Someone's higher than a Blazer. Unacceptable. The league is rigged. We get no respect. How is our 15 not all ranked in the top 15? Is that how it's done?
Yes, that's EXACTLY what everyone is saying here. Your reading comprehension is only exceeded by your positive outlook. BNM
No, not even close. You notice that there are no complaints from anyone about any of the other 17 players ranked between 51-68. Only the one ludicrous inclusion, and the issue is more with his placement on the list than his juxtaposition to a Blazer. But you do you.
48. NICOLAS BATUM, HORNETS Batum (15.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.9 APG) has tended to baffle observers in recent years because he’s too good of a passer to be categorized as a 3-and-D wing and yet not nearly good enough of a scorer to be viewed as an all-around perimeter monster. There just aren’t that many players who exist in this gray area. In fact, Batum was the only one of six players to average 15/5/5 and not make one of the three All-NBA teams, and he didn’t receive a single vote. The versatile 28-year-old is simultaneously talented enough to command a five-year, $120 million contract and streaky enough to immediately be derided as overpaid after signing it last summer. Adding to the disappointment: Batum’s 2016-17 season looks like a minor post-payday hangover, as his three-point shooting percentage dipped near career-low levels and the Hornets’ defensive rating was 4.1 points worse with him on the floor compared to 2015-16. Nevertheless, Batum is an integral piece of Charlotte’s plan to return to the playoffs. His secondary ball-handling and vision ease Kemba Walker’s load and set up the All-Star point guard for clean off-ball looks, his passable scoring ability and playmaking compensate for fellow wing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s limited offensive profile, and his experience in the two-man game helps involve mobile center Cody Zeller. When he’s fully engaged, Batum’s multi-positional defending and length can be assets too, as they allow Charlotte to field interchangeable lineups and switch on the perimeter with ease. — BG
39. CJ MCCOLLUM, BLAZERS After establishing himself as a lethal all-around scorer during his 2016 Most Improved Player season, McCollum (23 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG) took his offensive game to new heights in numerous ways last season. The 25-year-old shooting guard shot a career-best 42.1% from deep, he flirted with a 50/40/90 shooting season and led the league in free-throw percentage, he ranked among the league’s most efficient mid-range shooters, and he improved dramatically as a finisher in the basket area. Simply put, McCollum is a nightmare one-on-one cover for opponents thanks to his high comfort level pulling up off the dribble, his slick handle to create space, his polished pick-and-roll game, and his ability to be score from 30 feet and in. That last part isn’t hyperbole, either, as McCollum knocked down a Stephen Curry-like 44.6% of his ultra-deep threes (from outside 25 feet). This charmed story takes a darker turn on the other end of the court, where McCollum’s lack of size and length continues to limit his defensive effectiveness. His Defensive Real Plus-Minus ranks 78th among two guards, in the same range as sieves like Lou Williams and Marco Belinelli, and Synergy’s tracking system rates him in the 25th percentile as an overall defender. When McCollum shares the court with fellow backcourt starter Damian Lillard, the Blazers’ elite 111.8 offensive rating is largely offset by a rocky 108.1 defensive rating, which is equivalent to a bottom-six mark league-wide. With the right cast of frontcourt help, it’s possible to envision McCollum as the No. 1 or No. 2 option on a contender. Without that cover, though, life on the playoff bubble and early postseason exits are likely to be the norm. — BG
37. CARMELO ANTHONY, KNICKS The longer Anthony (22.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.9 APG) has rotted away in New York’s black hole, the trickier it has gotten to gauge his value in a vacuum. His ideal situation would look almost exactly like the opposite of the 2016-17 Knicks: He would have a pass-first point guard who knew how to set him up; a proven and healthy center to cover for him defensively; a veteran roster that was ready to compete now; a coach who could manage his ego and personality, get him to his sweet spots, and wasn’t beholden to an anachronistic offense; a GM who didn’t take shot after shot at him in the media while trying and failing to trade him; and an owner who treated his fellow human beings with decency and respect. Under those conditions, it’s possible to picture a happy and engaged Anthony, even at age 33, pumping in 24 points a night and leading a halfway-decent team to the East playoffs. While he’s gradually slipped from his prime efficiency year of 2012-13, Anthony has still managed to score in volume with respectable percentages despite very little in the way of help on or off the court. Even if that Anthony-centric dream scenario didn’t materialize, there are other plausible fits that would make better use of his innate scoring skill and his ability to create and exploit mismatches. He could be an ultra-efficient third wheel for a high-powered attack like Houston. He could be the Sixth Man of the Year coming off the bench for Cleveland. He could be a 2015 Paul Pierce-like closer in Washington. To be clear, Anthony is far from blameless here: His 111.1 defensive rating last year was inexcusable, he never internalized how much more successful his teams would be if he was a more willing passer, and his night-to-night consistency has started to fade due to his advancing age. Ultimately, though, the biggest shame is that he chose to make his bed in New York because he’s been stuck laying in it, as quality years of production keep going to waste. — BG
31. LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE, SPURS Even his staunchest defenders must admit that Aldridge (17.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG) didn’t hold up his end of the bargain with the Spurs last season. When Aldridge signed with San Antonio in 2015, he got it all: Max money, a chance to compete for titles, the opportunity to learn from Tim Duncan and play alongside Kawhi Leonard, and a lighter minutes and usage load. In exchange, Aldridge would be expected to be a star-level difference-maker on both ends and a go-to scoring option in the playoffs. Unfortunately, that’s not how 2016-17 played out for the 32-year-old power forward, whose PER hit its lowest level since 2010, whose rebounding rate hit its lowest level since 2009, and whose bread-and-butter mid-range shooting fell off by 5 percentage points from the previous season. Then, under the bright lights of his first career trip to the West finals, Aldridge struggled badly to reassert himself as a lead scoring option once Leonard was lost to injury. One could argue that Aldridge caught a little too much flak during the playoffs. After all, he’s an easy target given his contract number, aloof personality, and passive tendencies, he was facing a nightmare individual match-up with Draymond Green, and the Spurs were badly outmatched as a team against the Warriors. It’s also worth mentioning that Aldridge generally doesn’t receive enough credit for playing a major role on the NBA’s best defense. He allowed opponents to shoot just 49.3% shooting from within six feet last season, a rim-protection rate that compares favorably to the likes of Green and Rudy Gobert. Still, the Spurs need more – and have every reason to expect more – from their five-time All-Star and No. 2 option next season. — BG
None of the Blazers deserve to be on this list, they haven't achieved anything and are terrible defenders. Oh, and they don't care about the Portland ball boys. Am I doing this right?
Please guys, lets not make this thread about The HCP. I don't want members to quit this forum or lose possible new members just because of me.
