RealGM

We have debates all the time in various threads over who is better so I thought what better time than summer to see where the General Board lies in its view of the top 25 best players.

I'll update each new poll with the rankings of the last and the percentages of who won.
There's only 10 options per poll so new options will be added as we get lower and lower.

Lets come to a consensus. Feel free to comment who you voted for and why.

If you think someone else should be in the poll who is not there please comment and i'll adjust accordingly.

alessandrux wrote:
I would appreciate it if you can state clearly the procedure.

We vote daily(?) the best player among those who are remaining (and in the poll)?
And after each day, you remove said best voted player, list him as the next best player on our bestlist and start a new poll with the remaining players?

From your players I would replace Irving with Embiid

These are the procedures, yes. Every winner will be removed and then a new entrant will be included on the next poll.

Winner of Poll #19: Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-23%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2018-19:
1) LeBron James (LAL)-72%
2) Kevin Durant (GSW)-39%
3) Stephen Curry (GSW)-53%
4) Anthony Davis (NOP)-39%
5) James Harden (HOU)-45%
6) Kawhi Leonard (TOR)-50%
7) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)-56%
8) Russell Westbrook (OKC)-47%
9) Chris Paul (HOU)-43%
10) Jimmy Butler (MIN)-33%
11) Joel Embiid (PHI)-37%
12) Nikola Jokic (DEN)-32%
13) Victor Oladipo (IND)-31%
14) Rudy Gobert (UTA)-62%-TIEBREAKER w Kyrie Irving (BOS)
15) Damian Lillard (POR)-32%
16) Kyrie Irving (BOS)-37%
17) Draymond Green (GSW)-31%
18) Paul George (OKC)-27%
19) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-23%

Added to Poll:Kemba Walker (CHA)

New System Alert: Vote for who you want in the poll but in order to add new people COMMENT IN THE THREAD.
For example, if you want Marc Gasol added next just comment "Marc Gasol" or "Gasol" and i'll tally up the votes and add whoever is the most popular.
ONLY VOTE ONE NAME PER THREAD

Feel free to leave other comments as usual.
Thanks for your participation so far everyone!

This is the yet-to-be-added field: (If someone is not here that you want here comment THAT and I will add them)
-Gordon Hayward (BOS)
-Jayson Tatum (BOS)
-Kristaps Porzingis (NYK)
-Kevin Love (CLE)
-Blake Griffin (DET)
-Andre Drummond (DET)
-Khris Middleton (MIL)
-Bradley Beal (WAS)
-CJ McCollum (POR)
-Clint Capela (HOU)
-Steven Adams (OKC)
-Marc Gasol (MEM)
-Jrue Holiday (NOP)
-Devin Booker (PHX)
-Brandon Ingram (LAL)
-Isaiah Thomas (DEN)

Link to last poll: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1745591

Went Simmons again. Add Blake Griffin.

Kyle Lowry easy

Asif16 wrote:Kyle Lowry easy

Yup, has consistently had a huge impact and carried Raptors to:

-56 wins, conference finals
-51 wins, second round loss to Cavs
-59 wins, second round loss to Cavs

All without another Top 40 player in the roster. That’s highly impressive. Have to go with the proven playoff performer for now. Obviously Simmons should be Top 20 too, but you’ll have to talk to the Lillard and Kyrie voters about that.

Did many Raptor fans have Derozen above Lowry the last few years?

Lowry. Simmons is pretty close though, but without a shot it's too tough. And looked a little shaky in the playoffs, at least against Boston.

iggymcfrack wrote:

Asif16 wrote:Kyle Lowry easy

Yup, has consistently had a huge impact and carried Raptors to:

-56 wins, conference finals
-51 wins, second round loss to Cavs
-59 wins, second round loss to Cavs

All without another Top 40 player in the roster. That’s highly impressive. Have to go with the proven playoff performer for now. Obviously Simmons should be Top 20 too, but you’ll have to talk to the Lillard and Kyrie voters about that.

So you wouldnt call Derozan a top 40 player? I still think lowry is better than Derozan, but you can't discredit his role on those teams as well.

AKTriple wrote:

iggymcfrack wrote:

Asif16 wrote:Kyle Lowry easy

Yup, has consistently had a huge impact and carried Raptors to:

-56 wins, conference finals
-51 wins, second round loss to Cavs
-59 wins, second round loss to Cavs

All without another Top 40 player in the roster. That’s highly impressive. Have to go with the proven playoff performer for now. Obviously Simmons should be Top 20 too, but you’ll have to talk to the Lillard and Kyrie voters about that.

So you wouldnt call Derozan a top 40 player? I still think lowry is better than Derozan, but you can't discredit his role on those teams as well.

Nope. Last year he finished 67th in RPM which was far and away a career best and he still finished with such an epic playoff collapse that he got outright benched in Game 3 and the team actually made up a 20+ point deficit without him before LeBron’s buzzer beater. The Raptors have been better with him on the bench than the floor in each of the last 6 seasons and have been better with him on the bench in the playoffs by huge margins. I’d take guys like Eric Gordon and Jaylen Brown over him for next season without thinking twice.

I’d also like to nominate Otto Porter for the next vote. He was the best player on the Wizards last year and entering his age 25 season he’s still got a lot of room to grow.

Imagine a world where the last 3 years there's only one thing different about the NBA - LeBron has been in the West since 2015 instead of just now. The Raptors are likely in 2 of the last 3 ECFs, they only ever lost to Cleveland the last 3 years, 4-0 in playoff series vs other teams, they probably make a Finals, maybe 2 - and they would have accomplished that by Kyle Lowry carrying them. I understand that's a hypothetical - but that's the impact of Lowry the last few years. They've won consistently with him as their best guy for 5 years now.

iggymcfrack wrote:I’d also like to nominate Otto Porter for the next vote. He was the best player on the Wizards last year and entering his age 25 season he’s still got a lot of room to grow.

The Raptors were very lucky Porter was hobbled in the playoffs last year, and that JV finally rose up, but with a healthy Porter a 1 vs 8 upset would have been in play. A fully healthy Washington weren't an 8 seed caliber team.

Lowry if we're basing it off last season and Simmons if we're projecting for 18-19, went with the latter.

Add Jrue

Voted Lowry, nominating Hayward

Add Tatum.

Went John Wall, feel that he's really underrated. He's a 20 PPG and 10 assist guy when healthy. I expect him to return to his 16/17 form this year.

Add Hayward

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Went John Wall, feel that he's really underrated. He's a 20 PPG and 10 assist guy when healthy. I expect him to return to his 16/17 form this year.

John Wall by year in PER
2013: 20.8
2014: 19.5
2015: 19.9
2016: 19.8
2017: 23.2
2018: 19.1

John Wall by year in RPM
2014: 2.22 (18th among PGs)
2015: 4.30 (5th among PGs)
2016: 2.72 (8th among PGs)
2017: 2.26 (12th among PGs)
2018: 1.17 (20th among PGs)

I hear this constant refrain among Wall supporters that last year was some sort of huge outlier where the (minor) injury was hurting him so much and otherwise he’d be super elite. It looks to me like he’s mostly been the same player the last 5 years which was a borderline Top 5 PG at his absolute best and maybe borderline Top 10 at worst. I think he’s clearly behind Lowry and Simmons and pretty comparable to Kemba and Jrue.

Al Horford gets my love here, but Kyle Lowry definitely gets a look.

Vote Lowry, not sure who to nominate... Maybe Jrue? Otto? Going Jrue for now.

There are valid arguments for Lowry, Simmons, Wall and Horford (though I doubt the last 2 will get the recognition).

Klay is great but still too early for the guy who IMO has benefitted from the Warriors’ system more than anyone. His offensive arsenal is a bit one dimensional and his defense has become overrated.