It’s the boring part of the NBA offseason with nothing happening, quite frankly. Summer League is over, and free agency has completely stagnated. The Damian Lillard situation is expected to drag on with no definite ending in sight.
This makes NBA rankings list -- and inevitable critiquing and criticizing -- quite prevalent on Twitter at this time of the year. I’ve seen top 50s and 100s, some of which are atrocious.
Firstly, I don’t want to spend time putting together an extensive top 50 or 100. That’s too much work. Second, I don’t want criticism for having #42 over #45, and I don’t want to hear how my #33 needs to be top 25.
There’s just no need for all of that, so I’ve settled on doing a top 10, which was quite frankly a difficult enough exercise. I deeply considered four players for the #4 and #10 spots. I considered three players for the #5 spot.
Because of how close some of this is, I elected to put these players into tiers along with their top 10 placement, and the players are completely interchangeable in their tier. For example, I could see and accept #7 player as the #4 players because they are both in my third tier. Additionally, I put zero consideration into injury issues for this, and I did not just consider just the 2023 form of players. This is not a 2022-23 ranking list; it is an NBA player list.
Honorable Mentions (Tier 5): Jayson Tatum (11), Devin Booker (12), LeBron James (13)
10. Jimmy Butler (Tier 5)
2023 regular season stats (64 games): 22.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 64.7 TS% (53.9/35.0/85.0 splits) 2023 postseason stats (22 games): 26.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, 56.5 TS% (46.8/35.9/80.6) 2023 accolades: All-NBA 2nd Team, ECF MVP
I completely understand having any of the honorable mentions over Butler, but I couldn’t not include him here. He’s an uber efficient player who can play with and without the ball, doesn’t turn the ball over, and is an elite defender. He can make plays for others, and he can create for himself too. He’s the whole package. He was in the middle of an absolutely elite playoff run before getting injured versus the New York Knicks, which then caused him to play on one ankle for the rest of the postseason. He has led Miami to two finals in the past four years, something that undoubtedly holds value to me. No one slated the Heat to get to these finals, but he got them there. Look at what he was in the middle of before injury:
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1683184167046070275?s=20
9.Anthony Davis (Tier 4)
2023 regular season stats (56 games): 25.9 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 62.7 TS% (56.3/25.7/78.4) 2023 postseason stats (16 games): 22.6 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.1 BPG, 59.9 TS% (52.0/33.3/85.2) 2023 accolades: N/A
If you said to me that Anthony Davis is the best defender in the league, I don’t think I would argue with you. He’s an insanely good rim protector to the point where teams in the playoffs were looking to run pick & rolls just to get Davis out of the paint. That's how good he is there. Please don’t say how Nikola Jokic did great versus him to dispute AD’s talent defensively because Jokic cooked everybody in front of him in the postseason.
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1682438949740879877?s=20
On the other end, Davis is an elite screen and roller with his vertical pop and short roll playmaking. He’s an incredible finisher and rebounder on both ends with a pretty good dose of creation ability. His overall impact on both ends is just amazing, making him an easy top 10 player in the league to me. Enjoy these defensive highlights from just a few games:
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1682165127779368962?s=20
8.Damian Lillard (Tier 3.5)
2023 regular season stats (58 games): 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 64.5 TS% (46.3/37.1/91.4) 2023 postseason stats: N/A 2023 accolades: All-NBA 3rd Team, All-Star
Okay, I’ll say it. I thought of putting Damian Lillard as high as #4, and I think there’s the argument that he’s the second best offensive player on the planet. At worst, he is the fourth best offensive player on Earth. He’s the best pick & roll and handoff player in the league, is a threat the second he crosses halfcourt, is an all-time great shooter, and is an elite playmaker.
He can get downhill and finish at an elite level too. He literally is coming off of the best season of his career, and nobody is talking about it. He has practically no offensive flaws, and the only thing holding him back is his poor defense, which I cannot argue against. The Miami Heat with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are just so perfect for Lillard to maximize him on both ends. The idea of Erik Spoelstra with Lillard is just so insane.
For what it’s worth, I think Lillard will be in MVP conversations if he stays healthy with the Heat.
7.Kevin Durant (Tier 3)
2023 regular season stats (47 games): 29.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.4 BPG, 67.7 TS% (56.0/40.4/91.9) 2023 postseason stats (11 games): 29.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.4 BPG, 59.9 TS% (47.8/33.3/91.7) 2023 accolades: All-Star
People seem to forget Durant is 34 and still producing at an absurd level. He’s the best mid-range scorer in the league, shooting absolutely unbelievable percentages. This below stat is actually hilarious.
https://twitter.com/NBA_University/status/1673384744443060247?s=20
He doesn’t need the ball to score either. He can get buckets with the ball in his hands, coming off of curls and down screens, as a spot-up guy attacking closeouts, you name it. Sprinkle in the weakside rim protection that he adds at a quietly very high level in addition to the underrated playmaking ability, and you’re looking at an absolutely awesome, generational talent. He and the Suns are going to be lots of fun this coming season. Look at KD on this graph:
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1683495738104332291?s=20
6.Luka Doncic (Tier 3)
2023 regular season stats (66 games): 32.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, 60.9 TS% (49.6/34.2/74.2) 2023 postseason stats: N/A 2023 accolades: All-NBA 1st Team, All-Star
Doncic is a very interesting player to rank, as I found myself trying to figure out where to place him, debating between as high as #4 and as low as nearly #8 but settled in the middle. Doncic’s main criticism is his lack of off-ball ability, and I think it’s certainly a big concern. If he could provide more without the ball in his hands, he would be the clear cut #4 to me, even potentially getting close to that #3 spot.
He’s just so absurdly talented with the ball in his hands, though. There’s nothing he can’t do with the ball. He’s super efficient, can make pull-ups from anywhere, can make passes from anywhere, can find his way to the basket, and finish it. He needs to take that next step and learn to play without the ball in his hands, which will also help the Mavs win more. I’m hoping to see Doncic back in a playoff setting soon because he’s been so unstoppable there.
5.Joel Embiid (Tier 3)
2023 regular season stats (66 games): 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.7 BPG, 65.5 TS% (54.8/33.0/85.7) 2023 postseason stats (9 games): 23.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.8 BPG, 56.1 TS% (43.1/17.9/90.5) 2023 accolades: MVP, All-NBA 1st Team, Scoring Title, All-Star
The reigning MVP slots in 5th in my list, but I nearly put him at #7. To me though, he was just too good in the regular season for me to put him any lower. I have my playoff concerns with him surely, and he needs to prove me wrong this season before I move him lower on my list due to a being a consistent postseason dropper.
But there’s just so much to love. He’s an elite post scorer who can still score from almost any place on the court. He’s an elite defender and elevated himself on that end in the postseason despite nobody talking about that part. He’s a good -- not great -- playmaker. He’s truly very dominant, and don’t let the postseason make you forget that. He still stole Jokic’s MVP from this regular season, however!
4.Kawhi Leonard (Tier 3)
2023 regular season stats (50 games): 23.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 62.3 TS% (51.2/41.6/87.1) 2023 postseason stats (2 games): 34.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 67.0 TS% (54.5/60.0/88.2) 2023 accolades: N/A
I know saying Lillard could be four was the most controversial thing I said, but this feels like it’s the most controversial placement. When out there and healthy, Kawhi is just a force, a demon. He’s nearly unstoppable getting to his spots in the mid-range and on pull-ups. He’s also developed into what I see as an underrated playmaker.
Some overrate his defense, and some underrate it. He’s nowhere near DPOY level anymore, but he’s certainly not just average. He still brings it on that end. Also what aided his placement here is how he is consistently an elite playoff riser, bringing his best when it comes to the postseason. He only played two games before getting hurt this season, but he was incredible in those games, just like he has been in nearly every postseason he has ever appeared in.
3.Stephen Curry (Tier 2)
2023 regular season stats (56 games): 29.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.3 APG, 65.6 TS% (49.3/42.7/91.5) 2023 postseason stats (13 games): 30.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 58.8 TS% (46.6/36.3/84.5) 2023 accolades: All-NBA 2nd Team, All-Star
We enter the top three and a new tier, starting with the greatest shooter of all-time. Curry’s off-ball movement combined with his shooting is absolutely second to none, and that’s before even getting to the other parts of his game where he is still elite.
He’s elite off of the bounce with an ability to get downhill and finish at a quietly good level, and is an underrated defender. His offensive impact and overall efficiency is just off of the charts. He’s a special, special player, and it’s hard to put him below this third spot.
2.Giannis Antetokounmpo (Tier 2)
2023 regular season stats (63 games): 31.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 60.5 TS% (55.3/27.5/64.5) 2023 postseason stats (3 games): 23.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 52.5 TS% (52.8/0.0/45.2) 2023 accolades: All-NBA 1st Team, All-Star
The Giannis Antetokounmpo discourse this offseason isn’t fair, and it feels like people are forgetting how good he is. Nobody can create shots and finish at the rim like him, and he is quietly a very good passer. He’s just an unstoppable force.
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1683567182301605889?s=20
That’s before even getting to the defense, where he is one of the league’s best. He’s arguably the best weakside helper in the league with his athleticism, wingspan, timing, and more. It’s not fair to criticize his overall playoff performance this season because he was injured. We have seen him be a force in the postseason before, so let’s not doubt him entirely there.
1.Nikola Jokic (Tier 1)
2023 regular season stats (69 games): 24.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 9.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 70.1 TS% (63.2/38.3/82.2) 2023 postseason stats (20 games): 30.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 63.1 TS% (54.8/46.1/79.9) 2023 accolades: FMVP, All-NBA 2nd Team, WCF MVP, All-Star
I’ve been on the Jokic is the best player in the league train for the entire season, and I’m happy that it has become consensus around the NBA world. The combination of IQ, otherworldly efficiency in terms of post-play and shooting from literally everywhere, all-time level playmaking (GOAT playmaker/passer?) is insane.
Don’t even tell me he’s a bad defender because he’s not. It feels like that narrative is gone, though. I’m happy that people realize he is the best player in the world, and it’s sad that the media robbed him of this season’s MVP.
Charlie Spungin , NBA Analyst