Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 70. Jusuf Nurkic
Health has kept Jusuf Nurkic at bay in recent years, but when’s he’s 100 percent, Nurkic is one of the most solid two-way centers in basketball. He’s the core of Portland’s defense, providing excellent rim protection, elite rebounding, and an intensely physical presence at the rim.
Nurkic’s offensive repertoire is pretty standard. He thrives as a roll man, using his wide frame and soft touch to carve out shots around the rim. He can score deftly with either hand, and his passing chops are underrated. Nurkic even hit 40 percent of his 3s last season, albeit on extremely small volume. That’s a trend worth monitoring, though, as it blew away his previous career high.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 69. Lonzo Ball
The Bulls signed Lonzo Ball to an expensive four-year contract, but have placed him in a prime position to succeed. Ball is at his best with other playmakers on the floor. He’s not a “point guard” in the traditional sense. He needs to move and cut without the ball, making quick decisions on the move, connecting the dots for teammates, and bombing 3s. Next to Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, both of whom can pressure the rim, Ball should look as good as ever.
In addition to his prime complementary skills, Ball is a rock-solid team defender with the size and strength to guard up a position to two. He can anchor three-guard lineups, or kickstart bigger groups with his elite court vision. He will help Chicago quite a bit.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 68. T.J. Warren
T.J. Warren appeared in four games last season because of injury. We haven’t seen him at full strength in a minute, but all one needs to do is think back to the Bubble, where Warren was the NBA’s best player for eight games. When he’s rolling, Warren is a gifted three-level scorer. In the broader context of Indiana’s new-look rotation, Warren should have ample opportunity to succeed.
In 2019-20, Warren hit 40.3 percent of his 3s. Once marketed as an almost exclusively mid-range scorer, Warren’s ability to become not only a good, but a great 3-point shooter has caused his on-court value to skyrocket. He’s a versatile defender to boot, and should emerge as a clear-cut starter in Indiana once he has time to work back into a rhythm.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 67. Robert Covington
Robert Covington remains one of the most uniquely gifted defenders on the planet. He’s not a great on-ball defender, which often harms his reputation more than it should. The Blazers don’t need Covington to stop LeBron one-on-one. What Covington does is tie the defense together. He’s elite off the ball, slipping into passing lanes, trafficking in deflections, and protecting the rim on the weak side.
On top of that, Covington is a useful spot-up shooter with deep 3-point range. He is extremely limited, but he is a true star in his role. Covington immediately elevates the status of any defense he’s a part of, and he’s an excellent shooter with size that can fit into just about any rotation.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 66. Jonathan Isaac
Jonathan Isaac has pretty much never been healthy, but the talent is tantalizing. If he can finally stay on the floor, the Magic have a real building block. Much like Covington, Isaac thrives as an off-ball defender, using his mobile 6-foot-10 frame to clog up avenues to the basket and generate turnovers, be it as a shot-blocker or a pickpocket.
Isaac, however, holds much more offensive equity than Covington. He’s not a traditional No. 1 scorer, but he can space the floor, attack mismatches in the post, or hit the occasional pull-up jumper. He’s a special athlete. It’s all about health for him. He could outplay this ranking if he just plays.