Logan's Top 20 NBA Players

This is going to be a fun one. With the NBA beginning again FINALLY, I thought today is as good a day as ever to make my top 20 players list. I hope to update this as the season goes on and players move in and out. This is obviously highly subjective, but that's what makes it fun. This is a clean slate, we only have past data to rely on but I want this list to be about what the players can do going forward. Without further ado, the highly anticipated top 20 players this season are: 

20. Scottie Barnes

My first homer pick on the list. Honestly I think Scottie can rise higher this season, he missed the end of last year with a hand injury and I think that makes people forget. Scottie is a do it all forward with great vision, improved shooting, good ability to get to the rim and awesome help defense. Scottie can plug and play in any team and provide them something positive in every game. There's an argument for a lot of guys at 20, more established players like Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard I had to take hard looks at, but at the end of the day I am valuing availability. Another snub would be Sabonis who definitely deserves some love, ultimately I feel like Scottie Barnes already has similar offensive upside to Sabonis while being a much better and more versatile defender. This year Scottie Barnes will open a lot of eyes. 

19. Pascal Siakam

Spicy P gets no love on these lists, and so I wanted to give him a shout in my top 20. The same snubs apply to Pascal as they did Scottie and I think Siakam deserves the nod ahead of them for pretty much the exact same reasons. Pascal Siakam grew his game every year in Toronto making himself into a versatile do it all forward. He's one of the most efficient players out of the post in the NBA, constantly drawing double teams and finding the open man or scoring at will when the double doesn't come. Siakam finally got the love he deserved after helping his Pacers team get to a conference finals as the number one scoring option. Siakam isn't a lockdown defender, but he is solid, long and fast on that end making him easy to fit in anywhere. Spicy P may be fringe top 20 in a lot of people's hearts, but those who have watched him for years understand the quality of player he really is.  

18. Bam Adebayo

This is the first instance of my list where I show what I value. Especially in a big man, I think defense has to be your number 1 skill unless you're literally the best offensive player on the planet like Jokic. Bam has an argument for most versatile defender in the league, able to guard 1-5 with ease while being a premier rim protector. You have to give Bam a lot of credit for the role he had in taking Miami to two finals that they had no business being in. On offense, fans often want more out of Bam, but he is not a zero out there. A serviceable mid range shooter and good finisher, Bam is great at using his athleticism to get to the rim. Bam's also a good playmaker which plays really well in Miami's offense that features a lot of off ball movement and cutting. A solid argument I have a lot is Sabonis vs Bam. I tend to lean Bam because as good as Sabonis is on offense, Bam is one of, if not the best defenders in the league. Having a center who plays elite defense is just easier to build around. Bam has played on some teams with pretty limited talent outside of him and Jimmy Butler and yet he has a .546 winning percentage in his career, that has to mean something. 

17. Donovan Mitchell

A professional bucket getter, Donovan Mitchell is one of the best scorers in the league. Playing on Cleveland and Jazz teams that have historically lacked spacing, Mitchell still has been able to put up huge offensive numbers his entire career. Where Mitchell struggles sometimes is staying engaged on defense, especially playing in a smaller backcourt along side Darius Garland. The Cavs do have a great winning formula for the regular season though with 2 elite rim protectors holding down the paint and covering up a lot of mistakes. Mitchell is as good as anyone at closing games. His ability to create his own shot isn't matched by many players in the world and because of that, he's a top 20 player in the league. 

16. Anthony Edwards

I am so sick of the overhyping that Ant gets. Yes, he plays hard on defense, talks a lot of shit and has flashes of greatness. I feel like the NBA has shoved him down our throats as the player next in line to be the face of the league. He is exciting, I will give him that, but I think he still has some improvements to make before he can sneak into that top 10. The biggest thing with Ant is improving his vision. Ant makes the right play a lot when defenses collapse on him in the paint, but he also gets tunnel vision sometimes. Double teaming Ant I like to compare to double teaming Embiid, he sees it a lot and makes the play a lot too but it processes just a tick slower than some of the higher IQ players in the league. Ok that's a lot of talking shit I've done about a top 20 player, Ant does good stuff too! He's arguably the most athletic player in the league, he has devastatingly long hang time on his layups and he's turned himself into a great 3 point shooter. His intangibles are off the charts already taking up the leadership role on a conference finals team at age 22. As much as I like to hate on him, the sky is the limit for Ant and if things go according to plan, he'll be in the top 10 of this list by season end. 

15. Devin Booker

Book might have 1 season left as best pure SG in the league before Ant comes and takes it from him. Everything said about Mitchell applies to Devin Booker, one of the best scorers in the league from all 3 levels, Book is able to create his own shot all game every game. Booker is also an underrated playmaker, although it's not his natural role, Book was thrusted into the PG role for the Suns last season and he performed pretty well. The Suns would be better off playing Book more with Tyus Jones so they can better utilize his number one skill: bucket getting. Where Book slides down the list despite his many talents, is he just has an aura of softness to him. He can play great defense but he doesn't always, he can take over games but he doesn't always. I will never forget when playing in an empty Raptors arena, Booker complained to the ref about the Raptors mascot jumping while he was shooting free throws. One of the softest things I'd ever seen. Anyway, softness is subjective, I too am soft so who am I to judge?

14. Tyrese Haliburton

Big Hali fan, I might have him too high given his glaring short coming: defense. Just to get it out of the way, Hali is a pretty atrocious defender by all metrics and the eye test. Usually this is enough to slide for me, but Hali is in my top 14 for a reason, he's a 1 man instant top 5 offense. One of, if not the best playmaker in the league, Hali is insanely fun to watch when he's getting his teammates going. It must be so fun and easy to play with a guy like Tyrese who is essentially guaranteed to find you when you're open, and pass it to the perfect place to get you open when you're not. Hali has a great handle and size at the PG position allowing him to break down defenders and create mismatches benefitting his team even more. The knock people have on Hali's offense is that even though he is an elite shooter from all 3 levels, he doesn't do it enough. The Pacers now have a great go to scoring option in Siakam which I think can help alleviate this burden on Hali allowing him to focus on what he does best, getting his teammates involved. 

13. Jalen Brunson

Maybe my favorite player in the league? Ok there's some strong candidates for that but Brunson is up there. Standing at just 6'0 if you're being generous, Brunson is the best pound for pound scorer in the league right now. It is so fun watching Brunson get into the paint and actually use post moves as a small guard, and it works! In every playoffs Brunson has been a part of, he's been absolutely unstoppable, despite having all the attention on him last season. Brunson isn't a lockdown defender, given his size, but he is a smart and good team defender in a way that reminds me of peak Kyle Lowry. At the PG position, you might want a little more willingness to playmake, but if you're as good of a scorer as Brunson I don't think that's the case. Brunson will be on a loaded Knicks team with big expectations. He's already won the hearts of fans across New York and he has a real case for being a top 10 player this season.

12. Jaylen Brown

The reigning finals MVP, Jaylen Brown is awesome and continues to improve his game every season. Basically everything you'd want in a 2/3, Brown can defend at a high level, get to the rim with speed or strength and shoot from anywhere on the floor. The biggest knock on Brown's game was that he couldn't go left, he's worked tirelessly to improve this aspect of his game but in the meantime, he's pretty damn good at going right. Watching the Celtics, Jayson Tatum definitely has the most upside and fluidity out there and he frequently has superstar level performances, however there are games where Tatum is off and in these moments you see the value of Jaylen Brown. I believe Brown is the most consistent player on the Celtics, no matter what he's going to give you good production. In the finals when Tatum's shot wasn't falling, Brown became the number 1 scoring option and took home finals MVP. 12 is as low as I am willing to go for a guy like that. 

11. LeBron James

Isn't it crazy that LeBron is turning 40 this season and there will be people who think it's crazy to have him outside of the top 10? This should be impossible. I don't need a big writeup on LeBron James, we've seen it for over 2 decades at this point. LeBron is still the smartest player in the world, he makes all of his teammates better wherever he goes and is an elite passer. LeBron is the all time leader in points scored and continues to be lethal from the post, even adding the 3 point shot to his game in the latter stages of his career. Even though LeBron takes more plays off on defense now, when he locks in he's still one of the best players in the league there. LeBron isn't the most athletic player in the world anymore, but he is still one of them which is just plain insanity. Even though I have him just outside my top 10, if I need to win 1 game LeBron is still the guy I want on my team. The only thing keeping him out of being higher is that he needs to pick and choose when to be dominant in order to stay healthy all season. 

10. Anthony Davis

Is this where the controversy starts? Ok lets be real, earlier in my list I definitely was controversial. Still though, Anthony Davis over LeBron won't stand out as evident for casual fans. AD is one of, if not the best rim protector in the league. He has a similar impact to Rudy Gobert on defense at the rim but better switchability when needed. AD is probably the best lob threat in the league that isn't a 7'5 center from France. Even though his off the dribble game leaves something to be desired, AD has found ways to be an elite scorer for a long time. There's never a game in which AD has zero impact, having him on the court instantly means you have a defense that should be feared. The Lakers will go as far as AD's health will take them this year and I believe he will end the season as their undisputed best player.

9. Victor Wembanyama

This is seriously as low as I am willing to go for Victor Wembanyama. Playing limited minutes a lot of last season with an experiment at PG in Jeremy Sochan, Wemby still managed to average 21/11/4 on 57% TS%. There's at least 3 times a game where Wemby makes your jaw drop to the floor by doing something a 7'5 man has no business doing. This season, playing with Chris Paul and a slightly improved supporting cast, I expect Wemby to have even crazier numbers. In every interview Wemby makes it clear his number 1 priority is winning and improving. Starting off as already one of the best players in the league as a 19, having a winning mentality is frankly terrifying. I haven't even talked about his defense yet. Wemby is the best defender in the world, without a doubt. Watching his games, he essentially eliminates the part of the floor he's on like a great safety does in football. He doesn't just put up great counting stats, like leading the league in blocks by a mile as a rookie, he also makes guys scared to even attempt around him. Not just at the rim too, Wemby is so long and agile that nobody else comes even close to his ability to block 3 pointers. The only thing holding Wemby back from being in the top 5 of everyone's list is the quality of the team around him. I am so excited to watch this absolute freak of nature again this season.

8. Kevin Durant

I was so excited to talk Wemby and now that it's over and I'm staring down the rest of my list, I am sad. Fine, lets do KD now. Kevin Durant is still awesome. People don't mention enough how crazy it is that KD bounced back from an Achilles tear and remained a superstar. Although he doesn't get to the rim like he did in his prime, KD's jump shot is unguardable from anywhere on the court. His length is impactful on defense on a Suns team that needs every ounce of defense it can get. As KD ages, his health becomes a question mark every season but fully healthy you can argue KD is a top 5 player in the world. There's a lot of guys you can go with for this title but KD still deserves a mention when you think about the best scorers in the league. In a game that at the end of the day is all about buckets, how could you leave an elite scorer like that out of your top 10?

7. Jayson Tatum

I feel like if your favorite player is Jayson Tatum you probably also like vanilla ice cream. That is what Tatum is. Don't get me wrong, vanilla ice cream is great! You can eat it on it's own and it'll taste awesome, it's perfect in a sundae with a ton of toppings to spice it up, the ultimate versatility ice cream. Tatum fits this perfectly, he's bad at nothing, he's a really good shooter, defender, playmaker, iso scorer and finisher. He can guard multiple positions very well and is capable of being the focal point of a championship team. He isn't necessarily elite at any 1 of these skills, but he is very good at all of them. Put it all together and you have easily a top 10 player and arguably a top 5 one. Tatum got a lot of shit for shooting the ball poorly in the finals, but I thought he was actually really good out there. Even when Tatum's shot isn't falling he finds other ways to impact winning. People can't forget about the fact that he is absolutely capable of taking over a game and just going berserk putting the ball in the basket. It's easy to hate the Celtics. Tatum is a corny guy and it's easy to hate him too, but at the end of the day, he's clearly a top 7 player, maybe even higher. 

6. Joel Embiid

Does anyone outside of Philadelphia enjoy watching Joel Embiid? for a 7 footer who weighs over 300lbs, he sure does hit the deck a lot. For all the shit you can talk about Joel Embiid, and there's a lot, he is on another level when it comes to scoring the basketball. Put a big guy on him and Embiid will pick him apart with footwork and jumpers. Put a small guy on him and Embiid will bully in the post all game. The answer has been to double team him, but lately Embiid's playmaking has improved to a point that we'd all be losing our minds if Jokic didn't exist. Embiid struggles slightly to guard guys in space, but he makes up for it dramatically by being one of the league's best rim protectors. There are two knocks on Embiid that keep him out of the top 5, the first being that he is injury prone. Embiid can't ever spend a season fully healthy and he's already slated to miss the first week of this season. And then there's the playoff woes. Embiid has disappointed year after year in the playoffs and for a definitive MVP candidate, it's just not good enough. When Embiid is on the floor in the regular season though, he is probably dropping 30+ points on great efficiency and there's nothing you can do about it.

5. Steph Curry

To me, Steph is going to need to show some kind of signs of decline for a solid 3 months straight before I let him slide out of the top 5. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter we've ever seen. Some of the 3s he makes just make you laugh and shake your head, nobody should be that good at shooting the basketball. Because Steph is so incredibly deadly from outside, defenses have to blanket him all game, and this is where Steph's real best skill comes in. If you watch a Warriors game, Steph Curry never stops moving. While a lot of great point guards are amazing on ball, and Steph is too, Steph stands apart by being one of the best off ball players in league history. Defenses have to chase Steph around all game, causing confusion and havoc opening up opportunities for everyone else on the team. Leave Steph even an inch of daylight and he's hitting a shot in your face. Really this all goes without saying, Steph is arguably a top 10 player all time and if he's healthy, no matter what the matchup, the Warriors have a chance to win. 

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Did I say Brunson was my favorite player? Shai is definitely my favorite player. Canadian bias aside, you could argue that SGA is the best closer in the league right now. Shai is methodical at creating his own shot, using his elite ability to change speeds to his advantage. Shai can put his head down and get to the rim like the best of them, but if you over commit to that, there's nobody better at stopping on a dime and pulling up for a mid range jumper. Shai is long and imposing for his size making him a terror on defense for opposing guards and allowing him to use his reach to get steals and blocks. With insane efficiency, Shai looks to score first, but that doesn't mean he's a bad playmaker. Shai's the ultimate team first guy, knows when he has to take over and happy to let his teammates cook too. Playing on a stacked Thunder team in the west, Shai has a great chance to win a championship this year. I've said for the last 3 seasons, if you have Shai on your team in a close game, I don't care who the opponent is, you've got a great chance at winning. 

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Damn the top 3 gets kind of boring. There's not much debate about who the top 3-4 guys are it really just comes down to personal preference in the order. Giannis when healthy is an MVP and DPOY candidate and the most physically dominant player in the league. Giannis is a bad shooter, and it doesn't even matter because he can get to the rim and score whenever he wants. An elite rebounder, shot blocker help defender, Giannis is a force on defense as well. He's one of those guys where if you have him healthy, regardless of the supporting cast around him it's hard to see your team winning fewer than 50 games. The Bucks are aging and have depth concerns which could make true contention difficult at the end of the season. Having a dominant player like Giannis though makes it so that you simply cannot forget them when going over contenders in the east. 

2. Luka Doncic

Regardless of what you think about heliocentric basketball, you can't have Luka outside of the top 2 after the playoffs he just had last season. Luka is a 1 man offense who can do some pretty crazy things with the basketball. Luka put up some bonkers numbers last season averaging 34/9/10 on a ridiculous 62% TS%. You simply can't guard Luka with the way he changes speeds and thinks the game 10 steps ahead of anyone else out there. You send a double team and Luka finds the pass to the guy you're rotating off of immediately. Guard him 1 on 1 and Luka is hitting a step back in your face or taking you all the way down to the rim. There's a lot of question marks for the Mavericks supporting cast around Luka, even after making the finals last season. One thing is for sure though, if the Mavs get in, Luka gives them a chance to win absolutely any series they play. 

1. Nicola Jokic 

Everything good you can say about Luka applies to Jokic as well but Jokic is 4 inches taller and more girthy. The best passing center the game has ever seen, Jokic makes his teammates better every game. It sometimes feels like to stop the Nuggets your best bet is to make Jokic a scorer, something he's also insanely good at, that way his teammates don't get rolling to snowball your problems. Jokic cares about winning above all else on the basketball court and will happily sacrifice his stats if his team gets the win. Although Jokic isn't a great defender, he is the best offensive player in the world. Can you tell I am running out of steam? There's not much to say really, having Jokic on your team means your team is a contender, regardless of who else is out there. 

That's that! I am sure this top 20 will make some people angry and will please some others, just like all top 20s. I can't wait for my team to play tonight and for the season to really get rolling! Go Raptors.