Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 40. Draymond Green
Draymond Green is not the absolute mega-star he once was in his heyday, but he’s still an elite elite “role player” who does just about everything except shoot for Golden State. He finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, and averaged a career high 8.9 assists per game.
The future Hall of Famer continues to exert his will on games despite a distinct lack of scoring touch. He legitimately ran the show for stretches last season, while his ingenuity as a pick-and-roll partner next to Stephen Curry is still off the charts. He holds together an above-average defense with his communication skills alone (not to mention lightning-quick hands and a preternatural ability to read opposing offenses). Even after all this time, he’s vastly under-appreciated.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 39. Mike Conley
There’s a reason Utah’s ascent to the No. 1 seed coincided with Mike Conley’s return to form. After a rocky first season with the franchise, Conley found his groove in year two, even making his long-awaited first All-Star appearance. He doesn’t have the same counting stats as other players in this range, but Conley’s well-balanced contributions are a big reason for Utah’s title contention.
Even at 33 years old, Conley can tear it up on both sides of the ball. He’s an elite pull-up shooter, a clever primary initiator, and a pesky on-ball defender, with a reputation dating back to his Grit n’ Grind days in Memphis. He’s undersized at 6-foot-1 and age is a concern moving forward, but he hit 41.2 percent of his 3s last season, averaged 16.2 points and 6.0 assists per game, and was the No. 3 player on the NBA’s best regular season team.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 38. Julius Randle
This is one I’m not super confident about in either direction. Julius Randle made second team All-NBA, which is normally indicative of a top-15 or 20 NBA player. That said, last season also felt suspiciously fluky. He crumbled like a three-day old cookie in the playoffs and spent all season heavily reliant on difficult jumpers (jumpers that, a year ago, would have been plainly considered bad shots for Randle).
The production is hard to deny — 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while slashing .456/.411/.811 — and should he maintain that production for a second straight season, he could rocket up this list next offseason. He also has more help on the perimeter, which should alleviate some of the pressure placed on him in the playoffs. That said, I am somewhat skeptical. He’s good, but is he really top-20 good?
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 37. Domantas Sabonis
He’s not his father, but Domantas Sabonis has a lot of the family’s craft. He’s a brilliant passer who sees the floor in every direction. He can dominate games from the high post, slinging passes to open teammates, or using advanced footwork to slip and slide his way to buckets at the rim. If his 32.1 percent 3-point shot improves, then Sabonis could unlock an even higher level offensively.
Defense is the big drawback for Sabonis, who has essentially been playing out of position next to Myles Turner in Indiana. If the Pacers can clear the floor for him to play center, that could benefit both Sabonis and the team as a whole. The flip side, of course, is that Sabonis doesn’t really protect the rim. That undesirable trade-off prevents him from rising further up the list.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 36. Ja Morant
The former No. 2 pick was the best player on a Western Conference playoff team, which speaks to his current ability and his sky-high ceiling. Ja Morant is already must-watch television, with blinding end-to-end speed, elite passing skill (and flare), and to top in all off, the occasional mind-bending poster dunk.
Morant is a freakish athlete despite his slender 6-foot-3 frame. He doesn’t shoot the 3 very well yet (30.3 percent), but it hardly matters because defenders just can’t keep in front of him. If Morant can increase his volume and efficiency from deep, it’s game over. He’s already better than most guards his size finishing at the rim. He averaged 19.1 points and 7.4 assists at 21 years old.