80
JONAS VALANCIUNAS, RAPTORS
Center | Age: 22
6-11, 231 pounds
Last year: Unranked
2013-14 statistics
• 11.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 53.1 FG%
• 16.1 PER, 6.7 Win Shares, -3.0 RAPM
Valanciunas isn’t always mentioned in the discussion of the NBA’s most promising young big men, but the fact that he was a full-time starter for a playoff team last season was unique among his up-and-coming colleagues.
Indeed, the Lithuanian – who ramped up his per-minute production in his second season -- was the player under 23 to average at least 10 points and eight rebounds for playoff team last season. Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Couins, Greg Monroe, Derrick Favors and others all watched from home as Valanciunas and the Raptors came within one win of the conference semifinals.
The presence of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan will place a cap on Valanciunas’ offensive role in the short term, and there’s plenty of room for him to grow as a rim protector and paint presence. Even so, Valanciunas is further ahead of the curve than just about everyone in his age class, and his old-school pump fakes and low-post moves only add to the enjoyment of watching him develop. -- B.G.
71
AMIR JOHNSON, RAPTORS
Forward | Age: 27
6-9, 210 pounds
Last year: No. 84
2013-14 statistics
• 10.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 56.2 FG%
• 15.4 PER, 6.3 Win Shares, 4.2 RAPM
Johnson is a darling of most every plus-minus-based evaluation system out there, which is really a way of saying that much of what he offers doesn't translate particularly well to the standard box score.
He understands his role and value, committing to those areas of the game in which he can make the biggest difference. Some of those are subtle, like Johnson's screens that spring teammates. Others are critical but merely underappreciated, like Johnson's expert defense of the pick-and-roll. The bottom line is that Johnson is -- and I say this as a ringing endorsement -- something of a supercharged Nick Collison.
What sets Johnson (and Collison) apart is a spectacular sense of place. He navigates the floor on both ends intelligently. Johnson maximizes his scoring efficiency (he ranked fifth in field goal percentage last season) by lingering in the right spaces, and he helps his team by clearing quickly from areas he might clutter. On defense, his economic movement and notable athleticism allow Johnson to consistently beat his opponents to a spot. He may not be an exceptionally skilled player in the traditional sense, but Johnson gets the most out of every possession by playing smart, controlled basketball. -- R.M.
61
DEMAR DEROZAN, RAPTORS
Forward | Age: 25
6-7, 216 pounds
Last year: Unranked
2013-14 statistics
• 22.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 42.9 FG%, 30.5 3P%
• 18.4 PER, 8.8 Win Shares, -0.1 RAPM
In his most demanding role yet, DeRozan swelled to surpass expectations. His All-Star season was a product of incremental gains in most every phase of the game.
DeRozan wasn’t just more prolific but also sharper in his execution on both ends. Never before had DeRozan played so confidently off the dribble (leading to a huge leap in free-throw rate), worked so patiently in posting up smaller guards or seen the floor so clearly. All of those improvements were put to good, relatively efficient use, making DeRozan a trustworthy option through which to funnel possessions. The rub, to the extent that it can be called such, is that DeRozan is sub-elite in even his strongest suits. He's a fine scorer and decent defender who falls short of superstar standards. -- R.M.
http://www.si.com/nba/2014/top-100-nba- ... -2015-list
