Who are the top ten nba players?

I exepect pretty much every post on this thread to be different. 

1.) Lebron

2.) Durant

3.) Davis

4.) Harden

5.) Curry

6.) Kawhi

7.) Giannis

8.) Lillard

9.) Westbrook

10.) Embiid

*Just missed…….. Chris Paul, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo  

95% of ballots will have Lebron 1 & Durant 2. But after that almost everyone has a different opinion.. And there r about 15 players u can say r top 10 talents. But there isn’t Enuff room for everyone. So My List would be…. 1.Lebron 2.KD 3. Anthony Davis 4.Kawhi 5.Curry 6.Westbrook 7.Harden 8.Giannis 9.Embiid 10. CP3 . Simmons has a chance to move into that group this year. 

 1. Lebron 2. Durant 3. Curry 4. Davis 5. Leonard 6. Harden 7. Westbrook 8. Giannis 9. CP3 10. Embiid

My top 8 are pretty much set in stone, although you could argue the order. After that, I think it’s pretty open for interpretation. 

1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Steph Curry
4. Kawhi Leonard
5. Russell Westbrook
6. James Harden
7. Chris Paul
8. Anthony Davis
9. Damien Lillard
10. Giannis Antetounmpko

1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Anthony Davis
4. Kawhi Leonard
5. Steph Curry
6. Chris Paul
7. Gordon Hayward
8. James Harden
9. Draymond Green
10. Karl-Anthony Towns

My next 5 are who I believe are the Future Top 5 – these guys are all 22 – 26 years old.

I swear I’m not goofy – I understand that last year players like CP3, Westbrook, Lillard, Jimmy Butter are prob the next 5

But I wanted to do something a little diff or we’ll all have basically the same list – plus I’m projecting – these young guys I believe by the end of the coming season will establish themselves as legit bonafide NBA Super Stars 

1. Lebron

2. Durant

3. Steph Curry 

4. Kawhi Leonard

5. James Harden

6. Unibrow Davis

7. Joel Embiid

8. Greek Freak

9. Kyrie Irving

10. Ben Simmons 

**** Kawhi Leonard is still Very young & might establish himself this season as the MVP & a shot out to Karl Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingus, Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell who are right behind those 5 young guys I have 6 thru 10 & could potentially pass some of the players on that list 

NBA is set up w/ some absolute Mega Stars & potential All Time Greats in the next Decade after Lebron retires & the Warriors either slow down or start to go their separate ways in free agency 

 Always a hard list we all agree with one and two but then things get complicated. Westbrook, Harden and Steph are top 5 contenders and top 3 sometimes. Kawhi has been called best of the rest too. Greek Freak and AD certainly have to be in top 10 in my mind. Lillard was all NBA first team this year so he has to be in and the last place I’m going to give to Embeast.

I’m not going to rank them for one reason we are judging Kawhi on previous form before his injury so putting him at his true position would be hard and you could almost judge other players on their upside.

CP3 and PG13 were my other two major contenders but as CP3 hasn’t been All NBA for the last two seasons and PG13 has never been past All NBA 3rd Team they sit just outside the top 10 IMO.

1.) Lebron
2.) Durant
3.)Leonard
4.) Harden
5. )Curry
6.) Davis
7.) Westbrook
8.) Embiid
9.) Wall
10.)Giannis

First i’d like to say something and that is, there’s no such thing as "the best players" per se, like you can’t say whom are the "all time best" just like that; what we can say is: which players achieved the most playing during their career and under the general conditions/rules they faced, because what one player achieved in one era, does not mean at all he could have done it in a different one, that doesn’t work like that.

MJ could not win during the 80’s not because of Magic, Bird or the bad boys, he could not win because the general conditions/rules did not permitted him to really flourish as a player, so he’d have to wait until the 90’s when those conditions changed due to the changes of rules in year ’81, to really explode as a player, dominate the league and achieved that much during that decade under those conditions while becoming the "best player of all time" because of that.

Same thing happened with Wilt Chamberlain, whom did not win more titles not just because the Celtics had more talent or because he was not well surrounded as some like to excuse, as Chamberlain played with players like Jerry West, Elgyn Baylor, Goodrich, Hairston, or Mcmillian in the Lakers, and that’s more than enough talent to win if you’re supposed to be the most dominant player in the planet.

But happens that that is not enough to win, general conditions are more important than individual talent and players/teams better suited to some "specific conditions" have more chances to win and excel than someone or a team more talented "per se". Chamberlain did not win not because the Celtics were more talented but because their style fit best the "ruling conditions", which were super high pace. During Bill Russell’s career the Celtics never were better than a top 5 offensive team in a 8-12 team league, but during his 1st 8 seasons, the Celtics were the Nº1 team on defense and the Nº1 team on PACE, and with those numbers you just can’t lose that much. Chamberlain’s conditions and style did not always permmited his teams to run that much plus he wasn’t "that" dominant on defense compared to the celtics, which created a perfect symbiosis between the best defender in history (although very limited on offense) Russell and the other’s offense.

so that being said, here’s my top 10 player list not based just on talent, which doesn’t have much sense, but actually taking into account the impact of a player on his team, which is measured in wins and post-season which is the reflection of the players that are better suitted for the actual "ruling conditions":

1. Steph Curry: it still amazes me how people keeps underrating this man; he was 2 times MVP in ’15 and ’16 until Durant arrived, won a championship and lost another one because of his injury and broke the NBA all time record wins in RS, while creating a style of play never seen before and changing the game like few have in history. He could have the same rings plus probably 1 more MVP if it wasn’t for Durant, and actually, it’s Durant whom has caused the Warriors to almost not win it all, for making the team adapt to him and change their style of play, which is their real advantage over the rest. Still, Curry is still the player best suited to win under these conditions and he actually keeps proving it.

2. Lebron James:not the 2 way player he used to be anymore, which is what keeps him away from winning, aside from his staff not understanding how to surround him to compete for the title. Lebron did not need Cousins or Paul George these past seasons to win, he needed a good rim protector and defender ala Capela. Still Lebron keeps taking his teams to the finals, although it’s also true that he’s been playing in arguably the worst eastern conference in the history of the league.

3. James Harden: i never thought i’d have Harden as my Nº3 in this list, as he represent the opposite to what i understand for basketball, but you know, he’s very effective under these conditions and actually he’s proving that under these conditions/rules he can have crazy individual numbers while at the same time be the biggest menace for the Warriors. He’s just one injury away from having a ring, something that the rest of the players in the league can’t say, and as a reflection of that he’s the reigning MVP and RS winner.

4. Kevin Durant: he might be the best 2 way player in the league rigth now, and probably the most difficult player to defend, but still, those attributes are his achilles tendon. During the last 2 post-seasons, it’s been clear that the Warriors become very beatable when the team has Durant as the 1st option, changing their style of play and keeping Curry hold under a more slow pace, but Warriors have been extremely lucky and Durant has survived to what could have been a historical catastrophe, and actually has come out reinforced winning 2 finals MVP. I’d like to see Durant as a real franchise player to see how he performs…

5. Kawhi Leonard: if i have Leonard this low, it is because i don’t know his real status with injury and motivation. Under normal conditions if healthy in every sense, he would be higher. He represents the opposite extreme of the force, the other way to get to glory, that is, instead of trying to win under high pace, winning under low pace and with Leaonard as a franchise player, a ring through that path is doable. Two post seasons ago, he showed that those Warriors could not stop him under a slow pace and tough defense. If fully healthy and motivated, I expect Toronto to win +55 games and Leonard get the MVP while being a serious menace to the Warriors if Toronto goes to the finals, although it will be hard with the Celtics there.

6. Kyrie Irving: he showed he can win whether with Lebron, being as important as him in order to get the title, or without Lebron, like last season with the Celtics, where he was having an amazing indivual and collective season until injury. Celtics are loaded with talent which will hurt his chances to get an MVP, but in the other hand, they have a great chance to beat the Warriors in the finals this year, as they are more beatable than ever and Celtics are ready for it. 

7. Anthony Davis: if it wasn’t for last year’s 1st playoff round, Davis would not even be in my top 10, but he showed he’s no Demarcous Cousins, and had flashes showing he can lead a team to greater heights. Still, as flamboyant as his numbers look, even his defensive’s, actually his teams usually play very poor defense so if he wants to pass more rounds he’ll need to actually make a real impact on defense. How could he be named 2nd all defensive in ’15 when NO was the 22nd worst defense in the league? how can he be a 1st all defensive this year and runner for DPY when his team was the 14th worst defensive team and the 29th worse in pts allowed? again if he wants an MVP or higher aspirations he needs to make a bigger impact there.

8. Embiid: when Embiid is healthy, he’s one of the best two way players in the league, as he really impacts the game with his defense, problem is his physical reliability. He also needs to improve his efficiency but for the moment he’s able to hide that with his impact on defense. I also believe that Sixers high pace doesn’t benefit him (his game nor his body) neither the team, but they also have Simmons whom excels in high pace and struggles in slow pace, so it will be interesting to see how Sixers solve that in the future; i would not be surprise if one of the 2 is traded because of that incompatibility.

9. Russell Westbrook: i have to recognize that i really don’t like his game and his negative impact on his team/teammates, and i’m really tired of players with inflated stats that are overrated due to general conditions. I warned about this situation 4-5 years ago with K. Love in Minnesota and with Carmelo, saying these two were having inflated stats and were not franchise players; then i continued with D.Cousins 3 years ago saying he should be traded as he was no franchise player for a playoff team and now i’ve been saying it with Westbrook since last 2 years, saying he’s no franchise player for a contender. He’s had 2 consecutive triple double seasons, something never done, and he’s been swept away 2 consecutive times in 1st playoff round. Again inflated stats+no wins=overrated. For me, this year is his last chance to prove something.

10. Donovan Mitchell: i guess many will react hard but to me, last year he had such a unique rookie season and achieved things never done before, even by names like MJ. In playoffs he swept OKC and its big 3 and MVP and showed what it is about to come;  I believe Utah will finish as 3-4th seed and Mitchell will be a top 5 MVP candidate already, finishing the season over players like Lillard, Antetokounmpo, Wall or Paul, and even over the likes of Westbrook or Irving.

Honorable mention: G.Antetokounmpo (just needs the right system to flourish), D.Lillard, D.DeRozan, R.Gobert and V.Oladipo.

1. Steph Curry: 

2. Lebron James: 

3. James Harden:

4. Kevin Durant:

5. K.Leonard:

6. K.Irving

7. A.Davis:

8. J.Embiid

9. R.Westbrook

10. D.Mitchell

 1. Lebron

2. AD

3. KD

4. Harden

5. Westbrook

6. Kwhai

7. Steph

8. Giannis

9. Kyrie

10. Oladipo???

Best player is always a hard one for effectively we are saying who if they are on their "A" game is the best. Most of us would probably say LBJ is the best player in the NBA or certainly when it comes to tjhe business end of the season – the play offs. But LBJ hasn’t been MVP for 5 years now so is something going wrong here.

Even as a Suns fan when Steve Nash was a successive MVP – I’d have been hard pressed to make a case for him as the best in the NBA.

But MVP isn’t infalliable – Shaq and Kobe two of the best ever only won a single MVP each. Would any of us take even a peak Steph Curry against a peak Kobe if it came to a crunch final couple of minutes in a Final!

Plus the further we go down any top 10 or top 20 list the more subjective – lets take Jimmy Butler an established quality All Star, All NBA, All Defensive Team player in any list we did you could well see him honestly listed between say 8 and 20.

1. LeBron James – His defense has slipped (because he carries such a high load offensively), but I thought last year was the best I’ve ever seen him. His skill level has improved significantly. His advanced footwork, shooting, etc . . . You can just tell he’s really improved his game. I’d like to see him play more without the ball, attack from different spots of the floor and be more decisive. 

2. Kevin Durant – He has no real holes in his game. Fans and media criticized him for playing more ISO vs HOU in the playoffs, but give HOU credit for being able to aggressively switch every screen. The issue was Durant wasn’t always decisive (overdribbled) and didn’t always make the right reads. He’ll get better and so will GSW in those situations. 

3. Stephen Curry – His offensive impact will always keep him high on the list. He’s an offensive system by himself and players don’t have to sacrifice their games to play with him. You can be you playing with him, which can’t be said about a lot of great players in the league. 

4. James Harden – Some are turned off by his overdribbling, shot selection and ISO heavy game, but the results have been very good for HOU. However, if they want to win a championship, he’s going to have to open up his offensive game and make quicker decisions. 

5. Kawhi Leonard – There are a few unknowns (health, new system and happiness), but the last time we all saw him play . . . He was the best two way player and arguably the second best player in the world. Nick Nurse is somewhat of an offensive genius, so if Leonard is healthy and happy, I think he could win MVP. 

6. Anthony Davis – He’s physically gifted and just has it all. Defensively, he’s great, but is still more of a stat sheet stuffer in my opinion. Can he become a legit shut down defender? He has so many tools to become a legend, but does he have that kind of mentality? 

7. Joel Embiid – He has to stay healthy, but last season’s injury was more of a freak incident. He’s a special player who plays both ends of the floor. Offensively, I think he’ll take a huge jump this season. All reports say he’s had an amazing summer working on his game and his body. He’s one of the more competitive players in the league who doesn’t back down from anyone. 

8. Russell Westbrook – He’s a selfish player who plays for himself a lot with his stat padding, assist hunting and shot selection. He’s such an alpha that nobody has the balls to say anything to him. However, his passion, intensity, competitiveness, nuclear freakish athleticism and talent/skill level will keep him in the top ten. He’s just so relentless and such a dog. Hopefully, he’s done some soul searching this off-season and will come back a better player mentality wise. 

9. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Similar to Davis, he has all of the physical gifts and tools to be a legend. Needs to improve his shooting. I think space is the limit for him and I expect him to move up this list this season. 

10. Chris Paul – He’s sacrificing to play with Harden and getting older, but there’s no doubt he’s still one of the higher skilled and competitive players in the league. He’s still a great defender too. His body seems to break down at the wrong time and the ball can stick in his hands, but he’s still a big game player who has proven he can run a team at the highest level. 

1. LeBron James

2. Kevin Durant

3. Kawhi Leonard (if healthy)

4. Steph Curry

5. Anthony Davis

6. Russell Westrbook

7. James Harden

8. Giannis Antetokounmpo

9. Kyrie Irving

10. Joel Embiid

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order): Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Cousins & Porzingis (if healthy)

Obviously 1 and 2 are LBJ and KD.

I don’t care who you put in your top 10 but Jokic has got to be in there. I mean I’m a huge Paul George fanboy but putting him over Jokic is a joke.

Jokic shot 40% from 3 on over 200 attempts last season while averaging over 6 assits per game. OK these are just average stats for a point guard right….. except Jokic is a center. He still averages about the 20 and 10 you expect from centers. 

I think everyone who rates Embiid over Jokic right now will be reconsidering things in a couple years.