RealGM

Peaks Project in 2022

1. 1990-91 Michael Jordan
2. 2012-13 LeBron James
3. 1999-00 Shaquille O'Neal
4. 1976-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
5. 1966-67 Wilt Chamberlain
6. 2002-03 Tim Duncan
7. 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon
8.1963-64 Bill Russell
9. 1985-86 Larry Bird
10. 1986-87 Magic Johnson
11. 2016-17 Stephen Curry
12. 2003-04 Kevin Garnett
13. 2020-21 Giannis Antetokounmpo
14. 1963-64 Oscar Robertson
15. 1965-66 Jerry West
16. 2021-22 Nikola Jokic
17. 1976-77 Bill Walton
18. 2005-06 Dwyane Wade
19. 2007-08 Kobe Bryant
20. 1993-94 David Robinson
21. 2016-17 Kawhi Leonard
22. 1975-76 Julius Erving
23. 2010-11 Dirk Nowitzki
24. 2016-17 Kevin Durant
25. 1982-83 Moses Malone
26. 2019-20 Anthony Davis
27. 2006-07 Steve Nash
28. 2014-15 Chris Paul
29. 2018-19 James Harden
30. 1949-50 George Mikan
31. 1989-90 Charles Barkley
32. 1997-98 Karl Malone
33. 1989-90 Patrick Ewing
34. 2002-03 Tracy McGrady
35. 2010-11 Dwight Howard
36. 2021-22 Joel Embiid
37. 1957-58 Bob Pettit
38. 1994-95 Scottie Pippen
39. 1995-96 Penny Hardaway
40. 2015-16 Draymond Green
41. 1974-75 Artis Gilmore
42. 1973-74 Bob Lanier
43. 2016-17 Russell Westbrook
44. 1971-72 Walt Frazier
45. 1999-00 Alonzo Mourning
46. 1969-70 Willis Reed
47. 1960-61 Elgin Baylor
48. 1966-67 Nate Thurmond
49. 2021-22 Luka Doncic
50. 1974-75 Rick Barry

Very low because of his 8 turnovers in Game 6 vs. Indiana, and because his team lost by 42 to Minnesota (and became the first team ever to concede 70 in each half of a playoff game).

I'm estimating that top 25 probably gets the most votes. But its going to be verryy close with top 20

I have some quibbles with the Peaks Project rankings and I know it was from 2022 but peak Jokic now needs to rank way higher. Top-5 IMO. Doncic also needs to be higher.

For SGA I like around #25.

1 year peak? Top 10. Easily. Not sure about top 5.

Led 68 win team
Finals MVP
MVP
Arguably the best player based on stats

Anything less is just biased hating. Which I of course expect. I will wait to see the countless 1 year peaks that were better. This should be good.

Based on stats, awards, impact and team success, I'd say top 15 or so.

He's in the top 35 if you take into account playoffs. Top 15 if you just counting the regular season.

His playoff performance was rather disappointing. Wasn't dominant but Kobesque, meaning, you knew how bad or good he was performing was dependent on his shot falling. He doesn't make his presence known in other ways. Unlike Iverson, his aggression doesn't translate into extra shot attempts due to roster construction and line up preference. He is rather inelastic. He's never bad but he isn't Lebron or Jordan tier playoff performer despite his regular season dominance.

Also, compared to regular season dominance, his team wasn't all that.

His impact metrics were historically high. It only seemed less impressive because Jokic exists and had an even better season (by a slight margin). But Jokic is having one of the highest peaks of all time.

Shai also has a strong non-statistical argument based on team record and accolades (MVP, FMVP).

Patches Perry wrote:Based on stats, awards, impact and team success, I'd say top 15 or so.

Awards and team success aren't persuasive to me because they're highly dependent upon supporting cast. If 2025 SGA was swapped for '03 McGrady, the latter probably wins all of the awards and team success the former obtained this season. Several other players who didn't win any or even all of MVP, FMVP or a title might also be swapped instead of TMac. It's problematic because the guy who actually does win these things should probably get some credit for it but I'm not sure how much.

In terms of stats and impact, SGA was historically elite in the regular season but not so much in the playoffs.

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Peaks Project in 2022

1. 1990-91 Michael Jordan
2. 2012-13 LeBron James
3. 1999-00 Shaquille O'Neal
4. 1976-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
5. 1966-67 Wilt Chamberlain
6. 2002-03 Tim Duncan
7. 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon
8.1963-64 Bill Russell
9. 1985-86 Larry Bird
10. 1986-87 Magic Johnson
11. 2016-17 Stephen Curry
12. 2003-04 Kevin Garnett
13. 2020-21 Giannis Antetokounmpo
14. 1963-64 Oscar Robertson
15. 1965-66 Jerry West
16. 2021-22 Nikola Jokic
17. 1976-77 Bill Walton
18. 2005-06 Dwyane Wade
19. 2007-08 Kobe Bryant
20. 1993-94 David Robinson
21. 2016-17 Kawhi Leonard
22. 1975-76 Julius Erving
23. 2010-11 Dirk Nowitzki
24. 2016-17 Kevin Durant
25. 1982-83 Moses Malone
26. 2019-20 Anthony Davis
27. 2006-07 Steve Nash
28. 2014-15 Chris Paul
29. 2018-19 James Harden
30. 1949-50 George Mikan
31. 1989-90 Charles Barkley
32. 1997-98 Karl Malone
33. 1989-90 Patrick Ewing
34. 2002-03 Tracy McGrady
35. 2010-11 Dwight Howard
36. 2021-22 Joel Embiid
37. 1957-58 Bob Pettit
38. 1994-95 Scottie Pippen
39. 1995-96 Penny Hardaway
40. 2015-16 Draymond Green
41. 1974-75 Artis Gilmore
42. 1973-74 Bob Lanier
43. 2016-17 Russell Westbrook
44. 1971-72 Walt Frazier
45. 1999-00 Alonzo Mourning
46. 1969-70 Willis Reed
47. 1960-61 Elgin Baylor
48. 1966-67 Nate Thurmond
49. 2021-22 Luka Doncic
50. 1974-75 Rick Barry

I have it below the first 11 on that list (though I’m not totally certain on whether it’s ahead of 1994 Hakeem or 1986 Bird—both of which I rate lower than others). That list was made in 2022 and since then 2023 Jokic has definitely put in a year above 2025 SGA. So that’s 12 guys above SGA. I think I do have it above 2004 Garnett and 2021 Giannis, though those are close. 2021 Giannis was better in the playoffs, but SGA’s regular season was significantly better IMO. There’s a couple more that are ranked lower than those on that list but that I’m not sure I’d have SGA above—in particularly 1966 West and 1977 Walton.

So, overall, I’d have 2025 SGA somewhere between 13th and 15th.

Of course, all this is only counting one peak year for each player. Guys near the top of the list have multiple years that’d go above 2025 SGA.

rand wrote:

Patches Perry wrote:Based on stats, awards, impact and team success, I'd say top 15 or so.

Awards and team success aren't persuasive to me because they're highly dependent upon supporting cast. If 2025 SGA was swapped for '03 McGrady, the latter probably wins all of the awards and team success the former obtained this season. Several other players who didn't win any or even all of MVP, FMVP or a title might also be swapped instead of TMac. It's problematic because the guy who actually does win these things should probably get some credit for it but I'm not sure how much.

In terms of stats and impact, SGA was historically elite in the regular season but not so much in the playoffs.

I'm sympathetic to the idea that team success and awards shouldn't factor in, but if that's the case, its reason to rank McGrady higher and perhaps several other guys lower. I think Shai's top 15ish would still be roughly correct.

top 25, Gilgeous-Alexander is a great two way player who hard carried this offense but I think the real star of the Thunder was the overwhelming depth of defensive talent.

If ‘06 Wade is 18 then above that, so top 20 easily

Going back to '80 or '85, I'd say only Jokic, Jordan, James, Duncan, Olajuwon, and O'Neal have peaked higher.

(I mean had a better RS + PS. I'm not talking about ability level.)

Curry, unfortunately, split his peak between the '15 PS and the '16 RS.

Shai's an amazing player, but it's difficult for me to overlook just how incredible OKC's team defense is and the general depth of the roster, which is why I'm not getting swayed too much by the team-related metrics/W-L numbers. I would say he's somewhere in the low 20s on that list, just don't know exactly where.

Not an NBA history buff, so I'm talking about last 25 years only.
He's definitely below LeBron in many years and 16 Steph, I'd also rank him below 23 Jokic, 3peat Shaq, and 03 Duncan
He's slightly ahead of the 06 Dirk, 24 Luka, 09/10 Kobe, 21 Guannis and MVP Nash

Saints14 wrote:If ‘06 Wade is 18 then above that, so top 20 easily

Wade’s playoff run that year was considerably more impressive.

I’d say probably like top 30ish. People seem to be forgetting a lot of impressive peaks that happened not super long ago like Kawhi, Harden etc. Also I’m not convinced at all that Shai is as good or better in the playoffs than Wade for example. People voting top 10 simply don’t know what they’re doing.

I didn’t watch SGA during the season but SGA in the playoffs did not impress me at all. People compare him to the all time greats but that final game was particularly ugly. Just chucking and missing.