The 50 best players for last year treated NBA fans to some extraordinary basketball. Some seemingly came out of nowhere and others have held their distinction for years. This season should be no different.
With so much player movement this off-season and a talented rookie class set to take the NBA by storm, fans will have more than their fare share at selecting the best players in the game.
A lot of the old dogs of the league are still going strong, refusing to let the younger pups get a leg up on them, while others are declining at a rapid rate and look as if they’re content on fading with the wind.
Many of the younger guys look to further increase their positioning among the best in the game, while others will be looking to race up the ladder of the NBA hierarchy, though some will fail miserably.
I expect more of the younger generation (seven or fewer seasons) to crack into the prestigious group of “50 Best Players,” especially those from the past two draft classes. The talents they possess and have displayed are what will carry this league into another great decade of basketball.
I also expect this new influx of talent to push a lot of the older stars to rededicate themselves to their craft.
But the biggest factor in all this may be the team down south, South Beach that is. If these players don’t want to see the Miami Heat dominate next season or the next five or six, they better bring their A-games. This added motivation will only bring about the best the NBA has to offer.
So out with the old and in with the new, here are the potential 50 best rankings come the end of the 2010-2011 NBA season.
Players Knocking On the Door
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There will be several players that will flirt with being top 50 players. These are just a few names that you might want to make note of (in no particular order).
1. Al Horford
2. Jameer Nelson
3. Loul Deng
4. Brandon Jennings
5. Lines Kleiza
6. Louis Scola
7. Marc Gasol
8. David West
9. Greg Oden
10. Eric Gordon
11. Andray Blatche
12. Baron Davis
13. Al Jefferson
14. Andre Miller
15. Blake Griffin
16. Antawn Jamison
17. George Hill
18. Rashard Lewis
19. Jrue Holiday
20. John Wall
50. Aaron Brooks
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Aaron Brooks averaged 10 more minutes last season than he did the previous year. In return for his increased time on the floor, Brooks averaged eight more points per game.
With the Rockets nearly completely healthy, Brooks will have a ton of options to utilize in a effort to make the Rockets better.
Brooks made a name for himself last season and flirted with being an All-Star player. He’ll need to improve on the other aspects of his game that don’t include scoring. He also must prove that last season was a one hit wonder.
49. Zack Randolph
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It’ll be interesting to see if Zach Randolph can duplicate his numbers from a year ago. He’s 29-years-old and appears to be entering the prime stages of his career.
He helped the Memphis Grizzlies win 16 more games than they did the previous season. With basically the same team returning, he’ll be expected to do even more.
Randolph grew as a man and a player last season. He appears to have made basketball a main priority in his life again. Memphis Grizzlies fans should expect much of the same this season.
48. Kevin Love
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Kevin Love is one of the most overrated players in the league, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t productive. He’ll enter the season fresh off of being apart of the USA gold medal team in the FIBA games.
Love is finally out of the shadow of Al Jefferson but now has to contend with Michael Beasley for minutes. Luckily for him Beasley is willing to play some at small forward.
Love can honestly be a 15 points and 15 rebounds a night kind of guy. Only thing he doesn’t do is get stops on defense. If he can change that aspect of his game, he could very well become one of the best players in the NBA.
47. Joakim Noah
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Joakim Noah will look to prove that the player who shows up in playoff games is the same guy that can be counted on for all 82 regular season games. The Bulls seem inclined to believe so after passing on a deal for Carmelo Anthony in order to keep Noah.
Noah has increased his efficiency for the past two seasons and should do the same. The addition of Carlos Boozer and the attention he commands will also free up more space for Noah to get free and be an even bigger threat on the offensive end.
Noah’s biggest attribute as a player is probably his leadership and motivational skills. He instills a confidence in his teammates and usually backs it up with a consistent effort. If he can get his game to match his effort, he’ll be an Eastern Conference All-Star in no time.
46. John Salmons
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The 30-year-old John Salmons found a home last season after being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He provided the team with much needed scoring after Andrew Bogut went down with his elbow and forearm injuries.
The Bucks in return rewarded Salmons with a multi-year contract and gave Salmons the financial stability he has always strived to attain. Salmons will look to prove the Bucks made a smart deal.
The Bucks added a lot of talent and will expect Salmons to help make things easier for them. Expect the eight year pro to have a career year.
45. LaMarcus Aldridge
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LaMarcus Aldridge had as much to do with the success of the Portland Trailblazers as Brandon Roy. The four year pro provided a steady low post option for 78 games.
The Blazers will be healthy and extremely loaded to begin this season. This will make life a lot easier for Aldridge. With so much talent surrounding him he should look to take advantage.
The only thing holding Aldridge back from being great is the same thing that held back Rasheed Wallace; himself. If he pushes himself and better utilizes his versatile skill sets he could jump into the conversation of top five power forwards in the Western Conference.
44. Brook Lopez
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Brook Lopez is a player who’s statistics are a bit misleading. He has great ability and is good at getting numbers, but his play doesn’t lead to victories.
With the New Jersey Nets looking like they’ll land Carmelo Anthony, things will be a whole lot easier for Lopez on the offensive end.
Lopez will be a third year pro and will be coached by a guy who’s guided a team to an NBA Finals as a player and a coach. He should be considerably better at the end of this up coming season.
43. Tony Parker
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After a career year in 2008-2009, Tony Parker experienced the third worst season of his nine year career. That has many folks ready to right the 27-year-old off as if he’s done.
Parker will bounce back after playing just 56 games last season. But it remains to be seen if it will happen in San Antonio as rumors have the Spurs looking to trade him.
Don't be surprised if he has a career year. In the playoffs he showed signs of his former dominant-self even though he was injured.
42. Josh Smith
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Last season Josh Smith showed a maturity and discipline level that many believed he would never achieve. He also showed off his role to be a facilitator as he averaged a career high in assist.
Smith is arguably the real leader of the Atlanta Hawks. They rely so much on his energy and effort to spark a team that often looks unmotivated.
Smith has expanded his game nearly every season he’s been apart of the league. He is 24-years-old and has yet to hit his prime. He’ll once again make another leap at improving his overall play on the court.
41. Rudy Gay
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Rudy Gay will enter this upcoming season riding high off his FIBA experience. He was one of the five best performers for the USA select team.
He led the Grizzlies from 24 to 40 wins this past season. This sudden rise in success will have the 24-year-old set on experiencing the playoffs for the first time in his career.
Rudy has yet to begin playing his best ball, but all signs point to him knocking on the door of being an All-Star caliber player this season.
40. Ron Artest
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People don’t realize how great Ron Artest's basketball IQ is. Even after carrying Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals, the man still can’t get any respect.
Artest is solid in most areas of basketball and great in a few. He’ll soon be 31 years of age, so his window of greatness is closing steadily.
With a year in the triangle under his belt, fans of Artest can expect him to be more aggressive and productive than he was a year ago.
39. Stephen Curry
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Stephen Curry is about to become a household name this season. His overall season totals don’t tell the story of the player that will be. To know the truth about his abilities and talents, one only needs to look at the level of play he displayed from January till the end of the season.
Over that time span, he was nearly a 20 per game scorer, who averaged close to seven assists and 5 rebounds. It’s also been reported that Curry has managed to add 10 pounds of muscle to his frame this offseason.
With the newly acquired pieces and returning healthy players, Curry will have his Warriors club in contention for a playoff birth out West. I expect him to out perform a lot of point men that are viewed as better players than him.
38. Kevin Garnett
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Kevin Garnett has witnessed his production decrease in each of the past three seasons. Matter of fact, most his numbers mirrored those of second year player Michael Beasley. But due to his past accomplishments and success of his team, Garnett made the All-Star team for the 11th straight season.
It was also another season Garnett struggled with staying healthy. He’s missed 38 games over the past two seasons.
However, Garnett did show well in most of the playoffs; especially versus the Cleveland Cavaliers and their undersized power forwards. The Celtics are hoping he can maintain a similar level of dominance this upcoming season.
Now if only the league would do something about his childish antics.
37. David Lee
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David Lee became an All-Star in his fifth year as a pro last season. Not sure if the same will hold true this upcoming season, but his numbers may very well increase.
Now that he is in Golden State and surrounded by twice as much talent, Lee will find things a lot easier. Playing alongside Andris Biedrins, Lee will finally be able to play his more natural power forward position.
Along with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, Lee will help the Warriors try to attain a playoff berth next season. The talent is there and it’ll be on Lee to make sure the front court is one to be reckoned with.
36. Monta Ellis
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Monta Ellis had a breakout year last season and to the delight of Warriors’ fans, excelled alongside Stephen Curry. Common logic would lead one to believe that this upcoming season will yield even better results.
Ellis is only 24 years of age and seems posed and ready to hit his prime quicker than expected. The second round pick of 2005 posted numbers that favored those of Super Star guard Dwyane Wade.
With the added additions to the Golden State Warriors, it’ll be even more difficult for teams to corral the man with the best spin move in the game.
This will be the season that fans from all over learn the name of Monta Ellis.
35. Michael Beasley
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Michael Beasley is about to take the NBA by storm. Finally free of the shackles that were placed on him in Miami, Beasley will display all the lessons he learned while playing alongside Dwyane Wade.
In games that Dwyane Wade missed due to injuries, Beasley averaged 20-points, 8-rebounds, 2-assists, 1-steal, and 1-block per game. He also carried the Heat to a four and five record while playing against five playoff teams.
Beasley is 21-years-old and entering his third season. The third year is generally when most NBA power forwards define what kind of player they will be.
Beasley has finally matured and is in the final year of his contract. He’ll be on a mission this season to prove that his broad array of skills can be compiled into making one of the best players in the NBA.
34. Stephen Jackson
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Stephen Jackson joined the Bobcats last season and instantly made them a playoff team. His versatility on both ends of the court makes him an extremely valuable asset.
Many felt he should have made the All-Star team alongside his teammate Gerald Wallace.
Jackson is in the prime of his career and at the age of 32 he actually seems to be improving. The Bobcats will rely heavy on his no-quit attitude this upcoming season.
33. Jason Kidd
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Jason Kidd is 16 seasons in, well past his prime and every bit as effective as he was four or five seasons ago. Kidd has actually increased his efficiency rating the past two seasons.
Yes he’s a step slower and lacks explosiveness, but it doesn’t affect his ability to put his teammates in a position to be successful.
Kidd can no longer dominate a game on both ends like he used to, but the complete package he presents allows him to be extremely affective in his old age.
32. Chris Kaman
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Chris Kaman was awarded with an All-Star game selection for his efforts this past season. Oddly enough, it wasn’t even the best year of his career.
Now Kaman must look to build on a good season and try to follow it with a great one, some thing he struggles to do. Never has he been able to duplicate the success he has in a previous season.
With Blake Griffin and Baron Davis entering the season healthy, things will be a lot easier for Kaman in regards to spacing and match-ups. It’ll be up to him to prove he was really worthy of his All-Star selection.
31. Caron Butler
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Caron Butler is only 30 years old and already appears as if he’s falling out of his prime. In the playoff series against the Spurs, he showed signs of looking like he had found his way, by averaging 19 points in 33 minutes per game.
Now it’s up to him to see if he can translate that effort into this upcoming regular season. It should be easy with all the new surrounding talent the Mavericks front-office has added.
Butler is a prideful player and approaches the game the way a player should. He’ll bounce back from this previous down season of his.
30. Darren Collison
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After playing in Chris Paul’s shadow for half a season, Darren Collison has his own team to command. The second year point man, who averaged 19 points and nine assists in his 37 NBA starts, will look to lead the Indiana Pacers out of the bottom of the NBA cellar.
The 23-year-old point man exceeded the expectations of many, largely due to the tutelage of his former teammate Chris Paul. Now basketball fans wait to see if he was a one hit wonder.
It’s hard to imagine but Collins actually put up greater numbers as a starter than any current point guard in the NBA did when they were rookies. His Pacer team is loaded with a lot of young talent that he will be asked to lead, and all signs point to him doing a heck of a job.
He is definitely a player that every fan should gear up to watch.
29. Yao Ming
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The great wall of Houston is back. But apparently Yao Ming will only be allowed to play 24 minutes per game. This is because of his foot injury that forced him to miss all of last season.
This limited time on the court should have the prideful giant focused on being productive and efficient. So his numbers might not look all that great but his impact will be.
It’s a shame that Ming injuries will limit his time on the floor. This season may be his best chance at reaching an NBA Finals.
28. Andre Iguodala
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Andre Iguodoala had a dismal 2009-2010 season. After consecutive seasons of posting All-Star statistics, Iguodala failed to progress as a player for the first time in his career.
Yet he would redeem himself in the FIBA tournament. Iguodala was arguably the most important component in the USA winning gold.
His defense and offensive versatility allowed Kevin Durant to focus solely on shooting, while Iguodala addressed everything else.
That experience added with a new coach and better teammates makes Iguodala an even deadlier player. He might just become a All-Star next season.
27. Paul Pierce
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Paul Pierce will be 33 years old when the season starts and entering his 13 season. Yet still he remains one of the five most productive players at his position.
He will enter this season with a chip on his shoulder knowing that he and his Celtic teammates missed a golden opportunity this past NBA Finals.
He’s already solidified his place in Celtics history. Now the remaining three or four seasons will be about him securing his legacy in regards to NBA history.
26. Andrew Bogut
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Andrew Bogut increased his popularity as a player by helping guide his Milwaukee ball club to a winning season. To understand his importance, the Bucks were 40-29 in the 69 games he played last season. That’s a winning percentage of 58 percent.
He won’t enter the season at full strength because of his right elbow injury of last season. However, once he’s healthy, he’s going to have his sights set on one of the top two center positions in the NBA.
With so much talent surrounding Bogut, it’s going to be nearly impossible to prevent Bogut from becoming an ALL-Star this season. I hope every fan takes the time to watch him 10 or more times this season.
25. Tyreke Evans
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Tyreke Evans isn't going to sneak up on anyone this year. However, his abilities and some new additions to his Sacramento club just might have them competing for a playoff seed this 2010-2011 season.
Looking to build off his Rookie of the Year award and snubbing from the USA select team. Tyreke will have a pretty big chip on his shoulders.
He has a lot of new pieces with a lot of size for him to play with. I expect him to fully utilize each and every last resource to help propel himself and his team.
24. Carlos Boozer
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Carlos Boozer bolted a team with better coaching and better teammates this offseason. Why, well only he knows the answer.
A lot is riding on his shoulders this season, he’ll be the focal point of the Bulls half-court offense. He’ll also be expected to provide leadership and a winning attitude.
The Bulls will lean heavily on the eight year veteran who is entering the prime of his career. He is the most proven of all the Bulls players and arguably the team’s best player.
If they do anything note worthy this season, Boozer will most likely be at forefront.
23. Gerald Wallace
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Gerald Wallace is one of the most dependable players in the NBA and has been for the past three seasons. This past season he was rewarded for his efforts by finally earning the distinction of being All-Star.
Wallace would go on to lead his Bobcats teammates to the first playoff of the young franchise history.
The 28-year-old is entering the prime of his career and set on making his team and himself a house hold name. Add that to the fact that he fells snubbed for not making the team that just won gold in the FIBA Championships, Wallace will one again be one of the top five stat sheet stuffers next season.
22. Steve Nash
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Steve Nash might struggle to fill up a stat sheet but it sure doesn’t affect his ability to have a major impact on games. Nash is one of the best floor generals in all of basketball.
Even at 35-years-old, Nash is still running circles around players 10 years younger.
Nash will need to redefine his role this upcoming season. With Amar’e Stoudemire gone, Nash will need to be more aggressive in scoring if the Suns are to have a chance.
I expect him to flourish in the role of scorer but I’m not sure if he’ll be able to remain healthy for the complete 82 game season...although he did play 81 games last season.
21. Derrick Rose
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After a All-Star season and brilliant playoff showing. Derrick Rose was riding high and ready to display his talents on a global stage. To bad his NBA game didn’t translate well on the international stage.
Luckily for Rose he won’t have to worry about that sort of thing until 2012. For now he can focus on being overrated.
Rose is the most physically gifted point guard in the NBA, and those abilities give him a uncanny advantage over every point guard in it. Yet still he isn’t remotely close to being the best at his position.
The Bulls did everything they could to build a championship caliber team around him this summer. Rose will need to climb off his high horse and make sure that he and his Chicago teammates reach their potential this season.
He's done a lot of talking this offseason. Hopefully he'll be able to back it up.
20. Danny Granger
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Danny Granger has been a one man show the past two seasons. That’s won’t be the case this season. The Pacers went out and got him the perfect compliments to his talents, a penetrating point guard named Darren Collison.
Teams will find it harder to stop him for getting the 24 plus points per game he’s put up the past two seasons.
Danny Granger has a lot to prove this upcoming season, the biggest will be his health as he’s struggled to eclipse 60 games the past two seasons. Factor that in with his poor FIBA showing and Granger will enter the 2010-2011 season with a chip on his shoulder.
I look for him to return to his All-Star form 2008-2009.
19. Amar'e Stoudemire
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Amar’e Stoudemire showed who he really was in the Western Conference Finals match-up versus the Lakers. He totaled eight rebounds in over 80 minutes of play in the final two games of the series.
Yet the New York Knicks felt compelled to sign him to a larger deal than LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat. Something just seems wrong with that picture.
So it’s safe to say that Stoudemire better produce like no other power forward next season. If he can duplicate the level he displayed after the All-Star break of last season, things will bold well for him and his Knick teammates.
I expect the Broadway like atmosphere should serve as the perfect stage for the character that is Amar’e Stoudemire.
18. Russel Westbrook
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Russel Westbrook proved that he is every bit as valuable to the success of the Thunder as his teammate Kevin Durant. If Durant is the heartbeat of the Thunder, Westbrook is the blood in which pumps through it.
He proved to be the Thunder’s best and most effective player this past post season. His ability to attack the painted area is rivaled by only a handful of NBA point guards.
His on the ball pressure can change the course of a game in mere moments. He displayed these abilities while arguably playing better than any point guard on the USA select team.
Durant will get all the headlines this season. But it’ll be Westbrook that leads this team to were they hope to be.
17. Rajon Rondo
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Rajon Rondo has improved as a player for the past three seasons, and common logic would suggest the same will happen again this year. He is only 24 years of age and is already one of the five best overall point guards in the league.
The one flaw in Rondo’s game is his jump shooting ability and all signs point to him entering the season with the same poor shot. Yet it won’t affect his ability to direct games.
Rondo has already set the tone for his Boston teammates by stating that he and the rest of the Celtics aren’t conceding anything to the Heat or any other team for that matter. Rondo is a year older and wiser, and hasn’t even begun to peak as a player.
If Boston does any thing of relevance next season, it’ll be on the backs of number nine.
16. Joe Johnson
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Joe Johnson just signed a six-year $123 million dollar contract extension this summer. So it’s safe to say he better be motivated for next summer.
Johnson is a top 10 talent with a Lamar Odom complex. For some reason Johnson is content on just being a really good layer instead of being a great one.
That may have been good enough in years past but now he’s a marked man. His contract will ever push him to greatness or cause him to fold like he’s done the past two post seasons.
15. Manu Ginobili
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Manu Ginobili’s statistics do not reflect his overall abilities. He’s every bit as talented as Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant and when he’s on, he can seemingly destroy a team single handedly.
Ginobili was extremely instrumental in the Spurs clinching a playoff berth this past season, he was arguably thee most dominant player after the All-Star break.
With speculation looming of the Spurs trying to move Tony Parker, the 33-year-old Ginobili could see himself once again trusted into a starting role. If so, his numbers might once again reflect the player that few fans have come to appreciate over the years.
Source:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/471532-nba-power-rankings-predicting-the-top-50-players-after-the-2010-2011-season#page/38
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