RealGM Top 25 Player Poll-#22 2022-23

[ElectricMayhem]

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: Jaylen Brown (BOS)
Added to Poll: Bam Adebayo (MIA)

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%
21) Jaylen Brown (BOS) - 30%

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)
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:

Spoiler:

RealGM Top 25 Players 2018-19:
1) LeBron James (LAL)-72%
2) Kevin Durant (GSW)-39%
3) Stephen Curry (GSW)-53%
4) Anthony Davis (NOP)-39%
5) James Harden (HOU)-45%
6) Kawhi Leonard (TOR)-50%
7) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)-56%
8) Russell Westbrook (OKC)-47%
9) Chris Paul (HOU)-43%
10) Jimmy Butler (MIN)-33%
11) Joel Embiid (PHI)-37%
12) Nikola Jokic (DEN)-32%
13) Victor Oladipo (IND)-31%
14) Rudy Gobert (UTA)-62%-TIEBREAKER w Kyrie Irving (BOS)
15) Damian Lillard (POR)-32%
16) Kyrie Irving (BOS)-37%
17) Draymond Green (GSW)-31%
18) Paul George (OKC)-27%
19) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-23%
20) Kyle Lowry (TOR)-31%
21) Klay Thompson (GSW)-30%
22) Ben Simmons (PHI)-35%
23) John Wall (WAS)-27%
24) Al Horford (BOS)-33%
25) LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS)-30%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2019-20:
1)Kawhi Leonard (LAC)-39%
2)Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)-42%
3)LeBron James (LAL)-42%
4)Stephen Curry (GSW)-48%
5)James Harden (HOU)-40%
6)Anthony Davis (LAL)-39%
7)Nikola Jokic (DEN)-33%
8)Joel Embiid (PHI)-35%
9)Paul George (LAC)-46%
10)Damian Lillard (POR)-54%
11)Jimmy Butler (MIA)-30%
12)Russell Westbrook (HOU)-26%
13)Rudy Gobert (UTA)-23%
14)Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-28%
15)Draymond Green (GSW)-30%
16)Kyrie Irving (BKN)-37%
17)Blake Griffin (DET)-31%
18)Bradley Beal (WAS)-24%
19)Kemba Walker (BOS)-29%
20)Luka Doncic (DAL)-37%
21)Jrue Holiday (NOP)-22%
22)Ben Simmons (PHI)-30%
23)Pascal Siakam (TOR)-41%
24)Kyle Lowry (TOR)-46%
25)Chris Paul (OKC)-32%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2020-21:
1)LeBron James (LAL) - 53%
2)Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 47%
3)Luka Doncic (DAL) - 37%
4)Kawhi Leonard (LAC) - 34%
5)Anthony Davis (LAL) - 35%
6)James Harden (HOU) - 39%
7)Steph Curry (GSW) - 33%
8)Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 42%
9)Kevin Durant (BKN) - 46%
10)Damian Lillard (POR) - 38%
11)Jimmy Butler (MIA) - 57%
12)Jayson Tatum (BOS) - 41%
13)Joel Embiid (PHI) - 59%
14)Devin Booker (PHX) - 22%
15)Chris Paul (PHX) - 24%
16)Paul George (LAC) - 21%
17)Bradley Beal (WAS) - 22%
18)Donovan Mitchell (UTA) - 22%
19)Ben Simmons (PHI) - 26%
20)Kyle Lowry (TOR) - 28%
21)Rudy Gobert (UTA) - 26%
22)Bam Adebayo (MIA) - 24%
23)Jamal Murray (DEN) - 29%
24)Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 32%
25)Kyrie Irving (BKN) - 33%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2021-22:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 41%
2) Kevin Durant (BKN) - 38%
3) LeBron James (LAL) - 36%
4) Luka Doncic (DAL) - 39%
5) Stephen Curry (GSW) - 42%
6) Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 61%
7) Joel Embiid (PHI) - 32%
8) James Harden (BKN) - 47%
9) Kawhi Leonard (LAC) - 35%
10) Damian Lillard (POR) - 39%
11) Anthony Davis (LAL) - 60%
12) Jayson Tatum (BOS) - 32%
13) Jimmy Butler (MIA) - 34%
14) Paul George (LAC) - 33%
15) Trae Young (ATL) - 30%
16) Rudy Gobert (UTA) - 22%
17) Zion Williamson (NOP) - 27%
18) Chris Paul (PHX) - 26%
19) Kyrie Irving (BKN) - 29%
20) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 24%
21) Devin Booker (PHX) - 28%
22) Bradley Beal (WAS) - 35%
23) Donovan Mitchell (UTA) - 47%
24) Khris Middleton (MIL) - 45%
25. Jrue Holiday (MIL) 27%-

[BobbyPortisEyes]

Vote: Zion
Nominate: SGA

[longtallbrad]

Voted: Irving
Nominate: Simmons

[MelTurpin]

V: Chris Paul
N: Evan Mobley

[ElectricMayhem]

Vote: Chris Paul. Kyrie Irving has gone out to a quick lead. I've said it before, but when is the last time he has had a top-30 positive impact on a team? He hasn't with Brooklyn. He hasn't with Boston. Suddenly he's going to do it this year? Chris Paul has that impact year in and year old. He somehow got that OKC team to the playoffs. After that he helped Phoenix flip a switch. He's definitely suffered some physical decline but is still a high impact player on the court.

Nominate: Draymond Green. Like CP3, Draymond is a guy that has a huge tangible impact on winning. More so than lots of people already on the poll in my opinion.

[FlyingArrow]

V CPaul
N Draymond

[HoopsterJones]

Jaylen Brown at #21, lol he’s not better than at least half of the other candidates. Whatever.

Voted Zion
Nominate LaVine

[MrGoat]

Vote: He's a moron and a bit of a team cancer. But he's also the only guy on this list who's gotten it done in the Finals big time. Kyrie

Nom: I'm very close to putting one of the other GS players here but Draymond showed he can't elevate a team by himself at all in 2020, and Klay is not fully back to his old self. So I'll goo with an SG most teams would kill to have: LaVine.

[SA37]

Voted: Kyrie

Nominate: Sabonis

[Pistol_Pete10]

V: Mitchell
N: SGA

[giberish]

Vote: Paul

Nominate: Holiday

[Jadoogar]

Jaylen brown higher than Donovon Mitchell, Kyrie, CP3 even ingram, is insane

[Duffman100]

Jaylen brown higher than Donovon Mitchell, Kyrie, CP3 even ingram, is insane

Insane? Is a vastly better defender than all 3 and not too far off offensively.

I’ve voted for CP3 the past few round but I can see the argument he’ll fall off a bit.

Kyrie doesn’t play enough to warrant being in the top 25. He needs to get 60-70 games under his belt this season to get it back again.

Mitchell is a terrible defender.

Ingram is an interesting debate.

[Jadoogar]

Jaylen brown higher than Donovon Mitchell, Kyrie, CP3 even ingram, is insane

Insane? Is a vastly better defender than all 3 and not too far off offensively.

I’ve voted for CP3 the past few round but I can see the argument he’ll fall off a bit.

Kyrie doesn’t play enough to warrant being in the top 25. He needs to get 60-70 games under his belt this season to get it back again.

Mitchell is a terrible defender.

Ingram is an interesting debate.

I value offense more than defense i would definitely take Mitchell and Ingram over jaylen brown. I can see CP3 falling off a bit and see concede your point on Kyrie, he's a nutcase so you don't know what you're getting with him.

[MoneyTalks41890]

V CP3
N SGA

[oldncreaky]

v Garland
n JJJ

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Vote: Chris Paul

It's honestly pretty crazy to me that he hasn't been selected yet. An uncontroversial All-NBA pick the past 3 seasons and rather than slowing down, CP3 is coming off his highest WS, WS/48, BPM and VORP since 2018, highest RAPTOR since 2019, highest LEBRON and RAPM since 2020. Among players with >2000 mins in 2022 he ranked:

8th in WS
5th in WS/48
8th in BPM
12th in VORP
9th in bball-index's LEBRON
16th in 538's RAPTOR
8th in ESPN's RPM
12th in Shot Charts' RAPM

This all screams top 9-12ish level impact, and yet we sit here debating whether he's a top 22 player. Even if you assume normal physical decline, Paul's 2-way impact derives from skill and IQ which only seem to be as refined as ever, so outside of a crippling injury he should continue to be one of the most reliable floor raisers in the game. Perhaps the injury risk is a bit elevated for CP3 at his age, but it's also elevated for recent or historically injury-prone players such as Curry, Embiid, Durant, LeBron, Kawhi, Butler, Davis, George, Harden -- all voted top 15 -- Lillard, Beal, Kyrie, Zion. And to be clear I don't particularly like the guy, but when I checked in on this project at the #19 thread I was like wtf and have been voting for him ever since. I mean the fact that Chris Paul has been running neck and neck with Kyrie Irving is just mind boggling to me

Nominate: Draymond Green

Another "unsexy" pick but he might just be the NBA's most valuable defensive anchor, especially when you account for how well his brand of defense translates to the playoffs. I personally prefer Draymond over Gobert defensively, but in any case they're close, and yet Gobert was voted in at 13 while Draymond hasn't even been nominated for top 31. Of course the issue with Draymond is whether his offensive limitations render him a legitimate liability on that end (despite his important playmaking value), and to what degree this offsets his game-changing defense in terms of overall impact. It's interesting tho, Draymond is apparently scrutinized for his deficient side of the ball while I see numerous defensive liabilities among the 31 players already voted/nominated and, outside of Trae (who happens to be the single greatest defensive liability), I wouldn't consider any of them to have an argument for top 5 offensive players, in fact most of them probably aren't even top 10

I get that offensive bias is a thing, but at some point we have to acknowledge that defense matters as well

[shza]

Vote Zion, nominate Wiggs

[LBJKB24MJ23]

Jaylen brown higher than Donovon Mitchell, Kyrie, CP3 even ingram, is insane

Insane? Is a vastly better defender than all 3 and not too far off offensively.

I’ve voted for CP3 the past few round but I can see the argument he’ll fall off a bit.

Kyrie doesn’t play enough to warrant being in the top 25. He needs to get 60-70 games under his belt this season to get it back again.

Mitchell is a terrible defender.

Ingram is an interesting debate.

I value offense more than defense i would definitely take Mitchell and Ingram over jaylen brown. I can see CP3 falling off a bit and see concede your point on Kyrie, he's a nutcase so you don't know what you're getting with him.

I wouldn't take Mitchell over Jaylen Brown considering they are both equally effective on offense when it comes to TS% and with Brown's expanding offensive game coming into his prime and with much superior defense, I would easily take Brown over Mitchell. Ingram would easily replace Brown though if Brown didn't make the NBA finals tbh.

[Jadoogar]

Insane? Is a vastly better defender than all 3 and not too far off offensively.

I’ve voted for CP3 the past few round but I can see the argument he’ll fall off a bit.

Kyrie doesn’t play enough to warrant being in the top 25. He needs to get 60-70 games under his belt this season to get it back again.

Mitchell is a terrible defender.

Ingram is an interesting debate.

I value offense more than defense i would definitely take Mitchell and Ingram over jaylen brown. I can see CP3 falling off a bit and see concede your point on Kyrie, he's a nutcase so you don't know what you're getting with him.

I wouldn't take Mitchell over Jaylen Brown considering they are both equally effective on offense when it comes to TS% and with Brown's expanding offensive game coming into his prime and with much superior defense, I would easily take Brown over Mitchell. Ingram would easily replace Brown though if Brown didn't make the NBA finals tbh.

I don't think you can compare their TS% as they fulfill different roles. Mitchell is the primary option on his team whereas Brown was clearly #2. Plus we have see Mitchell raise his game in the playoffs. I think Mitchell is also going to be in a better spot this season, surrounded by more talent than he has ever had.