Basketball is coming and coming soon. Only a month remains until the NBA season is back. That means there are rankings of the best duos, teams, coaches, and of course, the players. Sports Illustrated recently put out their top 100 players of the 2020 season, and in reaction, I am going to put together a top 100 list of the best players in the league right now. Now this is contentious, because everybody has their opinions of the best players in the NBA, but the season is coming up, and what better way to countdown to the dawn of a new ‘duo’ era, than ranking the best players in the NBA.

Just a side note before we get going, guys like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will be ranked on what I saw from them last year, and the injuries for this next season will not be considered. However, durability will be factored in. Rookies will not be included, because it remains to be seen how the Zion’s and Ja Morant’s of the world will do in the NBA. The list will have the majority of the same players as the SI List, it is never the disagreement on who the top 100 is, just who goes where, so for the most part the list is reordered in what is the correct way in my eyes.

Stats that will be used throughout the Top 100

Minutes played per game (MP)

Points per game (PPG)

Rebounds per game (RPG)

Assists per game (APG)

Turnovers per game (TOV)

Blocks per game (BPG)

Steals per game (SPG)

Field Goal Percentage (FP%)

3 Point Field Goal Percentage (3PT%)

Free Throw Percentage (FT%)

Those are the basic stats that will help support why I have each person in each spot. If I happen to use a metric, I will discuss what it is.

Starting with the #100 player, the NBA top 100 rankings start now. And here we go! Photo Credits to tenor.com

Key Snubs from the List

Andrew Wiggins, SF on the Minnesota Timberwolves

Fred VanVleet, PG on the Toronto Raptors

Dwight Howard, C on the Los Angeles Lakers

Hassan Whiteside, C on the Portland Trail Blazers

Enes Kanter, C on the Boston Celtics

Danny Green, SG on the Los Angeles Lakers

Lonzo Ball is not on this list, and let me tell you why. He is first off the list. #101. It was close between him and Bam, but Bam has shown more talent and what he was presumed to be. Lonzo has not shown how good everyone expected him to be, now mostly of that is due to Lavar, but Lonzo is not scoring as good as he was at UCLA, granted it is college, but his game has not translated. Sure Lonzo can run the court, and sure his defense is above average. But he cannot shoot. I realize he is improving. And what he played in with the Lakers was an absolute mess.

Now he has his own team, one that is young and will be very fun to watch. Next year Lonzo will most likely be a top 100 guy, but the lack of shooting and scoring keeps him off this list.

#100: Bam Adebayo: Center for the Miami Heat

The talent is all there for the center out of Kentucky. And coming into his third year in the NBA, he will no longer be playing behind Hassan Whiteside. I am expecting a big jump in numbers for Bam, only averaging 8 PPG and 6.5 RPG, he will be getting more MPG coming into this season giving him more opportunity to increase his measly numbers for one of the young stars for the Miami Heat. One of the quickest centers in the league, Adebayo thrives in fastbreak situations. At 6’10”, Adebayo isn’t one of the bigger centers in the league, so his combination of speed, strength, athleticism, and potential at only age 22 locks in his spot at #100.

#99: Jerami Grant: Forward for the Denver Nuggets

A snub on SI’s top 100, the defensive-minded forward gets a spot on my top 100. Photo Credits to ClutchPoints.com

In a league where teams thrive on using 3-and-D type players, Jerami Grant fits the mold. At only 24, Grant had his best year last year in his 6th NBA season. The defense was always there for the young forward, but his offense lacked. Last year, Grant upped his 3PT% from 29% to 39 %, and found a role in what was a solid Oklahoma City offense that ranked 8th in team points per game. Now in Denver, Grant is a key piece of why I expect the Denver Nuggets to get into the Western Conference Finals. Averaging 13.6 PPG, 5 boards a game, and about a block and a steal a game last year, Grant solidified himself as a n upper tier two-way player that can play a big role for a playoff team.

#98: Jeff Teague: Point Guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves

It is safe to say Teague’s best days was while he was dawning the red and black in Atlanta. But the veteran point guard still plays a significant role running the offense in Minnesota. Averaging 12.1 PPG and 8.2 APG when healthy last year, Teague’s counting numbers while he was on the court. When healthy, Teague is a good veteran guard to have, he can run the offense with confidence, help with the development of younger guards, and can spot up and hit a 3 pointer, as he hits them at 33.3% clip. He may be on the back end of his career, but Teague is deserving of a n NBA top 100 spot.

#97: DeAndre Jordan: Center for the Brooklyn Nets

An integral piece of pulling Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to Brooklyn, Jordan is one of best ‘team guys’ in the NBA. Outside of being a good locker room guy to have, DeAndre Jordan in consistent minutes is a walking ten rebounds, and can pretty much count on him for a double-double average each year. As his career average is 9.6 PPG and 10.9 RPG. His on court play and locker room attitude get him on the list.

#96: Joe Harris: Shooting Guard for the Brooklyn Nets

Last year’s winner of the 3 point contest, Joe Harris is one of the best spot up shooters in the NBA. And the balls don’t have to be on a rack for Joe to knock them down. Harris has hit over 40% of his threes in game, last year being his best shooting year yet, hitting 47.4% of his threes taken. He should have a very important role with the new look Nets, a spot up shooter for one of the best ball handlers in the NBA. He could make the jump up from #96 if Harris’s defense was better. But with a negative Defensive Box Plus/Minus, Harris has proved to be below average on the defensive side of the ball. So #96 it is.

#95: Jaren Jackson Jr.: Power Forward for the Memphis Grizzlies

Now Jackson only played 58 games last year. But in those 58 games he played, JJJ proved to be a defensive force. Averaging over a block a game, Jackson Jr.showed he can be a formidable big man in today’s league. He showed he can play the stretch 4 if need be, as he hit 36% of his threes and his 51% FG% showed he can score efficiently for the young Grizzlies. Jackson has room to improve after an impressive rookie showing, his rebounding is still lacking, only averaging 4.7 rebounds a game, and his Offensive Box Plus/Minus being a -1.4 shows he could improve upon his offensive game even more. With a ceiling that could entail a Defensive Player of the Year, Jackson has immense potential, but for now he sits at #95.

#94: Jonas Valančiūnas: Center for the Memphis Grizzlies

One of the most efficient players in the NBA, Jonas Valančiūnas has a career FG% over 55% and is improving his 3 point shot to become a more modern Center. On top of his efficiency, he has a knack for rebounding, averaging 8.5 RPG over his career. Adding Valančiūnas into the frontcourt with the young budding star of JJJ, the Grizzlies have a lineup surrounding 2nd pick, Ja Morant, to be excited about.

#93: Dejounte Murray: Point Guard for the San Antonio Spurs

A torn ACL kept the young Spur off the court last year. But in his first two years, Murray proved to be an above average defender for Popovich. In his second NBA season, Murray made second team All-Defense. What he lacks in scoring and playmaking, he makes up for on the defensive side of the ball. That statement is shown through on the Box Plus/Minus. Murray’s Defensive +/- over his two year career, 2.9, showing his prowess. But on offensive, a -2.6. There are definitely kinks to work out with the point guard out of Washington, but his lock down defensive locks up #93.

#92: Marvin Bagley III: Power Forward for the Sacramento Kings

Another rookie that had the injury bug, Bagley only played 62 games last year. But the numbers speak for themselves for the former blue devil. Almost 15 PPG and 7.6 RPG, Bagley proved he can contribute right now for a young Kings team. Bagley still has room to improve, with a Box Plus/Minus that is below zero on both sides of the ball. Even with the negative +/-, Bagley put up good counting numbers, and gets a spot in the top 100.

#91: Jarrett Allen: Center for the Brooklyn Nets

LeBron, Blake Griffin, Giannis, Harden, and AD. That’s a list of who has been denied at the rim by the young center in Brooklyn. Not only is he a potent shot blocker, he is rocking a Ben Wallace level afro, which I am a big fan of.

He may not be a great scorer for the Nets, only averaging 10.9 PPG last year, but he averaged 1.5 blocks per game, cracking the top 20 for that stat on a short list that includes Myles Turner, Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, and KAT. Similarly to Dejounte, Allen has a positive Defensive +/- and a negative Offensive +/-. So there is room to improve for the young center. With tutelage from DeAndre Jordan and playing alongside of superstars like Kyrie Irving this upcoming season, we can expect to see a statistical jump for Allen. The fro, the blocks, and a lot of room to improve help Allen lock down a top 100 spot.

#90: Derrick Rose: Guard for the Detroit Pistons

New Detroit Piston Derrick Rose checks in at the Top 100 at #90. Photo Credits to ClutchPoints.com

Look, the days of MVP Caliber play from Rose are over. But, Rose still makes for a very good offensive-minded piece for a playoff team. It looked grim for the former Chicago Bull, averaging less than 10 points per game back to back years. After finding a role for Minnesota, Rose proved he is still an above – average scorer. Averaging 18 PPG and then signing a deal with the Pistons, Rose seems to be finding his footing again and could play a key role alongside BG and Drummond for the Pistons. Last year Rose found his 3 point stroke, hitting 37% of them. So he can shoot, and his driving ability is still there, not nearly as good as what he had, but he can still use his quickness to get to the rim.

So why is he #90? The offensive game seems to have come back. Yes, yes it did. But, defensively, Rose was a liability. A Defensive Box Plus/Minus of -2.9 will not do the team defense any favors. On top of the bad defense, Rose is prone to turnovers. He averaged over 1.5 a game last year, and has averaged almost 3 a game over his career. So the offense has improved, and he will be a key scorer for the Detroit Pistons this upcoming season, but defensively he will have to improve, and he has to take care of the ball better to find a spot better than #90.

#89: Spencer Dinwiddie: Point Guards for the Brooklyn Nets

So far 100-89 has been crowded with Brooklyn Nets. Jordan, Harris, Allen, and now Dinwiddie. There’s a lot of buzz around Brooklyn and for good reason. A roster that is filled with talent, and a guy that has been running the show for that talent is Spencer Dinwiddie. His first few years in the NBA, Dinwiddie was non-contributor, but he has found his niche in the NBA with Brooklyn. A skilled scorer, he averaged 16.8 PPG last year playing alongside D’lo, so playing alongside ball-dominant players like new teammate Kyrie is no problem. Dinwiddie, very similar to Teague, in which he is a great role – playing guard that can score and run the offense, should have no issue playing with the new look Nets.

#88: Kyle Kuzma: Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers

Sure Kuzma can score. And his shooting ability alongside of AD and Bron should bode well for LA. But what position is he? Kuzma is a very talented scorer, but his positionless play does not help the Lakers. I recognize I said Grant’s positionless ability help the Nuggets, and that is because he can defend multiple positions. Kuzma does not bring that too the table. Not a spot up guy nor a post up guy, he can get picked on while on defense. He will have to either guard players bigger than him, or players that will be quicker than him. So, his scoring ability is a huge plus for Kuzma but his lack of position and defensive ability is a knock.

#87: Derrick White: Guard for the San Antonio Spurs

With Dejounte Murray out the year with a torn ACL, opportunity for big minutes came for Derrick White, and he performed well in those opportunities. The season averages do not tell the story for White. The playoff averages do show White’s coming out party to the world. In the seven game series loss to the Nuggets, White was a key contributor to the upset that almost happened against Denver. His passing was not great only averaging 3 APG, but the 15 PPG for White really put him on everyone’s radar for a breakout candidate for this upcoming season. White playing alongside of Murray should allow White to focus more on scoring the ball, so be on the lookout for San Antonio and #87 Derrick White.

#86: Brandon Ingram: Forward for the New Orleans Pelicans

Ingram has done nothing but improve after his rookie year. His PPG has increased each year, his FG% has improved each year, and he has come into his primary option role by taking more shots each year. Last year, Ingram did start slow, but he had a stretch of six straight games at the end of the year with over 25 points. Now Ingram hasn’t developed as quick as everyone has expected, but he has been taking consistent steps to becoming a top 50 player in this league. And with his trade to NOLA, he will get more opportunity to become that star everyone expects him to be.

#85: Serge Ibaka: Power Forward/Center for the Toronto Raptors

Ibaka showed his dominant defensive form throughout the season and postseason for the Raptors. Averaging over a block a game and 8 RPG, Ibaka was a key rotational big man for the finals winning Toronto Raptors. On top of the strong defense, Ibaka was scoring 15 PPG at a very high clip of 53%. Serge has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA since his rookie year in 2009, and continued showing his consistency on both sides of the ball this past year, and I expect nothing less again this year.

#84: Andre Iguodala: Small Forward for the Memphis Grizzlies

A integral player of the Warriors success, Iguodala’s counting numbers do not show his importance. His defense and basketball IQ put him on this list. One of the strongest wing defenders in the league, Iguodala averaged a steal a game last year along with a Defensive Box +/- of 1.7. On top of the impressive +/-, Iguodala’s defensive win shares were up above 1.5. The defensive analytics will tell you Iguodala deserves his spot in the NBA top 100.

#83: Marcus Smart: Guard for the Boston Celtics

The Captain of the USA FIBA team takes the #83 spot on the NBA top 100. Photo Credits to guybostonsports.com

I love Marcus Smart. The grit, grind and the hustle is unmatched for me. Smart is in a league of his own with those attributes. However, in a league that has been dominated by 3 point shooting, Smart is still developing his jump shot. Similarly to Iguodala, you can’t look at the counting numbers. Smart’s defense and hustle are what got him on this list, not his scoring and offensive ability. His Defensive Box +/- over his career is 1.1 and his Defensive Win Shares are over 3. Those defensive stats are incredible.

#82: P.J. Tucker: Forward for the Houston Rockets

One of the more durable guys the past few years, Tucker played all 82 games the last two seasons. And you know what they say, the best ability is availability, and Tucker is always available. Similar to Smart, Tucker prides himself on grit, grind, and hustle. The stat line of 7.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.2 APG is nothing to gawk at. But his floor spacing ability as a defensive-minded forward is what makes him successful. He shot 37% from 3 while playing a career-high in minutes alongside James Harden.

Sure the 3 point % is fun to look at but his analytics on Tucker’s defense really show his importance to the Rockets. While his Offensive Box +/- is below average, his Defensive Box +/- is above 1.5. Along with the above-average Defensive Box +/-, Tucker adds in 3 defensive win shares and 2 offensive win shares. He is an above – average role player and very important to how the Rockets operate on both sides of the ball, helping him lock up his spot at #82.

#81: Domantas Sabonis: Power Forward/Center for the Indiana Pacers

I haven’t talked much about PER yet, but what better way to start than talking about one of the top guys in the stat. Him and Valančiūnas are two of the top 30 guys in the NBA when it comes to PER. On top of his productivity, Sabonis counting numbers in what is a time share with Myles Turner in Indiana, are nothing short of incredible. In only 24 MPG, Sabonis managed to average 14 PPG and 9 RPG. Not only is his PER and counting numbers are great, his Box +/- on both sides of the ball last year were both over 2. He also adds in 4.3 offensive win shares and 3.3 defensive win shares. Sabonis is one of the players that the new age analytics really show how productive of a player he is.

The reason he is so low on the top 100 is the time share that he splits with Myles Turner. It almost feels that Sabonis is caged up right now, and waiting to breakthrough. I feel Sabonis has the potential to be a perennial 20 PPG/10 RPG player, but for now he is stuck on Indiana. If he gets out of Indiana, I believe he has the potential to be a top 40 guy in the NBA, but now he is stuck in a bad role.

Featured Image. Straightforward Sports | linkedin. Photo Credits to straightforwardsports.com

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