SI.com's Top 100 NBA Players of 2016

[Rondo9]

I also have to hugely question why you think "ball-handler = good player" is a classic example of what fans say/think.

Because we see it time and time again.  Guys like Jamal Crawford, Lou Williams, Evan Turner, Jordan Crawford . . . go on down the list.  Ball dominant guys who put up counting stats and go on scoring streaks get overrated by fans.  Kobe is the greatest example of this phenomenon.



The thing with Lou Will is, sure, if you need somebody to create offense in a vacuum, you'd rather have him.  He's more talented at creating his own shot.  But if you're depending on Lou Williams as a major part of your offense, you're in a bad spot.

If you actually have a good team, you'd much rather have J.J. Redick, because he's solid defensively -- sorry, but I'll have to disagree with anyone who suggests Lou Will is not a negative on that end -- and he's a really useful complementary player.

Unless we're talking about a star (neither Redick nor Lou Will counts), I'll take the elite complementary player over the dude who puts up shots and has a nice cross-over anyday.

I'd say Lou would make a good 3rd option on offense on a good team.

[crimson_stallion]

I also have to hugely question why you think "ball-handler = good player" is a classic example of what fans say/think.

Because we see it time and time again.  Guys like Jamal Crawford, Lou Williams, Evan Turner, Jordan Crawford . . . go on down the list.  Ball dominant guys who put up counting stats and go on scoring streaks get overrated by fans.  Kobe is the greatest example of this phenomenon.



The thing with Lou Will is, sure, if you need somebody to create offense in a vacuum, you'd rather have him.  He's more talented at creating his own shot.  But if you're depending on Lou Williams as a major part of your offense, you're in a bad spot.

If you actually have a good team, you'd much rather have J.J. Redick, because he's solid defensively -- sorry, but I'll have to disagree with anyone who suggests Lou Will is not a negative on that end -- and he's a really useful complementary player.

Unless we're talking about a star (neither Redick nor Lou Will counts), I'll take the elite complementary player over the dude who puts up shots and has a nice cross-over anyday.

I have to agree with you here.

If I were trying to build a championship team, I would take Reddick over Williams any day.

[clover]

I would have guessed IT would be at least top 50-60.

Look at it this way, he's #88 despite being a total one way player.  If it were a ranking solely on offensive ability he'd be top 20 or 30.

Looks like IT sees it more like mgent:

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/08/boston_celtics_isaiah_thomas_d.html

[droopdog7]

The ranking re: the celtics seem about right.  We are a team full of role players.  And while Thomas is not happy about his spot, his playoff performance suggests he might be overated in this list.

[viulo]

The problem with the list is that it tries to combine opinions with numbers. Surely no Celtics player will be in the top 50, which is normal, but in the notable snubs they mention Tyler Zeller - who had the best win share ratio in Celtics last year (or whatever it is called) but is clearly less important/less relevant/worst than Bradley, Smart, Crowder or Sullinger.

[PhoSita]

I would have guessed IT would be at least top 50-60.

Look at it this way, he's #88 despite being a total one way player.  If it were a ranking solely on offensive ability he'd be top 20 or 30.

Looks like IT sees it more like mgent:

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/08/boston_celtics_isaiah_thomas_d.html

Good. The only way you could possibly make it in the NBA at his size is if you think you can be the best player on the court at any given time. That confidence is a vital part of his game.

[Celtics18]

Here's my guess at the top fifty (not necessarily in order):

Steph Curry, Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Al Horford, Lamarcus Aldridge, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Klay Thompson, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Andre Iguodala, Darren Collison.

[Eddie20]

Here's my guess at the top fifty (not necessarily in order):

Steph Curry, Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Al Horford, Lamarcus Aldridge, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Klay Thompson, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Andre Iguodala, Darren Collison.

Solid list, but there is no way Collison is on there.

[Celtics18]

Here's my guess at the top fifty (not necessarily in order):

Steph Curry, Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Al Horford, Lamarcus Aldridge, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Klay Thompson, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Andre Iguodala, Darren Collison.

Solid list, but there is no way Collison is on there.

You're probably right, but I could only come up with 49 solid candidates.

Who's the fiftieth?

Brandan Wright, Jared Sullinger, Al Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Enes Kanter, Amare, Jordan Clarkson?

[Moranis]

would they put a rookie up that high?

[bdm860]

50-31

http://www.si.com/nba/top-100-nba-players-2016?page=3&devicetype=default

[bdm860]

Here's my guess at the top fifty (not necessarily in order):

Steph Curry, Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Al Horford, Lamarcus Aldridge, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Klay Thompson, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Andre Iguodala, Darren Collison.

Solid list, but there is no way Collison is on there.

You're probably right, but I could only come up with 49 solid candidates.

Who's the fiftieth?

Brandan Wright, Jared Sullinger, Al Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Enes Kanter, Amare, Jordan Clarkson?

Russell Westbrook is the one you're missing.

[footey]

Rondo no longer considered top 100?

 Or did I miss his name??

[Celtics18]

Here's my guess at the top fifty (not necessarily in order):

Steph Curry, Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Al Horford, Lamarcus Aldridge, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Klay Thompson, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Andre Iguodala, Darren Collison.

Solid list, but there is no way Collison is on there.

You're probably right, but I could only come up with 49 solid candidates.

Who's the fiftieth?

Brandan Wright, Jared Sullinger, Al Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Enes Kanter, Amare, Jordan Clarkson?

Russell Westbrook is the one you're missing.

Oops.

[PhoSita]

Rondo no longer considered top 100?

 Or did I miss his name??

He is no longer considered top 100.

Seems more than fair to me.  He hasn't made a team better in a couple of years.