Top 100 NBA players entering 2022
64. . SG. Detroit Pistons. Cade Cunningham. 70. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 70. Cade Cunningham
Cade Cunningham will probably start next season in the top 50. We have already seen flashes of his immense talent, and there’s no doubt Cunningham will be on the shortlist of Rookie of the Year finalists at season’s end — if not the outright winner. It has been a slightly off-kilter start to what promises to be an illustrious career, but after fighting back from an ankle injury, it’s only uphill for the No. 1 pick.
player. 170. . PF. Charlotte Hornets. Miles Bridges. 69
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 69. Miles Bridges
Miles Bridges has gone from a strong reserve to possibly LaMelo Ball’s leading sidekick in Charlotte’s push for relevancy. Not many people saw this coming — 19.7 points and 7.2 rebounds on supremely efficient scoring. Bridges has translated his explosive athleticism into more fruitful drives to the rim, while continuing to thrive as a lob threat and cutter next to Ball and Charlotte’s talented batch of creators.
PF. Dallas Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis. 68. player. 79.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 68. Kristaps Porzingis
There is no shortage of holes in Kristaps Porzingis’ game, but he is nothing if not productive. The 7-foot-3 center has seen his efficiency plummet compared to last season, but that’s in large part due to Jason Kidd’s infuriatingly ill-constructed scheme. The Mavs don’t always get the most out of Porzingis, but he’s a floor-spacing 7-footer who can block shots and, on occasion, create his own looks off the dribble.
89. . C. Milwaukee Bucks. Brook Lopez. 67. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 67. Brook Lopez
We haven’t seen Brook Lopez yet this season, and the Bucks have made due without him. But there’s a sizable hole at center, and Milwaukee has no doubt felt his absence. When healthy, Lopez remains not only a fruitful 3-point shooter, but one of the NBA’s most underrated defensive anchors. His brick-wall frame at the rim, combined with Giannis’ ability to roam, is what makes Milwaukee such a dominant defensive team.
Tobias Harris. 66. player. 93. . PF. Philadelphia 76ers
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 66. Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris has seen his stock drop significantly after last season’s renaissance. Some of that is COVID. Some of that is Ben Simmons’ absence putting an increased burden on Harris — a burden he’s ill-suited to carry. Even so, Harris is an efficient second or third-option scorer with the size to exploit mismatches and crash the glass. His decision-making has to improve, but he’s not quite as bad as some Sixer fans would have you believe. That contract is simply absurd.