RealGM

Oh hey again good pals! This is the thing where we rank the top 25 NBA players for 2025-26 hooray.

Basically vote for 1 of the guys in the poll, and you can also post a comment that nominates a player to be added for the next round of voting. Then a day or two later I'll pop in and make the next poll.

So like: "Vote Jokic, nominate Kuzma." Or whatever.

If you change your mind, the poll is set up so you can change your vote as often as you'd like until the poll closes and the next thread goes up. (The poll is limited to 10 options.)

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Results so far:

#1: Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets with 63% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472330

#2: Shai Gilgeous Alexander, OKC Thunder with 54% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472418

#3: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks with 50% of the vote
Added to next poll: Jalen Williams, OKC Thunder
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472506

#4: Luka Doncic, LA Lakers with 62% of votes;
Added to next poll: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472644

#5: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs with 60% of the vote;
Added to next poll: Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472702

#6: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves with 41% of votes;
Added to next poll: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472754

#7: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors with 30% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472918

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Not yet added:
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
James Harden, LA Clippers
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Lamelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Jaren Jackson Jr, Memphis Grizzlies
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Lauri Markannen, Utah Jazz
Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder
Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers
Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Etc etc.

This is meant to be a projection of player rankings for this coming season. Guys like Tatum ( ), Hali and Dame are likely not playing, so I begrudgingly left them out.

Enjoy!

V: AD -- disrespected and with a huge chip on his shoulder, he should come out to remind people who he is.
N: Booker

Insane that AD didn’t win the last poll.
Vote AD
Nominate Jaylen Brown

AD
Brown

Vote: Durant
Add: Booker

Voted again for AD
Nominate: Jaylen Brown

V AD
N Book

V/ Brunson
N/ Siakam

Happy Friday! US Open for me

Vote: AD
Nom: Siakam

Voted: Kawhi

Tough choice here between Durant, LeBron, AD and Kawhi. I picked Kawhi because I think he is the best 2-way player left and any injury concerns people have about Kawhi should apply to AD, who has averaged 52 games played over the last 5 seasons. (For comparison, even including the season where Kawhi missed the entire season, Davis has only played in 50 more total games than Kawhi over the last season.)

Nominate: Embiid

His knee(s) may not hold up, but if they do he is the only MVP-level player not added.

SA37 wrote:Voted: Kawhi

Tough choice here between Durant, LeBron, AD and Kawhi. I picked Kawhi because I think he is the best 2-way player left and any injury concerns people have about Kawhi should apply to AD, who has averaged 52 games played over the last 5 seasons. (For comparison, even including the season where Kawhi missed the entire season, Davis has only played in 50 more total games than Kawhi over the last season.)

Nominate: Embiid

His knee(s) may not hold up, but if they do he is the only MVP-level player not added.

If Kawhi can be the Kawhi of old for 60 games or more then That’s a good point. He is two years older than AD and has played in 12 games a year less for the last 3 seasons on average. 10-12 games is significant.

Hey I get to break a tie this time instead of causing one haha

Nominate Brown

Anthony Davis is our pick for #8 with 46% of votes
Jaylen Brown added to next poll

Continue voting here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473122

brackdan70 wrote:

SA37 wrote:Voted: Kawhi

Tough choice here between Durant, LeBron, AD and Kawhi. I picked Kawhi because I think he is the best 2-way player left and any injury concerns people have about Kawhi should apply to AD, who has averaged 52 games played over the last 5 seasons. (For comparison, even including the season where Kawhi missed the entire season, Davis has only played in 50 more total games than Kawhi over the last season.)

Nominate: Embiid

His knee(s) may not hold up, but if they do he is the only MVP-level player not added.

If Kawhi can be the Kawhi of old for 60 games or more then That’s a good point. He is two years older than AD and has played in 12 games a year less for the last 3 seasons on average. 10-12 games is significant.

I think both players are equally as risky from an availability standpoint for next season. AFAIK, Davis doesn't have a chronic injury, so he doesn't have the same overall risk as Kawhi. Even so, Davis has only played over 70 games 3x in his career. In other words, you can almost guarantee Davis will miss ~20 games/year.

For Kawhi, even if he can be load managed for a season, the Clippers would not have that luxury in the playoffs. Can Kawhi play deep into the playoffs more or less playing every other day?

SA37 wrote:Voted: Kawhi

Tough choice here between Durant, LeBron, AD and Kawhi. I picked Kawhi because I think he is the best 2-way player left and any injury concerns people have about Kawhi should apply to AD, who has averaged 52 games played over the last 5 seasons. (For comparison, even including the season where Kawhi missed the entire season, Davis has only played in 50 more total games than Kawhi over the last season.)

Nominate: Embiid

His knee(s) may not hold up, but if they do he is the only MVP-level player not added.

I think the difference between AD and Kawhi injuries is that we know Kawhi has a degenerative condition. His injuries are expected to get worse. Embiid is in a similar place right now. With AD, flip a coin on whether he misses another huge chunk of games this season, but Kawhi and Embiid, it's built into the projection. It would be a bit of a miracle if Kawhi or Embiid's health improved.

They're all injury-prone, though, I agree. I also group Lebron, Durant, and Curry in there. They've all had a couple healthy seasons after years of missing half the season, but they're all old and no one should be surprised if they struggle with health.

cupcakesnake wrote:

SA37 wrote:Voted: Kawhi

Tough choice here between Durant, LeBron, AD and Kawhi. I picked Kawhi because I think he is the best 2-way player left and any injury concerns people have about Kawhi should apply to AD, who has averaged 52 games played over the last 5 seasons. (For comparison, even including the season where Kawhi missed the entire season, Davis has only played in 50 more total games than Kawhi over the last season.)

Nominate: Embiid

His knee(s) may not hold up, but if they do he is the only MVP-level player not added.

I think the difference between AD and Kawhi injuries is that we know Kawhi has a degenerative condition. His injuries are expected to get worse. Embiid is in a similar place right now. With AD, flip a coin on whether he misses another huge chunk of games this season, but Kawhi and Embiid, it's built into the projection. It would be a bit of a miracle if Kawhi or Embiid's health improved.

They're all injury-prone, though, I agree. I also group Lebron, Durant, and Curry in there. They've all had a couple healthy seasons after years of missing half the season, but they're all old and no one should be surprised if they struggle with health.

100%. I mentioned this issue in the post above yours.

I think Kawhi is in a better position than Embiid. Kawhi didn't have any setbacks that I remember once he came back last season and then played 38mpg over 7 games in the playoffs. That leaves room for optimism, even if I think the Clippers will likely continue to manage Kawhi's minutes and keep him out of most back-to-backs going forward.

Embiid continues to have setback after setback and he's heavy. Even when load managed, he may not be able to deal with a full NBA season. Can he even play through a deep playoff run when the games are largely every other day?