you have yet to see your starting center ranked yet. This group is led by Dale Davis who can box out but does not block the shot. He is best as a backup. Olowokandi is also currently a backup and actually showing two block potential. He showed half of that last season so it is too early to push him up the rankings. Dalembert is the only rookie center to crack the top 20 but he has not been anything special so far.
1. Chris Webber PF 28 6'10'' 250 A- C C A- B+ D
2. Kevin Garnett PF 25 6'11'' 235 A- C C A A- B
Oh boy. I made a mistake! Chris Webber has been reckless with the ball since being given his own team but he is currently putting up 26/14 on over 50% from the field and carrying a bad supporting cast to the playoffs. Adding in a steal and two blocks to that is pretty nice! I expect to receive some negative comments on ranking Kevin Garnett above the next man on this list. He is currently putting up five stocks a game to go with his 18 points as a third or fourth option most nights. When you add in his great free throw shooting and less than two turnovers, well, shut up.
3. Dirk Nowitzki PF 23 7'0'' 260 B+ A- C- C+ B- A
4. Zydrunas Ilgauskas PF 26 7'3'' 260 B+ C- D+ A- B B
5. Joe Smith PF 26 6'10'' 240 A- C C- C+ B- B
6. Larry Johnson PF 32 6'7'' 235 B+ B C C B+ C
We now enter the group of scoring bigs who do not play much defense. Dirk is clearly the most talented of the bunch but he gives you nothing on defense and his rebounding is just average. He has also been surrounded by mostly scrubs since the league started. Will be interesting to see how he performs on a good roster. Zydrunas is the tallest starter at the position in the league and is taking advantage of it in the Grizzlies inside offense with 23/10 on 50% as well as a great jump shot. I am not sure if Joe Smith is better as a PF or SF but currently he is putting up good numbers at the former on a Boston team that started hot. It took a long time to finally happen but Larry Johnson is finally a Clipper and is doing great as Duncan's sidekick. Just wish he played some defense.
7. Jermaine O'Neal PF 23 6'11'' 241 A- D+ D- B B- A
8. Elton Brand PF 22 6'8'' 260 B+ C- C- B+ B+ B
9. Rasheed Wallace PF 27 6'11'' 235 B+ C C A B- A
Inefficient scorers who are also possibly turnover machines is the next group. Jermaine O'Neal is currently not a turnover whore so he slots in at seven. He is still a raw player but his ratings are pretty and after another solid TC he could make an argument for top five at this position. It has been a disaster season so far in Los Angeles and Elton's nearly four turnovers a game are a big reason why. I blame the team more than him but as long as his numbers look like this it is hard to rank him higher. It is a shame because his shot blocking has developed very well. Rasheed is just padding stats on a bad team. He needs to be freed and go somewhere as a third or fourth option.
10. Raef LaFrentz PF 25 6'11'' 245 B C+ C- B B C
11. Antonio McDyess PF 27 6'9'' 235 A- C- C B B B
12. Zach Randolph PF 20 6'10'' 255 B C C- C+ B A
13. Shawn Marion PF 23 6'7'' 230 B C+ C A B+ C
The legendary GM game has revitalized the career of Raef Lafrentz. Hard to find much wrong with 17/12 and some ability to block the shot on a 12-8 team. I have no idea where McDyess will play tomorrow or the next day so I am just going to rank him as a power forward. He clearly has some turnover concerns and could be better as a shot blocker. He was most recently playing SG though so I have no idea what is going on. Zach Randolph is already a scoring machine with capped inside scoring and steals the ball as much as he turns it over. Just wish he could block the shot. Marion broke his skull early this season and rumor is it was no accident. Poor guy just could not take it anymore.
14. Scot Pollard PF 26 6'11'' 265 C+ C- C- A- B C
15. Jerome Moiso PF 23 6'10'' 240 B+ C C A- C+ B
16. Eddie Griffin PF 20 6'11'' 225 C+ C+ D B+ C+ C
17. Bo Outlaw PF 30 6'8'' 210 C+ D+ C A B C
Looking for a forward who will block the shot and maybe rebound a bit? Well Scot Pollard should be your first choice out of this group. Moiso is padding his stats on a currently bad Chicago team but it is clear he is no option caliber player. Eddie Griffin can block the shot and does not turn it over. Nice. Who cares about Bo Outlaw. If he ever fixes his handling he can move up this list a bit though!
18. Shareef Abdur-Rahim PF 24 6'9'' 235 A- C C- C+ C+ B
19. Pau Gasol PF 21 7'0'' 255 B C C B B- A
20. Mark Blount PF 25 7'0'' 230 B C C- B- C+ C
Want to lose a lot of games but have your forward score 20 points? I have three perfect players for your tank! Pau Gasol is clearly the only one with hope to move above this group but currently he is pretty bad. He is only a rookie and will be better one day! I am sure all of you have been offered SAR for an actual good player. Good times. Why does Mark Blount have B inside?
1. Ray Allen SF 26 6'5'' 205 B- A B- B C- C
2. Keith Van Horn SF 26 6'10'' 250 B B+ D C+ B+ B
3. Glenn Robinson SF 28 6'7'' 230 B+ B+ C- C+ C B
Small forward is the second deepest position in the league so ranking them all was pretty tough. I think these three are clearly above the rest currently though! Ray Allen is killing it and carrying the Raptors from tanking to trying to compete. He is scoring 28 points on great efficiency and adding over two steals and less than two turnovers to that. Elite, to say the least. Keith Van Horn has returned to forward after spending some time at guard and is nearly averaging a double double to go with his 24 points on over 50% from the field and low turnovers. While his ratings may not be pretty, Big Dog is probably the best wing in the league at protecting the ball and is now also one of the better scorers. He just does not play defense or box out which is lame.
4. Antoine Walker SF 25 6'9'' 245 B+ B B C+ B- B
5. Brian Grant SF 29 6'9'' 254 A- C- C B B+ C
6. Tracy McGrady SF 22 6'8'' 215 A- A- C+ B+ C A
Some may think Antoine Walker is only a career backup, but I think he is pretty good. The Magic are bad but 28/9 with a block and a steal a game and no turnover problems is a great start to the season. We need to see him on a team that is not trying to tank still of course but I still feel comfortable ranking him here. Brian Grant has had an incredible start to the season with 28/12 on 55% from the field. Is he really this good though? If he keeps this up all season he will move in to the top three. Love the pretty ratings on Tracy McGrady. Do not love the production. Do like the value he provides on defense.
7. Jamal Mashburn SF 28 6'8'' 241 B+ A- C+ B- C C
8. Antawn Jamison SF 25 6'9'' 228 A- C+ C- B- C+ B
9. Rashard Lewis SF 22 6'10'' 220 B A- C B- C A
10. Lamar Odom SF 21 6'11'' 230 B+ B B B+ B- B
A wide variety in this small group. Jamal Mashburn was finally freed from ballhog Jamal Crawford and put up over 70 points in his first three games in Dallas. Wish he provided some stocks defense but it is clear he can be a very good second option on the right team. The 76ers have had a rough start in the league so far and betting too much on Antawn is part of the reason why. His poor jump shot and 3pt shot hurt but he is still a very solid scorer who can also box out decently. Rashard Lewis was one of the steals of the off-season and is already showing a lot of improvement in an offense that fits his skills better. There may not be a more unique player in the league than Lamar, but the turnovers really hurt him. He is also poor from the line. Can't ignore the defense and rebounding though!
11. Predrag Stojakovic SF 24 6'9'' 229 C+ A C- C+ C B
12. Juwan Howard SF 28 6'9'' 250 B+ C B- B+ C C
13. Kenny Thomas SF 24 6'8'' 260 B- C+ C- A- C+ B
14. Corliss Williamson SF 27 6'7'' 245 B C C A- C C
15. Glen Rice SF 34 6'8'' 220 C+ A C C C C
16. Stephen Jackson SF 23 6'8'' 215 B- B C+ B- C B
Desperate for a third option? Balanced, inside or outside offense? Don't worry, you will find your man here! I have Peja at the top of this group since A outside is pretty nice. He is putting up solid numbers for the Wizards and is perfect for an outside offense. Juwan Howard was a key part of the frauds known as the Chicago Bulls last season. Wish he had a little more volume in him. Are Kenny Thomas or Corliss good? Both have showed some value in inside offense. Glen Rice has been hurt most of this season so it is possible he is too low here. Stephen Jackson does not have pretty ratings but he has been the Hawks best player both seasons so far. I am interested in seeing his progress the next few seasons as they begin to try to actually win games.
17. Anfernee Hardaway SF 30 6'7'' 220 B B B- B- C C
18. Latrell Sprewell SF 31 6'5'' 190 B+ B+ C+ B+ C D
19. Marcus Fizer SF 23 6'9'' 250 B+ C D C+ C+ B
20. Anthony Mason SF 34 6'8'' 270 B- C B A B- C
Ugly group. Penny is decent at guard or forward. Latrell's trade value has been all over the map. From being traded in a two for one for Steve Nash to being used as filler for Stackhouse. No matter what you trade for him, he is not good. If you are desperate for some volume scoring he is your last option at the position unfortunately. Marcus Fizer is putting up good numbers on a bad Suns team and Anthony Mason is a good role player. Still do not want to be stuck starting either one.
1. Kobe Bryant SG 23 6'7'' 210 A- A- B A C A
2. Allan Houston SG 30 6'6'' 200 B A+ C+ C+ D+ B
3. Vince Carter SG 24 6'7'' 215 B+ A C+ B C B
4. Michael Jordan SG 38 6'6'' 195 B+ A- A- A C B
5. Grant Hill SG 29 6'8'' 235 B+ A- B+ B C+ C
6. Allen Iverson SG 26 6'0'' 165 A- B+ B A- C- B
Wow. What a stacked position. All six of these names are first options on playoff teams. If I have to pick only one, I'll go with Kobe. He is an elite two-way player averaging 31 points on great percentages. Elite, he is. Allan Houston just carried a team to a title and is the only A+ outside scorer in the league. Vince Carter is surrounded by garbage but he may be the only one who can keep up with Kobe for the next decade. It is hard to find a flaw with Michael Jordan except for his turnovers and you can definitely argue for him as the second best currently. I love my boy Grant Hill and have him above Iverson due to the better team and better stats. Crazy, I know.
7. Michael Finley SG 28 6'7'' 215 B+ B+ C+ B- C C
8. Ricky Davis SG 22 6'7'' 212 B+ B+ C C C- B
9. Manu Ginobili SG 25 6'6'' 210 B B B- C+ C B
10. Jalen Rose SG 28 6'8'' 225 B B B+ B C B
Some may argue against putting Michael Finley and Ricky Davis as a step below the top six. They are wrong! Finley is putting up numbers but the Bulls are bad. I think he is closer to low 20s scoring on a playoff team like he was last season. Ricky is putting up numbers on a top three East team but his defense is just bad. Sorry! Manu does not have pretty ratings but he does have some pretty stats so far. Always love to see more steals than turnovers. Jalen Rose is scoring 22 points in an inside offense yet he barely sneaks in as a top ten shooting guard. Crazy.
11. Joe Johnson SG 20 6'7'' 240 B- A- B- C C- B
12. Corey Maggette SG 21 6'6'' 228 A- B- C- C+ C+ B
13. Paul Pierce SG 24 6'7'' 230 A- A- C C+ C+ B
The young guns! Joe Johnson cheated and played some point guard but his numbers have not fallen too much since being moved back. He projects more as a great third option than a guy to build around but that is just fine. It is a shame that Corey Maggette can not shoot the three. At all. He still has value as a third option as well but it puts a cap on his ceiling you just wish he did not have. When it comes to Pierce, well it has not be a great start for him. It is worrying that he is not scoring in the upper 20s on such a bad team. Also do not love the turnovers. Not too worried about the defense since he can steal the ball but not sure he can be your first or second best player long-term.
14. Dejan Bodiroga SG 29 6'8'' 243 B- A- C- C C D
15. Eddie Jones SG 30 6'6'' 200 B A- C B+ C- C
16. Scottie Pippen SG 36 6'7'' 228 B- B B+ A- C+ F
17. Larry Hughes SG 22 6'5'' 200 B B- C+ B+ C A
Big fan of what Dejan is doing so far off the bench in Miami. He is showing 20s scoring potential but until I see it as a starter he will stay a step below the others ranked above him. Also do not love the lack of defense and rebounding. He has been disappointing as a scorer, but Eddie Jones is still a good defender who does not turn it over much. Scottie Pippen is old but he is still a good player. Plays defense and gives you 14/8 in an offense not built to get the best out of him at all. Larry Hughes is one of the few bright spots so far this season for the Lakers. I am not sure he can be an option player long-term, but he is decent.
18. Jerry Stackhouse SG 26 6'6'' 233 A- B+ C C+ C- C
19. Steve Smith SG 32 6'8'' 215 B- B+ B- C+ C- C
20. Michael Redd SG 22 6'6'' 215 C+ A- C C C- A
It is fitting that two frauds in Stackhouse and Sprewell were traded straight up. The first was for the extra five years of sub-par play. He is a decent volume scorer and that is it. Avoid him if possible. The other two here are outside offense specialists who are either currently bench players or just not that good as a starter. Michael Redd is the not that good one. No defense and wish his handling was better.
1. Steve Nash PG 27 6'3'' 195 C+ A A C D+ B
2. Jamal Crawford PG 21 6'6'' 190 C+ A- C C- D+ A
This position was the toughest to rank. What is clear is that Steve Nash is easily the best point guard in the league. There is nothing to debate. He is averaging 31 point shooting over 50% with only two turnovers. I hate putting Jamal Crawford this high but based off his production so far I have no choice. Do I think it is wise to abandon trying to win just to pad his stats? No. Is a PG that shoots under 70% on free throws really this good? No. But this is a weak position and he is currently scoring 28 points with only one turnover per game.
3. Jason Kidd PG 28 6'4'' 212 C+ B+ A A C+ B
4. Gary Payton PG 33 6'4'' 180 B B- B+ A C C
A lot of spicy drama with this position indeed! While I do agree that the Mavericks are looking for a deal for Jason Kidd that does not exist, he is still a very good player. Not an option scorer but perfect for an outside offense as your fourth guy. Love the defense and rebounding. Gary Payton is a similar player but not nearly as good when it comes to stealing the ball. A better scorer perhaps, but nothing too crazy there. I know some hate the idea of three turnovers from your PG but I do not fear it.
5. Tony Parker PG 19 6'3'' 185 B- B- C+ B D+ A
6. Chauncey Billups PG 25 6'3'' 207 C B+ C B+ C- B
7. Bobby Jackson PG 28 6'1'' 185 C B+ C+ B D+ B
Pretty crazy that the Mavericks have two of the top five. Tony Parker still has a lot of room to grow and I do think he will be the second best eventually. He is a very efficient scorer who has good handling and low passing. Just hope he can develop some better stats defense. Chauncey Billups is the only other starting caliber player on the Warriors and he is taking advantage with over 23 points per game so far this season. Also adds less than two turnovers and solid defense to that. Bobby Jackson started on last season's champions and is still a very good option at the position. For some reason he has since been benched.
8. Gilbert Arenas PG 19 6'4'' 196 B B+ C+ C- C- A
9. Mike Bibby PG 23 6'2'' 190 C A- B B+ D+ A
I will admit, Arenas is probably too low here. Just need to see a larger sample size. His current numbers make this ranking pretty fair. Solid scoring numbers on a bad team with two steals and three turnovers. The future is still bright but for now he is just not ready to carry a team it seems. Mike Bibby does not have great stats but I am sure he is being misused by Boston. He has good range, can give you two steals and his turnovers are fine.
10. John Stockton PG 39 6'1'' 175 C B+ A+ C D F
11. Nick Van Exel PG 29 6'1'' 190 B- B+ B C C C
12. Chucky Atkins PG 27 5'11'' 160 C+ B B- B+ D B
13. Charlie Ward PG 31 6'2'' 190 C B+ C+ A- D D
The caretakers on current top playoff teams. Stockton is sadly in an inside offense currently so his scoring is way down. Everything else is good except for his rebounding. Nick Van Exel also is not in the best position to succeed but I think in the right system he can give you 20 points and decent everything else. Chucky Atkins and Charlie Ward are the definition of mediocre but that is all you really need for now. Good shooting, decent defense, low turnovers.
14. Steve Francis PG 23 6'3'' 193 B- B+ B C+ C B
15. Stephon Marbury PG 24 6'2'' 180 B B+ A- C+ C- B
Oh boy. Both Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury were first round picks in the creation draft. To see them this low is a disaster to say the least. They are both on tanking teams and currently playing below average defense while averaging around four turnovers per game. Yikes. I like Francis a bit more since he is a slightly better rebounder as well as a more efficient scorer so far than Marbury. Not a big fan of having either on my team. They both need to get under three turnovers or they have no future on teams trying to win.
16. Andre Miller PG 22 6'2'' 200 B- C B B- C B
17. Baron Davis PG 22 6'3'' 225 B- B A- A- C B
18. Damon Stoudamire PG 28 5'10'' 171 C A- B+ B C- C
19. Jason Terry PG 24 6'2'' 172 C+ B+ C C+ D+ B
20. Damon Jones PG 25 6'3'' 185 C+ B+ C B- D B
We find another first round creation pick in Baron Davis in this group. I do not think he is actually this bad but for now this is almost generous even ranking him at all. Andre Miller has a great jump shot and great handling. If he had any range he would be much higher but obviously he does not! Damon Stoudamire has pretty ratings but ugly stats. I blame the bad situation more than him. Jason Terry and Damon Jones are both decent shooters who are good enough elsewhere to be starters for now. One was a leftover FA this season.
The Centers
1. Tim Duncan C 25 7'0'' 275 A- C B A+ A B
2. Alonzo Mourning C 31 6'10'' 266 A- C- C A- A- D
3. Shaquille O'Neal C 29 7'1'' 320 A+ F+ C A+ A C
There are three clearly at the top of this group. Tim Duncan is the best player in the league. No argument there. I do think there would be mixed opinions on who to pick between Zo and Shaq. I went with Zo since he can shoot free throws and seems to have better handling. Is there a wrong answer on who to pick between them? Not really. I do think more would lean towards Zo though since Shaq has been mocked quite a bit for his lack of range so far.
4. David Robinson C 36 7'1'' 250 B C- D- A+ B+ D
5. Dikembe Mutombo C 35 7'2'' 261 B- C- D A A C
6. Ben Wallace C 27 6'9'' 250 C+ F D- A A B
7. Marcus Camby C 27 6'11'' 240 B C- C A A- C
A nice mix of aging two-way studs and younger DPOTY caliber players. I do not think there is much argument against David Robinson as the best of this group. He just led the defense of the champs and he is currently putting up 15/12 with over three blocks and low turnovers on 50% from the field. Pretty, pretty good. Mutombo is a better rebounder but lacks in every other area. Wallace and Camby are prototype non-option centers. Wallace shoots less and blocks more so went with him as the better of the two. I know he is currently playing PF but get over it.
8. Theo Ratliff C 28 6'10'' 230 B- C- C- A C+ D
9. P.J. Brown C 32 6'11'' 240 C+ C C A B C
The talent at the position starts to fall off here. Theo can block the shot but he turns it over and is not the best at boxing out. Not ideal but would still work as a non-option man in the middle for most teams. PJ Brown is not a flashy player but he is currently averaging over 11 rebounds a game and less than a turnover for the Heat with some ability to block the shot. That is nice to have and sets him apart from this next group of specialists.
10. Shawn Bradley C 29 7'6'' 263 C C D B C D
11. Jim McIlvaine C 29 7'1'' 264 C+ D+ F A C+ D
12. Mikki Moore C 25 7'0'' 225 C+ C C- B- C+ C
13. Joel Przybilla C 22 7'1'' 260 C D C- B+ B- B
14. Kelvin Cato C 27 6'11'' 260 C+ C- D B+ C+ C
15. Adonal Foyle C 26 6'10'' 250 C+ F+ D B B- B
Oh boy. A lot of similar players here who are not good at boxing out but all of them can give you two blocks a game or more as a starter. Shawn Bradley leads the pack since for his career he has given his team around four stocks per game. The rebounding is not good but nobody is perfect. The rest are a step down as shot blockers but about the same when it comes to rebounding. No need to say much more about any of them. Besides Mikki Moore of course, great trade for Denver!
16. Dale Davis C 32 6'11'' 230 C+ C- C- B+ A- D
17. Michael Olowokandi C 26 7'0'' 279 B- D F+ B+ B- C
18. Samuel Dalembert C 20 6'11'' 255 C C- D+ B+ C+ B
19. Vlade Divac C 33 7'1'' 260 B- C- C A- B- C
20. Rasho Nesterovic C 25 7'0'' 248 B- C- D- B C+ B
Really starting to hurt if you have yet to see your starting center ranked yet. This group is led by Dale Davis who can box out but does not block the shot. He is best as a backup. Olowokandi is also currently a backup and actually showing two block potential. He showed half of that last season so it is too early to push him up the rankings. Dalembert is the only rookie center to crack the top 20 but he has not been anything special so far.
The Power Forwards
1. Chris Webber PF 28 6'10'' 250 A- C C A- B+ D
2. Kevin Garnett PF 25 6'11'' 235 A- C C A A- B
Oh boy. I made a mistake! Chris Webber has been reckless with the ball since being given his own team but he is currently putting up 26/14 on over 50% from the field and carrying a bad supporting cast to the playoffs. Adding in a steal and two blocks to that is pretty nice! I expect to receive some negative comments on ranking Kevin Garnett above the next man on this list. He is currently putting up five stocks a game to go with his 18 points as a third or fourth option most nights. When you add in his great free throw shooting and less than two turnovers, well, shut up.
3. Dirk Nowitzki PF 23 7'0'' 260 B+ A- C- C+ B- A
4. Zydrunas Ilgauskas PF 26 7'3'' 260 B+ C- D+ A- B B
5. Joe Smith PF 26 6'10'' 240 A- C C- C+ B- B
6. Larry Johnson PF 32 6'7'' 235 B+ B C C B+ C
We now enter the group of scoring bigs who do not play much defense. Dirk is clearly the most talented of the bunch but he gives you nothing on defense and his rebounding is just average. He has also been surrounded by mostly scrubs since the league started. Will be interesting to see how he performs on a good roster. Zydrunas is the tallest starter at the position in the league and is taking advantage of it in the Grizzlies inside offense with 23/10 on 50% as well as a great jump shot. I am not sure if Joe Smith is better as a PF or SF but currently he is putting up good numbers at the former on a Boston team that started hot. It took a long time to finally happen but Larry Johnson is finally a Clipper and is doing great as Duncan's sidekick. Just wish he played some defense.
7. Jermaine O'Neal PF 23 6'11'' 241 A- D+ D- B B- A
8. Elton Brand PF 22 6'8'' 260 B+ C- C- B+ B+ B
9. Rasheed Wallace PF 27 6'11'' 235 B+ C C A B- A
Inefficient scorers who are also possibly turnover machines is the next group. Jermaine O'Neal is currently not a turnover whore so he slots in at seven. He is still a raw player but his ratings are pretty and after another solid TC he could make an argument for top five at this position. It has been a disaster season so far in Los Angeles and Elton's nearly four turnovers a game are a big reason why. I blame the team more than him but as long as his numbers look like this it is hard to rank him higher. It is a shame because his shot blocking has developed very well. Rasheed is just padding stats on a bad team. He needs to be freed and go somewhere as a third or fourth option.
10. Raef LaFrentz PF 25 6'11'' 245 B C+ C- B B C
11. Antonio McDyess PF 27 6'9'' 235 A- C- C B B B
12. Zach Randolph PF 20 6'10'' 255 B C C- C+ B A
13. Shawn Marion PF 23 6'7'' 230 B C+ C A B+ C
The legendary GM game has revitalized the career of Raef Lafrentz. Hard to find much wrong with 17/12 and some ability to block the shot on a 12-8 team. I have no idea where McDyess will play tomorrow or the next day so I am just going to rank him as a power forward. He clearly has some turnover concerns and could be better as a shot blocker. He was most recently playing SG though so I have no idea what is going on. Zach Randolph is already a scoring machine with capped inside scoring and steals the ball as much as he turns it over. Just wish he could block the shot. Marion broke his skull early this season and rumor is it was no accident. Poor guy just could not take it anymore.
14. Scot Pollard PF 26 6'11'' 265 C+ C- C- A- B C
15. Jerome Moiso PF 23 6'10'' 240 B+ C C A- C+ B
16. Eddie Griffin PF 20 6'11'' 225 C+ C+ D B+ C+ C
17. Bo Outlaw PF 30 6'8'' 210 C+ D+ C A B C
Looking for a forward who will block the shot and maybe rebound a bit? Well Scot Pollard should be your first choice out of this group. Moiso is padding his stats on a currently bad Chicago team but it is clear he is no option caliber player. Eddie Griffin can block the shot and does not turn it over. Nice. Who cares about Bo Outlaw. If he ever fixes his handling he can move up this list a bit though!
18. Shareef Abdur-Rahim PF 24 6'9'' 235 A- C C- C+ C+ B
19. Pau Gasol PF 21 7'0'' 255 B C C B B- A
20. Mark Blount PF 25 7'0'' 230 B C C- B- C+ C
Want to lose a lot of games but have your forward score 20 points? I have three perfect players for your tank! Pau Gasol is clearly the only one with hope to move above this group but currently he is pretty bad. He is only a rookie and will be better one day! I am sure all of you have been offered SAR for an actual good player. Good times. Why does Mark Blount have B inside?
The Small Forwards
1. Ray Allen SF 26 6'5'' 205 B- A B- B C- C
2. Keith Van Horn SF 26 6'10'' 250 B B+ D C+ B+ B
3. Glenn Robinson SF 28 6'7'' 230 B+ B+ C- C+ C B
Small forward is the second deepest position in the league so ranking them all was pretty tough. I think these three are clearly above the rest currently though! Ray Allen is killing it and carrying the Raptors from tanking to trying to compete. He is scoring 28 points on great efficiency and adding over two steals and less than two turnovers to that. Elite, to say the least. Keith Van Horn has returned to forward after spending some time at guard and is nearly averaging a double double to go with his 24 points on over 50% from the field and low turnovers. While his ratings may not be pretty, Big Dog is probably the best wing in the league at protecting the ball and is now also one of the better scorers. He just does not play defense or box out which is lame.
4. Antoine Walker SF 25 6'9'' 245 B+ B B C+ B- B
5. Brian Grant SF 29 6'9'' 254 A- C- C B B+ C
6. Tracy McGrady SF 22 6'8'' 215 A- A- C+ B+ C A
Some may think Antoine Walker is only a career backup, but I think he is pretty good. The Magic are bad but 28/9 with a block and a steal a game and no turnover problems is a great start to the season. We need to see him on a team that is not trying to tank still of course but I still feel comfortable ranking him here. Brian Grant has had an incredible start to the season with 28/12 on 55% from the field. Is he really this good though? If he keeps this up all season he will move in to the top three. Love the pretty ratings on Tracy McGrady. Do not love the production. Do like the value he provides on defense.
7. Jamal Mashburn SF 28 6'8'' 241 B+ A- C+ B- C C
8. Antawn Jamison SF 25 6'9'' 228 A- C+ C- B- C+ B
9. Rashard Lewis SF 22 6'10'' 220 B A- C B- C A
10. Lamar Odom SF 21 6'11'' 230 B+ B B B+ B- B
A wide variety in this small group. Jamal Mashburn was finally freed from ballhog Jamal Crawford and put up over 70 points in his first three games in Dallas. Wish he provided some stocks defense but it is clear he can be a very good second option on the right team. The 76ers have had a rough start in the league so far and betting too much on Antawn is part of the reason why. His poor jump shot and 3pt shot hurt but he is still a very solid scorer who can also box out decently. Rashard Lewis was one of the steals of the off-season and is already showing a lot of improvement in an offense that fits his skills better. There may not be a more unique player in the league than Lamar, but the turnovers really hurt him. He is also poor from the line. Can't ignore the defense and rebounding though!
11. Predrag Stojakovic SF 24 6'9'' 229 C+ A C- C+ C B
12. Juwan Howard SF 28 6'9'' 250 B+ C B- B+ C C
13. Kenny Thomas SF 24 6'8'' 260 B- C+ C- A- C+ B
14. Corliss Williamson SF 27 6'7'' 245 B C C A- C C
15. Glen Rice SF 34 6'8'' 220 C+ A C C C C
16. Stephen Jackson SF 23 6'8'' 215 B- B C+ B- C B
Desperate for a third option? Balanced, inside or outside offense? Don't worry, you will find your man here! I have Peja at the top of this group since A outside is pretty nice. He is putting up solid numbers for the Wizards and is perfect for an outside offense. Juwan Howard was a key part of the frauds known as the Chicago Bulls last season. Wish he had a little more volume in him. Are Kenny Thomas or Corliss good? Both have showed some value in inside offense. Glen Rice has been hurt most of this season so it is possible he is too low here. Stephen Jackson does not have pretty ratings but he has been the Hawks best player both seasons so far. I am interested in seeing his progress the next few seasons as they begin to try to actually win games.
17. Anfernee Hardaway SF 30 6'7'' 220 B B B- B- C C
18. Latrell Sprewell SF 31 6'5'' 190 B+ B+ C+ B+ C D
19. Marcus Fizer SF 23 6'9'' 250 B+ C D C+ C+ B
20. Anthony Mason SF 34 6'8'' 270 B- C B A B- C
Ugly group. Penny is decent at guard or forward. Latrell's trade value has been all over the map. From being traded in a two for one for Steve Nash to being used as filler for Stackhouse. No matter what you trade for him, he is not good. If you are desperate for some volume scoring he is your last option at the position unfortunately. Marcus Fizer is putting up good numbers on a bad Suns team and Anthony Mason is a good role player. Still do not want to be stuck starting either one.
The Shooting Guards
1. Kobe Bryant SG 23 6'7'' 210 A- A- B A C A
2. Allan Houston SG 30 6'6'' 200 B A+ C+ C+ D+ B
3. Vince Carter SG 24 6'7'' 215 B+ A C+ B C B
4. Michael Jordan SG 38 6'6'' 195 B+ A- A- A C B
5. Grant Hill SG 29 6'8'' 235 B+ A- B+ B C+ C
6. Allen Iverson SG 26 6'0'' 165 A- B+ B A- C- B
Wow. What a stacked position. All six of these names are first options on playoff teams. If I have to pick only one, I'll go with Kobe. He is an elite two-way player averaging 31 points on great percentages. Elite, he is. Allan Houston just carried a team to a title and is the only A+ outside scorer in the league. Vince Carter is surrounded by garbage but he may be the only one who can keep up with Kobe for the next decade. It is hard to find a flaw with Michael Jordan except for his turnovers and you can definitely argue for him as the second best currently. I love my boy Grant Hill and have him above Iverson due to the better team and better stats. Crazy, I know.
7. Michael Finley SG 28 6'7'' 215 B+ B+ C+ B- C C
8. Ricky Davis SG 22 6'7'' 212 B+ B+ C C C- B
9. Manu Ginobili SG 25 6'6'' 210 B B B- C+ C B
10. Jalen Rose SG 28 6'8'' 225 B B B+ B C B
Some may argue against putting Michael Finley and Ricky Davis as a step below the top six. They are wrong! Finley is putting up numbers but the Bulls are bad. I think he is closer to low 20s scoring on a playoff team like he was last season. Ricky is putting up numbers on a top three East team but his defense is just bad. Sorry! Manu does not have pretty ratings but he does have some pretty stats so far. Always love to see more steals than turnovers. Jalen Rose is scoring 22 points in an inside offense yet he barely sneaks in as a top ten shooting guard. Crazy.
11. Joe Johnson SG 20 6'7'' 240 B- A- B- C C- B
12. Corey Maggette SG 21 6'6'' 228 A- B- C- C+ C+ B
13. Paul Pierce SG 24 6'7'' 230 A- A- C C+ C+ B
The young guns! Joe Johnson cheated and played some point guard but his numbers have not fallen too much since being moved back. He projects more as a great third option than a guy to build around but that is just fine. It is a shame that Corey Maggette can not shoot the three. At all. He still has value as a third option as well but it puts a cap on his ceiling you just wish he did not have. When it comes to Pierce, well it has not be a great start for him. It is worrying that he is not scoring in the upper 20s on such a bad team. Also do not love the turnovers. Not too worried about the defense since he can steal the ball but not sure he can be your first or second best player long-term.
14. Dejan Bodiroga SG 29 6'8'' 243 B- A- C- C C D
15. Eddie Jones SG 30 6'6'' 200 B A- C B+ C- C
16. Scottie Pippen SG 36 6'7'' 228 B- B B+ A- C+ F
17. Larry Hughes SG 22 6'5'' 200 B B- C+ B+ C A
Big fan of what Dejan is doing so far off the bench in Miami. He is showing 20s scoring potential but until I see it as a starter he will stay a step below the others ranked above him. Also do not love the lack of defense and rebounding. He has been disappointing as a scorer, but Eddie Jones is still a good defender who does not turn it over much. Scottie Pippen is old but he is still a good player. Plays defense and gives you 14/8 in an offense not built to get the best out of him at all. Larry Hughes is one of the few bright spots so far this season for the Lakers. I am not sure he can be an option player long-term, but he is decent.
18. Jerry Stackhouse SG 26 6'6'' 233 A- B+ C C+ C- C
19. Steve Smith SG 32 6'8'' 215 B- B+ B- C+ C- C
20. Michael Redd SG 22 6'6'' 215 C+ A- C C C- A
It is fitting that two frauds in Stackhouse and Sprewell were traded straight up. The first was for the extra five years of sub-par play. He is a decent volume scorer and that is it. Avoid him if possible. The other two here are outside offense specialists who are either currently bench players or just not that good as a starter. Michael Redd is the not that good one. No defense and wish his handling was better.
The Point Guards
1. Steve Nash PG 27 6'3'' 195 C+ A A C D+ B
2. Jamal Crawford PG 21 6'6'' 190 C+ A- C C- D+ A
This position was the toughest to rank. What is clear is that Steve Nash is easily the best point guard in the league. There is nothing to debate. He is averaging 31 point shooting over 50% with only two turnovers. I hate putting Jamal Crawford this high but based off his production so far I have no choice. Do I think it is wise to abandon trying to win just to pad his stats? No. Is a PG that shoots under 70% on free throws really this good? No. But this is a weak position and he is currently scoring 28 points with only one turnover per game.
3. Jason Kidd PG 28 6'4'' 212 C+ B+ A A C+ B
4. Gary Payton PG 33 6'4'' 180 B B- B+ A C C
A lot of spicy drama with this position indeed! While I do agree that the Mavericks are looking for a deal for Jason Kidd that does not exist, he is still a very good player. Not an option scorer but perfect for an outside offense as your fourth guy. Love the defense and rebounding. Gary Payton is a similar player but not nearly as good when it comes to stealing the ball. A better scorer perhaps, but nothing too crazy there. I know some hate the idea of three turnovers from your PG but I do not fear it.
5. Tony Parker PG 19 6'3'' 185 B- B- C+ B D+ A
6. Chauncey Billups PG 25 6'3'' 207 C B+ C B+ C- B
7. Bobby Jackson PG 28 6'1'' 185 C B+ C+ B D+ B
Pretty crazy that the Mavericks have two of the top five. Tony Parker still has a lot of room to grow and I do think he will be the second best eventually. He is a very efficient scorer who has good handling and low passing. Just hope he can develop some better stats defense. Chauncey Billups is the only other starting caliber player on the Warriors and he is taking advantage with over 23 points per game so far this season. Also adds less than two turnovers and solid defense to that. Bobby Jackson started on last season's champions and is still a very good option at the position. For some reason he has since been benched.
8. Gilbert Arenas PG 19 6'4'' 196 B B+ C+ C- C- A
9. Mike Bibby PG 23 6'2'' 190 C A- B B+ D+ A
I will admit, Arenas is probably too low here. Just need to see a larger sample size. His current numbers make this ranking pretty fair. Solid scoring numbers on a bad team with two steals and three turnovers. The future is still bright but for now he is just not ready to carry a team it seems. Mike Bibby does not have great stats but I am sure he is being misused by Boston. He has good range, can give you two steals and his turnovers are fine.
10. John Stockton PG 39 6'1'' 175 C B+ A+ C D F
11. Nick Van Exel PG 29 6'1'' 190 B- B+ B C C C
12. Chucky Atkins PG 27 5'11'' 160 C+ B B- B+ D B
13. Charlie Ward PG 31 6'2'' 190 C B+ C+ A- D D
The caretakers on current top playoff teams. Stockton is sadly in an inside offense currently so his scoring is way down. Everything else is good except for his rebounding. Nick Van Exel also is not in the best position to succeed but I think in the right system he can give you 20 points and decent everything else. Chucky Atkins and Charlie Ward are the definition of mediocre but that is all you really need for now. Good shooting, decent defense, low turnovers.
14. Steve Francis PG 23 6'3'' 193 B- B+ B C+ C B
15. Stephon Marbury PG 24 6'2'' 180 B B+ A- C+ C- B
Oh boy. Both Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury were first round picks in the creation draft. To see them this low is a disaster to say the least. They are both on tanking teams and currently playing below average defense while averaging around four turnovers per game. Yikes. I like Francis a bit more since he is a slightly better rebounder as well as a more efficient scorer so far than Marbury. Not a big fan of having either on my team. They both need to get under three turnovers or they have no future on teams trying to win.
16. Andre Miller PG 22 6'2'' 200 B- C B B- C B
17. Baron Davis PG 22 6'3'' 225 B- B A- A- C B
18. Damon Stoudamire PG 28 5'10'' 171 C A- B+ B C- C
19. Jason Terry PG 24 6'2'' 172 C+ B+ C C+ D+ B
20. Damon Jones PG 25 6'3'' 185 C+ B+ C B- D B
We find another first round creation pick in Baron Davis in this group. I do not think he is actually this bad but for now this is almost generous even ranking him at all. Andre Miller has a great jump shot and great handling. If he had any range he would be much higher but obviously he does not! Damon Stoudamire has pretty ratings but ugly stats. I blame the bad situation more than him. Jason Terry and Damon Jones are both decent shooters who are good enough elsewhere to be starters for now. One was a leftover FA this season.
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