Top 100 NBA players — 80. Derrick White, Celtics
Derrick White is easily overshadowed in Boston, where he has been “demoted” to the sixth man role after co-starring to a certain extent in San Antonio. That said, White’s prodigious guard defense and well-rounded offensive contributions deserve more praise. He is an underrated part of what is currently the best defense in the NBA, and when called up, he can give you 20 points or double-digit assists.
Top 100 NBA players — 79. Scottie Barnes, Raptors
Scottie Barnes has one of the strongest Rookie of the Year cases. He has been an essential part of Toronto’s postseason push, contributing across the board, on both sides of the ball. He’s already an excellent defensive backbone, which is rare for even the best two-way rookies. At 6-foot-7, he can switch all over the place, he communicates, and he’s not heavy on mental lapses. On offense, Barnes has done a little bit of everything, just as he did at Florida State. Sometimes he’s a guard, sometimes he’s a big. His shooting has already improved tenfold since college. He’s going to be a big part of the future in Toronto.
Top 100 NBA players — 78. Gordon Hayward, Hornets
Gordon Hayward pretty much flies under the radar at this point. He’s a productive, efficient fourth option in the Hornets’ dynamic and at times explosive offense. He’s not flashy. He’s not the All-Star he was before the infamous broken leg in Boston. But he’s still a consistently impactful and varied contributor for a play-in level team. He sees the floor, plays within himself, and provides good defense at multiple positions.
Top 100 NBA players — 77. Lonzo Ball, Bulls
The injury bug struck Lonzo Ball at the most unfortunate time. He was off to an excellent start in Chicago, with his visionary passing and elite complementary skills unlocked in new ways next to DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. He was also the linchpin of, at the time, a top-10 defense, which is exceedingly rare for a guard. Hopefully Ball gets back sooner than later. He stuffs the stat sheet, he hits a lot of 3s, and he’s always one of the smartest players on the floor.
Top 100 NBA players — 76. Wendell Carter Jr., Magic
Wendell Carter Jr. is a bright fluorescent spotlight in the darkness for Orlando. The Magic have a lot of interesting young talent, but none have clicked quite like Carter clicked this season. He looks like the foundation upon which Orlando can build — not only a steadfast defensive anchor, but a versatile offensive contributor with room to grow still. Carter is an excellent spot-up shooter, and off of that, he has developed into an excellent face-up scorer. He can attack closeouts, make quick reads as a passer, or just bully mismatches in the post. Carter is Orlando’s best player right now.