2013-14 NBA Player Rankings

[insidehoops]

2013-14 NBA Player Rankings

Rank the top 5 players at each position. And add a comment about each player. Remember, don't just rank players based on last season. Think of this upcoming season. Some players got older. Some got healthier. Some changed teams for the better (or worse). Etc. And remember, offense is only half the game. Defense matters. If you want to rank more than 5 guys for some/all positions, go for it.

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Player - Explanation
2)
3)
4)
5)

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

BEST NBA CENTERS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

[RoundMoundOfReb]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Derrick Rose
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Steph Curry
5) Tony Parker

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Dwyane Wade
2) James Harden
3) Kobe Bryant
4) Bradley Beal
5) Klay Thompson

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Andre Iguodala

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Anthony Davis
2) Blake Griffin
3) Dirk Nowitzki
4) Zach Randolph
5) Chris Bosh

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Tim Duncan
3) Marc Gasol
4) Joakim Noah
5) Roy Hibbert

[kennethgriffin]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Derrick Rose
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Steph Curry
5) Tony Parker

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Dwyane Wade
2) James Harden
3) Kobe Bryant
4) Bradley Beal
5) Klay Thompson

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Andre Iguodala

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Anthony Davis
2) Blake Griffin
3) Chris Bosh
4) Lamarcus Aldridge
5) Kevin Love

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Tim Duncan
3) Marc Gasol
4) Joakim Noah
5) Roy Hibbert


such detailed explanations.. good job


2013-14 NBA Player Rankings

Player - Explanation

[TheReturn]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Rose
2) Paul
3) Curry
4) Parker
5) Westbrook

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Kobe
2) Wade
3) Harden
4) Thompson
5) Gordon

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) James
2) Durant
3) Anthony
4) George
5) Deng

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Nowitzki
2) Love
3) Bosh
4) Aldridge
5) Davis

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Howard
2) Gasol
3) Noah
4) Duncan
5) Hibbert

[bdreason]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Steph Curry (homer pick)
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Tony Parker
5) Derrick Rose

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Dwyane Wade
2) James Harden
3) Klay Thompson (homer pick)
4) Kobe Bryant
5) Joe Johnson

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Paul Pierce

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Dirk Nowitzki
2) Tim Duncan
3) Lamarcus Aldridge
4) Kevin Love
5) David Lee (homer pick)

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Marc Gasol
3) Joakim Noah
4) Anthony Davis
5) Al Horford



It's late, I'll add my explanation later.

[9erempiree]

Don't know why people have Wade as #1 this late in his career when he's never been #1.

:facepalm

[bdreason]

Don't know why people have Wade as #1 this late in his career when he's never been #1.

:facepalm


Who can you put above him? Kobe is injured, and Harden doesn't play defense. I think Klay is going to beast, but I'm not going to rank him over Wade.

[kshutts1]

I leave out seriously injured players until I see them play again. No Rose, Westbrook, Rondo, Love, Kobe, Bynum...

PG:
Paul -- Runs the offense well, incredibly efficient, not a defensive liability
Parker -- Runs the Spurs offense to perfection; can't argue with team success.
Williams -- Lots of weapons now, and still can't forget his Utah glory days
Curry -- Wow the playoffs. His shot, his handle, passing... dude has it all offensively. Defensively, not so much... but neither does...
Kyrie.

SG:
Wade -- Complete package. Great on offense, as well as above average on D.
George -- Honestly, I'm putting him here because SF is STACKED, and his game does translate well to SG. Pretty much all his game is lacking are the handles necessary to consistently get his own shot off. But he can defend and score at elite levels.
Harden -- So good on O last year that it's easy to overlook his defensive shortcomings. So easy, in fact, that I just did it.
Johnson -- As with Williams, I'm tossing last year out the window. He used to be "the man" in Atlanta, and last year he had to deal with playing off the ball. He has succeeded both as the man, and off the ball (PHX), so I anticipate making the transition now that he has a year under his belt.
Ellis -- Dude can light it up. Similar to Harden in that you have to look past his lack of D, but he brings it on the offensive end.

SF:
Lebron -- No explanation required.
Durant -- NER
Melo -- NER
Iguodala -- Beast on defense and more than capable of running an offense, or scoring 20 ppg.
Pierce -- Aging, but still a stud. Can D up almost anyone on a game-to-game basis, though not every game, and still scores at an efficient and high level.

PF:
Bosh -- I'm convinced that he'd still be a 25/12 guy if he were the #1 option. Strong offensive player that can rebound and defend at above average levels.
Dirk -- Game changing offensive player that, in the past few years, has transformed into a passable defender.
Pau Gasol -- My pick for most talented offensive post player, and he's an OK defender. Will really show people what he can do this season.
Aldridge -- Huge offensive repertoire, OK defender, but for some reason he never really puts it together and dominates.
Horford -- Gets the nod over Griffin because of his defensive prowess.

C:
Howard -- Still the best in the game. Had a solid statistical season in a year in which everyone was ripping him for being terrible. When 17/12/2 is terrible, you know you're a stud.
Marc Gasol -- One of the best defensive players in the league, and he's solid offensively.
Hibbert -- Can score in the post in a variety of ways and also defend the paint with ferocity. Clear difference maker.
Noah -- Probably the most impactful defender in the league, not named KG. On top of that, has a sweet passing touch, and a jumper that, while ugly, goes in somewhat consistently.
Chandler -- Almost single-handedly drags the Knicks to defensive respectability. Backbone of their D and a vocal leader.

Note: I feel like I'm forgetting some center(s). I know I don't have Duncan listed.. I don't expect much of his this year with his age, and at this point he's more elite in spurts and good the rest of the time.

[DaSeba5]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Derrick Rose
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Tony Parker
5) Steph Curry

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Kobe Bryant
2) Dwyane Wade
3) James Harden
4) Joe Johnson
5) Klay Thompson

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Andre Iguodala

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Kevin Love
2) Dirk Nowitzki
3) Lamarcus Aldridge
4) Chris Bosh
5) Blake Griffin

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Tim Duncan
3) Marc Gasol
4) Joakim Noah
5) Roy Hibbert

[kshutts1]

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Dwyane Wade
2) James Harden
3) Kobe Bryant
4) Bradley Beal
5) Klay Thompson

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Anthony Davis
2) Blake Griffin
3) Chris Bosh
4) Lamarcus Aldridge
5) Kevin Love


You are expecting some meteoric rises, I see...

[RoundMoundOfReb]

You are expecting some meteoric rises, I see...
Only for Davis. The other 2 are only there because there is a massive drop from the top 3 sgs.

[kshutts1]

Only for Davis. The other 2 are only there because there is a massive drop from the top 3 sgs.
There really is. But did you forget about Joe Johnson? Or just don't value him that highly? And I don't see how Klay is better than Monta. Both are sieves on the defensive end, but Monta is the more established scorer and creator.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

There really is. But did you forget about Joe Johnson? Or just don't value him that highly? And I don't see how Klay is better than Monta. Both are sieves on the defensive end, but Monta is the more established scorer and creator.
Don't value Johnson too highly. Wasn't impressed by him in 2013. Think he's on a severe decline.

As for Monta vs Klay I don't like Monta's style of play. Undersized jump shooter without 3 point range. I like what Klay can do off ball - spread the floor. Also Klay isn't a great defender but he did a surprisingly good job checking point guards last season.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Who can you put above him? Kobe is injured, and Harden doesn't play defense. I think Klay is going to beast, but I'm not going to rank him over Wade.
I think the weight loss is really going to help him this year. Been wanting him to do it for the last couple of seasons. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at 2011 level.

[dannywpt]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Russell Westbrook - Beast on both ends of the floor and will come back even better
2) Chris Paul - I have always found him slightly overrated
3) Derrick Rose - Will make a strong comeback, but not in 100% MVP fashion
4) Tony Parker - Will continue his strong play from last season and the european championships
5) Steph Curry - Will have a few nuts performances like 54points in MSG, but will also have games he struggles more

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) James Harden - I expect him to continue to drow
2) Kobe Bryant - Will have a slow start, but will climb back during the middle of the season
3) Dwyane Wade - Will have a few injuries, but will have some games where he will look like he did every game 3+ years ago
4) Joe Johnson - Clutchest player in the league
5) Jamal Crawford - Best 6th man once again

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James - He is good at basketball
2) Kevin Durant - He will be even better at basketball than before, but not as good as #1
3) Carmelo Anthony - Versatile scoring machine once again
4) Paul George - Will grow from last season, but will again not be a superstar who automatically gets 20 points or more
5) Andre Igoudala - Beast defender and athete. Similar to George, except Iggy has peaked

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Kevin Love - Will come back in 25/12 form and once again inspire hope in Minny only to just fall short of the playoffs
2) Chris Bosh - As #1 option he would be a beast, but will continue the PF/C spot-up shooter role
3) Blake Griffin - Will be a little less bad at shooting, both FT and FG
4) LaMarcus Aldridge - Will have a better season than the last one. Has all the tools needed
5) Anthony Davis - Will stay injury free and put up monster numbers like 20/10 regularly

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard - Will once again be the best mostly because of his freakish ahtleticism
2) Tim Duncan - Will have a very solid season once again
3) Joakim Noah - Will put up at least one triple double, either with blocks or assists. He does it all.
4) Roy Hibbert - Will have a significantly stronger season and become a go-to option
5) Marc Gasol - Solid season similar to the last one

[FatComputerNerd]

Everyone ranking Curry over Kyrie because of one good playoff series. :facepalm

[mugiwara]

Everyone ranking Curry over Kyrie because of one good playoff series. :facepalm

Steph Curry had a monster season last year, levels better then Kyrie.

[Inferno]

Everyone ranking Curry over Kyrie because of one good playoff series. :facepalm

Regular season stats per 36:

Kyrie: 23.3 points / 6.2 assists / 1.6 steals on 45/39/85.5 shooting on 18.8 FGA.

Curry: 21.6 points / 6.5 assists / 1.5 steals on 45/45/90 shooting on 16.8 FGA.

More efficient and a little more assists. And he played more games. :confusedshrug:

[RedBlackAttack]

Regular season stats per 36:

Kyrie: 23.3 points / 6.2 assists / 1.6 steals on 45/39/85.5 shooting on 18.8 FGA.

Curry: 21.6 points / 6.5 assists / 1.5 steals on 45/45/90 shooting on 16.8 FGA.

More efficient and a little more assists. And he played more games. :confusedshrug:
Guys tend to make a jump in their third years in the league. Also, Kyrie was only 20 years old for most of last season, while Curry was 24-25. Maybe people are thinking he'll continue to improve? :confusedshrug:

It took Curry four years in the league to average 20+ points and 6 assists per game and he entered the NBA older than Kyrie. Irving just averaged 23/6 as a 20-year-old sophomore. I don't think it's crazy to conclude he may be better than Curry this year.

[qrich]

Point Guards:
1] Chris Paul - Hands down, Emmanuel runs the position.
2] Derrick Rose - Real iffy, but I think Rose comes back solid.
3] Russell Westbrook - Difficult to place him due to injury, but think he is still #3.
4] Stephen Curry - Continuing the run of non-traditional points.
5] John Wall - I think his impact for the Bullets will propel him here.

Shooting Guards:
1] Wade - Only due to lack of competition.
2] James Harden - Comes back strong.
3] Eric Gordon Jr. - Finally the Pelicans aren't tanking, and he'll show his skittles.
4] Kobe Bryant - Coming back from injury, on a shitty team. May put up stats, but his defense will be abysmal and the difference in the win column won't be beneficiary.
5] Klay Thompson - Big steps for Mr. Klay.

Small Forwards:
1] LeBron - Is this fine?
2] Durant - ^^?
3] Carmelo - ^^?
4] George - ^^?
5] Iguodala ^^?

Power Forwards:
1] Blake Griffin - Expect Doc to make sure he takes another leap.
2] Dirk Nowitzki - His impact will be vital.
3] LaMarcus Aldridge - Will run the Blaze.
4] Kevin Love - Will he finally put up non-empty stats?
5] Larry Sanders - Defensive Gawd.

Centers:
1] Dwight - Default.
2] Bogut - Default.
3] Hibbert - Why not.
4] Duncan - Impact.m
5] Bynu

[Cali Syndicate]

Pg
Rose. Because when healthy, he's the best in the league. Can score like Westbrook but has better point guard know how and is clutch. And he'll be healthy this season, and with a Better skill set. He'll need to find the flow of the game first though. Cp3 is the next choice. Westbrook. Possibly Parker. Hopefully curry :rockon:

Sg
For this, I'm using George as a sg. He plays like an sg. Why not. Plus with this season, he possibly will if granger starts. George. IMO he has the best potential and overall prowess on both sides of the ball. Kobe is coming off a huge injury. Wade is right there but he's old and body seems to breaking down. Losing weight may have been the answer though. Harden has many holes in his game. Offensively, I'd say harden is better but only slightly. But playoffs showed, he's easier to contain. Generally speaking. And George showed us glimpse of being a go to guy. Very controlled player might I add. And he tries to emulate Kobe's work ethic which is not an easy task but says he's willing to work hard. I say he makes a significant jump into the next tier.

Sf
Lebron
Durant
Melo
Obvious

Pf
Tricky. But I'm going to say lee. I know for some of you that sounds crazy, but I know I'm not the only one who thought lee played as one of the best pfs last season, if not the best. I can't be.

Kevin love might have a nice statistical season but nah. I still doubt Blake.

Maybe dirk or Aldridge. Dirk is unpredictable at this stage. I think lee is better thn Aldridge though. Almost hands down. Aldridge possibly has a better post game though.

C

Dwight is the most convenient choice but Duncan is revamped and playing legend staus. Was a long season but Duncan is lean. I think he's ready to go. Probably has a vendetta to make up for that missed bunny too. Noah's the best utility the league has to offer. Like a varejao but slightly better. Pure hustle and heart type guy.

Duncan,Dwight, Marc are my guesses. In that order too.

[KyleKong]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Russell Westbrook
3) Derrick Rose *Depending if he comes back as expected
4) Deron Williams
5) Kyrie Irving

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Dwayne Wade
2) James Harden
3) Joe Johnson
4) Kobe Bryant *Won't play for 1/3rd or more of the season.
5) Eric Gordon *If Healthy

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Andre Iggy
5) Paul George

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Blake Griffin
2) LaMarcus Aldridge
3) Dirk Nowitzki
4) Chris Bosh
5) Kevin Love

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard *If healthy
2) Marc Gasol
3) Tim Duncan
4) Roy Hibbert
5) Tyson Chandler

[Cali Syndicate]

Guys tend to make a jump in their third years in the league. Also, Kyrie was only 20 years old for most of last season, while Curry was 24-25. Maybe people are thinking he'll continue to improve? :confusedshrug:

It took Curry four years in the league to average 20+ points and 6 assists per game and he entered the NBA older than Kyrie. Irving just averaged 23/6 as a 20-year-old sophomore. I don't think it's crazy to conclude he may be better than Curry this year.

Curry could have averaged those number his sophomore season. But you know, he shared a backcourt with Ellis. Ellis is like Westbrook, except he like to shoot more. Imagine that had Irving was sharing that ball. Only reason why it even worked so well was currys ability to play off the ball. Monta is kinda a ball hog.

Curry is older but nba speaking, two season in, curry was I'd say almost as good in his second season as Irving was. Probably would have been if not for all those sprains you can't even count on one hand. Curry was a beast his rookie seasons too. No one remover cause no one cared for the warriors. Unfortunately reek had possibly his best season of his career and won Roy.


Curry hasn't gotten that much better since then. He just has a bigger role and has been able to stay healthy. They're stride for stride IMO. Can Kyrie really even get that much better?

Also Irving played a traditional pg role. Facilitator, playmaker....warriors on the other hand mainly played out of the post. Most curry a asisists probably came off pick and pops. But curry has excellent vision and passing skills. They're just not utilized as much because warriors have so many weapons for other opportunities. So 6 assists were more a dime a dozen compared to currys chances.

[wally_world]

Factors I've considered when ranking these players:
Talent, team success, impact on team/teammates, stats, injuries

Point Guard
1 - Chris Paul
2 - Russell Westbrook
3 - Stephen Curry
4 - Tony Parker
5 - Kyrie Irving

As a OKC fan it was hard for me not to put Westbrook on top. I think his numbers and talent puts him as a #1, but some still don't see him as a true PG. I'm giving CP3 the notch because of Westbrook's injury, and also because he's more crucial to the Clipper's success (I think they'll have a terrific regular season). I'll give DRose another year before putting him in the top 5, I think he will have to slowly mesh back into the Bull's system.

Shooting Guard
1 - Kobe Bryant
2 - James Harden
3 - Dwyane Wade
4 - Joe Johnson
5 - JR Smith

This is toughest position to rank for me. The top 3 is interchangeable, but I think Harden still has ways to go defensively, and consistently before he beats out Kobe (or Kobe drops out) as the #1 SG. I think if Wade was put in either Kobe's or Harden's position, he can be argued as #1, but he's clearly a 2nd option on the fall behind LeBron so I have him at #3. The #5 spot was between JR, Monta, Klay, maybe EG. EG has a BIG question mark. Klay is too one-dimensional for me to put him in the top 5. Monta has alot to prove after last season. So I took JR.

Small Forward
1 - LeBron James
2 - Kevin Durant
3 - Paul George
4 - Carmelo Anthony
5 - Josh Smith

Nothing to say about LeBron/KD. I took PG over Melo for defence and team success. I think last season I would still have Melo at #3, but I trust that PG has gotten better over the summer, and will be even more hungry coming off that ECF loss. Josh Smith takes my #5 spot because he'll likely be starting at SF this season, and I trust him to have a big impact on Detroit's playoff appearance.

Power Forward
1 - Pau Gasol (YES)
2 - Kevin Love
3 - Zach Randolph
4 - Dirk Nowitzki
5 - LaMarcus Aldridge

YES PAU GASOL. He's my pick for comeback player of the year. I think he will do well without the pressure of delegating to Dwight (and having to space the floor as a stretch 4). With Kobe out for the start of the season, I look for Nash/Pau to keep the Lakers afloat. I think they will surprise us and remain in the playoff race. Love will have absolutely crazy numbers as usual, but it won't translate to wins (they'll improve, just not by alot). ZBo will return close to his 11-12 form, but with Marc's improvement he'll likely be overshadowed a little. Dirk will have a solid season, but I see the Mavs limiting his minutes while delegating more to Monta, so statistically he won't put up great numbers. The #5 spot is not a knock on LMA, I think he will continue to improve, but I just don't see the Blazers being competitive yet. And yes, I do not think Blake is a top 5 PF.

Center
1 - Marc Gasol
2 - Dwight Howard
3 - Joakim Noah
4 - Tim Duncan
5 - Demarcus Cousins

I think Marc will have a breakout season, with the Griz needing him to step up more than ever. Dwight will probably still be the most talented center in the L, but I think he will take sometime to adapt to Houston's system, and with Harden running the show, his numbers won't be too overwhelming like in his Magic days. I took Noah over Duncan because I think the Spurs will rely less on Timmy in the regular season. Noah is the most important player for the Bulls I feel. DMC gets my pick at #5, I trust him to become more consistent and to lead the Kings to a better season. Left Hibbert out because I feel he only steps up during the playoffs (doesn't look to dominate during the regular season).

[Sakkreth]

All those people who don't have Tony in their top 5 :facepalm

[Rose'sACL]

Guys tend to make a jump in their third years in the league. Also, Kyrie was only 20 years old for most of last season, while Curry was 24-25. Maybe people are thinking he'll continue to improve? :confusedshrug:

It took Curry four years in the league to average 20+ points and 6 assists per game and he entered the NBA older than Kyrie. Irving just averaged 23/6 as a 20-year-old sophomore. I don't think it's crazy to conclude he may be better than Curry this year.
Both curry and irving will need a player who is better than them or a really great team around them to win and in my opinion a pg like curry is better to play with than irving.
Anyone who shoots 45% from 3 and in great volume too is a bigger asset than irving and it is not like he is bad at driving to the basket or a bad passer.
also, this ranking is who is better right now and not about who is going to be better in future and it is clear to anyone who understands basketball that curry is clearly a better player.

[Inferno]

Guys tend to make a jump in their third years in the league. Also, Kyrie was only 20 years old for most of last season, while Curry was 24-25. Maybe people are thinking he'll continue to improve? :confusedshrug:

It took Curry four years in the league to average 20+ points and 6 assists per game and he entered the NBA older than Kyrie. Irving just averaged 23/6 as a 20-year-old sophomore. I don't think it's crazy to conclude he may be better than Curry this year.

Yeah, but basing off their most recent seasons I'd give Curry the nod. He managed to play 78/82 games with 37 minutes per game. That's a huge step for him. But yeah, Kyrie definitely has a lot of room to grow still.

[Inferno]

POINT GUARDS
1. Chris Paul
2. Stephen Curry
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Kyrie Irving
5. Derrick Rose

SHOOTING GUARDS
1. Dwyane Wade
2. Kobe Bryant
3. James Harden
4. Joe Johnson
5. Monta Ellis

SMALL FORWARDS
1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Carmelo Anthony
4. Paul Pierce
5. Andre Iguodala

POWER FORWARDS
1. Kevin Love
2. LaMarcus Aldridge
3. Blake Griffin
4. Zach Randolph
5. Dirk Nowitzki

CENTERS
1. Dwight Howard
2. Joakim Noah
3. Marc Gasol
4. DeMarcus Cousins
5. Roy Hibbert

[sejoon101]

Really sorry, posted a reply in a different sticky, but no the mods/admins aren't getting to it...

Can you please activate my account!? I had this over two years, and I still can't make a thread!!

No idea where to do it, I looked everywhere..

[andremiller07]

I don't see how Tyson Chandler is a top 5 center or how you could put him in there, he has no offensive game or playmaking and his defense is good but not enough to make him a top 5 C. Sanders, Pekovic, Monroe, Cousins, Bogut are all better than Chandler and they would all be battling for a #4th/#5th spot, there is probably others as well I just cbf thinking about it right now.

[mugiwara]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Russell Westbrook
3) Derrick Rose *Depending if he comes back as expected
4) Deron Williams
5) Kyrie Irving



:no: first poster to not put Curry in the top 5

[Nero Tulip]

:no: first poster to not put Curry in the top 5

He also didn't put Parker, who should probably be number 1 at this point. Best mix of skills, athleticism and decision making of any point guard.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

:no: first poster to not put Curry in the top 5

I think the rest of those players have an argument over Curry though, it's not like he's a top 5 lock.

[Doranku]

2013-14 NBA Player Rankings

Rank the top 5 players at each position. And add a comment about each player. Remember, don't just rank players based on last season. Think of this upcoming season. Some players got older. Some got healthier. Some changed teams for the better (or worse). Etc. And remember, offense is only half the game. Defense matters. If you want to rank more than 5 guys for some/all positions, go for it.

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Russell Westbrook - most dynamic scorer, most heart, insane athleticism. Obviously, his decision making is questionable but if I'm in a playoff series and I'm looking for a PG, I want this guy every day of the week.
2) Chris Paul - honestly might drop down to third after Curry. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now but if he isn't able to lead this Clippers team to the WCF finals, I don't see any argument for him over guys like Westbrook and Curry.
3) Steph Curry - extremely efficient and explosive scorer, had a huge breaking out party in the playoffs last year. I expect him to continue in riding that wave and improving other areas such as his defense and ballhandling/playmaking
4) Kyrie Irving - insane handles and clutch play for a kid his age. It's unfortunate that Bynum will likely never suit up for this Cavs team because if he was healthy, I could see Kyrie taking this team to the next level.
5) Derrick Rose - no idea how he will be after returning from his injury, but I'll be generous and put him here at #5. Lost a lot of respect for the guy over the course of last season, but if he can come back and play close to 2011 form, all will be forgiven.

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Kobe Bryant - even with the Achilles injury, I'm very confident that Kobe will again be the best SG in the league next year. Dude is a warrior, and with the new way that the surgery is done it seems like a re-injury is very unlikely. Hell, dude might even benefit from the extra rest that he'll have gotten in the off-season.
2) James Harden - I expect he'll face some growing pains with Dwight. Dwight's attitude along with the fact that their games don't really fit together all that well make it very likely that they'll experience some stumbling early on. Still, though, I don't see how Wade can beat out Harden for the #2 spot with all of his nagging, lingering injuries that will probably plague him the rest of his career.
3) Dwyane Wade - pretty much 3rd by default as there is a huge drop-off in SGs after the top 3. I expect more injuries, more games being missed, and another lost step from Wade next season. His reckless play early on in his career is catching up to him.
4) Klay Thompson - again, huge drop-off from the top 3. However, with the Warriors getting another year of experience under their belt along with adding another great perimeter player in Iguodala, I can see Thompson flourishing in Mark Jackson's offense.
5) Ellis - With Ellis playing alongside Dirk, I can see him having a reemergence of sort. He was ho-hum with the Bucks, but that was probably a result of playing with another chucker in Jennings. Then again, he could also be OJ Mayo 2.0 for the Mavericks and suck dick, who knows. Slim pickings at the SG spot in today's game..

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James - no explanation needed
2) Kevin Durant - will continue to live in LeBron's shadow. Very unfortunate for him having his prime coincide with LeBron's, but hopefully he takes a different approach this year than he did last year. He needs to stop trying to model his game after best buddy LeBron and focus on what he's best at: scoring the basketball. Let Westbrook handle the all-around play.
3) Carmelo Anthony - I think he's better than people on this site give him credit for, but he really needs to step it up as a playmaker. Just watching the Knicks is brutal; their entire offense is literally a Melo or JR iso. For the most part, though, he plays well against his superiors.. he just needs to find a way to utilize the rest of his team effectively. Not all his fault, obviously. Those guys need to take it upon themselves to improve.
4) Paul George - I really don't see the hype in this guy. Can't see him ever passing either Bron, Durant, or Melo. I know he's young, but I think he's already peaked. Don't see him improving much from last year. I expect to see more improvement from guys like Stephenson and Hibbert.
5) Iguodala - I think he fits with this young Golden State team incredibly well. Curry will get him some easy buckets, and his perimeter defense will be a great addition for the Warriors. I expect one of Iggy's best seasons this year from an efficiency/impact standpoint.

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) LaMarcus Aldridge - The Blazers have improved their roster quite a bit in the off-season, and I see LA having a huge season next to an improved Lillard. Dude has all the offensive tools to be a stud at the PF position, however he does need to work on his rebounding and toughness.
2) Pau Gasol - Like someone else said, I see Pau Gasol having a big year. With no Howard (or any other big men for that matter), Pau will be able to exclusively go to work on the low block where he is best at. He was phenomenal at the end of last year after returning from injury, and I think he'll be even better after having a long off-season to rehab and get healthy.
3) Dirk Nowitzki - Another PF with an improved team that I see working to his advantage. We all know what Dirk is capable of, and if he's healthy this year, I can see him bouncing back after an injury-plagued 2013 and returning as one of the top PFs in the league. Really interested to see how him and Ellis coexist together.
4) Zach Randolph - More based on merit than anything. Dude got exposed big time last year against the Spurs. Just doesn't seem to have the maturity required in order to fully utilize his talents. Timmy D and the Spurs defense gave him fits and it was hard to watch how visibly frustrated he was during that series. Hard to think anything maturity-wise changes in the upcoming year given how many years he's already been in the league.
5) Kevin Love/Blake Griffin - Wouldn't have a problem with either one here. Both put up empty/hollow stats and play no defense. They know how to fill up a box score sheet, though.

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Marc Gasol - Probably the only big man in the league who has a refined offensive game coupled with elite defense besides Duncan. Also a great passer. He has improved every year so far with the Grizzlies, and I expect that trend to continue.
2) Timmy Duncan - the old man still has it as he proved last season. I think he's going to come back next year with a vengeance after missing that point blank shot to tie the game in Game 7. The motivation will definitely be there, and even despite his age, a motivated Timmy D is still one of the best big men in the game today.
3) Dwight Howard - as I mentioned earlier, there will be growing pains in Houston for both Dwight and Harden. And with Dwight, who really knows what you're going to get? A bad start to the season could spell doom for the Rockets given how sensitive and defensive Howard gets with the media.
4) Joakim Noah - Noah was fantastic last year in Rose's absence. Assuming that he is healthy next season, I could easily see him overtaking Dwight for the #3 spot with his intensity, defense, and added opportunities that Rose will create for him.
5) Roy Hibbert - Dude showed signs of being great against the Heat last year. Big body, superb ability to catch, turn, and finish down low in traffic, and his defense is only improving with experience. Another center who has the potential move up in the rankings past a guy like Dwight.

[Sakkreth]

This is getting ridiculous with ignoring of TP... At this point I'd put him number 1. ISH always underrated him, but this is getting rather disrispectful.

[Da KO King]

So no one is going to list Rajon Rondo?

[FatComputerNerd]

So no one is going to list Rajon Rondo?

He has become ridiculously underrated. I said the same thing in another thread where people were ranking PG's recently.

[chips93]

there are too many good pgs, so a bunch get 'underrated'

really the depth of the position is underrated

its no insult, to say a guy is only the 8th best pg in the league, he could still be a top 25 player

[andremiller07]

there are too many good pgs, so a bunch get 'underrated'

really the depth of the position is underrated

its no insult, to say a guy is only the 8th best pg in the league, he could still be a top 25 player
This being a average PG right now in the NBA, pretty much means your an above average player overall. The position is just insanely stacked and the top 5 and top 10 change after every game pretty much.

[Bigsmoke]

Curry might fvck around and be #1

I would take him over Westbrook actually.

[kkb_12]

Power Forwards:

1] David West
2] Dirk Nowitzki
3] LaMarcus Aldridge
4] Chris Bosh
5] Kevin Garnett

[The JKidd Kid]

PG
Paul- Best PG in the league
Westbrook- Great all around PG, will only improve
Williams- People just don't want to accept that he's back
Rose- Hopefully he stays healthy, he's here
Curry- I expect him to improve his assist numbers now that Jack is gone

SG
Kobe- Still best SG
Wade- Another player people are hoping will drop off
Harden- Overrated, but SG is shallow
Iggy- Jack of all trades
Johnson- Great all around SG with size

SF
Lebron- Obvious
Durant- Obvious
Melo: 3rd or 4th best scorer in the league
George- Great defender and rebounder but inconsistent on offense
Peirce- One of the most versatile players in the league

PF
Kevin Love- Stretches floor, good post game, tenacious rebounder
Smith- Best defender, ball handler and passer at the position
Aldridge- Great pick and pop and post game
Garnett- GOAT defensive anchor and great post game and jumper
Randolph- Great post game and rebounder

C
Howard- Obvious
Gasol- Great defender, post game, passer and jump shot
Duncan- Great defender and post game
Hibbert- Same as Duncan
Noah- Great rebounder, defender and passer

[HarryCallahan]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Tony Parker
2) Derrick Rose
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Steph Curry
5) Kyrie Irving

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) James Harden
2) Kobe Bryant
3) Dwayne Wade
4) Joe Johnson
5) Danny Green

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Paul Pierce

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Tim Duncan
2) Dirk Nowitzki
3) Lamarcus Aldridge
4) Kevin Garnett
5) David West

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Marc Gasol
2) Andrew Bogut
3) Joakim Noah
4) Dwight Howard
5) Roy Hibbert

[Wavves]

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Tony Parker
3) Russell Westbrook
4) Derrick Rose
5) Steph Curry

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Kobe Bryant
2) James Harden
3) Dwayne Wade
4) Joe Johnson
5) Andre Iguodala

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Paul Pierce

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Lamarcus Aldridge
2) Dirk Nowitzki
3) Blake Griffin
4) Kevin Garnett
5) Kevin Love

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Tim Duncan
3) Marc Gasol
4) Joakim Noah
5) Roy Hibbert

[Grinder]

My rankings are based on who I think will be the best this year.

BEST NBA POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul
2) Tony Parker
3) Rajon Rondo
4) Derrick Rose
5) Russell Westbrook

BEST NBA SHOOTING GUARDS
1) James Harden
2) Dwyane Wade
3) Kobe Bryant
4) Joe Johnson
5) Bradley Beal

BEST NBA SMALL FORWARDS
1) LeBron James
2) Kevin Durant
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Paul George
5) Andre Iguodala

BEST NBA POWER FORWARDS
1) Kevin Love
2) Dirk Nowitzki
3) Blake Griffin
4) Chris Bosh
5) Lamarcus Aldridge

BEST NBA CENTERS
1) Dwight Howard
2) Tim Duncan
3) Marc Gasol
4) Pau Gasol
5) Joakim Noah

- That PG position was tough. Leaving out Deron, Irving, Curry, and Wall shows you how stacked that position is right now.

- We need more star SGs to come through the pipeline ASAP.

- Watching Paul Pierce last season was painful at times.

- I think Kevin Love is in for a big season IF he's finally healthy.

- Demarcus Cousins is my darkhorse pick to break out this season.

[Nero Tulip]

I like Dirty Harry's list. Wouldn't change a thing except in PF: Kevin Love should be in, and West and Garnett don't really belong there anymore.

It's crazy how weak the SG position is. It's hard to find 5 really good players...

[andremiller07]

@People putting Klay Thompson in the top 5 SG's....imo Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, OJ Mayo, Monta Ellis, DeMar Derozan, Joe Johnson (plus all the elite SG's already said) all round bring far more to the table than Klay does or ever will hell I think Aaron Afflalo when he's injury free brings more to the table than Klay. I don't see him at as a top 5 SG in any way shape or form.

Klay is a excellent fit and does what he does to for the Warriors but as a overall player I don't think he's better than any of those guys I mentioned.