AROUND the NBA:

[Knutsen]

ESPN has it's player rankings out for this upcoming season.  This is a predictive ranking of next season and not necessarily a past resume ranking.

1. Jokic
2. SGA
3. Luka
4. Giannis
5. Wemby
6. Anthony Edwards
7. Steph
8. Lebron
9. Durant
10. Brunson
11. Jalen Williams
12. Cade Cunningham
13. Evan Mobley
14. Anthony Davis
15. Donovan Mitchell
16. Devin Booker

Lakers should win with 2 top 8 players… I don’t see LeBron that high.

[KillerLeft]

Lakers should win with 2 top 8 players… I don’t see LeBron that high.

I think both LeBron and Luka are ranked appropriately...when they're at their best. In my opinion, the problem with both players, albeit for different reasons, is that they're not at their best as consistently as some of the other players on that list.

[Knutsen]

I think both LeBron and Luka are ranked appropriately...when they're at their best. In my opinion, the problem with both players, albeit for different reasons, is that they're not at their best as consistently as some of the other players on that list.

And that both of them are much better on offense than on defense, right? They won’t scratch the top 50 on a best defenders list probably, that’s where age really caught up to LeBron.

[Chicagojk]

It will be interersting to see skinny Zion.   It is a travesty we really haven't seen the Duke Zion.  He was so good as a freshman.    That peak athleticism may be gone, but he still should be really good.    The longterm injury concerns are valid.  I just have trouble seeing him put together mulitple years of being generally injury free.   I also think he is eventually moved from New Orleans.    I could see a scenario where he goes to Miami and has a career rebound.

[myconsumerclub]

AD was better than Le Bron in LA and he's that far behind him on that list? That is not correct at all. I just hope our depth pays off and Cooper comes in and rips the NBA a new one. I'm confident Irving plays like he deserves a place on that list and gets into 49 or more games plus playoff games. Then I see Klay doing better as well I anticipate him being inspired by who he's getting to play with and with the collection of talent this team has no one guy needs to pull a Luka every night. That being said if Cooper turns into a guy who we can count on every night for points in the high 20's to low 30's great I'm all for it and will gladly watch every game. That front court should dominate and win on most nights. If the backcourt gets it's 3's with both front and back dominating the wins will turn into streaks. We get contributions from the top 4 plus the 2 headed monster at center and then PJ Dlo Naji & Max all go off in some way that's a 10 man rotation I'll match up with anyone's. Till Kyries back you got BWill and Exum giving you 2 more to add in and help out at PG till he returns. Who knows what happens to this roster at the TDL if nothing it's still a top team capable of going to the finals if health nightmares stay away.