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: Pascal Siakam (TOR)
Added to Poll: Darius Garland (CLE)

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%
12) Anthony Davis (LAL) - 28%
13) Rudy Gobert (MIN) - 24%
14) Paul George (LAC) - 19% (Tiebreaker: 62%)
15) James Harden (PHI) - 23%
16) Devin Booker (PHX) - 27%
17) Damian Lillard (POR) - 34%
18) Trae Young (ATL) - 25%
19) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 33%
20) Pascal Siakam (TOR) - 40%

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)
Ben Simmons (BKN)
Gordon Hayward (CHA)
LaMelo Ball (CHA)
Zach Lavine (CHI)
Jarrett Allen (CLE)
Evan Mobley (CLE)
Jamal Murray(DEN)
Cade Cunningham (DET)
Jaden Ivey (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)
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)
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)
Kristaps Porzingis (WAS)

Previous Results:

Changing my vote from Paul to Zion in recognition of career trajectories. Just doesn't feel right to not have Paul in the top 20 though.

Nomination is now hard given how even players are at this point and with my long time nomination Garland on the board. Going with Middleton over the field because why not?

I'm also struggling with whether it should be Zion or Paul. I don't trust Chris Paul's body to hold up in the playoffs anymore in his career so I'm going with Zion.

Nominate: Bam Adebayo

Vote: Zion
Nominate: Bam

Zion is a monster source of offense. If he's healthy this year, no one remaining on this list can touch that impact. He's the single scariest source of rim pressure in the NBA outside of Giannis maybe.

I think it's silly for Bam to not be on the list when we have guys like Derozan and Ingram here. I get that the enthusiasm for Bam has waned as he's struggled to make an impact on offense deep in the playoffs. But he never stops being the anchor of an elite defense. Everyone is screaming about the importance of having a switchy center in the playoffs... well Bam is THE switchy center. He's also only 24 and has room to grow as a shooter, playmaker, and post scorer. I think Bam loses some value when he's not the biggest, most athletic guy on the floor. Fortunately, there's only a half dozen guys that exceed him in terms of functional strength and athleticism in the paint. Too many 1 dimensional scorers are getting the benefit of the doubt over one of the top 5 defensive impact guys in the league.

V Brown
N Bam

Voted Zion
Nominate LaVine

Vote Paul.

V: Brown (close call with CP3 and Zion. Paul might finally be over the hill -- impossible to know. Zion's health can't be trusted.)

N: Bam

Voted Mitchell
Nominate Middleton and Sabonis

V CP3
N La Vine

V: Mitchell
N: Bam

Vote: Paul

Nominate: Holiday

Vote: Chris Paul.

Nominate: Draymond Green.

I've just been popping in and out of these threads, but it's crazy Bam hasn't been nominated yet. He's miles better than Beal, Kyrie, Derozan, or even Edwards at this point of his career.

Vote: Zion
Nominate: Bam

Vote: Brown. Kind of surprised how many votes CP3 is getting after how finished he looked in round 2 of the playoffs. I thought this was for 2022-23. Zion is possible here but there's also too many doubts about him. I'm picking the best two way player left on the board

Nominate: LaVine

this list is supposed to project for this upcoming season. Based on what Chris Paul looked like at the end of last season, we can't expect him to perform up to last season's standard

Vote Zion. Nominate Draymond.

Vote: Chris Paul
Troll nominate: Westbrick

vote Brown
nom Bam