2018-19 SI's Top 100 NBA Players List

[Hoop Head]

I'm a little surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, mainly because of where Booker was placed. Sports Illustrated listed their annual Top 100 NBA Player's list and there are some questionable choices, omissions, and inclusions.

Here's some from last year's list, the 2018 list had Ryan Anderson was #97, Elfrid Payton was #96, Booker was #64, Ariza was #62, Bledsoe was #38.

This year there are just 2 Suns who made it, Ariza and Booker, but I included Bledsoe also since he's the only other player who I mentioned in last year's list that was still on this year's list.

Trevor Ariza was ranked #77, Eric Bledsoe was #53, and Booker was #50.

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/09/10/t...ron-james-stephen-curry-dirk-nowitzki#parttwo

 

[Hoop Head]

One of the most surprising omissions, I think, is Warren being excluded altogether. I know how Suns fans feel about him varies between overvalued and undervalued but he is a 20 ppg scorer with an old school game. Even if he's not nailing 3's he is efficient to a certain degree because of how well he shoots from the field with a 54% TS% for his career. He needs to get to the FT line more but he averaged 4 attempts a game last year. I think he's more deserving than guys like Brook Lopez, Kelly Olynyk, Kyle Anderson, Al-Farouq Aminu, Taj Gibson, and Dennis Schroder. All of them ranked between 80-100 somewhere.

Of course Booker being #50 is low, too low, but until the Suns finish higher in the standings it's unlikely he'll move that much higher. He'll probably crack the top 30 next year if his season compares to last statistically but the Suns need to improve quite a bit also. Listing guys like Jayson Tatum #39, Steven Adams #38, Kevin Love #31, at Khris Middleton #28, all ahead of Booker just doesn't make sense though. I might be able to understand Love based on last season and being the #2 guy on the Eastern conference champs but that's the only one. No one would turn down a deal for Booker if he was offered for any of those guys but McD would be chased out of town if he made a deal like that. This isn't a fantasy stats list either which makes the ranking more questionable.

 

[Phrazbit]

I don't have a problem with it. Hopefully some of our guys view it as a slight, but when you're basically still a kid and all you've played for is a bottom feeder, you probably don't deserve to be above a guy like Middleton who is a defensive monster on a really good team.

If there were a trade value column, like the one Simmons used to do, then I think Booker would probably be in the top 20, maybe top 10.

As for Warren. I don't see a case for his consideration. His ppg is nice, but he doesn't rebound much, he isn't a defender, he has been oft injured and unless he develops a 3pt shot it's hard to see him getting much better.

Payton as a top 100 player last year is funny though.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don't have a problem with it. Hopefully some of our guys view it as a slight, but when you're basically still a kid and all you've played for is a bottom feeder, you probably don't deserve to be above a guy like Middleton who is a defensive monster on a really good team.

If there were a trade value column, like the one Simmons used to do, then I think Booker would probably be in the top 20, maybe top 10.

As for Warren. I don't see a case for his consideration. His ppg is nice, but he doesn't rebound much, he isn't a defender, he has been oft injured and unless he develops a 3pt shot it's hard to see him getting much better.

Payton as a top 100 player last year is funny though.

Warren isn't even on the 25 biggest snubs list, which includes Tristan Thompson, Cody Zeller, Zach Lavine, Gortat, and Gallinari to name a few.

I can see the knocks on Warren but he's been an average rebounder, last year he averaged 5 a game. He doesn't make 3's but he also doesn't shoot them. Knowing your limitations helps, that's why some guys like Josh Smith played their way out of the league and Melo is on the verge of doing the same. DeRozan didn't take many 3's at all in his rise to becoming an All-Star as a guard, which never made much sense to me. I don't think Warren is an All-Star but he's definitely one of the top 100 players in the league when all positions are cast aside. That averages out to 25 guys for each position if you include the 25 snubs and Warren is certainly a top 25 SF. Is he a top 50 forward? Probably right around there. He'd be somewhere in the 40-60 range. He's not the only often injured player list either.


I do agree with your take on the Bill Simmons trade value column though. Booker would be a top 20 player on that, probably around 20 now that he's got a fresh max deal but to Phoenix he's definitely worth that.


https://www.si.com/nba/2018/09/10/s...ers-carmelo-anthony-dwyane-wade-isaiah-thomas

 

[Phrazbit]

I don't think Warren is a bad player, but I don't think he'd start for about any decent team and I think there are some good teams who, because of his limitations, wouldn't have any interest in him at all.

In the modern NBA if you are not a 3 point shooter AND you're a poor defender at the wing position... it's just hard to find the value. If Warren played in the 70s or 80s he'd probably be a borderline all-star.

But, there is "knowing your limitations" and there is "being limited", sadly, I think Warren is just a limited player. He's really good at what he does (mid range iso scoring), but what he does is possibly the least valued skill in the modern NBA.

 

[elindholm]

Top 100 in the league means the 3rd or 4th best player on a typical team. Warren isn't at that level, even if you take a glass-half-full approach with him.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

If booker was even a slightly above average defender he would likely rocket up this list. So many of those in front of him are good defenders.

 

[Finito]

People really do not like Booker on a national level and I really don't know why.

Bill Simmons just destroyed him on his podcast yesterday. Going on and on

"why would you pay him that money he hasn't done jack poo"

He compared him to Marbury and Steve Francis. I take it with a grain of salt he also was questioning who hed rather have Ayton or JJJ or Ayton at 8 million or Wendel Carter Jr. at 2 million

 

[AzStevenCal]

People really do not like Booker on a national level and I really don't know why.

Bill Simmons just destroyed him on his podcast yesterday. Going on and on

"why would you pay him that money he hasn't done jack ****"

He compared him to Marbury and Steve Francis. I take it with a grain of salt he also was questioning who hed rather have Ayton or JJJ or Ayton at 8 million or Wendel Carter Jr. at 2 million

It's the backlash that often occurs when your fame outpaces your accomplishments. It will likely go away IF Booker gets and stays healthy.

 

[BC867]

People really do not like Booker on a national level and I really don't know why.

Bill Simmons just destroyed him on his podcast yesterday. Going on and on

"why would you pay him that money he hasn't done jack ****"

He compared him to Marbury and Steve Francis. I take it with a grain of salt he also was questioning who hed rather have Ayton or JJJ or Ayton at 8 million or Wendel Carter Jr. at 2 million

As Ouchie posted ahead of you, here's a reason why.

If booker was even a slightly above average defender he would likely rocket up this list. So many of those in front of him are good defenders.

And as Steve posted after.

It's the backlash that often occurs when your fame outpaces your accomplishments. It will likely go away IF Booker gets and stays healthy.

Two good reasons.

 

[Bufalay]

People really do not like Booker on a national level and I really don't know why.

Bill Simmons just destroyed him on his podcast yesterday. Going on and on

"why would you pay him that money he hasn't done jack ****"

He compared him to Marbury and Steve Francis. I take it with a grain of salt he also was questioning who hed rather have Ayton or JJJ or Ayton at 8 million or Wendel Carter Jr. at 2 million

Bill Simmons said the same thing about Kyrie Irving 3 yrs ago.

 

[Finito]

Plenty of really good NBA players who don't play defense, but winning will shut them all up

 

[Superbone]

If booker was even a slightly above average defender he would likely rocket up this list. So many of those in front of him are good defenders.

I think it will rocket up when our team starts winning. Speaking of which, we did just "rocket up" by acquiring Ariza and Anderson.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think it will rocket up when our team starts winning. Speaking of which, we did just "rocket up" by acquiring Ariza and Anderson.

Careful. The rocket blast may melt on you.