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15. Courtney Lee, New York Knicks

Age: 32

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 13.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.2 blocks

Advanced Metrics: 14.4 player efficiency rating, 41.97 total points added, 0.73 real plus/minus

Courtney Lee might not boast the well-rounded game of some positional counterparts, but that hasn't stopped him from serving as a three-and-D asset for the New York Knicks. When he's not hounding opposing wings with pestilent defense that maximizes his veteran savvy, he's putting together some of the league's best shooting figures.

The 32-year-old is leading the NBA in free-throw percentage, knocking down 95.5 percent while taking 1.8 per game. He's also firing away 3.9 times per contest from outside the arc and connecting at a 42.9 percent clip—numbers only nine other qualified players have been able to match.

14. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

Age: 21

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 18.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.4 blocks

Advanced Metrics: 16.6 PER, 15.44 TPA, 0.91 RPM

No one could have expected Donovan Mitchell to be this good, this fast. He's proved capable of taking over as the Utah Jazz's No. 1 scorer, routinely dazzling defenders with an endless supply of off-the-dribble tricks, athletic finishes and off-ball prowess. Clearly, he's drawn inspiration from legendary 2-guards of the near and distant past—perhaps none more so than Dwyane Wade.

But is this sustainable? Can he avoid hitting the rookie wall? How much can he show on defense while assuming such heaping offensive responsibilities? Those are the questions he must answer before ascending even higher up the pecking order.

13. Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics

Age: 23

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks

Advanced Metrics: 9.5 PER, minus-26.18 TPA, 0.00 RPM

Marcus Smart is a conundrum. Considering we're in the midst of the pace-and-space era, it's downright disheartening that he remains such an abominable shooter with seemingly no conscience when firing away. He's taking 9.6 field-goal attempts per game, but he's slashing an appalling—avert your eyes if you're squeamish—34.0/30.5/71.3.

And yet, the Boston Celtics always seem to need him. His passing and willingness to do the "little things" remain valuable on offense, and he's a defensive menace capable of baiting James Harden into back-to-back offensive fouls at the end of a tight contest. He's the rare wing who really might not need shooting skills.

12. Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs

Age: 30

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.1 blocks

Advanced Metrics: 11.5 PER, 21.86 TPA, 0.68 RPM

Danny Green won't finish many plays around the hoop. He's not a facilitating wing who can pick up distributing slack to help primary ball-handlers. He won't post whopping scoring totals and has moved past the 20-point benchmark only once in 2017-18.

But the 30-year-old remains among the league's premier three-and-D contributors, just as he's been since the San Antonio Spurs unearthed him as a rotation player six years ago. This time around, he's one of only three qualified players who are connecting on at least 38 percent of their triples with a defensive box plus/minus north of two. The other two? LeBron James and Al Horford.

11. Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets

Age: 29

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 19.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks

Advanced Metrics: 14.4 PER, minus-56.94 TPA, 0.96 RPM



Eric Gordon may be a mediocre defender with low shooting percentages (41.8 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from downtown), but don't undersell him. The mere threat of his skill set opens up plenty of opportunities for the Houston Rockets, whether he's spotting up on the perimeter or breaking down defenders off the bounce.

Few sixth men have the luxury of working in constant conjunction with either Harden or Chris Paul, but Gordon has already displayed offensive mastery over both situations. Plus, he can create a supercharged scoring unit when playing alongside both starting guards. Don't be fooled by those low percentages, since his impact is substantial even when he's drawing more iron than nylon.