10. Chris Bosh TOR (FC) 23 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$14
Bosh really made the leap this year from a guy with lots of promise to a legit post force in the NBA. In his four seasons he has improved his scoring and rebounding in each season. The only reason he slides this "low" is that he's stuck playing in Toronto. However, the Raptors played much better this past season and with another winning season you will be seeing a lot more of Bosh on television. Bosh is one of those guys who has "it". He's a guy you can build a team around and he's feisty. Toronto was wise to lock him up for the next several years, he can really be a cornerstone. Dare I say, the next Kevin Garnett?
9. Chris Paul NO (PG) 22 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$4
You didn't hear nearly as much about Paul this year as you did last season. Last season Paul pulled the Hornets out of the gutter almost on his own exceeding expectations. Unfortunately, exceeding expectations leads to elevated expectations. The Hornets started out very slow due mostly to Paul being injured and the team never really mattered this year. However, Paul's scoring and assists were up and he appears to be the next great PG in the league once Nash retires.
8. Kevin Garnett MIN (F) 31 years old Contract: 2yrs/$23
Sure he's only 31 so you may think that he should be higher. It could be argued that he has at least 5 very good seasons left. However, given that Garnett has had to carry a team, by himself, his entire career and the fact that he's been in the NBA for 12 seasons makes me a bit skeptical that he has that much gas left in his tank. That being said he still but up 22ppg and 12rpg last season on an awful TWolves team and still hasn't asked to be traded. I still think he's getting dealt at some point and here's what some team will be getting: One of the most fierce competitors in the NBA, 20/10 every night, a season without injuries, and a team leader. Not a bad package, here's hoping that by February 2008 he's on a new team.
7. Dirk Nowitzki DAL (F) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$18
Sure he took a hit after his dreadful series against the Warriors, but let's not forget he did win the MVP this year and lead Dallas to a great regular season. Nowitzki is that rare 7 footer that can play just about anywhere on the court. He can handle the ball, he can score from anywhere on the court and he draws constant double teams. The downside is he doesn't score much in the post (a major downer for a seven footer) and he plays next to no defense. Let's not go too hard on him though, I'm betting he comes up huge next year.
6. Yao Ming HOU (C) 26 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$15
Yao is a money making machine. He's going to get elected to the All Star game every season for his career. He's going to make the city he plays in a lot of money considering there are a billion Chinese paying to see him play. He's also going to put up 20ppg and 10rpg for his career. However, the NBA appears to be changing. Most teams are switching to that up tempo style of play and that leaves 7'6 guys who aren't the fastest guys on the court in a strange spot. Personally, I'll take Yao all the time. Look at the final four teams left in the NBA playoffs. Do they play an up tempo style? Nope, they are methodical and take their time. That's Yao's game.
5. Carmelo Anthony DEN (SF) 23 years old Contract: 5 yrs?$16
Taking into account his collection of "questionable" friends, I still rank him this high. He's still very marketable and will always fill the building he's playing in. He sells tickets. He's a big dude (6'8, 230lbs) who moves like a guard. However, so far his teams haven't been that good. He hasn't really led his team much of anywhere. This past season his scoring was way up putting in almost 30ppg but missed a lot of time for getting into a fight earlier this season. He's a lot like his teammate Allen Iverson. People are scared of Iverson, they don't like that he says what he wants but he's too good of a talent to ignore.
4. Dwight Howard ORL (FC) 21 years old Contract: 1yr/$6
Howard is heading into the last year of his rookie contract. I'd say Orlando has about a 99% chance of resigning him. He's the man in Orlando. I got to see him play on TV a few times this year against the Pistons and he is an absolute force. It's not fair to compare him to Shaq, he'll never score like that, but it was similar. Just two guys who are just so much stronger and bigger than everyone else. He's really only limited on offense. He did average almost 18ppg this past season but most of that was on dunks and short hooks. If he ever develops a mid range jumper he will be only slowed by his own bad nights. He's a beast.
3. Dwyane Wade MIA (G) 25 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Wade was smart last summer and signed only a three year extension to stay with Miami. I think he was giving himself an out in case he wanted to leave Miami, right idea, but he should have made it a one year deal. Miami is bad. That team is Wade and a bunch of stiffs. The way Wade plays make him one of the most injury prone guys in the league. In four years he has missed 64 games already. Not good. Think of the best players of your lifetime. Who were they? Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan. These guys didn't miss huge amounts of time during their prime. This could really hurt Wade, and his team, if he can't play more under control. The catch 22 there is that, driving the ball and diving all over the court is what makes him a good player.
2. Kobe Bryant LAL (G) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$23
Wow, he sure gets paid a lot. I would like to say right now, I think that without a doubt, Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA. He's the best since Jordan. I will argue that all you want. However, he's getting older, he's like the NBA ARod, he's high maintenance, he was tried in a rape case, etc. Oh yeah, he asks to be traded on a radio show and then retracts that hours later, but man can he score. Not only does he score, he plays D. He plays D, can score 40 on any given night and averages about 6 assists per game. There's a whole lot to like there. Too bad his so quirky.
1. LeBron James CLE (GF) 22 yeard old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Signed the same deal Wade did, better move for LeBron. Sure Cleveland isn't great, but they're a solid team. There are still major questions about his leadership abilities, his ability to come through in the clutch has been questioned, and he can disappear from time to time. That has all been said about LBJ, here are the facts:
- He's still only 22 years old.
- He's the most marketable guy in the NBA.
- He's missed 12 games in 4 years.
- He's the leader of his team at age 22 and has been for some time.
- He can put up 26/7/7 on any given night against any team.
3 comments:
So I haven't been posting to these rankings, mostly just reading and enjoying.
I wonder about Kevin Garnett. Let me start off and say that I don't know where I am going with this, but wanted to say something about him.
He is 31 and to me, that is getting up there. I don't know how many articles I have read about him "having 180,000 miles on his odometer" but I agree. Putting that much in every night on a team that isn't good is tough. He alwasy does that because there us always a possibility that he could get traded.
His age, to me, puts him down a fe notches. His other attirubutes put him back up there as far as competitor, talent, production.
I think you have the right ranking for him but he is one of those guys wehre I could see him in the top 5 or 15, depending on your logic.
As you can see from this post, I have veyr little logic, but all the same, great job on the rankings!
I agree with Rob-- I also have been reading and enjoying the rankings, and haven't had much to quibble with.
One thing-- the top three is very hard to rank. And maybe this is a sentimental choice, maybe I just like him better personally, but I would put Dwayne Wade #1. Yes, over Kobe, and over Lebron.
Kobe and Lebron are immense talents. Wade is almost as talented, and what puts him over the top for me is his smarts and maturity.
True-- he does really need to work on staying healthy. But I blame his injuries partly on, like Blake said, the stiffs he is playing with. He just wants to win so badly, that he ends up taking up the slack too much for his teammates, too often.
He needs a new team. And once he gets with some guys who actually like to train hard, he will be unstoppable. Put him with Chicago-- championship. Put him with Detroit-- championship.
Yes, Kobe and Lebron can both get extremely hot at times. Wade has never been quite as dominant as those two. But I argue that Wade is a more ideal teammate, he more consistently makes the right decisions during games, and he is a guy who knows how to win. And, yes, he can put up 30-40 points if his team needs him to.
Lebron-- still hasn't won anything. Kobe-- I, perhaps wrongly, give more credit to Shaq for the 3 championships in LA. Both guys need to grow up-- for Kobe it is becoming too late!-- if they are going to become Jordan-like players. For me-- Wade knows how to win, period. Kobe and Lebron-- they have POTENTIAL.
Kobe has shown so far, in his Sammy Hagar-like solo career (post-Shaq) that he is not the ideal cornerstone. He complains, he alienates everybody-- you can tell he hates his teammates!
Lebron has potential to be that transcendent player. And maybe in a few years, I will be eating my words, if Lebron leads his team to a championship. But what if he turns out to be the next Vince Carter? T-Mac, anyone?
Wade is the proven commodity. For me, he is the #1 player.
Whoa, Hawk, did you just compare Kobe to Sammy "I can't drive 55" Hagar? Bold move. I still take Kobe, but I have to say, I'd much rather the Pistons have him that Kobe or LeBron and I didn't know I thought that until you brought it up.
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