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

#8: Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks with 46% of the vote;
Added to next poll: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473076

#9: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks with 36% of votes;
Added to next poll: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=119556568#p119556568

#10: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers with 29% of votes;
Added to next poll: Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473174

#11: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons with 27% of votes;
Added to next poll: Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473228

#12: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers with 31% of votes
Added to next poll: Karl-Anthony Towns, NY Knicks
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473294

#13: Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets with 29% of votes
Added to next poll: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473394

#14: Jalen Williams, OKC Thunder with 31% of votes;
Added to next poll: Jimmy Butler, GSW
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473480

#15: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic with 34% of votes;
Adde to next poll: Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=119580758#p119580758

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Not yet added:
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
James Harden, LA Clippers
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Lamelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Jaren Jackson Jr, Memphis Grizzlies
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Lauri Markannen, Utah Jazz
Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers
Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
OG Anunoby, NY Knicks
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta Hawks
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics
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: Lebron
N: Derrick White

vote: Jaylen Brown
nominate: Bam Adebayo

V Brown
N Gobert

Voted Kawhi

Nominate Ja Morant

Vote: Booker
Nominate: Young

Vote Brown
Nominate Derrick White

Voted for Chet, but I wouldn't mind switching to Franz if he gets more traction. They're both very close to me. Young improving guys who probably would have been all-NBA last year if they didn't get hurt.

Time to nominate Derrick White I think. I had him at an all-NBA level last year and while he is an older player, he has a skillset that should age well and has shown no signs of decline yet.

I've got LeBron. I can't see arguments for many players above him. I get that he is old and declining, but for one season or one playoff series I would take him over anyone on this list.

babyjax13 wrote:I've got LeBron. I can't see arguments for many players above him. I get that he is old and declining, but for one season or one playoff series I would take him over anyone on this list.

LeBron needs to prove he's on the same level as Julius Randle (or Rudy Gobert, for that matter!) after that disastrous playoff exit and net negative season. He was owned in every way!

The glaze is getting crazy. Kawhi is the best player here and it isn't close anymore (hasn't been for a while!)

Voted Kawhi Leonard

Nominated Zion Williamson

Caneman786 wrote:

babyjax13 wrote:I've got LeBron. I can't see arguments for many players above him. I get that he is old and declining, but for one season or one playoff series I would take him over anyone on this list.

LeBron needs to prove he's on the same level as Julius Randle (or Rudy Gobert, for that matter!) after that disastrous playoff exit and net negative season. He was owned in every way!

RE: Hali, he is out for the year so I am not voting him (or Tatum) as a top 25 player for the season. But I love Rudy and I'd still easily take a 41 year old LeBron. He averaged 25/9/6 with 2 steals and 2 blocks per game in the playoffs on 62%TS. How many players can do that? No, he is not what he used to be, but he is still incredible - certainly better than Julius Randle (22/6/5 on 62% TS in the playoffs with 1spg).

Voted Jaylen Brown
Nominate Trae Young

babyjax13 wrote:

Caneman786 wrote:

babyjax13 wrote:I've got LeBron. I can't see arguments for many players above him. I get that he is old and declining, but for one season or one playoff series I would take him over anyone on this list.

LeBron needs to prove he's on the same level as Julius Randle (or Rudy Gobert, for that matter!) after that disastrous playoff exit and net negative season. He was owned in every way!

RE: Hali, he is out for the year so I am not voting him (or Tatum) as a top 25 player for the season. But I love Rudy and I'd still easily take a 41 year old LeBron. He averaged 25/9/6 with 2 steals and 2 blocks per game in the playoffs on 62%TS. How many players can do that? No, he is not what he used to be, but he is still incredible - certainly better than Julius Randle (22/6/5 on 62% TS in the playoffs with 1spg).

Empty calorie stats that come directly to the detriment of the team. We all know the Lakers would be better if LeBron averaged less and took a backseat in the offense, but to pad his longevity stats, he demands the ball. The box score stats are largely meaningless when it comes to evaluating L. James.

I have spoken of this "LeBron illusion" in earlier posts: You may read them:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2457118#p118403400

In any case, it should be consensus that Rudy Gobert defensive value far outweighs LeBron's marginal positive impact (which is a hypothetical completely dependent on his accepting a lower role, as in his current role LeBron is an absolute negative player - you'd rather have a Keldon Johnson on the floor than current LeBron, and impact metrics back this point up).

It is even more obvious with Randle. It should be undeniable, considering that Randle and LeBron directly matched up for 5 games in a playoffs series that the Lakers were seen as the favorites for by the majority of casual fans and media glazers.

LeBron's stats:
25 / 9 / 6 on 60% TS (which are carefully curated and include stat-pad sessions in garbage time) (defensive stats not included since it is hugely misleading to pretend it's representative of actual defensive impact, which we know LeBron's is negative)

Reality: -41 on court. + 8 off court.

You seeing what I'm seeing? Total liability!

Julius's stats:

23 / 5 / 4 on 61% TS, but more importantly +22 on-court, +11 off-court.

Julius is a team player.

Things get even worse if you track the possessions that Randle and LeBron directly guarded each other. The "King" is no match for a caesar!

To further diminish the idea that LeBron's box score stats are meaningful, take a look at this. Julius Randle's stats against a much tougher defensive team: the Golden State Warriors (without negative defender Stephen Curry).

25 / 7 / 7 on 63% TS. Even the basic box score stats appears superior to LeBron's (and this is in 37 MPG compared to LeBron's 41 MPG). However the kicker: +42 on-court. -6 off-court

When Julius gets stats, he also helps his team!

It's funny cuz you asked me how many guys can give you the LeBron stats (5 game sample size). Turns out: Julius can!

And he does it better.

Julius's playoffs averages are diminished since he had to go against an all-time great defense in OKC at the end, which LeBron didn't have to do. All in all, LeBron and Julius aren't comparable in 2025. Let alone 2026, at which point the gap will have widened far more. LeBron's pace of decline is startling!

All in all, the time is up for LeBronies. If you want to keep living in your world and vote him in, be my guest. However, when the season starts, we know what's gonna go down!

I think that everyone are trolling Lebron's fans at this point.

KGtabake wrote:I think that everyone are trolling Lebron's fans at this point.

Not necessarily,i think it's more like people expect this to be the year Father Time finally beats Lebron...

The wrong side of 40 is no joke and he's gonna be 41 this year,so...

babyjax13 wrote:

Caneman786 wrote:

babyjax13 wrote:I've got LeBron. I can't see arguments for many players above him. I get that he is old and declining, but for one season or one playoff series I would take him over anyone on this list.

Spoiler:

LeBron needs to prove he's on the same level as Julius Randle (or Rudy Gobert, for that matter!) after that disastrous playoff exit and net negative season. He was owned in every way!

RE: Hali, he is out for the year so I am not voting him (or Tatum) as a top 25 player for the season. But I love Rudy and I'd still easily take a 41 year old LeBron. He averaged 25/9/6 with 2 steals and 2 blocks per game in the playoffs on 62%TS. How many players can do that? No, he is not what he used to be, but he is still incredible - certainly better than Julius Randle (22/6/5 on 62% TS in the playoffs with 1spg).

LeBron shows almost no decline, especially when you see his statistical production. Gobert's decline is clear -- although this could just be a one-off. And the conclusion is Gobert > LeBron.

Wild.

These lists are tough. Top4guys to me are pretty clear cut, especially with an in shape Luka.
The rest of top15 or so are pretty close.
Lebron derangement syndrome is strong . Him KD and Steph are fighting father time but still all of them likely should be higher than they are.
Lots of guys like Mobley, Mitchell and some others seem higher than they should be when you got guys like Brown, kawhi (his health is obviously the issue) Butler, Siakam still on the board.
Tough though, basically just comes down to certain fanbases getting their votes in on their guy before poll closes and if a player is hated, just voting for whoever has best chance of beating that 41yr old hated man

Canadafan wrote:These lists are tough. Top4guys to me are pretty clear cut, especially with an in shape Luka.
The rest of top15 or so are pretty close.
Lebron derangement syndrome is strong . Him KD and Steph are fighting father time but still all of them likely should be higher than they are.
Lots of guys like Mobley, Mitchell and some others seem higher than they should be when you got guys like Brown, kawhi (his health is obviously the issue) Butler, Siakam still on the board.
Tough though, basically just comes down to certain fanbases getting their votes in on their guy before poll closes and if a player is hated, just voting for whoever has best chance of beating that 41yr old hated man

It would be fun to see all the old guys put on the same team and see where they finished:

Paul (40) / Westbrook (37 in November)
Curry (37) / Harden (36)
Durant (37 in September) / J Butler (36 in a week)
LeBron (41) / N Batum (36)
Lopez (37) / K Love (37 today)

With the exceptions of Durant, Westbrook, and Love, this is basically just a mashup of the teams from California

Caneman786 wrote:The glaze is getting crazy. Kawhi is the best player here and it isn't close anymore (hasn't been for a while!)

Voted Kawhi Leonard

Nominated Zion Williamson

I’d have voted him by now but I think he will be suspended, this is about performance next season, I can’t in good conscience vote for a guy who won’t play much.