NBA Player Rankings: 50 to 31
50. Paul Millsap – Utah Jazz
Consistently underrated, Millsap is the heart and soul of
the Jazz in my opinion. He is relentless on the glass, which makes up for his
smaller frame. He outworks nearly every big man in the league.
49. Greg Monroe – Detroit Lions
His size and skillset are unique. He is now paired with
Andre Drummond, which will take some pressure off him defensively. But he’ll
still need to carry them on the offensive end.
48. DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings
Cousins is a beast inside that will continue to get better.
He is quickly becoming a star out west and I see all-star games in his future.
His discipline in many areas of his game and life will be important going
forward.
47. Ty Lawson – Denver Nuggets
Lawson is one of many good players in Denver, but he will be
the one that makes them tick. His quickness is nearly unmatched across the NBA,
and that allows him to attack and get to the basket better than most.
46. John Wall – Washington Wizards
Wall is finally surrounded by a roster that can produce. I
believe he will flourish this year setting up his teammates and running the
floor. He still needs to develop a more consistent jumper.
45. Andrew Bogut – Golden State Warriors
Bogut now becomes a central figure in Golden State. He has
always been crafty around the basket, but I believe he can be intimidating on
defense.
44. Al Jefferson – Utah Jazz
Raw talent allows him to start in this league. But if he
could develop some basic fundamentals, there would be not stopping this guy.
43. Serge Ibaka – Oklahoma City Thunder
Serge may have been the reason the Thunder advanced to the
NBA Finals. I thought he outplayed Tim Duncan in the series and altered games
with his energy and defense. His offensive game isn’t all there, but it’s
close.
42. Eric Gordon – New Orleans Hornets
Injuries are the one thing holding this guy back from being
a top 20 player. With a young core now established in New Orleans, his health
will be even more important than it was in LA.
41. Roy Hibbert – Indiana Pacers
Hibbert is the third best true center in the league in my
opinion. His defense and toughness gave the Heat fits in the playoffs, and his
skill in the post continues to improve. Staying out of foul trouble continues
to be a strength.
40. Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
Curry has the ability and intelligence to be much higher on
the list. The problem is that he is continually dinged up and can’t stay on the
court though a full season. I love his shooting though and have ever since his
Davidson days.
39. Ricky Rubio – Minnesota Timberwolves
It will be interesting to see how quickly Rubio returns from
injury and gets back to his high level of play. He isn’t the scorer that
Americans like to see, but he passes well and plays great defense. His length
gives most point guards trouble.
38. Luol Deng – Chicago Bulls
Deng may not look it all the time, but he is vital to the
Bulls. He plays well on both ends of the floor and takes some pressure off of
Rose.
37. Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks sorely missed Horford last year due to injury. Now
they need him more than ever with their roster change. He gives them a good
inside scorer along with solid defense and rebounding.
36. Danny Granger – Indiana Pacers
As of now, he is the Pacers best player and go-to scorer. He
is also the veteran of the squad and gives them great leadership. He made the
all-star team before, and he may return this year.
35. Monta Ellis – Milwaukee Bucks
Instant offense is what Ellis brings. I don’t know quite yet
how he fits in with Jennings, but he can put points up in a hurry.
34. Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
Randolph was out for much of the year due to injury. But
when healthy he is a force in the paint. He’s solid defensively and rebounds
with the best of them. His post moves and touch are very underrated also.
33. Joe Johnson – Brooklyn Nets
When the Nets acquired Johnson, most thought they became
instant contenders in the East, and even for an NBA championship. While I don’t
think he can deliver those things that quickly, he is a scorer that will be
great alongside Deron Williams.
32. Rudy Gay – Memphis Grizzlies
Rudy has been a fringe all-star type player for a couple
seasons. He is versatile and does a lot of different things for the Grizzlies.
This year will be his finest yet and they will be a dangerous team out west.
31. Amare Stoudemire – New York Knicks
Since Carmelo arrived, Amare has really struggled. Injuries
haven’t helped either, but the skillset he has and athleticism still remains. I
expect a bounce back year and return to elite status.
By: The Sports Guys
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