RealGM Top 25 Player Poll-#23 2018-19

[Filthadelphia]

We have debates all the time in various threads over who is better so I thought what better time than summer to see where the General Board lies in its view of the top 25 best players.

I'll update each new poll with the rankings of the last and the percentages of who won.
There's only 10 options per poll so new options will be added as we get lower and lower.

Lets come to a consensus. Feel free to comment who you voted for and why.

If you think someone else should be in the poll who is not there please comment and i'll adjust accordingly.

alessandrux wrote:
I would appreciate it if you can state clearly the procedure.

We vote daily(?) the best player among those who are remaining (and in the poll)?
And after each day, you remove said best voted player, list him as the next best player on our bestlist and start a new poll with the remaining players?

From your players I would replace Irving with Embiid

These are the procedures, yes. Every winner will be removed and then a new entrant will be included on the next poll.

Winner of Poll #22: Ben Simmons (PHI)-35%(As of creation of poll #23)

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%

Added to Poll:Gordon Hayward (BOS)

New System Alert: Vote for who you want in the poll but in order to add new people COMMENT IN THE THREAD.
For example, if you want Marc Gasol added next just comment "Marc Gasol" or "Gasol" and i'll tally up the votes and add whoever is the most popular.
ONLY VOTE ONE NAME PER THREAD

Feel free to leave other comments as usual.
Thanks for your participation so far everyone!

This is the yet-to-be-added field: (If someone is not here that you want here comment THAT and I will add them)
-Jayson Tatum (BOS)
-Kristaps Porzingis (NYK)
-Kevin Love (CLE)
-Andre Drummond (DET)
-Khris Middleton (MIL)
-Otto Porter (WAS)
-Bradley Beal (WAS)
-CJ McCollum (POR)
-Clint Capela (HOU)
-Steven Adams (OKC)
-Marc Gasol (MEM)
-Devin Booker (PHX)
-Brandon Ingram (LAL)
-Isaiah Thomas (DEN)

Link to last poll: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1746224

[Filthadelphia]

Would yall be interested ina top 50? If so and1 this post.

[HoopsterJones]

Add Love

[Filthadelphia]

If yall want me to stop spamming the general board with these polls and1 this post

[bondom34]

Any of Horford, Mitchell or Kemba you could talk me into. Went Horford.

[bwgood77]

Horford....thought Hayward, if back to form, especially with Stevens, would have been the pick, but how he comes back is a question mark. Mitchell and Lowry fairly close.

[bwgood77]

If yall want me to stop spamming the general board with these polls and1 this post

I think this is a nice offseason exercise, and I'd continue it past 25 and as long as it goes. It is interesting discussion.

[THE J0KER]

Cousins is the best, but he should not be part of this poll anyway, so I voted for a John Wall. I don't think Horford importance for Boston will be same big as last season with Irving, Hayward and improved Tatum around, so the alternate option for me is Donovan Mitchell, which is even a potential TOP15 player if he repeats 25-5-5 playoff numbers.

[Cappy_Smurf]

Anyone who likes boobies and1 this post.

[iggymcfrack]

Would yall be interested ina top 50? If so and1 this post.

I was actually thinking about trying to continue this if you didn’t. Super excited you’re willing to continue it to 50. Let’s do it!!!

[iggymcfrack]

So since I’m super subjective and use stats to shoehorn in arguments towards people I have preconceived biases for, I’d like to proceed to use the exact same set of criteria for Donovan Mitchell that I used for the player that I really favored due to personal reasons, Ben Simmons (?):

Al Horford by RPM
Age 27: +1.50 (96th)
Age 28: +2.14 (69th)
Age 29: +2.97 (27th)
Age 30: +1.82 (60th)
Age 31: +3.89 (19th)
5-year average: +2.50

Kemba Walker by RPM
Age 23: +1.58
Age 24: -1.03
Age 25: +2.58
Age 26: +2.68
Age 27: +3.81
5-year average: 1.92

Jrue Holiday by RPM
Age 23: +2.41
Age 24: +3.22
Age 25: +1.63
Age 26: +1.82
Age 27: +3.73
5-year average: +2.56

Donovan Mitchell by RPM
Age 21: +2.15
5-year average: +2.15

So which one of these is most impressive? I think the first one to throw out is Horford. He’s entering his age 32 season and doesn’t even have the most impressive average. Not interested in him. Jrue has a much better average than Kemba while Kemba has a much more impressive trendline. Which one will be better in 2018/19? Hard to say. I’d lean Kemba, but I wouldn’t argue with someone for saying Jrue. Both are reasonable.

How about Mitchell? He’s between the two for 5-year averages, but while Jrue and Kemba’s improvements for the upcoming season are questionable, Mitchell’s are near certain as a 21-year old rookie transitioning to a 22-year old sophomore. Furthermore, if they weren’t certain just by a general aging curve, they’re unequivocally clear from the improvements Mitchell made from the first half of the season to the second half of the season and the playoffs. Finally, the raw, difficult-to-find, skill of scoring the ball efficiently is something Mitchell demonstrated in his very first season while the polishing skills are much easier to develop for a young player. I think he’ll improve more than Simmons and I’d project his RPM around 3.6 this upcoming season which is much higher than I would project anyone else’s. Also, I see no reason for RPM to overrate him since his role is “primary scorer on a contender” and he’s already shown the ability to produce in the playoffs as a rookie.

Vote Mitchell.

Nominate Porter.

[iggymcfrack]

Looked through early voting list to see if I forgot about anyone and realized I forgot to do numbers for John Wall. Let's compare him as well:

John Wall by RPM
Age 23: +2.22
Age 24: +4.30
Age 25: +2.72
Age 26: +2.26
Age 27: +1.17
5-year average: +2.53

Considering he's right in the range of Horford and Jrue, but is also dealing with potential injury issues, has the worst trendline, and is also arguably the most likely (along with Horford) to hit decline early due to his game relying heavily on athleticism, I can't see him coming up soon either. He looks to be a smidgen behind Jrue to me. He has performed a little better in the regular season than the postseason, but that's also something you can say for Horford, Mitchell, and Jrue. I still feel like Mitchell is the clear choice for 2018/19 at this point of the discussion.

[LordCovington33]

Anyone who’s got man-boobies and1 this post.

fixed

[iggymcfrack]

Anyone who’s got man-boobies and1 this post.

fixed

Wait, how do I And1 a post twice. Both of those definitely apply to me. Well, actually I guess I don't have man boobies yet, but if I keep eating the way I have the last 3 months, I will in no time. CAN'T.... STOP..... EATING.... FOOD!!!!

[iggymcfrack]

Also, just for Horford voters:

Jayson Tatum by RPM
Age 19: +2.92
5-year average: +2.92

The only reasons I'm not currently voting for him are:
(1) He hasn't been nominated yet
(2) Brad Stevens stat inflation

He's definitely been more impressive than Horford so far, but I still wouldn't take him over Mitchell because I think if you reverse the teams they were drafted to, Mitchell would be even more impressive and Tatum wouldn't have done as much so far. Stevens stat inflation is a real thing. Isaiah Thomas went from an MVP candidate with a +1.83 RPM to an albatross with a -4.27 RPM. Jae Crowder (with no injury) went from a role player superstar with a +3.89 RPM to a borderline rotation guy with a -2.13 RPM. Those guys are definitely outliers, but I'm still not confident in Horford's ability to maintain his Atlanta numbers without Stevens, let alone improve them.

[Alonzo_Morning]

Nooo Jrue won't make top 25

[Alonzo_Morning]

Also, just for Horford voters:

Jayson Tatum by RPM
Age 19: +2.92
5-year average: +2.92

The only reasons I'm not currently voting for him are:
(1) He hasn't been nominated yet
(2) Brad Stevens stat inflation

He's definitely been more impressive than Horford so far, but I still wouldn't take him over Mitchell because I think if you reverse the teams they were drafted to, Mitchell would be even more impressive and Tatum wouldn't have done as much so far. Stevens stat inflation is a real thing. Isaiah Thomas went from an MVP candidate with a +1.83 RPM to an albatross with a -4.27 RPM. Jae Crowder (with no injury) went from a role player superstar with a +3.89 RPM to a borderline rotation guy with a -2.13 RPM. Those guys are definitely outliers, but I'm still not confident in Horford's ability to maintain his Atlanta numbers without Stevens, let alone improve them.

I take Tatum 10/10.

Already more efficient and will be a better defender than Mitchell could be

Also should admit I have a superstar wing boner since the Pelicans have never had close to one

[ElectricMayhem]

I voted for Horford.

I nominate Drummond.

[Duffman100]

REALLY has to be Horford at this point.

[iggymcfrack]

REALLY has to be Horford at this point.

He’s gonna be 3rd best Celtic this year behind Hayward and Tatum.