RealGM

1 Luka (unaminous #1 pick)
2 Tatum (11 of 15 second place votes)
3 Morant (4 second place votes)
4 Mobley
5 Ant Edwards
6 Zion
7 Scottie Barnes
8 Lamelo
9 Trae
10 Garland
11 Cade
12 Jalen Green
T-13 SGA
T-13 Haliburton

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-poll-top-players-to-build-around-luka-doncic-jayson-tatum-ja-morant-zion-williamson-lamelo-ball/

What do we think?

For reference, In January of this year the same survey came up with...

1 Luka
2 Tatum
3 Morant
4 Lamelo
5 Trae
6 Mobley
7 Zion
8 SGA
T-9 Ant
T-9 Adebayo
11 Ingram
12 Jamal Murray
13 Cade
T-14 Ayton
T-14 MPJ

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-execs-poll-luka-doncic-top-young-player-zion-williamson-lamelo-ball-evan-mobley/

Oh God no, We'll see again Hawks fan saying that Trae is underrated and underappreciated

First 3 fine,
Trae and Zion would round out my Top 5.

Ingram / Murray a little low also for what their shown. They stuck behind some players who hasn't shown as much as them.

I'm surprised Williamson is rated that highly when considering his health issues. Based on his weight and explosive style of play, I wouldn't want to bet on his feet and knees holding up.

Love that 2 Cavs are in the top 10.

Agree with Luka/Tatum being pretty unanimously 1-2.

I would move Zion and LaMelo up.

Really hoping Cade has the type of season that moves him up this list.

wolves_89 wrote:I'm surprised Williamson is rated that highly when considering his health issues. Based on his weight and explosive style of play, I wouldn't want to bet on his feet and knees holding up.

I understand it. Basketball is so superstar driven due to the nature of the game and max individual salaries. I can see taking a guy who has legit top 3 potential over other players who lack top 3 potential even if those other players are more likely to have a better career.

KokoKaizer wrote:Oh God no, We'll see again Hawks fan saying that Trae is underrated and underappreciated

Are we wrong?

Ja at #3 and Trae at #9. What exactly has Ja done to prove he is a better prospect than Trae let alone 6 spots higher?


I'll tell you this, if Ja or Tatum or Lebron or any star in the league led the league in points and assists in the same season the media and this board would be so far up that players rear end we wouldn't hear the end of it. Trae does it and its crickets around here.

Westbrick won MVP for averaging a triple double which is way easier and way less impressive than leading the league in scoring and assists yet no one gives Trae any credit.

Snakebites wrote:Really hoping Cade has the type of season that moves him up this list.

Cade will be top 5 after this season.

23-7-6 on better shooting and more efficient play.

He, Mobley and Barnes should all be ranked right around each other at this point. Green, just a step behind them because his game, while better offensively, is more one dimensional overall.

I think Luka might have needed those series wins to have this on lock. I wonder if the Mavs had fallen to the Jazz in round 1 if he wouldn't be unanimous? Obviously his playoff numbers against the Clippers were great and the Mavs won all the minutes where all 3 superstars were on the court, but eventually you have to overcome.

Tatum seems like a no-brainer 2nd choice as well. But after that I'm not nearly as bullish as the league is on some of these other guys. Grizzlies fared just fine without Morant. Edwards is explosive, but are we sure he's ready to be built around without Towns taking all the defensive focus? Mobley is cool, but his archetype isn't someone you build around.

I think Trae's lack of interest in defense combined with his physical limitations is a problem, but he's just so far ahead of all these other cats offensively that I'd push him up the list, target a very strong veteran leader who can play and who plays both ways and see if I can't get him to at least try. He's always going to be a bad defender, but if you could keep him from being utterly tragic, I think he does a lot more for you than these other players have shown they can do.

shakes0 wrote:

KokoKaizer wrote:Oh God no, We'll see again Hawks fan saying that Trae is underrated and underappreciated

Are we wrong?

Ja at #3 and Trae at #9. What exactly has Ja done to prove he is a better prospect than Trae let alone 6 spots higher?


I'll tell you this, if Ja or Tatum or Lebron or any star in the league led the league in points and assists in the same season the media and this board would be so far up that players rear end we wouldn't hear the end of it. Trae does it and its crickets around here.

Westbrick won MVP for averaging a triple double which is way easier and way less impressive than leading the league in scoring and assists yet no one gives Trae any credit.

Sort of the perfect comparison though right? And why we can't take 'leads the league in points and assists' as the metric to decide value. And clearly NBA executives have the same vision.

People are vaulting over him for the expected potential of where they might end up. And people believe Ja will be a more impactful player in the next 10 years.

Just to be clear for anyone who didn't read the article, it was voting for the top 5 under-25 yr old players to build around. So the "rankings" aren't rankings beyond the top 5, they are simply the other players who got votes ranked in the top 5.

So really, you have the top 5, then everyone else who got at least one vote in that top 5. "Ranking" really doesn't mean much from 6 onward. Nothing to really get your knickers in a twist about.

bisme37 wrote:1 Luka (unaminous #1 pick)
2 Tatum (11 of 15 second place votes)
3 Morant (4 second place votes)
4 Mobley
5 Ant Edwards
6 Zion
7 Scottie Barnes
8 Lamelo
9 Trae
10 Garland
11 Cade
12 Jalen Green
13 SGA

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-poll-top-players-to-build-around-luka-doncic-jayson-tatum-ja-morant-zion-williamson-lamelo-ball/

What do we think?

you forgot Haliburton.

by draft class:

2017: Tatum
2018: Doncic - Trae - SGA
2019: Zion - Morant - Garland
2020: Edwards - Ball - Haliburton
2021: Cade - Mobley - Barnes - Green

all these players are great, but that 2021 draft class is looking like the best of bunch already. great year to get a top 4 pick.

wegotthabeet wrote:

bisme37 wrote:

Spoiler:

1 Luka (unaminous #1 pick)
2 Tatum (11 of 15 second place votes)
3 Morant (4 second place votes)
4 Mobley
5 Ant Edwards
6 Zion
7 Scottie Barnes
8 Lamelo
9 Trae
10 Garland
11 Cade
12 Jalen Green
13 SGA

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-poll-top-players-to-build-around-luka-doncic-jayson-tatum-ja-morant-zion-williamson-lamelo-ball/

What do we think?

you forgot Haliburton.

by draft class:

2017: Tatum
2018: Doncic - Trae - SGA
2019: Zion - Morant - Garland
2020: Edwards - Ball - Haliburton
2021: Cade - Mobley - Barnes - Green

all these players are great, but that 2021 draft class is looking like the best of bunch already. great year to get a top 4 pick.

Oops. Haliburton added. Also added a poll just for fun.

Anthony Edwards seems crazy overrated to me. He's a great scorer, but would you really want him to lead your offense? I would not put him over actual playmakers like Lamelo and Cade.

bisme37 wrote:

wegotthabeet wrote:

bisme37 wrote:

Spoiler:

1 Luka (unaminous #1 pick)
2 Tatum (11 of 15 second place votes)
3 Morant (4 second place votes)
4 Mobley
5 Ant Edwards
6 Zion
7 Scottie Barnes
8 Lamelo
9 Trae
10 Garland
11 Cade
12 Jalen Green
13 SGA

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-poll-top-players-to-build-around-luka-doncic-jayson-tatum-ja-morant-zion-williamson-lamelo-ball/

What do we think?

you forgot Haliburton.

by draft class:

2017: Tatum
2018: Doncic - Trae - SGA
2019: Zion - Morant - Garland
2020: Edwards - Ball - Haliburton
2021: Cade - Mobley - Barnes - Green

all these players are great, but that 2021 draft class is looking like the best of bunch already. great year to get a top 4 pick.

Oops. Haliburton added. Also added a poll just for fun.

thanks. as for the poll question that's tough, but I'd always build a team around a versatile wing over a guard or a big all things being equal.

realball wrote:Anthony Edwards seems crazy overrated to me. He's a great scorer, but would you really want him to lead your offense? I would not put him over actual playmakers like Lamelo and Cade.

I don't think so. He's 20 years old and already putting up 21, 5 and 4.

He's got superstar written all over him.

I’ll take Barnes over Edwards and Zion for sure

I would take Mobley or Cade. Mobley looks like a true defensive anchor, maybe someone like Anthony Davis at as his best. Cade looks like Luka-lite, great scorer and playmaker, can be an offensive hub.

Trae Young gets underrated on these types of lists because people focus on his limitations despite the fact that he can create a top 10 offense on his own.