seminoles1 and l3lind golfer's Top 25 Franchise Players

[seminoles1]

It's time to unveil the greatest list ever. Not everyone will agree and many will be upset with the order and lack of some players, but this is our list so deal with it. Hopefully this starts some great discussion. We will post a couple updates a day until we hit #1.

We took many things into account besides just play on the court (though that was by far the most important factor) including contract status, injury history, marketability, etc. This isn't just a list of the best players under a certain age. We actually made no age restriction on this list.

I will start by posting a few honorable mentions (no order and there were more. I just picked 5 random ones):

Anthony Davis, PF


Stephen Curry, PG/SG


Al Jefferson, PF/C


Chris Bosh, PF


Tony Parker, PG

_________________

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift-Steve Prefontaine

The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

[seminoles1]

#25
Marc Gasol, C, 27


2011-12 stats: 65 GP, 36.5 MPG, 14.6 PPG (48.2 FG%, 74.8 FT%), 8.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.9 BPG

Contract: 3 years, $44,581,570

Simply one of the best all-around Cs in the game today. After showing the ability to dominate in the 2011 playoffs, Gasol was given a max extension from Memphis and did not disappoint this season. After Zach Randolph went down early in the year, Gasol really stepped his game up to keep Memphis in the playoff picture all season. He's good with his back to the basket, has a solid mid-range shot, one if, if not the best passing C in the league, and is a very solid overall defender.

Gasol is not without his faults. He doesn't have a single dominant part to his game. He's not a great scorer, defender, or rebounder. He's just simply solid to good in all those areas. While just about everyone in the league would take Gasol at his contract, I still think he's being paid a little bit more than he gives on the court.

I believe Gasol is the 3rd best C in the league today behind Howard and Bynum. He has a very good all-around game and can match up with just about any big in the league with his size and intelligence. While great big men seem to be a rarity these days and Gasol is in his prime, the fact that he has pretty much reached his ceiling keeps him from being higher on the list. Very good player and fits in well with just about any type of team.

#24
Eric Gordon, SG, 23


2011-12 stats: 9 GP, 34.4 MPG, 20.6 PPG (45.0 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 75.4 FT%), 2.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Contract: Restricted Free Agent

Eric Gordon is a fantastic player. Generally considered a top 5 SG in the league when healthy. He's a good ball-handler, pretty good passer and he can score the basketball with his smooth jumper or by attacking the basket. In addition to his offensive skill-set, Gordon is also a fantastic defender. He plays impressive man-on-man defense against the other teams best perimeter scorer and does a great job. Gordon is a very good two way player and puts in a great amount of effort on both sides of the ball.

So with all great qualities listed above, it's easy to see why Gordon is on this list. But why number 24? Injuries. Injuries really lowered Gordon's status on this list. Gordon has never played in all 82 games in any season thus far in his career and only played in nine games after being traded to the New Orleans Hornets. Another knock on Gordon that I have is the fact that he's 6'3”. I'm not really a fan of SG's under 6'4” (I personally like them around 6'5” or 6'6”), so it would be nice if Gordon was an inch or two taller.

In closing, Gordon is a very good player but has a lot to prove this upcoming season as far as staying healthy is concerned. He is a very young guy at only 23 years old and has a very favorable contract at this point in his career. Gordon still has tons of room to get even better than he is right now and is currently set to be a restricted free agent this coming off-season. Should he decide to stay with the Hornets or possibly end up on a different team, it is possible Gordon will come at a discount due to his injury concerns.

#23
Rudy Gay, SF, 25


2011-12 stats: 65 GP, 37.3 MPG, 19.0 PPG (45.5 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 79.1 FT%), 6.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Contract: 3 years, $53,666,790

Gay is a phenomenal athlete with all the tools to be an elite player. He has incredible size for a SF at 6'9", 220 lbs. and there are very few players in the league with his athleticism. He is a solid ball-handler and good, but streaky, overall shooter. He has also greatly improved his defense over the last couple seasons and still has a lot of untapped potential. He's great shooter down the stretch of close games, making some ridiculous shots even against great defense.

However, Gay is also one of the most infuriating players in the league. Blessed with all of Kevin Durant's size and abilities, he just hasn't learned to control his shot selection on the court. He's shown flashes of being a complete offensive and defensive player, but just can't seem to put it all together. After improving his 3P shot drastically last season, it went down the pooper this season. He also has a tendency to not pass the ball and he gets caught watching on defense when he isn't fully engaged. With his athleticism and length, Gay should be a very good defender at this point. He still has quite a few years to put it all together before his athleticism starts to go, but he needs to do it quickly. His contract is also quite monstrous.

All in all, Gay is a very good player with still plenty room to grow. While some consider him a blackhole and selfish, he's the type of player and talent to where he needs to learn by failing in these instances of not passing. Once Hollins can get Gay to control his shot selection, you'll see a much more efficient scorer and team player like Gay was in 2010-11.

#22
Ty Lawson, PG, 24


2011-12 stats: 61 GP, 34.8 MPG, 16.4 PPG (48.8 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 82.4 FT%), 3.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $2,544,528 (Qualifying offer in 2013 of $3,610,685)

Ty Lawson may be a surprise for some people. This is Lawson's third NBA season and oh what a season it was. Upping his scoring output to over 16 points per game, while nearly putting up 7 assist per game makes Lawson one of the games more exciting young point guards. His jumper is extremely smooth and he has the quickness and explosiveness to drive to the paint at will. Lawson is also a fearless player, never shying away from the big moments as he led the charge as the Nuggets almost knocked the Lakers out in round one of the 2012 NBA postseason.

One knock on Lawson is that he's a smallish point guard. When looking at youngsters like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and John Wall; Lawson is extremely small measuring in at only 5'11” tall. Another knock on Lawson is his defense. While Lawson is not a poor defender, he could be better based on his quickness and instincts. His lack of size hurts him on this end of the floor as well.

In closing, Lawson is a fantastic young player at only 24 years old. Pair that with his $1.6 million salary and you got yourself a great young point guard who is only going to get better coming at a great bargain. Lawson has a great college background at the University of North Carolina and he's a leader for this very young Denver Nuggets squad.

#21
Josh Smith, PF, 26


2011-12 stats: 66 GP, 35.3 MPG, 18.8 PPG (45.8 FG%, 25.7 3P%, 63.0 FT%), 9.6 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $13,200,000

The first thing that jumps out at me about Josh Smith is his super athletic ability. Easily one of the most athletic players in the NBA and he puts that to great use. Smith is a very good defensive player and is a force blocking shots as well as protecting the rim. Smith is also a pretty solid rebounder, decent passer and can handle the ball a bit as well as hit a jumper from time-to-time. As you can tell, Smith's game is pretty diverse. He's also an electrifying dunker.

The problem with Smith is he's a bit of a tweener. He's not a true post player, he's more of a SF in terms of his athletic ability, but because he doesn't have the skillset needed to play SF and he has great size and length, he is stuck at PF. Smith has never really improved his jumpshot all of the years he has been in the NBA and while he is extremely athletic, he doesn't take over games on the offensive end. He also has a tendency to fall in love with his jumper and settle at the worst times.

Josh Smith is only 26 years old, so he's still a young guy. He's a pretty good two-way player and puts effort in on both sides of the ball. Smith has never played with a PG who can create him easy shot opportunities, hopefully that will change with Jeff Teague as he matures and becomes a better player.

#20
Al Horford, PF/C, 26


2011-12 stats: 11 GP, 31.6 MPG, 12.4 PPG (55.3 FG%, 73.3 FT%), 7.0 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.3 BPG

Contract: 4 years, $48,000,000

Al Horford was going to have a huge year for the Hawks this season. He had improved every year in the league and was ready to take a much bigger role for Atlanta...but then he got injured. But you all saw just how great of a player he was against the Celtics, and that was after missing 5 months of play and just stepping on the court. He has a complete game that includes one of the best mid-range shots in the NBA regardless of position. He has the versatility to play both PF and C and can defend just about all of them. He's completely unselfish, very efficient, a solid rebounder, etc. He's simply a very good player that's ready to take the next step to being a great player. He also has a great contract for the caliber of player he is.

The only real "problems" with Horford are the same "problems" with Gasol. He's not great at any one thing outside of his mid-range shot. He's a decent rebounder, but not a great one. He's a good passer, but not a great one, and on and on and on. The injury didn't really affect him on the list, but it's a slight concern now.

I love Horford. I think he'll be a 17-11-3 guy next season while mostly maintaining his efficiency from the floor. He's a great team player and fills any role necessary to win. Hopefully he stays injury free from now on and can take that next step. If he doesn't, then you still have a 15-9-3 player with solid defense, and that ain't bad at all.
_________________

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift-Steve Prefontaine

The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

[seminoles1]

#19
John Wall, PG, 21


2011-12 stats: 66 GP, 36.2 MPG, 16.3 PPG (42.3 FG%, 7.1 3P%, 78.9 FT%), 4.5 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Contract: 2 years, $13,375,804

John Wall is a great natural talent. 6'4” tall with outstanding athletic ability and a great feel for the game. Wall is a terrific passer and has very good court vision. He can get to the rim at will and is extremely quick with great body control. Wall is also a very good defensive player and gives a good amount of effort on the defensive side of the ball.

The big knock on Wall's game is obviously his shooting. Wall is an absolutely terrible jumpshooter and that was a weakness of his while at the University of Kentucky. At this point, you would have to think he will improve that aspect of his game and heading into his third season, I want to see a drastic improvement. His ball-security is also a pretty big issue right now as he tends to rush things offensively. He also showed almost no improvement in his overall game from year 1 to year 2. It makes you wonder about his offseason work ethic, though we'll give him a pass this time because of the lockout.

Wall is only 21 years old and honestly has the potential to be the best PG in the league in a year or two. He really needs to improve his jumpshot in order for that to have a chance of happening, but even with that issue, Wall still has room to grow and continue to get even better as he gets more experience. It would also help if the Wizards can continue to get better as a team and surround Wall with more talent.

#18
DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, 21


2011-12 stats: 64 GP, 30.5 MPG, 18.1 PPG (44.8 FG%, 70.2 FT%), 11.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Contract: 2 years, $8,797,773

The great enigma. Already one of, if not the most talented big men in the game, Cousins has an incredibly bright future in a league lacking great big men. He has a great all-around skill set including a back-to-the-basket game, a solid mid-range shot, great touch, and great ball-handling skills for a man his size. He's also already one of the 5 best rebounders in the game at only 21. He also has a "killer instinct" when he goes up against other great big men. He wants to show them all up and he has the ability to do so.

The problems are all mental with this guy. He is childish, has a bad temper, and is quite selfish. His shot selection at times is just mind-blowingly awful. He's also a dumb defensive player and is always getting himself into foul trouble, which is why he only plays around 30 MPG right now. He averaged 4.0 fouls per game with 2nd in the league coming in at 3.5 fouls per game. He really needs a coach to reign him in or he could end up being another pre-Memphis Zach Randolph, putting up pretty numbers for bad teams and having a terrible reputation around the league.

Cousins can be the best C in the league. He has more offensive talent/skills than Bynum and has the size and length to be a great defensive C and paint protector. But he has to become a smarter player or he won't ever come close to that potential. He's already productive and showed improvements in his 2nd season, but he needs to continue to show that upward trajectory in year 3 and beyond.

#17
Greg Monroe, PF/C, 22


2011-12 stats: 66 GP, 31.5 MPG, 15.4 PPG (52.1 FG%, 73.9 FT%), 9.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Contract: 2 years, $7,304,133

Some of you may be surprised at Monroe being higher than Cousins, but we both believe Monroe is more of a sure thing and is a much better teammate. Blessed with great size and ability himself, Monroe is a true all-around player. He has a great feel for the game and knows his limitations. He made huge improvements from year 1 to year 2 and that should continue until he's a consistent 20+-10+ player throughout his prime. He got much stronger and more confident in his scoring ability this season while also being less reliant on others to set him up. He's a solid defensive player as well (though his 3rd place vote for DPOY was ridiculous). Though it hasn't shown up in the numbers as much as it should, Monroe is also a very, very skilled passer out of the post.

Monroe is much like Horford and Gasol in that his weaknesses are simply a limited ceiling as opposed to someone like Cousins. Monroe wasn't aggressive enough this season in Detroit considering the lack of low post scoring Detroit had, though a lot of that has to do without them having a true PG. He isn't blessed with crazy skills or athleticism, though he's adequate at both.

As I said earlier, Monroe is more of a sure thing than Cousins and Wall and that's why he got the higher placement even though his potential isn't that of the previous 2. He still has much more potential to tap into, and I fully believe he has the ability to be a 22-12-3 (assists) player in a couple seasons.

#16
Carmelo Anthony, SF, 28


2011-12 stats: 55 GP, 34.1 MPG, 22.6 PPG (43.0 FG%, 33.5 3P%, 80.4 FT%), 6.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

When talking about Carmelo Anthony, great debate ensues. Carmelo is an elite scorer. It’s no secret that he’s one of the best pure scorers in the NBA as his offensive game is very diverse. He has one of the smoothest midrange games in the league, is a good post player and is good at finishing around the basket. Carmelo has shown flashes of being a willing passer and is one of the best in the game at making big shots as well as carrying a huge offensive load. When Carmelo is firing on all cylinders, you would be hard pressed to find a better all-around scorer with a better offensive arsenal than what Carmelo brings to the table.

With all the great things Carmelo brings to a team, he also brings a lot of baggage and some very big flaws. While he has shown small flashes of being a willing passer at times, this is nowhere near consistent. Most of the time Carmelo is a black hole on offense, meaning he restricts ball movement and feels the need to constantly iso himself (literally and figuratively) within the team’s offense . Carmelo is also lackluster on the defense end, putting in minimal effort at times. These two issues are what holds Carmelo back from being ranked with the other elite players in the league. There are also concerns with Carmelo dismissing coaching and his unwillingness to be apart of a team's offense as opposed to the offense strictly running through him. His contract also is quite ginormous.

With all that said, Carmelo is still an extremely valuable piece. A premiere scorer of Carmelo’s caliber is extremely difficult to find. Carmelo can be a great guy to build an offense around from scratch if you can surround him with the correct players.

#15
James Harden, SG, 22


2011-12 stats: 62 GP, 31.4 MPG, 16.8 PPG (49.1 FG%, 39.0 3P%, 84.6 FT%), 4.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $5,820,416 (Qualifying offer for 2013-14 for $7,636,385)

One of the first things that stands out about James Harden is his beard, the upkeep and maintenance Harden displays on his beard symbolizes his hard work and dedication. Harden is a fantastic player with no clear flaws in his game. Harden is a very reliable jump shooter that cannot be left open. He’s also extremely good at finishing around the rim and attacking the basket. Another great trait Harden has is his unselfishness. Harden displays a great feel for when to score and when to pass and create for others. He’s also a good ball handler and plays pretty good defense.

The main issue with Harden is how would he perform if a team was actually built around him and he was the main option. Would he continue to thrive? Would he play worse having to go against the other team’s best perimeter defender every night and having defenses game planning to stop him? Playing with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook is a huge benefit to Harden’s production. Defenses cannot key on him with those other guys on the floor which opens things up a lot for Harden.

James Harden is only 22 years old and still has a great contract. That combined with his awesome skill set and beard makes him an easy choice for his position on this list.

#14
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, 26


2011-12 stats: 55 GP, 36.3 MPG, 21.7 PPG (51.2 FG%, 81.4 FT%), 8.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 RPG

Contract: 3 years, $42,300,000

Aldridge has the best post game in the NBA. He displays a great variety of moves and counter-moves that no other player in the NBA can match. He also has great touch and range on his shot, being able to hit jumpers out to about 20 feet. While defensively he has gotten slightly overrated by some, he still is one of the better defensive PFs in the league. He has also continued to improve as a passer out of the post. He's able to see a double team coming and hit the open man without hesitation.

For as great as Aldridge is as a scorer, he is just as lackluster of a rebounder. He is easily pushed around and almost never boxes out in any way. He also should be a more impactful weakside defensive player with his quickness and length, but he's never made many plays on that side of the ball and instead sticks to his very disciplined style. While it's not a bad thing that he doesn't like to gamble, he could definitely take a few more risks to help the team.

Aldridge is the best two-way PF in the game. He's continued to improve in just about every way throughout his career and has paid huge dividends for Portland after trading for him. He would be higher on the list if he was a better rebounder, but he's still definitely a player any team would love to build around.
_________________

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift-Steve Prefontaine

The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

[seminoles1]

#13
Dwyane Wade, SG, 30


2011-12 stats: 49 GP, 33.2 MPG, 22.1 PPG, (49.7 FG%, 26.8 3P%, 79.1 FT%), 4.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG

Contract: 4 years, $77,168,000

Wade is a top 5 player in the game. His ability to create for himself and others is matched by few. He is a great all-around scorer with the ability to penetrate almost at will and also has a very solid post-up game. He isn't a great on-ball defender, but he's one of the best off-ball defenders in the game today. He constantly makes plays in the passing lanes and is the best shot-blocking guard of all-time.

He's 30 and small injury prone. By small injury prone I mean he's constantly getting nicked up without actually suffering severe injury. His contract is pretty huge and he most likely won't be living up to his salary in 2 years. He is also still a terribly unreliable shooter outside of 15 feet.

Wade only has about 3 years of elite play left, but that was enough to get him this high on the list. Putting him anywhere outside of the top 5 players in the game today is simply wrong, and you can't leave a guy like that off the list (unless that player is going to be 34 and is getting paid $30 million). He doesn't have upside and he has a big, cap occupying contract, but when you have Dwyane Wade then you are going to the playoffs even without help.

#12
Rajon Rondo, PG, 26


2011-12 stats: 53 GP, 36.9 MPG, 11.9 PPG (44.8 FG%, 23.8 3P%, 59.7 FT%), 4.8 RPG, 11.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Contract: 3 years, $36 million

Rajon Rondo is the most polarizing player in the NBA. Some have him as one of the elite point guards in the game, others barely have him in the top five; if he's in the top five at all. Rondo is an awesome leader. He has earned the respect and trust of three hall-of-famers and one of the best coaches in the league. Rondo is extremely unselfish and has an uncanny knack for making the right passes at the right time with his unparalleled court vision. He is also a pretty impressive defender always being at the top of the list for steals per game and will not back down from playing man defense against the other teams best perimeter player. Add to that Rondo's ability to attack the basket with great quickness to break down the defense and you've got a very dangerous player with the ability to hurt opposing teams in many different ways.

Rondo's big flaw has always been his jump shooting. While he has shown improvement, he still is a poor shooter. Teams often defend Rondo by sagging off of him and daring him to shoot jump shots. Jump shooting will never be a strength of Rondo's and is something that will always hinder him in becoming the best PG in the NBA. When discussing the top PGs in the game, he's at the bottom end when it comes to finishing at the rim. Another issue that Rondo is somewhat criticized about is how would produce not playing with three hall-of-famers. Rondo was thrown into a pretty good situation in Boston and time will tell if he can keep up his dominant play without several of his go-to guys.

Rondo is a young guy at only 26 years old and has a pretty good contract for someone who puts up the kind of production he does. Rondo is arguably THE best pure point guard in the game today and might be one of the best we have seen since the days of John Stockton and Magic Johnson. While he has his limitations, he has the heart of a champion.

#11
Kyrie Irving, PG, 20


2011-12 stats: 51 GP, 30.5 MPG, 18.5 PPG (46.9 FG%, 39.9 3P%, 87.2 FT%), 3.7 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Contract: 3 years, $18,905,884

Irving just finished one of the most impressive rookie seasons ever. He's an efficient scorer with great quickness and underrated athleticism. He's a good shooter from every spot on the floor and is very good at finishing around the rim. He doesn't have the overwhelming athleticism of Rose, Westbrook, or Wall, but he's a better shooter than all of them. He's a solid passer and already understands that he can't be the hero at all times. He also has shown to be a willing rebounder and should develop into one of the 3 or 4 best rebounding PGs in the NBA. Irving also has shown the ability to take over games down the stretch. In those situations he attacks the rim instead of settling for jumpers, and that's what most player should do at the end of games.

Defense is an issue when it really shouldn't be. He has the size and quickness to match up with just about every PG in the NBA, but that hasn't translated onto the court. Injuries also could play a factor in his future. He missed most of his freshman season at Duke due to injury and missed 15 games in his rookie year, though some of those may have been to tanking on behalf of the Cavs. While having lackluster teammates probably had a lot to do with his, Irving's assist/turnover ratio was very poor. He came in at 39th out of 44 qualified PGs this season, sandwiched between Rodney Stuckey and Jeremy Lin.

Irving is this high on the list because potential and the fact that he's already a very good NBA player at only 20 years old. I always thought his ceiling would be about Tony Parker, but his much better outside shot makes his ceiling even higher than Parker. As long as the Cavs continue to draft well, their future is incredibly bright with Irving leading the way.

#10
Deron Williams, PG, 27


2011-12 stats: 55 GP, 36.3 MPG, 21.0 PPG (40.7 FG%, 33.6 3P%, 84.3 FT%)

Contract: Free Agent (expected max contract)

Deron Williams has always been an elite point guard in my eyes, even with the emergence of all these younger point guards. Williams does not have any large flaws in his game that one can point to. He has excellent court vision and can score with the best of them. He runs an offense as good as anybody in the league and is one of the best passers in the game today. He also has great size at 6'3” tall and 209 pounds. Williams is a very good jump shooter but is also great at attacking the rim and finishing around the basket. He displays great body control and is very smooth despite not being an athletic freak.

Williams has kind of fell off of the map since being traded to New Jersey. He is still putting up very good production, but many feel it is not relevant since the Nets are not contending. His shooting and scoring efficiency have pretty much dropped off a cliff since going to New Jersey. Another knock on Williams is his defense. This is being kind of nit-picky since he's not a poor defender, but he could be better especially considering his size advantage. Williams has always posted low steals per game stats and part of that has to do with his lack of activity on the defensive end.

Williams has a huge decision to make this offseason in dealing with his free agency. He will most likely get paid a max contract and is worth every penny. Williams is an elite point guard in the NBA and has been for several years. Any team would be lucky having Deron Williams run the show for them. He's still only 27 and has plenty of years of elite play left.

#9
Blake Griffin, PF, 23


2011-12 stats: 66 GP, 36.2 MPG, 20.7 PPG (54.9 FG%, 52.1 FT%), 10.9 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $7,226,891 (qualifying offer in 2013 for $9,394,958)

Griffin is one the of the best athletes in the game and is a very strong player. He has perfect size and uses his jumping ability and strength to dominate in the paint. He's a very good rebounder and pretty efficient scorer, not trying to do things he's currently incapable of doing. He's a good and willing passer out of the post. He's one of the best transition big men in the league and is great at flying down the court for easy baskets.

Griffin is only an average defender. With his size and athleticism he should be a much better defender and, along with DeAndre Jordan, should be throwing block parties every night. His offensive game is limited right now. He gets almost all of his points based purely on physical ability as opposed to any real skills. And he's one of the worst FT shooters in the league. He regressed big time at the line from year 1 to 2. He should be getting easy points at the line but has become a liability instead.

His athleticism makes his ceiling very high. He's only 23 years old and entering his 3rd year of play. He needs to continue to improve his post game, FT shooting, and both individual and team defense. Those are all fixable things, and if/once he does improve them, he will be the best PF in the game.

#8
Russell Westbrook, PG, 23


2011-12 stats: 66 GP, 35.3 MPG, 23.6 PPG (45.7 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 82.3 FT%), 4.6 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Contract: 5 years, $80,000,000 (exact terms unknown)

An easy case can be made that Russell Westbrook is the most physically gifted point guard in the game. At 6’3” tall and 187 pounds Westbrook has great size and is the most athletically gifted point guard in the game today. There are so many good things to say: He’s an excellent scorer, plays very good defense, is a good passer and creator for others and serves as one of the team’s emotional leaders. Westbrook has never missed a game in his career (college or pro) which is extremely impressive. Westbrook also has a knack for performing well under pressure and does not shy away from big moments, instead embracing them.

With all the good that comes with Westbrook, there is also bad. Most notably: Decision making. Westbrook is a willing passer and has shown on numerous occasions that he has the ability to be a team player and make the correct decision. However, at times Westbrook can get tunnel vision and stop passing the ball. While he’s a talented point guard with good court vision and passing ability, Westbrook has a shoot first mentality and needs a good volume of shots to get into a rhythm which can hurt the team under certain circumstances. As the team’s primary ball-handler, Westbrook’s decision making needs to improve.

At only 23 years old with amazing durability, Westbrook is one of the top point guards in the game. One of the keys with Westbrook is he’s new to the point guard position, thus he will continue to get much better every season as he develops his game more. Add to that the fact that he’s surrounded by awesome players and great coaching and we have ourselves a guy who will be vying for the top point guard spot in the league very soon.

#7
Andrew Bynum, C, 24


2011-12 stats: 60 GP, 35.2 MPG, 18.7 PPG (55.8 FG%, 69.2 FT%), 11.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.9 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $16,473,002

Andrew Bynum is currently the best offensive C in basketball and the 2nd best overall C in basketball. He uses his huge frame and size to establish great post position and is able to finish with his right or left hand. He has great touch for a big man and can hit the open shot when given space and time. He is one of the best rebounders in basketball as well as an effective defensive player when engaged. At only 24 years old he still has time to improve some of his game and become an even better overall C.

Bynum's 2 major concerns are injuries and maturity. This was his first healthy season after 4 straight injury riddled seasons and it makes you wonder if it was a fluke or if he finally found a way to play more games. His maturity issues are well documented. He lets his emotions get the better of him, he openly defies his coach, skipped a meeting with his GM where he was supposed to discuss his maturity issues and how to improve them, etc. If things aren't going his way then he lets it affect his play on the court. He gets lazy on defense, which also has to do with his conditioning, and will sometimes look only to score. His contract is also a concern considering he only has 1 year left on his deal.

Bynum's young and sometimes dominant. He's turned himself into a great young player and just the fact that people are (wrongly) saying he's challenging Dwight as the best C in the league is a great testament to how much work he's put into his game. As long as he can stay healthy and learn to control himself on and off the court, then he should be a top 10 player in the league for a long time.

#6
Kevin Love, PF, 23


2011-12 stats: 55 GP, 39.0 MPG, 26.0 PPG (44.8 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 82.4 FT%), 13.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Contract: 4 years, $60,825,938 (4th year player option)

One negative that comes with playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves is they don’t get much national television exposure and that’s a shame because most people are not actually witnessing Kevin Love’s true dominance. There is not a guy in the NBA that plays harder and gives more effort than Love. He’s an awesome rebounder and his skill set is superb. Love is a good ball-handler for a big man, can shoot jumpers with the best of them and is a really good and underrated passer. Love does not let his lack of athleticism hold him back; he’s extremely fundamentally sound and has a very high basketball IQ.

While I appreciate Love’s effort, he’s not that great of a defender, a lot of that is due to his poor athleticism. Also, a lot of people feel like Love has produced ‘empty’ stats over the years because a lot of the team’s games are meaningless and he doesn’t really have to compete with his poor teammates for touches and stats. I think that is nonsense and due to the fact that most people don’t actually watch him play, only looking at box scores. One knock I have on Love is his back-to-the-basket game is average at best. He has a limited post game and he can’t really score outside of face-up position or shooting. This is something that can easily be worked on over the years. While his scoring this season went up, his shooting percentages dropped across the board. Hopefully that won't continue.

At this time, Kevin Love has proven to be the best power forward in the game today and at only 23 years old he still has time to improve his game in certain areas. The Timberwolves were a playoff team before devastating injuries kicked in and knocked them out of contention. As long as this team stays healthy they can be a major force in the West with all the young talent they have with the leadership and great play of Kevin Love.
_________________

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift-Steve Prefontaine

The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

[seminoles1]

#5
Derrick Rose, PG, 23


2011-12 stats: 39 GP, 35.3 MPG, 21.8 PPG (43.5 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 81.2 FT%), 3.4 RPG, 7.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Contract: 5 years, $94,800,000

Rose is an explosive athlete. He has incredible quickness, leaping ability, explosion, and agility. He is able to get into the lane almost at will. He has improved as a passer every year in the league and it is quickly becoming a big part of his game. Rose has also improved as a shooter in his young career and teams can no longer leave him wide open on the perimeter. He is an adequate defender all around. No more and no less. Rose is also one of the most popular players in the league. His jersey has been one of the top sellers for 2 years now.

Rose's new #1 concern is now his health. After being dinged up all season with all kinds of different injuries, he now has a torn ACL. He won't be playing until at least next postseason if at all before the beginning of the 2013-14 season. As for his on-court deficiencies, Rose too often falls in love with only shooting and has shot his team out of games multiple times. For as explosive and athletic as he is, he should be a better rebounder and defender. His numbers this season were down, but I expect that had a lot more to do with his constant injury problem this season keeping him from getting into any kind of rhythm as opposed to an actual decrease in his abilities.

Rose is 23, locked up for his prime, and is one of the most popular players in the game today. He probably would have been higher on the list had he not just torn his ACL, but he still should be expected to be back to 100% in a couple seasons. And a 100% Derrick Rose at only 25 years old is someone you definitely want to build a team around.

#4
Chris Paul, PG, 27


2011-12 stats: 60 GP, 36.4 MPG, 19.8 PPG (47.8 FG%, 37.1 3P%, 86.1 FT%), 3.6 RPG, 9.1 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $17,779,457

Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA by a pretty good margin. Paul is the best decision maker in the game, that is shown by his extremely low turnover numbers and very high assist/turnover ratio. In addition to his amazing court vision and passing ability, Paul is also a very good scorer. Displaying high shooting percentages from the field (48%) and from three point range (37%), Paul is an efficient scorer and can get his shot whenever he wants. He’s a magnificent ball-handler, runs the offense very smoothly and is basically like having a coach on the floor. Tremendous leader on and off the court and one of the best in the league at preforming at a very high level in highly pressurized moments. Paul is also a terrific defender. He’s able to play annoying man defense even with his smaller frame and is one of the best weak side defenders in the league. Paul has led the league in steals several times and is the best anticipating where passes will be thrown and playing passing lanes.

The one knock on Paul is his size. At only 6’0” tall and 175 pounds Paul has average size and nowhere near as big as most of the PGs on this list. There are also times where the offense will stall because of Paul’s over-dribbling. In addition, Paul does have a bit of an injury induced background. His past knee problems are well documented, even though he has seem to have gotten over it. He also has little nagging injuries at times, most notably seen during the current 2011-12 NBA postseason.

Just turning 27 years old last month, Paul is still very young and a top 5 overall player in the NBA. He’s currently a free agent at the end of next season, so his current contract situation is up in the air. Paul has done an excellent job at taking the Clippers organization and pulling them out of the NBA Draft lottery every year to leading them to a second round appearance in the postseason.

#3
Dwight Howard, C, 26


2011-12 stats: 54 GP, 38.3 MPG, 20.6 PPG (57.3 FG%, 49.1 FT%), 14.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG

Contract: 1 year, $19,261,200

The best and most impactful defensive player in the league. He isn't as smart or as vocal as KG, but no one makes as much impact on team defense as Dwight does. Orlando hasn't finished lower than 7th in opponents PPG over the last 4 seasons even though everyone else on Orlando pretty much sucks on defense. Dwight is the best rebounder in the league with his elite size, athleticism, and timing. His offensive repertoire has always been criticized, but it's becoming underrated these days as Patrick Ewing has done a very good job over the last couple of seasons in improving Dwight's work on the block. Dwight now has a very good running and baby hook with both hands. He could still use more work, but he's efficient and has enough of a post game to where it can't be considered a weakness.

Dwight's two biggest problems are now FT shooting and his image. While never a good FT shooter, he was always around 60% until this season, where it dropped off a cliff. Shooting 49% is unacceptable for any player on any professional level. That is just humiliating. Over the past 2 seasons Dwight has gone from a very likable guy to one of the most annoying superstars in the league. His constant back and forth with the Orlando front office involving his contract, trade demand, asking for his coach to be fired, and such has turned pretty much every fan off. He has tried to please everybody, but by doing that has actually pissed everybody off. He now seems very childish and immature like a toddler who doesn't know what toy he wants and cries when he can't get them all. His back injury has put into question his future ability, but this doesn't seem to be a Larry Bird type injury where it will continue to deteriorate every single day until he can barely move.

Dwight, even with his FT shooting woes and off-court troubles, is a top 3 player in the league. I think he's actually the 2nd best player in the league, but the two guys in front of him on this list are either much more likable while barely being the lesser player or a better player while barely being less likable.
_________________

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift-Steve Prefontaine

The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

[Bleedin_Green36]

Following! Hope Cousins is in the top 15 or so.
_________________

Jamison. on the crazyyyy sig.
Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia Eagles & Georgia Bulldogs <3333

[seminoles1]

Nevermind.

[Troy Brown]

lol @ anthony davis
_________________
Yo, is that time machine done yet?

[dante9876]

Seminoles(Loves James) + Golfer(hates James) = very interesting. Also very interesting on how Howards attitude would drop him in these rankings. He could easily be top 2 or 3. But with his recent acts I not so sure anymore.

[tonyto3690]

5 players in, and the list is already a massive joke.
_________________

[Mossburg]

People who don't read often look silly.
_________________
Equal Opportunity Hater

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Mark Twain

[dante9876]

[l3lind golfer]

[l3lind golfer]

[RavensTillIDie]