Top 100 NBA players — 50. Dejounte Murray, Spurs
There were a lot of questions about Dejounte Murray’s future last season. He wasn’t quite the best player in San Antonio’s backcourt, and while the potential was obvious, so were the flaws. Safe to say most doubters have retired to the shadows — Murray has arrived and he’s here to stay. Perhaps the leading triple-double threat in the NBA, Murray has been stuffing the stat sheet all year. His pull-up shooting has progressed, he’s carrying an absurd workload for the young-buck Spurs, and he’s still quite the defensive menace.
Top 100 NBA players — 49. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards, welcome to the party. The second-year wing has already made the leap to relative stardom, and the Wolves are on the precipice of their first postseason appearance since Jimmy Butler’s infamous exit. Edwards’ physicality driving the lane, advanced footwork off the dribble, and infectious winning attitude make him pretty impossible to deny. He’s going to do big things in the NBA.
Top 100 NBA players — 48. De’Aaron Fox, Kings
De’Aaron Fox probably deserves more credit than he gets to sticking through the storm as the leader in Sacramento’s locker room. Should the Kings have traded Haliburton before him? Probably not, but Fox remains an excellent and electric lead guard, with the blinding speed, acrobatic finishes, and flashes of pull-up shooting needed to maintain optimism long term.
Top 100 NBA players — 47. CJ McCollum, Pelicans
The Pelicans are really one Zion Williamson away from making considerable noise in the West. There’s a lot of talent at the top of that roster, and some interesting young folks rounding out the depth chart. The CJ McCollum trade was something of a mystery to some, but the goal is clear — convince Zion you want to win, and win some games. McCollum has taken a lot of heat over the years in Portland, but he’s as polished as they come creating off the dribble.
Top 100 NBA players — 46. Klay Thompson, Warriors
It’s difficult to place Klay Thompson on this list. He only recently returned from a two-year hiatus, and up to this point, his production probably doesn’t warrant top-50 placement. That said, we know what Thompson can do when he’s firing on all cylinders, and the 3-point shot hasn’t left him. Once he gets back into rhythm and starts defending at the highest level again, he could very well move up this list.