Top 25: 25 and under edition
Jun 1, 2021 23:45:39 GMT -5
b. A. (good 2023), TinyTimPig, and 2 more like this
Post by Handsome Pete on Jun 1, 2021 23:45:39 GMT -5
It's been a while since the last time someone ranked the top 25 young prospects and I'm hard up for cash, so there's no time like the present :)
I took a little bit different approach to the rankings this time around. I pulled together a list of around 50 players as I went through rosters that I thought deserved consideration, and then I pulled their career stats and compared them overall and especially against the others within their position groups. I think doing so helped show where each player's relative strengths and weaknesses lie.
Since I took this approach, that means I ignored the new batch of rookies, who don't have career stats yet. I could've speculated, but I prefer to look only at the resumes we've seen so far. Kyrie and co. will have plenty of opportunities to make a future list.
25. Ashraf Amaya PF 23 6'8'' 230 A- C C- C+ B- B
Heebs found a hidden gem in Amaya with a boatload of potential, and that's led to a promising start to the young big's career. He is the classic poor FT% high FG% build and is a little below average as a rebounder, but he is a perfect 4th or 5th starter.
24. Mike Conley PG 24 6'1'' 185 B- B- B C D- C
Conley has bounced around a bit already in his young career but looks like a perfectly cromulent point guard. He isn't elite in any one category, but he's also not siginificantly deficient anywhere either. The upside isn't there with some of the other guys on this list, but his skills are good enough that he's earned a place on the list.
23. Luther Head SG 25 6'3'' 185 B B+ C- C C C
I know what you're thinking. No, I didn't write this article solely to boost Head's trade value (but get at me if you want some Head). He's been one of the best true SGs to enter the league. He's a decent rebounder for a guard, adds some defense, and can shoot the ball well. I wasn't sure if I should pick Houston instead, as he's a slightly more efficient scorer. But ultimately, Head brings more to the table overall, and the WS/48 numbers bear that out.
22. Marreese Speights C 22 6'10'' 255 B+ C C- C C+ C
Have you heard that Speights is on the block? The Bucks have been shopping Speights seemingly since they drafted him, but the former hidden gem had a really strong rookie season. He was one of the more efficient bigs in the group, and his WS/48 number suggests he may belong a little higher than I have him. Based on his numbers, I think GMs should kick the tires on a deal, because if the numbers hold up on a larger sample and as a scoring option, he could end up being a steal.
21. Deron Williams PG 24 6'3'' 200 C A- A- C D+ C
Deron is a solid if unspectacular point guard. He's not a bad scorer but not a good one either, and he has the worst bleals of any of the PGs I looked at. His WS/48 puts him at the 3rd best point guard, mostly on the strength of his assists and handles numbers. He's a perfect fit for the Heat as a pass-first PG who won't rob too many shots from their other scoring weapons.
20. Spencer Hawes C 23 7'2'' 245 B C D C- B- C
One of the better Timpig draft picks, Hawes is on his way to being properly rated by the league as a quality option at center. He is a big who can score with good efficiency, and he doesn't turn it over often, but he's mediocre at most other skills. Unfortunately, he seems to be on the outs with the coaching staff in Seattle, as he can't ever seem to crack 27 MPG.
19. Joe Alexander SF 22 6'8'' 235 A C C- C C C
The Mountaineer had a massive first season in the nation's capital, providing a scoring threat immediately and putting up the 2nd best efficiencies numbers among the wings I looked at. His WS/48 numbers aren't outstanding compared to some others and he turned it over a lot, but as his team gets better around him, I'd expect both of those problems to shrink a bit. The A inside SG-elible wing is a rare commodity in this league, and I expect Joe will continue to light it up given the ample opportunities coming to him this season.
18. Luther Wright C 23 7'2'' 275 B+ C- C B B- B
Luther Wright was a non-profile big who went very early in his draft class. He was a high potential roll of the dice, but took a nice leap last season as a scorer and majorly cut down on the turnovers. The end result is a big who looks like a great building block for a Raptors team still trying to find its footing since dealing Sergei Belov a few seasons ago. The reboundign numbers aren't great and his WS/48 is a bit lower than most of the bigs I considered, but I feel confident enough that his rookie season was a far cry from what we'll see the rest of his career, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
17. David Lee PF 25 6'9'' 250 A- C B- C C+ C
People in shout seem down on David Lee as a player, which is a little surprising to me. He's not a great rebounder or defender relative to other bigs, but his WS/48 suggest I'm actually underrating him on this list. It likely comes down to how you feel about Ast/TO%. He does a great job of avoiding turnovers and chips in 4.4 assists per game. If you are someone who thinks Ast/TO% is a worthless component of WS (in which case I question why you think WS are worthwhile at all), you probably think he doesn't belong on here at all. But in my view, he's a player that adds a lot and his weaknesses can be covered with the right mix of players around him.
16. Brandon Bass PF 23 6'8'' 250 A- C C C B D
The Bassmaster was part of a blockbuster trade this offseason, going for a 1.3 plus some useful role players to the Warriors. He's spent a long time in Antoine Carr's shadow, and Bankz continually refers to him as Antoine-lite. I'm not sure he can get to that point, but the reigning 6th man of the year has shown he can fill it up off the bench, boasting nearly 1.18 Pts/TSA as an efficient scorer with a great FT %. I look forward to seeing him unleashed in Golden State, where he will finally get to show off what he can do as a number one option. Defensively, he's not a terrible rebounder but doesn't give you much rim protection.
15. Andrew Bynum C 21 7'2'' 295 B- D+ C- A- A B
Big Chungus Bynum does not give you much on the offensive end, putting up around 15 points on an ugly 1.02 Pts/TSA. Instead, his calling card is a combination of elite rebounding and good defense plus a lack of turnovers. Most teams would probably prefer good offense to good defense, but the Pacers have been a really stout defensive team over the time Bynum has been there and his impact on that side of the ball is undeniable. He has yet to eclipse the 10 WS mark Heebs needs him to hit in the 3013 season to win his bet with BK, but things are trending in the right direction.
14. Anfernee Hardaway PG 23 6'7'' 195 B- C+ B+ B- C C
Penny has had one of the more interesting starts to a career that we've seen in 6.0. He was forced to play on the wings his rookie season after displaying a penchant for turning the ball over, and as a wing he didn't offer too much special. But some natural TC growth seems to have really helped, as he's turned it over as much playing PG last year as he did at SG/SF the year before. Penny at point guard is a real difference maker, as he brings a dimension few in the league can match with his size and rebounding. Out of the PGs I reviewed, Penny pulled in almost 1.5 more rebounds per 36 than the next closest PG. He can also defend and put up slightly above average Pts/TSA among point guards. Penny is a Papaloukas-lite right now, but with some luck could succeed him as a terror in the west for other PGs to guard, especially come playoff time.
13. Andrew Bogut C 23 7'0'' 250 A- C C B A- C
The Suns big man is just behind Bynum and the next name on this list as a rebounder, but he's more of a traditional scoring big than either of those two. He's middle of the road for bigs in efficiency but he's the only scoring big in the group that can also challenge for a rebounding title, which definitely helps him stand out here. The turnovers are pretty high, which keeps him firmly ensconced in the 2nd class of bigs in this group.
12. Greg Oden C 23 7'1'' 260 C+ C D- B- A- C
Oden obviously scared a lot of GMs away with his scout, but his high potential and an upgrade redo have really turned him into a quality big man in the league. Unlike the bigs that follow, Oden is not much of a threat on the offensive end. He is around 1.08 Pts/TSA for his career, will never be a scoring option for a good team. However, he's shown that he's one of the best rebounders in the league and is one or two good TCs away from being a perennial DPOY candidate. Even better, he doesn't turn the ball over at all relative to his peers, so while he won't win you games with his offense, he's good enough not to lose them for you. That's enough to edge out a similar player in Andrew Bynum.
11. Vin Baker PF 23 6'11'' 232 A- C C B C C
The Moet & Hennessey deal may have led to a season-long hangover for the standout Charlotte Hornet, who saw his production dip a bit this season after a stellar rookie campaign. Vin can put up some points, although there are questions about how much of that is due to the supporting cast around him. His best quality is probably the lack of turnovers. His game is pretty one-sided, as he's not chipping in many boards or playing a lot of defense, but he's 4th out of all the bigs I looked at in WS/48 on some poor team defenses, so that gives him the edge here in a tier of bigs that are hard to parse.
10. Nick Van Exel PG 23 6'1'' 170 C+ B+ B- B- D+ C
The best young point guard we've seen outside of the state of Minnesota. The grades aren't sexy but he's got points where it counts. NVE has sublime handles and a good shooting stroke, and he looks to be a good defender to boot. His Pts/TSA are pedestrain compared to his fellow PGs, which is not great considering how much he shoots. However, by winshares he's way ahead of most everyone, and that's good enough for me.
9. Jamal Mashburn SF 22 6'8'' 250 A- B- C C+ C+ C
Mashburn starts a run of high volume scoring wings. After a strong rookie campaign and another strong outing his sophomore season, Mashburn will likely see a dip in his scoring numbers with Sidney Green gobbling up touches. However, he remains a potent offensive weapon and his all-defense team selection his rookie season shows that he isn't just a one-way player. He's a little less efficient than you'd like to see compared to some others on this list, and his TOs aren't as justifiable with his poor Ast/TO ratio, but Mashburn looks poised to play a central role in a Heat time on the rise.
8. Martell Webster SF 21 6'8'' 240 A- C D- F+ B+ B
Recently traded for a 1.1, Martell offers some serious scoring punch and the best rebounding of any wing in this group. Martell isn't without his flaws though. While display grades for SF defense are generally unreliable, it is a pretty safe bet that someone with an F+ in defense is not going to be much help on that side of the ball. More troubling though is the minutes he's received while in Pittsburgh. The sim coach has shown a reluctance to give him a full complement of starters minutes despite Martell being a big-time offensive weapon, and as Tim pointed out this weekend, it's hard to imagine he'll get more minutes on a loaded Sixers team than he was getting on a middle-of-the-road Pipers squad. If he could get 32+ minutes per game rather than 27, he'd be a bit higher on this list.
7. Michael Beasley SF 20 6'10'' 239 A B- C+ C- B- B
Supercoolbeas put up a supergoodseas last year, and while he's behind a couple other studs from his draft class, he helped lead the Magic to within one game of the title last season, so I'm sure Skrouse is happy with his 1.1 selection. Beasley was the most efficient wing of any I looked at and 3rd in Pts/TSA overall among the group. He's got some turnover issues but his assist/TO rate is still above average, and unlike Martell he had no problem getting minutes. If Beasley can follow up his stellar debut with a strong sophomore campaign, the Magic could take another leap from playoff surprise to serious contender.
6. Kevin Love PF 21 6'8'' 255 A- B+ C+ C- B+ B
The city of Los Angeles welcomed Love last offseason with open arms (after a few attempts to trade him, but such is life for all Clippers players), and Love rewarded them with a superb rookie season. He can fill up the box score, at least on the offensive end, and his Pts/TSA trails only a couple other bigs who will appear a little later. Love doesn't add a ton defensively and many will balk at his high TO numbers, but his Ast/TO ratio is still above average for a big. He's got the potential to be one of the pre-eminent scorers in the league before his rookie contract is up.
5. Danny Granger SF 25 6'9'' 237 A C C C+ C+ D
The 2-time sim league champion from the Texas Chapparals is the highest rated wing thanks to a strong all-around game and few holes. He may not score to the level of a Mashburn or Webster but he does so with good efficiency, is a plus rebounder and has the best Ast/TO ratio of any wing I looked at for this article, which no doubt helps his WS/48 numbers relative to his peers. It's likely that he won't hold onto the top wing spot too much longer, as he didn't come into the league with the same potential as someone like Martell Webster or Michael Beasley, but there is no one else on this list who has had more team success than Granger.
4. Chris Webber PF 22 6'9'' 245 A- C C+ B B+ B
C-Webb was slow out of the gates in his rookie season, as Mashburn lit up the scoreboard and stole most of the publicity. But with the help of another TC and his full complement of upgrades, he burst onto the scene this season, living up to the lofty potential that led Duc to select him 1st overall a couple seasons ago. Webber's promise is to be a different kind of force than what we've seen from bigs in the league, at least since Kenny George stopped scoring. Webber is at 3.4 bleals and takes care of the ball well for someone who racks up a lot of assists. He doesn't rebound as much as I would've expected, and he's definitely got some growing to do still as an offensive threat. But last year showed he can be a mainstay as both an all-league and all-defense honoree, something few others in the league can say.
3. Al Horford PF 25 6'10'' 265 A- C C C B- D
Big Al recently re-upped with the Bucks, and he's assumed the role of primary scorer for a top-tier Bucks squad as Antonio Gates starts to decline. Everyone knows Horford's game at this point: he's a bit of a one trick pony, but that one trick is enough to make him one of the prettiest show ponies in the league. Sure, his TOs are kinda high and he's not elite in any defensive categories. But this game has always been about BUCKETS, and Al gets them better than all others.
2. Brook Lopez C 21 7'0'' 260 A- C C- B- B- C
The Brookie monster was a bit under the radar heading into his rookie season. No one predicted him as ROTY, and he was passed over 4 times in the first round before landing in Cleveland. Although he benefits from only having one season under his belt, his production was insane last season. He is only barely edged out by Al Horford in Pts/TSA but, unlike Horford, Brook is giving above average rebounding, solid rim protection, and elite ball handling. He's easily the most complete big we've had in 6.0 and while I don't expect him to develop much more in his career, he really doesn't need to. The Cavs just need to work on surrounding Brook with a good supporting cast and let the big fella cook.
1. Chris Paul PG 23 6'0'' 185 B- A- A- B- D C
The point god has racked up the hardware since entering the league, and given the importance of the point guard position and his dominance relative to his peers not only within the age bracket but within the entire league, he is an easy pick for #1 here. CP3 gives you literally everything you expect from an elite PG, with volume scoring, a sterling Ast/TO %, and a high steal rate. The only knock on him relative to others for the top spot is the less than impressive 1.137 Pts/TSA, but if you compare that only to other point guards, it's clear that Paul is elite at this too.
Comparisons
Point guards:
Wings:
Bigs:
Overall grouping:
I took a little bit different approach to the rankings this time around. I pulled together a list of around 50 players as I went through rosters that I thought deserved consideration, and then I pulled their career stats and compared them overall and especially against the others within their position groups. I think doing so helped show where each player's relative strengths and weaknesses lie.
Since I took this approach, that means I ignored the new batch of rookies, who don't have career stats yet. I could've speculated, but I prefer to look only at the resumes we've seen so far. Kyrie and co. will have plenty of opportunities to make a future list.
Top 25: 25 & Under
25. Ashraf Amaya PF 23 6'8'' 230 A- C C- C+ B- B
Heebs found a hidden gem in Amaya with a boatload of potential, and that's led to a promising start to the young big's career. He is the classic poor FT% high FG% build and is a little below average as a rebounder, but he is a perfect 4th or 5th starter.
24. Mike Conley PG 24 6'1'' 185 B- B- B C D- C
Conley has bounced around a bit already in his young career but looks like a perfectly cromulent point guard. He isn't elite in any one category, but he's also not siginificantly deficient anywhere either. The upside isn't there with some of the other guys on this list, but his skills are good enough that he's earned a place on the list.
23. Luther Head SG 25 6'3'' 185 B B+ C- C C C
I know what you're thinking. No, I didn't write this article solely to boost Head's trade value (but get at me if you want some Head). He's been one of the best true SGs to enter the league. He's a decent rebounder for a guard, adds some defense, and can shoot the ball well. I wasn't sure if I should pick Houston instead, as he's a slightly more efficient scorer. But ultimately, Head brings more to the table overall, and the WS/48 numbers bear that out.
22. Marreese Speights C 22 6'10'' 255 B+ C C- C C+ C
Have you heard that Speights is on the block? The Bucks have been shopping Speights seemingly since they drafted him, but the former hidden gem had a really strong rookie season. He was one of the more efficient bigs in the group, and his WS/48 number suggests he may belong a little higher than I have him. Based on his numbers, I think GMs should kick the tires on a deal, because if the numbers hold up on a larger sample and as a scoring option, he could end up being a steal.
21. Deron Williams PG 24 6'3'' 200 C A- A- C D+ C
Deron is a solid if unspectacular point guard. He's not a bad scorer but not a good one either, and he has the worst bleals of any of the PGs I looked at. His WS/48 puts him at the 3rd best point guard, mostly on the strength of his assists and handles numbers. He's a perfect fit for the Heat as a pass-first PG who won't rob too many shots from their other scoring weapons.
20. Spencer Hawes C 23 7'2'' 245 B C D C- B- C
One of the better Timpig draft picks, Hawes is on his way to being properly rated by the league as a quality option at center. He is a big who can score with good efficiency, and he doesn't turn it over often, but he's mediocre at most other skills. Unfortunately, he seems to be on the outs with the coaching staff in Seattle, as he can't ever seem to crack 27 MPG.
19. Joe Alexander SF 22 6'8'' 235 A C C- C C C
The Mountaineer had a massive first season in the nation's capital, providing a scoring threat immediately and putting up the 2nd best efficiencies numbers among the wings I looked at. His WS/48 numbers aren't outstanding compared to some others and he turned it over a lot, but as his team gets better around him, I'd expect both of those problems to shrink a bit. The A inside SG-elible wing is a rare commodity in this league, and I expect Joe will continue to light it up given the ample opportunities coming to him this season.
18. Luther Wright C 23 7'2'' 275 B+ C- C B B- B
Luther Wright was a non-profile big who went very early in his draft class. He was a high potential roll of the dice, but took a nice leap last season as a scorer and majorly cut down on the turnovers. The end result is a big who looks like a great building block for a Raptors team still trying to find its footing since dealing Sergei Belov a few seasons ago. The reboundign numbers aren't great and his WS/48 is a bit lower than most of the bigs I considered, but I feel confident enough that his rookie season was a far cry from what we'll see the rest of his career, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
17. David Lee PF 25 6'9'' 250 A- C B- C C+ C
People in shout seem down on David Lee as a player, which is a little surprising to me. He's not a great rebounder or defender relative to other bigs, but his WS/48 suggest I'm actually underrating him on this list. It likely comes down to how you feel about Ast/TO%. He does a great job of avoiding turnovers and chips in 4.4 assists per game. If you are someone who thinks Ast/TO% is a worthless component of WS (in which case I question why you think WS are worthwhile at all), you probably think he doesn't belong on here at all. But in my view, he's a player that adds a lot and his weaknesses can be covered with the right mix of players around him.
16. Brandon Bass PF 23 6'8'' 250 A- C C C B D
The Bassmaster was part of a blockbuster trade this offseason, going for a 1.3 plus some useful role players to the Warriors. He's spent a long time in Antoine Carr's shadow, and Bankz continually refers to him as Antoine-lite. I'm not sure he can get to that point, but the reigning 6th man of the year has shown he can fill it up off the bench, boasting nearly 1.18 Pts/TSA as an efficient scorer with a great FT %. I look forward to seeing him unleashed in Golden State, where he will finally get to show off what he can do as a number one option. Defensively, he's not a terrible rebounder but doesn't give you much rim protection.
15. Andrew Bynum C 21 7'2'' 295 B- D+ C- A- A B
Big Chungus Bynum does not give you much on the offensive end, putting up around 15 points on an ugly 1.02 Pts/TSA. Instead, his calling card is a combination of elite rebounding and good defense plus a lack of turnovers. Most teams would probably prefer good offense to good defense, but the Pacers have been a really stout defensive team over the time Bynum has been there and his impact on that side of the ball is undeniable. He has yet to eclipse the 10 WS mark Heebs needs him to hit in the 3013 season to win his bet with BK, but things are trending in the right direction.
14. Anfernee Hardaway PG 23 6'7'' 195 B- C+ B+ B- C C
Penny has had one of the more interesting starts to a career that we've seen in 6.0. He was forced to play on the wings his rookie season after displaying a penchant for turning the ball over, and as a wing he didn't offer too much special. But some natural TC growth seems to have really helped, as he's turned it over as much playing PG last year as he did at SG/SF the year before. Penny at point guard is a real difference maker, as he brings a dimension few in the league can match with his size and rebounding. Out of the PGs I reviewed, Penny pulled in almost 1.5 more rebounds per 36 than the next closest PG. He can also defend and put up slightly above average Pts/TSA among point guards. Penny is a Papaloukas-lite right now, but with some luck could succeed him as a terror in the west for other PGs to guard, especially come playoff time.
13. Andrew Bogut C 23 7'0'' 250 A- C C B A- C
The Suns big man is just behind Bynum and the next name on this list as a rebounder, but he's more of a traditional scoring big than either of those two. He's middle of the road for bigs in efficiency but he's the only scoring big in the group that can also challenge for a rebounding title, which definitely helps him stand out here. The turnovers are pretty high, which keeps him firmly ensconced in the 2nd class of bigs in this group.
12. Greg Oden C 23 7'1'' 260 C+ C D- B- A- C
Oden obviously scared a lot of GMs away with his scout, but his high potential and an upgrade redo have really turned him into a quality big man in the league. Unlike the bigs that follow, Oden is not much of a threat on the offensive end. He is around 1.08 Pts/TSA for his career, will never be a scoring option for a good team. However, he's shown that he's one of the best rebounders in the league and is one or two good TCs away from being a perennial DPOY candidate. Even better, he doesn't turn the ball over at all relative to his peers, so while he won't win you games with his offense, he's good enough not to lose them for you. That's enough to edge out a similar player in Andrew Bynum.
11. Vin Baker PF 23 6'11'' 232 A- C C B C C
The Moet & Hennessey deal may have led to a season-long hangover for the standout Charlotte Hornet, who saw his production dip a bit this season after a stellar rookie campaign. Vin can put up some points, although there are questions about how much of that is due to the supporting cast around him. His best quality is probably the lack of turnovers. His game is pretty one-sided, as he's not chipping in many boards or playing a lot of defense, but he's 4th out of all the bigs I looked at in WS/48 on some poor team defenses, so that gives him the edge here in a tier of bigs that are hard to parse.
10. Nick Van Exel PG 23 6'1'' 170 C+ B+ B- B- D+ C
The best young point guard we've seen outside of the state of Minnesota. The grades aren't sexy but he's got points where it counts. NVE has sublime handles and a good shooting stroke, and he looks to be a good defender to boot. His Pts/TSA are pedestrain compared to his fellow PGs, which is not great considering how much he shoots. However, by winshares he's way ahead of most everyone, and that's good enough for me.
9. Jamal Mashburn SF 22 6'8'' 250 A- B- C C+ C+ C
Mashburn starts a run of high volume scoring wings. After a strong rookie campaign and another strong outing his sophomore season, Mashburn will likely see a dip in his scoring numbers with Sidney Green gobbling up touches. However, he remains a potent offensive weapon and his all-defense team selection his rookie season shows that he isn't just a one-way player. He's a little less efficient than you'd like to see compared to some others on this list, and his TOs aren't as justifiable with his poor Ast/TO ratio, but Mashburn looks poised to play a central role in a Heat time on the rise.
8. Martell Webster SF 21 6'8'' 240 A- C D- F+ B+ B
Recently traded for a 1.1, Martell offers some serious scoring punch and the best rebounding of any wing in this group. Martell isn't without his flaws though. While display grades for SF defense are generally unreliable, it is a pretty safe bet that someone with an F+ in defense is not going to be much help on that side of the ball. More troubling though is the minutes he's received while in Pittsburgh. The sim coach has shown a reluctance to give him a full complement of starters minutes despite Martell being a big-time offensive weapon, and as Tim pointed out this weekend, it's hard to imagine he'll get more minutes on a loaded Sixers team than he was getting on a middle-of-the-road Pipers squad. If he could get 32+ minutes per game rather than 27, he'd be a bit higher on this list.
7. Michael Beasley SF 20 6'10'' 239 A B- C+ C- B- B
Supercoolbeas put up a supergoodseas last year, and while he's behind a couple other studs from his draft class, he helped lead the Magic to within one game of the title last season, so I'm sure Skrouse is happy with his 1.1 selection. Beasley was the most efficient wing of any I looked at and 3rd in Pts/TSA overall among the group. He's got some turnover issues but his assist/TO rate is still above average, and unlike Martell he had no problem getting minutes. If Beasley can follow up his stellar debut with a strong sophomore campaign, the Magic could take another leap from playoff surprise to serious contender.
6. Kevin Love PF 21 6'8'' 255 A- B+ C+ C- B+ B
The city of Los Angeles welcomed Love last offseason with open arms (after a few attempts to trade him, but such is life for all Clippers players), and Love rewarded them with a superb rookie season. He can fill up the box score, at least on the offensive end, and his Pts/TSA trails only a couple other bigs who will appear a little later. Love doesn't add a ton defensively and many will balk at his high TO numbers, but his Ast/TO ratio is still above average for a big. He's got the potential to be one of the pre-eminent scorers in the league before his rookie contract is up.
5. Danny Granger SF 25 6'9'' 237 A C C C+ C+ D
The 2-time sim league champion from the Texas Chapparals is the highest rated wing thanks to a strong all-around game and few holes. He may not score to the level of a Mashburn or Webster but he does so with good efficiency, is a plus rebounder and has the best Ast/TO ratio of any wing I looked at for this article, which no doubt helps his WS/48 numbers relative to his peers. It's likely that he won't hold onto the top wing spot too much longer, as he didn't come into the league with the same potential as someone like Martell Webster or Michael Beasley, but there is no one else on this list who has had more team success than Granger.
4. Chris Webber PF 22 6'9'' 245 A- C C+ B B+ B
C-Webb was slow out of the gates in his rookie season, as Mashburn lit up the scoreboard and stole most of the publicity. But with the help of another TC and his full complement of upgrades, he burst onto the scene this season, living up to the lofty potential that led Duc to select him 1st overall a couple seasons ago. Webber's promise is to be a different kind of force than what we've seen from bigs in the league, at least since Kenny George stopped scoring. Webber is at 3.4 bleals and takes care of the ball well for someone who racks up a lot of assists. He doesn't rebound as much as I would've expected, and he's definitely got some growing to do still as an offensive threat. But last year showed he can be a mainstay as both an all-league and all-defense honoree, something few others in the league can say.
3. Al Horford PF 25 6'10'' 265 A- C C C B- D
Big Al recently re-upped with the Bucks, and he's assumed the role of primary scorer for a top-tier Bucks squad as Antonio Gates starts to decline. Everyone knows Horford's game at this point: he's a bit of a one trick pony, but that one trick is enough to make him one of the prettiest show ponies in the league. Sure, his TOs are kinda high and he's not elite in any defensive categories. But this game has always been about BUCKETS, and Al gets them better than all others.
2. Brook Lopez C 21 7'0'' 260 A- C C- B- B- C
The Brookie monster was a bit under the radar heading into his rookie season. No one predicted him as ROTY, and he was passed over 4 times in the first round before landing in Cleveland. Although he benefits from only having one season under his belt, his production was insane last season. He is only barely edged out by Al Horford in Pts/TSA but, unlike Horford, Brook is giving above average rebounding, solid rim protection, and elite ball handling. He's easily the most complete big we've had in 6.0 and while I don't expect him to develop much more in his career, he really doesn't need to. The Cavs just need to work on surrounding Brook with a good supporting cast and let the big fella cook.
1. Chris Paul PG 23 6'0'' 185 B- A- A- B- D C
The point god has racked up the hardware since entering the league, and given the importance of the point guard position and his dominance relative to his peers not only within the age bracket but within the entire league, he is an easy pick for #1 here. CP3 gives you literally everything you expect from an elite PG, with volume scoring, a sterling Ast/TO %, and a high steal rate. The only knock on him relative to others for the top spot is the less than impressive 1.137 Pts/TSA, but if you compare that only to other point guards, it's clear that Paul is elite at this too.
Comparisons
Point guards:
Wings:
Bigs:
Overall grouping:
