A genius playmaker who could lead the NBA in assists, it has been fascinating to see James Harden transition into the next stage of his career. He’s weaponizing his strength and craft in completely new ways, unlocking his mid-range pull-up and still bullying his way to the foul line as much as any guard in the league. A special player, even now.
Trae Young’s efficiency is in the toilet right now, but he’s still arguably the most potent pick-and-roll guard in the NBA. Defenses just can’t take everything away from Young: he can beat you as a shooter, driver, passer — it doesn’t really matter what the coverage is, he’ll find the seams and attack. His ability to think on the fly and improvise is one of one.
Damian Lillard is back in superstar form for the Blazers, who look competitive in the West. He’s every bit as healthy and explosive as one could’ve hoped for, drilling deep pull-up 3s or gashing defenses right down the middle with his lightning-quick first step.
Jimmy Butler still stuffs the stat sheet every night and competes hard on defense. His leadership has been the foundation of Miami’s recent run of success, and while the Heat are currently in a bad place, it’s hard to imagine Butler won’t have something to say about it before season’s end. He never gets flustered, never loses confidence.
Donovan Mitchell is making the leap to superstardom in Cleveland. He’s more efficient, more prolific, and he’s starting to lean into his passing acumen more than he ever did in Utah. Perhaps he trusts his teammates more. The Cavs are very real contenders in the East and Mitchell looks like the potential best player on a future conference finalist.