Top 100 NBA players for 2021-22 season
player. 170. . SG. Charlotte Hornets. Terry Rozier III. 80
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 80. Terry Rozier III
Terry Rozier has spent his entire career straddling the line between good and bad chaos. Last season, however, everything seemed to click in place. He earned his “Scary Terry” nickname, burying teams with clutch shot-making and becoming a viable go-to scorer in Charlotte’s free-wheeling offense.
The 27-year-old averaged 20.4 points and 4.2 assists on .450/.389/.817 shooting splits, finding the necessary balance between flash and style for the first time in his career. Some of that is playing next to an otherworldly table-setter like LaMelo Ball. Some of it is simply Rozier taking “the leap.”
118. . SF. Utah Jazz. Joe Ingles. 79. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 79. Joe Ingles
Jingles should have won Sixth Man of the Year last season, but his teammate Jordan Clarkson averaged more points per game. Ingles’ impact stretches beyond the box score. He’s simultaneously Utah’s best wing defender and the bench’s most prolific playmaker. He doesn’t score in bunches, but he does most everything else.
There’s a certain oddity to watching Joe Ingles. He doesn’t look like he should be good, but alas, he is. He can create out of the pick-and-roll, drill big 3s, kickstart possessions in transition — all the “glue” skills that help make Utah one of the best two-way teams in basketball. He deserves a lot more credit than he gets. Last season, he averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from deep.
. C. Indiana Pacers. Myles Turner. 78. player. 100
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 78. Myles Turner
Practically a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Myles Turner has cemented his status as one of the NBA’s truly elite rim protectors. He is shoehorned into an awkward role with Indiana, but even next to another natural center in Domantas Sabonis, Turner consistently impacts both sides of the ball at a high level.
On offense, Turner is a capable 3-point shooter and athletic finisher. He only played 47 games last season due to injury, but averaged 12.6 points on 47.7 percent shooting. He needs to improve in the efficiency department, but with a healthy rotation and a more competent coach at the controls, there’s reason to expect a strong return to form in 2021-22.
156. . PG. Cleveland Cavaliers. Darius Garland. 77. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 77. Darius Garland
If the Cavaliers end up making a choice in the backcourt, Darius Garland is the guy you build around. The former No. 5 pick took a big leap in year two, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists .451/.391/.848 shooting splits. He’s a deadly pick-and-roll playmaker, with deep pull-up range, excellent shiftiness off the bounce, and finesse around the rim.
Defense is still a concern for Garland, as most 6-foot-1 guards are exploitable to some degree. Even so, he’s the kind of measured playmaker you want running the show long-term next to Evan Mobley. Those two are at the center of what Cleveland is building.
76. player. 142. . PG. Washington Wizards. Spencer Dinwiddie
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 76. Spencer Dinwiddie
The Wizards siphoned Spencer Dinwiddie away from Brooklyn for a pretty reasonable price. He now replaces Russell Westbrook as Bradley Beal’s backcourt co-star — a downgrade in raw talent, but a vast improvement in fit. Factor in the depth Washington received in the Westbrook trade, and this offseason was a major success for the Wizards.
Health is the big question for Dinwiddie, who missed last season with a torn ACL. Assuming he gets back to full speed, Dinwiddie should have an immediate impact on Washington’s playoff pursuit. He excels at getting downhill, using shifty handles and quick burst to create advantages and pressure the rim. He’s a good (if not great) shooter, and a competent defender, too.