More Elite 20-11 20. Goran Dragic Phoenix Suns | PG Well, Dragic didnt make our Elite 100 last year, so... this is awkward. Dragic had just seemed good, fine, not great in Houston behind Kyle Lowry. He had moments of greatness but he had moments of unease as well. Then he went back to Phoenix, found Jeff Hornacek, and went ballistic. Dragic wasnt a serious MVP candidate last season, but he deserved to be on the tail end of the list. He was a revelation, and the way he opened up the offense was unbelievable. Dragic was a gamechanger for Phoenix, and if he has a repeat performance, he could jump even higher than 20. 19. Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs | PG Parker played the fewest minutes he has since his rookie season last year, his lowest points per game mark since 2010, and played in just 68 games due to injury and rest. He wasnt the same transcendent force he was in 2013, which makes the Spurs title all that much more impressive. Not to go down that road, but it really was a complete team performance by the Spurs. That said, Parker could easily bounce back up to 21 and 9 this season, and no one would blink an eye. He took the summer off from the French national team and recovered. Will he be as motivated after his fourth title, after having achieved so much? Parker remains slippery as all get-out, a willing if fading defender, and the steadiest hand in the league. Hes always in complete control, and even at 19h best player in the league, he feels underrated, given his accomplishments. 18. Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls | PG One of our voters put Rose as the 11th best player in the league, another the 16th, and one of us 29th. And Rose could land anywhere in there because we just dont know what to expect with him. We know of his innate skills. We know hes shown flashes of athleticism. We know that he looked rusty in FIBA play. We know he hasnt consistently played in basketball games over a two-month span in over two years. Roses impact is no longer a question of metrics or science, but one of faith. Do you believe he can be the transcendent whirlwind he was before his injury? Do you believe he can push past the doubt and insecurity, the fear and the pressure? Do you believe he can be Rose again? Were going to find out, and its going to be thrilling to see what the answers are. 17. James Harden Houston Rockets | SG No one ilustrates the evolving nature of NBA analysis better than James Harden. Years ago, Harden would be a superstar, thats all, end of story. He averaged 18-4-4 for the fourth seed in the conference. Hes clearly a star. But defense became something people started to put faith in, and then became something people start with. And Hardens defense last season went from Oh, thats not great to This is a flaming disaster on par with New Coke, the last season of Saturday Night Live, Arsenio Halls comeback, and the U2 Apple stunt. It was all anyone could talk about, and it overshadowed his offensive prowess. Harden is a top-flight offensive weapon. His Eurostep remains close to unstoppable, his quickdraw pull-up jumper still lightning. And yet, Harden has dropped on this list. The reason is tied to that defense, but it goes further than that. Hes also become obsessed with drawing fouls. Harden spends a huge amount of his time on drives simply going into the motion that will draw contact. Theres no effort to finish the shot afterwards, hes just eliciting the call and heading to the line with no emphasis on actually scoring. And the result was that officials started to back off on calling those fouls. Maybe Harden can get it back this season with the ball in his hands even more after Jeremy Lin and Chadler Parsons departure. But the Rockets need more than just production from Harden. They need leadership, they need focus, and for the Love of God, they need some defense. 16. Marc Gasol Memphis Grizzlies | C The 203 Defensive Player of the Year had an injury-plagued 2014 campaign that saw him miss weeks with a knee injury, only to return ahead of schedule. He wound up playing in 59 games. And his numbers remained pretty much the same. He shot a lower percentage, 47 percent to the prior years 49 percent, but actually scored more per 36 minutes (15.7 than in previous seasons). He shot more last season, in fewer minutes. It wasnt efficient, but it was effective. That remains really the biggest weakness with Gasol. He just doesnt assert himself often enough, even when he has a mismatch. The reason for that is is a disciplined commitment to making the right play. He wants to always play the right way, and that costs him selfish bucket opportunities. This is a contract year for Gasol, and it should be a big one. Hes the face of the franchise at this point, and turns 30 in January. This is Gasols prime, and his playmaking, defensive acumen, strength, skill, and IQ combine to make him arguably the leagues best center. If he stays healthy, expect him to scoot up this board again. 15. LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers | PF After years of going under the radar, Aldridge hit the mainstream last season as the Blazers became the best team in the West for a solid two months. He played better defense than he has in the past, was a clutch machine, and scored a career-high 23 points while grabbing a career best 11 boards per game, another constant criticism of his game. Aldridge also shot the lowest percentage of his career (46 percent from the field), took the most shots per game (20.6) and had by far his highest usage percentage (29.8 percent) of his career. What does all this mean? Aldridge did a lot... with a lot. Aldridge has been used as a counter to the advanced-metrics discussion that players shouldnt take long 2s. This is a foolish idea, of course. If LaMarcus Aldridge was a Rocket, he take a huge amount of long 2s, because those are what hes great at. And even then, Aldridge really isnt all that efficient. But there is a gap between efficiency and impactful, and Aldridge is incredible impactful. He became one of a handful of players in the league last year who can really take over the game with his offense. He flirted with being truly unstoppable for stretches, and the wins followed. Its a contract year for Aldridge. How he performs in this follow-up year could determine if the Blazers keep pace in the super-competitive West. 14. Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks | PF Dirk never dies. After two years of frustration following the 2011 title, Nowitzkis Mavericks returned to relevance behind the revamped roster with Monta Ellis last season and pushed the Spurs to seven games in the first round. For stretches last season, Nowitzki seemed like the Dirk of old, wholly unstoppable and an offensive force that you need to call in the marines to slow down. Nowitzki, at age 35, shot 49.7, 39.8, 89.9 last season, techincally shooting a 50-40-90 on 16 shots per game. Thats pretty good, all things considered, one might say. The only reason hes not higher is the fact that during the playoffs, he was forced to be used as a decoy so often. The Mavericks have realized that Nowitzki can still be Dirk for long stretches, will still win them tons of games. But the end is in sight. Itll be interesting to see if the Mavericks use the upgraded roster to provide more room for Nowitzki to work, or use him as a decoy to pull attention away nd let the rest of the team cook. 13. Al Horford Atlanta Hawks | C Horford had two panellists put him between 15 and 20 and one brave soul put him at No. 9 overall. Horford missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. He hasnt played more than 74 games since 2010. But if hes healthy, and this Hawks team can move past the distractions of the Danny Ferry disaster, Horford could have a career year. The reality is that Horford in many ways is what Noah is billed as. Hes an all-around center. Hes able to score on his own out of the post, from mid-range, and even dabbled with the three-ball before the injury took him out last season. Hes a smart and commited defender, versatile and long. Horfords passing is brutally underrated and he can create separation with his screens. Oh, and in any season where hes played more than 30 games, hes never averaged less than nine rebounds per 36 minutes. Can Horford be the best player on a championship team? Probably not. But he might be the best complimentary weapon in the league, as there isnt a single team you couldnt add him to that wouldnt improve to the point of contention for a higher-level of success with him on it. 12. Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks | SF Ah, yes, The underrated superstar. Anthony was a different player last year than hed been in the past. He passed more willingly. He attacked the rim more and shot out of isolation less. He rebounded at a higher clip and played better all-around basketball. And no one noticed because the Knicks were a chemical accident, the kind that leaves people gagging on the side of the road. Now hes back in New York, with a brand-new $122 million deal (but it wasnt about the money!) and the Zen Masters triangle offense to guide him. The pressure may never have been higher on Anthony, despite a ragtag roster. Youre supposed to win under Jackson. Its a law of the NBA universe. How Anthony fits with the triangle and Jackson will be a source of much drama and tension in New York, which hasnt exactly been boring or quiet the last few years. Anthony is a premier scoring force and an absolute bully at the rim. But his defense has never exceeded not completely terrible and his shot selection still goes into the trash can whenever he gets desperate or thinks hes cooking. He needs a tether to the realities of the game, and its unclear whether Derek Fisher can be that coach for him or not yet. 11. Joakim Noah Chicago Bulls | C Noah was a legit superstar for the first time in 2014. He wound up as an MVP candidate, based off his defense, for which he won Defensive Player of the Year, and his passing, which set exceptional marks for a center. Noah was also the leader for a media-loved Bulls team that persevered after the loss of Derrick Rose and Luol Deng. And then, to a large part, Noah and the Bulls were exposed vs. the Wizards. Nene ripped Noah apart on both ends of the floor, the Bulls had zero offense to speak of, and Washington advanced to the second round and the talk of nobody wants to play Chicago turned out to be pointless. Still Noahs defensive impact is rivalled only by Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol, as he doesnt so much corral pick and roll sets like Gasol, as he does knock them over like a mack truck slamming into a Buick. His effort plays have more effort, his hustle has more hustle tha your hustle. And he is a gifted passer and a constant hammer on the glass. Hes the Bulls best player until Rose proves he can be healthy, and remains their best chance at winning a title. Noah may take a lesser role this season next to Rose and Pau Gasol, but rest assured, every opponent will know hes on the other team, wreaking havoc and making noise.
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 21:37:36 +0000
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