RealGM

Unordered tiers

Better because of 1 player
Celtics - Tatum
Spurs - Wemby
Mavs - Luka
Indiana - Haliburton
Wolves - Edwards
Grizz - Morant, JJJ, Bane
OKC - SGA, Chet, JDub

Definite
Orlando - Banchero, Wagner, Suggs
Pelicans - Zion, Daniels, Murphy III

Similar
Rockets - Sengun, Smith, Green
Hornets - Lamelo, Miller, Williams

Worse
Pistons - Cade, Ivey, Thompson

This makes me feel that we need to be searching for a player that's even better than Barnes. Do we think Barnes can be better than players under the 1-player tier?

I wouldn't say Orlando's core is definitely better. Scottie is easily the best player between the two trios. Their team has also been every bit as bad as ours since their hot start.

Is Orlando’s trio actually better? Scottie is by far the best player in that group.

Tatum will be 26 in about a month.

I like Orlando’s 3 tbh

Definitely still towards the bottom of the league for now, let's hope for some major development in the coming years.

You know, I don’t know if I’d rank Memphis above us or not. Vince Williams as a 3rd is prettt underwhelming, and I think Barnes has a higher ceiling than Ja.

SGA not being in tier 1 is weird as well lol

Made my own list. I’m factoring in age, current talent level, amount of legit good prospects, upside and contract situations. Not going to add teams who only have one great player under 25.


1. OKC for obvious reasons. SGA is going to be a perennial MVP candidate. Chet is going to be a top 5 big in his prime and J Dub in MY opinion, has as much potential as any player in the 2021 and 2022 draft class.

2. Timberwolves at #2 Anthony Edwards is a stud, I do see a future where he’s a top 10 player. Which is why I have them at #2, McDaniels is a great 3&D wing.

3. Orlando Magic at #3 for me. Suggs is poised to be a top 5 perimeter guard for the foreseeable future. Paolo and Franz are dynamic 6’10 wings that any team would love to have. I see them both having multiple all star appearances in the future.

4. Rockets slot in at #4. Sengun is the real deal man. I think any questions about him defensively have been largely wiped away. Jabari Smith is so clearly going to be a premier 2 way player in the league, I like Amen Thompson’s potential and Cam Whitmore is a flat out scorer, dude is 19 and he makes scoring look easy. Jalen Green’s lack of development on the basketball feel side of things is the only reason why I don’t have them at #4.

5. Grizzlies are #5 for me. Ja is all nba talent and JJJ is a DPOY caliber stretch 5. Studs. I’d have them higher because Ja and JJJ better than most of the players on this list but I do think Ja is near his ceiling as well as JJJ.

6. Toronto Raptors are at #6 for me. Might be a surprise to some, probably not to others. My reasons for them being at 6 come down to age and contracts.

Quickley is turning 25 this year with a decent pay day coming. I do think he has all star caliber potential but I do think he’s closer to his ceiling rather than his floor in terms of potential.
RJ has been really good with us but it’s too small of a sample size to ignore his career with the Knicks and what I saw from the Knicks is a decent young player but nothing to be extremely excited about long term wise. Last but not least, Scottie Barnes. I don’t think he’s going to be the #1 option that some are hoping for but he’s a walking 25/7/6 guy in his prime, no doubt about it.

7. Pelicans are at #7. Feels weird to put them here because Zion at his best is arguably better than anyone on this list outside of SGA but the issue with him is that he’s never at his best. Daniels is a good ass defender, still only 20 but I’m iffy on his offensive upside. Trey Murphy is a stud, he’s going to shatter 3 point records for the Pelicans.

8. Hornets. Such a perplexing team to evaluate because Lamelo is almost never healthy but when he is, he’s easily an all star caliber guard. B Miller has some serious upside as a 2 way wing and Mark Williams is a fantastic big prospect.

9. Poor Pistons at #9 lol. Their prospects are interesting, Ausar has top 5 defensive wing potential, Duren has top 10 center potential, Cade is really good, Ivey is pretty solid but yet they’re a horrible mix. I think a lot of them would look better in a different situation.

YogurtProducer wrote:You know, I don’t know if I’d rank Memphis above us or not. Vince Williams as a 3rd is prettt underwhelming, and I think Barnes has a higher ceiling than Ja.

SGA not being in tier 1 is weird as well lol

I was surprised to see Vince williams in there instead of Bane who's 25, and I'd have Duren ahead of Thompson for Detroit right now.

Reality is we'll need to find a scorer who is equal to or better then Scottie to be in the top 5 of potential young cores.

San Antonio will also be looking to add that type of player during this time with Wemby and I don't think anyone will choose Barnes over Wemby and Toronto as we all know is already not a priority destination to begin with. OKC with Shai and Chet are likely going to be a serious problem for years to come.

So how do we find a guy? The draft? We'll we are likely too good to get a top 3 unless we get really lucky and San Antonio like gets a decent pick from us this year or next. So odds are slim. But tbh we likely need this luck given the ill times direction the FO has chosen.

We'll somehow need a lightning strike of luck at some point. But I don't see the blue skies some are trying to paint with this direction.

Statistician MK wrote:

Thaddy wrote:Definite
Orlando - Banchero, Wagner, Suggs

Barnes > Banchero
Barrett > Wagner
Quickley > Suggs

This is just not true. Although I am surprised at how poorly Franz has shot the ball this year.

Scottie > Banchero
RJ < Franz
IQ > Suggs

1. Scottie
2. Banchero
3. Franz
4. IQ
5. Suggs
6. RJ

YogurtProducer wrote:You know, I don’t know if I’d rank Memphis above us or not. Vince Williams as a 3rd is prettt underwhelming, and I think Barnes has a higher ceiling than Ja.

SGA not being in tier 1 is weird as well lol

OP did put them in tier 1, but they also put Orlando in there, lol.

If we are talking ceiling I have the raptors higher because I really believe Scottie will be a top 10 player in NBA with the potential to be the best player on a championship team. I have lost faith in some others like Luka - just don't think he will ever win a chip due to his defence and attitude.


1. OKC
2. Spurs - Wemby more valuable that BBQ
3. Indiana
4. Raptors
5. Memphis - I'd have them higher if Ja wasn't a head case.

If Tatum is in tier 1 and is already 25, then why isn't Desmond Bane listed under the Grizzlies as part of their core?

Raptors Realtor wrote:

YogurtProducer wrote:You know, I don’t know if I’d rank Memphis above us or not. Vince Williams as a 3rd is prettt underwhelming, and I think Barnes has a higher ceiling than Ja.

SGA not being in tier 1 is weird as well lol

I was surprised to see Vince williams in there instead of Bane who's 25, and I'd have Duren ahead of Thompson for Detroit right now.

Beat me to it.

I wouldn't put wolves as better because of 1 player. You match Scottie's fga with Anthony Edwards and you get similar stats. In fact I put Scottie ahead of Edwards cause he defends and rebounds better as well.
Scottie and Banchero are similar, but RJ and IQ are a better group than Wagner and Suggs. I don't see how Orlando is definitely better.
Desmond Bane, Ja, and JJJ are better now. I don't know about Vince Williams

We’ll see if Raps have better core than the Hawks tonight.

I don’t have BBQ in top 10

How is shai not in tier 1? He’s the best young player in the league right now.

Tatum will be 26 soon, doesn't qualify. But the premise is quality of young core, not minor details.

Raps need another young upside piece, otherwise they'll spin their wheels trying to get somewhere.