RealGM

Once again, I am carrying the torch for Filthadelphia's annual Top 25 Player poll this offseason.

Your favorite offseason debate is back by popular demand!
Thanks to everyone who voted last go around I'm excited to see where the 5th annual edition ends up.

Here are the Rules:
-Vote ONE player per poll. You'll be able to change your vote just like in previous years so you can self-implement rank choice voting.
-The criteria of ranking the players is YOUR OWN. The whole point of bringing this to the GB is to attract the widest amount of votes/perspectives on the game as possible to form a true consensus. Some people value shooting over defense, team success over individual prowess etc. Filthadelphia wanted to bake all that into this poll set no matter how chaotic.
-Each poll a player will win and then be taken out of the field. There will be 25 polls in all.
-There are only 10 possible poll options so I will start with last year's Top 10.
-As each poll commences I ask you to COMMENT IN THE THREAD your vote for who should be added in the next poll. There will be a large list of players yet to be added to the field below that you can look over to make your vote. I will tally up the votes in the comments at the end of each poll and add the winner accordingly. For example, if you want Xavier Tillman added in the next poll just comment "Nominate: Xavier Tillman"
-If a poll is overwhelmingly skewed towards one guy I will try, time willing, to edit it early and move on to the next one.
-If there is a tie in the poll. There will be a run-off poll created with just the tying parties to determine a winner. The losers of the runoff will then be added back into the field of 10 for the next poll.
-Feel free to ask any questions via pm or comment
-Feel Free to comment on your reasoning for a pick and why
There may be days when I am not able to quickly add the next poll. Just be patient!

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING!!!!

Winner of Previous Poll: Ja Morant (MEM)
Added to Poll: Jaylen Brown (BOS)

RealGM Top 25 Players 2022-23:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 57%
2) Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 57%
3) Luka Doncic (DAL) - 43%
4) Steph Curry (GSW) - 49%
5) Joel Embiid (PHI) - 37%
6) Kevin Durant (BKN) - 40%
7) LeBron James (LAL) - 44%
8) Kawhi Leonard (LAC) - 46%
9) Jayson Tatum (BOS) - 51%
10) Jimmy Butler (MIA) - 53%
11) Ja Morant (MEM) - 23%

Yet To Be Added: (If someone is not here that you want here comment THAT and I will add them)
John Collins (ATL)
Dejounte Murray (ATL)
Kyrie Irving (BKN)
Ben Simmons (BRK)
Gordon Hayward (CHA)
LaMelo Ball (CHA)
Zach Lavine (CHI)
Demar DeRozan (CHI)
Jarrett Allen (CLE)
Donovan Mitchell (CLE)
Darius Garland (CLE)
Evan Mobley (CLE)
Jamal Murray(DEN)
Cade Cunningham (DET)
Jaden Ivey (DET)
Saddiq Bey (DET)
Draymond Green (GSW)
Klay Thompson (GSW)
Andrew Wiggins (GSW)
Jalen Green (HOU)
Jabari Smith (HOU)
Myles Turner (IND)
Tyrese Haliburton (IND)
John Wall (LAC)
Russell Westbrook (LAL)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (MEM)
Desmond Bane (MEM)
Dillon Brooks (MEM)
Bam Adebayo (MIA)
Khris Middleton (MIL)
Jrue Holiday (MIL)
Anthony Edwards (MIN)
Zion Williamson (NOP)
Brandon Ingram (NOP)
CJ McCollum (NOP)
R.J. Barrett (NYK)
Jalen Brunson (NYK)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
Paolo Banchero (ORL)
Franz Wagner (ORL)
Wendell Carter (ORL)
Tobias Harris (PHI)
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
Chris Paul (PHX)
DeAndre Ayton (PHX)
Mikal Bridges (PHX)
Jusuf Nurkic (POR)
Jerami Grant (POR)
De'Aaron Fox (SAC)
Domantas Sabonis (SAC)
Keegan Murray (SAC)
Fred VanVleet (TOR)
Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Collin Sexton (UTA)
Bradley Beal (WAS)
Kristaps Porzingis (WAS)

Previous Results:

Vote: Anthony Davis
Nominate: Zion

Vote: Rudy Gobert. Same as last time. He even made those Utah Jazz teams stout on defense, at least during the regular season. I suspect he'll have enough defensive help on Minnesota that he won't have to do everything in the playoffs on D. He's also solid enough on offense, especially when he has somebody who gives him more than 2 passes/game.

Nominate: Cade Cunningham. Usually I'm not a homer. Am I being one now? I don't know. But Cade averaged 21.1/6.5/5.7 after the all-star game last year. He's 20 and just learning the NBA game. I think this is the right spot for him. Maybe I should've even nominated him earlier.

Voted Anthony Davis
Nominate Zion

Vote: AD, tentatively, he breaks so easily. But when fully healthy he is the best player on the list

Nominate: If I'm being honest from a basketball standpoint, Kyrie

Wait, RealGM voted Ja 11th???? O. M. G.

I'm going to get a little controverisal here and vote Harden. This doesn't make sense given what we saw of him last year though I suspect we're going to get a different version this year. AD is nipping at his heels on the same comeback premise. Booker was considered as well.

Edit: nominate Zion. If he ever decides to get in shape look out.

V: Gobert
If you have Gobert and a reasonably good supporting cast you will make the playoffs. I don't think that is true of anyone else on this list other than George.
N: Zion
I agree, this is the right choice. Healthy Zion is a monster, and it looks like we will be getting healthy Zion.

AD
Garland

V: Booker. I feel like he is being underrated because of a bad series. He's an offensive stud, and his defence is now . . . OK/mediocre?

Nominate: Dejounte Murray.

Vote: Booker
Nominate: Paul

Same as last time

AD gets no love for me on this list, I refuse to vote in his favour until I actually see it on the court again and not just in flashes. Other than his little bubble run I haven't seen the player he was dubbed to be...

To me this is SAD that he's even being discussed outside of the top 10. This is THE guy that was supposed to be generational and LEADING this next generation of stars (something I actually wish LeBron would call him out for more publicly, hold his feet to the fire as he deserves). It's like most people forget he was supposed to be BETTER than Giannis (I still remember Stephan A professing he's taking AD over Giannis anyday lol), Jokic, Embiid. I can't wrap around my mind around why LeBron is still the talk of the town/Lakers because he absolutely shouldn't be. If AD was playing at the level he should be, he's the guy that should've been in multiple MVP conversations and have WON one by now. Homeboy ain't really even all that young anymore, he's going to be 30 this season!

I mean he can obviously forget about catching Duncan which was supposed to be the conversation for him. Now I need to see can he even catch Malone or KG??! Feels like everyone keeps looking at him like he's some young guy with a ton of time but again he's already going to be 30 and look how injury riddled he is. He probably has somewhere between 2-4 years tops (age 34) to make a legacy and then watch the decline (not to mention he has to do so with LeBron who's clock can really go off at anytime now, knock on wood and who's likely gone in 2 years to play with Bronny). Time's TICKING faster on AD than maybe he & others think...

Give my vote to any of Butler, Trae or Dame...AD has barely played the last 2 seasons and his impact in that time really hasn't shown that he deserves to be all that high on this list, he's gotta earn that back imo.

AD/Ingram

Gobert

Chris Paul

V: Lillard
N: Mitchell

AD/Zion

ElectricMayhem wrote:Vote: Rudy Gobert. Same as last time. He even made those Utah Jazz teams stout on defense, at least during the regular season. I suspect he'll have enough defensive help on Minnesota that he won't have to do everything in the playoffs on D. He's also solid enough on offense, especially when he has somebody who gives him more than 2 passes/game.

Nominate: Cade Cunningham. Usually I'm not a homer. Am I being one now? I don't know. But Cade averaged 21.1/6.5/5.7 after the all-star game last year. He's 20 and just learning the NBA game. I think this is the right spot for him. Maybe I should've even nominated him earlier.

Yes you are being a homer

I mean, half a season of OK stats (compared to the guys on the list) and you're saying he is basically a top-20 NBA player already? Definitely a stretch, but he certainly has tons of talent. Maybe he makes the jump this year, but if we're choosing based on what we've seen from everyone up until now, I wouldn't put him up so high.

Voted: Anthony Davis

Nominate: Kyrie Irving

SA37 wrote:

ElectricMayhem wrote:Vote: Rudy Gobert. Same as last time. He even made those Utah Jazz teams stout on defense, at least during the regular season. I suspect he'll have enough defensive help on Minnesota that he won't have to do everything in the playoffs on D. He's also solid enough on offense, especially when he has somebody who gives him more than 2 passes/game.

Nominate: Cade Cunningham. Usually I'm not a homer. Am I being one now? I don't know. But Cade averaged 21.1/6.5/5.7 after the all-star game last year. He's 20 and just learning the NBA game. I think this is the right spot for him. Maybe I should've even nominated him earlier.

Yes you are being a homer

I mean, half a season of OK stats (compared to the guys on the list) and you're saying he is basically a top-20 NBA player already? Definitely a stretch, but he certainly has tons of talent. Maybe he makes the jump this year, but if we're choosing based on what we've seen from everyone up until now, I wouldn't put him up so high.

Players who surpassed those per game numbers in each statistic last year:
James Harden
Nikola Jokic
Luka Doncic

That's it. That's the list. And Cunningham is a rookie. You have to figure the 2nd half of his rookie year is is jumping off point for his second season. I'd call that better than OK stats. Also, I did wait until the 12th poll to nominate him so I don't have him as a top-20 NBA player. But I do think he can be close this season. I think 23/7/6 with improved efficiency is a very conservative estimate for his upcoming season.

I'm not comfortable believing Zion Williamson can put in a full season. Kyrie Irving has top-25 basketball skills but not top-25 contribution to his team. There are a number of players I'd put on a similar tier including Chris Paul, Draymond Green, Bam, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, SGA, Anthony Edwards, JJJ (if healthy)...But I've thought about it and don't have a problem putting Cade in the discussion here.

Voted: Lillard
Nominate: Irving

I'm just not sold on the chances of Davis bringing enough durability and drive to land this high on the list. My guess is that Lillard will be pushing to make a statement this season.

Voting AD is comical.

Is durability not a thing anymore?

AD aka Always Damaged can't be relied on to be available for his team's games.