6. Luka Doncic
I love Luka Doncic’s game. He reminds a better-scoring version of Jason Kidd. He is not as fast as Kidd and probably not a better passer but he is unstoppable on the offensive end. Defensively, he is below average at best, but on most, if not all matchups, his defender exerts more energy than he does.
I’m not clear what it would take for Luka to win a championship. He needs the ball a lot and it’s difficult for his teammates to get involved offensively. However, Kyrie Irving playing with him is working better than I expected.
7. Kevin Durant
Honestly; I don’t think Kevin Durant will win another championship. Since leaving the Golden State Warriors he has played with several all-star players and has yet to come close to the NBA Finals. I think it’s time to adjust the expectations for KD.
From a historical perspective, he is one of the best scorers in NBA history. That fact can’t be denied or disputed. However, he has yet to show the ability to lead his team to a championship. The expectations should not surround how many rings he gets, but how many points he scores.
8. Anthony Edwards
This has been a breakout season for Anthony Edwards. He has established himself as a must-see TV. Each time he plays, it seems he is trying to prove that he is the best player on the court.
I’m curious to see how he performs in this year’s playoffs, especially if Karl Anthony Towns is not playing. Some people predict that Edwards will be the new face of the NBA; if he shows up and shows out in the playoff, it will help his chances.
9. Ja Morant
In case you were wondering why an injured Ja Morant is on this list, you can refer back to Joel Embiid. Before his injury, and after his suspension, Morant came back to his team and they immediately started to win. I mentioned in the above video that he is a difference-maker, his presence turns a team into a contender.
10. LeBron James
I’m going to name some players and you tell me would you pick them before LeBron James? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Kawhi Leonard and Devin Booker. I can think of some more players whom you might select before LBJ.
On the other hand, if I had nine players and I wanted to fill out my roster with someone who could pass the ball, give me a basket, and rebound, I would still pick LeBron. Of course, he is older, but he still plays on an all-star level. Plus, I think he can still dominate for one quarter or maybe two in any given game. At this point, he picks his spots and figures out when he should exert his energy.
When talking about Curry earlier, I pointed out the importance of the veteran superstars. LeBron is the perfect example of that. There will be other superstars, but there is only one LeBron James.