RealGM

To be big, mobile, and active goes a long way in the modern NBA. Those underlying qualities alone make Zeller a helpful team defender—quick enough to cover the necessary ground and long enough to contest shots at the rim. Those strengths are mirrored, too, on offense through the speed of Zeller’s rolls and the strength of his finishes. Zeller doesn’t command the ball nor could he do all that much with it if he did. Most of his modest scoring comes by diving through open space and making himself available. Its an endeavor more of persistence than creativity, yet on balance it offers just the kind of dependable, straight-line action that many NBA offenses need. In lieu of the spectacular, Zeller operates fills a predictable lane with solid, two-way play. (Last year: Not ranked)

+ Balanced, unassuming contributor who doesn’t take anything off the table
+ Found his comfort zone as soon as his team gave him the space needed to succeed
– After three years in the league, Zeller has yet to show any reliable shooting range
– Most comfortable as an NBA player in a limited, tertiary role

Williams found a career-altering niche with the Hornets as a power forward who can stretch the floor and attack an overextended defense. The latter is critical; too many jump-shooting power forwards are rendered ineffective by committed coverage and hard closeouts. Williams made it a point to work on his floor game—if only for those particular moments when a defender might scramble past him in an effort to contest his shot. Defenders would have good reason to react in such exaggerated fashion. Not only did Williams finish as one of the top 15 three-point shooters in the league last season by percentage, he made 44.9% of his threes from the corners. Considering that more than half of his field goal attempts overall are now threes, Williams has earned that overcommittment. The counters are a burgeoning part of Williams’s game, though his perimeter shooting and always solid defense provide a stable core. (Last year: Not ranked)

+ An exceptionally low-turnover player—barely makes any mistakes
+ Defensive versatility makes him a legitimate option guarding both forward spots
– Positional shift has exacerbated his mediocre rebounding
– Best suited as a complement. Offensive game couldn’t comfortably scale into any other role

One of the best defenders in basketball has played just seven games since March 2015. For as much as we prize what Kidd-Gilchrist brings to the game—and in particular his work against top wing scorers—he was nudged out of Top 100 contention because of his inability to play significant minutes over an extended term. When gauging the best players in the league over the next season, specifically, the fact that MKG lost a season-plus to multiple major shoulder injuries (each with their own surgery) docks him. So, too, does the fact that Kidd-Gilchrist was never able to return to the floor after his latest surgery and establish any kind of flow on the court. We’ve talked ourselves into ranking Kidd-Gilchrist in the Top 100 in previous seasons despite his incredibly raw offensive game because his defense and rebounding were so special. His recent injury history, however, is so hefty a piece of evidence that it tips the balance out of his favor. — RM