Post by A2J on Mar 30, 2008 9:00:40 GMT -5
With a slew of serious young talent entering the league, it is hard to deny the amount of stars in the first few years of their careers. This article attempts to break down the top ten players still on their rookie contracts in terms of overall value. As such, age, size, production and potential are all factors.
1. LeBron James (Dallas Mavericks) SG 18 6'8'' 240 A- C+ B- B- C+ A
Quite simply, there is no doubt that LeBron James is going to be an eventual phenom. He is only 18 years old, first of all, which is the primary reason why he surpasses guys with better ratings and production like Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas. Able to receive more RCs than any player in the league and almost undoubtably bestowed with 100 potential, there will likely be few weaknesses in LeBron's game after only a few years in the league. What limit is there to LeBron's potential ratings when he's 25? When you throw in him averaging 23.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.5 APG on solid percentages while playing for a contending team in the West, there isn't a player more untouchable than LeBron James in the league.
2. Gilbert Arenas (Philly 76ers) PG 21 6'3'' 191 B B+ B- B C A
While I have absolutely no interest in Agent 0 as a player, there is no denying his disgusting ratings and production in only his second season. A shooting guard averaging 24.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 4.5 APG is an unbelievable asset in the first place, but when you consider that Gilbert is only 21, has progressed immensely over the past two TCs, and already sims well above his ratings, it's possible he could be a 30 PPG scorer as soon as next season. His defence and turnovers will be a concern, but probably not a large one if addressed through his remaining RCs. And ... I'm pretty sure that he got Maniac's Midseason Progression this year. That's the main reason he's #2.
3. Tony Parker (Toronto Raptors) PG 21 6'2'' 180 B+ C+ B+ A C- A
Some might consider this too high for Parker when players like Wade and Yao are yet to come, but Parker has an edge on them in his fantastic defence. 2.6 SPG is good enough for second in the league behind AI, and with an A overall rating it's clear that Parker is a solid perimeter defender as well as a ball theif. Him eventually upgrading that to an A+ is in no way out of the question, considering his TC history and his young age. On top of that, his offensive game is already ridiculously efficent, putting up 22.5 PPG on 48.0 FG% as a second option; with three RCs left to work on his long and mid range game, and with those being the categories that TC helps the most in guards, Parker should be a sick scorer, passer and defender his whole career, and at possibly the most valuable position.
4. Yao Ming (Indiana Pacers) C 22 7'6'' 310 B C C A- B+ A
Standing at 7'6" and weighing 310 pounds, Yao is the largest force in the league and makes his presence known on one of the best teams in the East. The other half of possibly the league's premier defensive frontcourt, Ming averages 11.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG and 1.4 SPG, controlling his teams half of the court in a dominant fashion. His play on the other side of the ball is even more impressive; an above average midrange game, especially for a player of his size, lets Yao put in 21.4 PPG on 46.8% from the field and close to 80% from the line. He controls his turnovers and is an excellent passer for a player his size as well, and with only improvements to come in the future, Yao could quite easily become the league's top center in a few short years.
5. Dwyane Wade (Whoever Skillz Trades Him To) SG 21 6'4'' 213 A- B- C+ B+ C A
One of the most explosive guards in the league, Wade's A- B- scoring ratings couples with good defence and handles make him a premier prospect just below the likes of LeBron and Arenas. The seperation among the top 5 is small, and Wade's placement at the bottom is evidence of that. Despite averaging a fantastic 23.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.2 APG Wade is still a step below his fellow superstar guards in his potential due to his size and age. His defence is on a level above most of the young scorers in the league, putting up 2.4 SPG, and his midrange game seems to be well developed already. With RCs applied to his long distance shot, he'll likely be among the league leaders in scoring for the majority of his career.
6. Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks) C 21 7'1'' 238 B- D+ D+ A B B
The importance of having shotblocking and rebounding in the frontcourt can't be understated. Chandler is already one of the best defensive big men in the league. Only a handful of big men can claim to have A defence and B rebounding, and none of them have Chandler's youth or rawness in their games. It would not be out of the question for Chandler to become an A+ defender in a few years, with his natural progression already looking very solid and with RCs applied to his strength and shotblocking. The Mavericks center already puts up solid rebounding numbers to go with 2.3 BPG and 1.1 SPG. An injury plagued season this year hid what Chandler can do, but after more development over the offseason and playing with a loaded Mavericls core, Chandler should be a sight to behold next year.
7. DeSagana Diop (Seattle Sonics) C 21 7'0'' 300 C+ D D+ A- B A
Chandler geets the edge of Sagna solely because he is slightly more well rounded. Diop is the fourth best shotblocker in the league, but with his size and likely solid strength, his ratings remain fairly raw which suggests low ratings in the skill categories such as positional defence and inside scoring. Solely for those reasons I expect Chandler to develop into a slightly more efficient player as the two progress, and wouldn't be surprised to see his production surpass Diop's in the near future. That said, Diop is an absolute freak at only 21 years old. He has excellent size, has shown serious improvement, and blocks 3.3 shots per game while hauling in 10.3 rebounds. On top of that, he plays for the best squad in the league, anchoring them on defence while Rip and Q-Rich taking care of the scoring load.
8. Joe Johnson (Golden State Warriors) SF 22 6'8'' 225 B B+ B- B C A
The oldest member of the list gets placed at 8th because the development he has shown in his game surpasses that of a normal 22 year old. An excellent passer as a small forward, and a beautifully efficient offensive player, JJ averages 19.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.6 APG on solid percentages and decent turnovers. There's some pretty solid speculation that Johnson got the Warriors midseason progression this year as well, which would be scary for the rest of the league. With additional potential and 2 more RCs, Johnson would become of the leagues most well rounded scorers and possibly even an elite defender with already solid steals numbers. Even without the progression, JJ should still be one of the better swingmen in the league before long.
9. Kirk Hinrich (Philly 76ers) PG 22 6'3'' 190 C B A- B D+ A
The recently crowned Rookie of the Year joins Arenas to form the scariest backcourt in the BBS for the next number of years. Hinrich is a perfect fit next to Arenas, a pure PG who put up some of the best overall PG numbers in the league after just one season and one TC. His age is the only thing somewhat worrisome, but it is negated by his inexperience. While he can receive fewer RCs than certain players left off of the list, he has also undergone fewer TCs than most. But in actuality, his numbers are what earn him this spot. His 16.8 PPG, 8.0 APG and 3.8 RPG are not globe blazing, but when added to 1.8 SPG, a modest 2.1 TOPG and ridiculous percentages (47.4 FG%, 44.4 3P%) he has a complete game with no weaknesses. His defence and outside shot are expected to contine developing, and his peak ratings should feature a few A's in them. Hinrich is a rarity in the league, a PG who controls TOs and shoots excellent percentages, which makes him even more valuable.
10. Darko Milicic (L.A. Clippers) PF 18 7'0'' 250 B- D+ C B+ B- A
The opposite of Captain Kirk, Darko is stock full of promise but hasn't shown a ton yet. With undeniably pretty ratings especially for an 18 year old and excellent size, there's no telling what Darko could eventually become after developing through TC and especially the huge amount of RCs he can recieve. The amount of polish he has already makes him even more intriguing - a C handles rating already means his inside scoring and shotblocking can be concentrated on instead of having to worry about any major weaknesses. Darko is looking like a potentially major steal from the previous draft, but Galo shouldn't get too excited yet; this offseason and TC will determine a lot of Darko's future, and without having a good showing in TC he could easily be another of the mediocre bigs circulating throughout the league.
1. LeBron James (Dallas Mavericks) SG 18 6'8'' 240 A- C+ B- B- C+ A
Quite simply, there is no doubt that LeBron James is going to be an eventual phenom. He is only 18 years old, first of all, which is the primary reason why he surpasses guys with better ratings and production like Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas. Able to receive more RCs than any player in the league and almost undoubtably bestowed with 100 potential, there will likely be few weaknesses in LeBron's game after only a few years in the league. What limit is there to LeBron's potential ratings when he's 25? When you throw in him averaging 23.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.5 APG on solid percentages while playing for a contending team in the West, there isn't a player more untouchable than LeBron James in the league.
2. Gilbert Arenas (Philly 76ers) PG 21 6'3'' 191 B B+ B- B C A
While I have absolutely no interest in Agent 0 as a player, there is no denying his disgusting ratings and production in only his second season. A shooting guard averaging 24.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 4.5 APG is an unbelievable asset in the first place, but when you consider that Gilbert is only 21, has progressed immensely over the past two TCs, and already sims well above his ratings, it's possible he could be a 30 PPG scorer as soon as next season. His defence and turnovers will be a concern, but probably not a large one if addressed through his remaining RCs. And ... I'm pretty sure that he got Maniac's Midseason Progression this year. That's the main reason he's #2.
3. Tony Parker (Toronto Raptors) PG 21 6'2'' 180 B+ C+ B+ A C- A
Some might consider this too high for Parker when players like Wade and Yao are yet to come, but Parker has an edge on them in his fantastic defence. 2.6 SPG is good enough for second in the league behind AI, and with an A overall rating it's clear that Parker is a solid perimeter defender as well as a ball theif. Him eventually upgrading that to an A+ is in no way out of the question, considering his TC history and his young age. On top of that, his offensive game is already ridiculously efficent, putting up 22.5 PPG on 48.0 FG% as a second option; with three RCs left to work on his long and mid range game, and with those being the categories that TC helps the most in guards, Parker should be a sick scorer, passer and defender his whole career, and at possibly the most valuable position.
4. Yao Ming (Indiana Pacers) C 22 7'6'' 310 B C C A- B+ A
Standing at 7'6" and weighing 310 pounds, Yao is the largest force in the league and makes his presence known on one of the best teams in the East. The other half of possibly the league's premier defensive frontcourt, Ming averages 11.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG and 1.4 SPG, controlling his teams half of the court in a dominant fashion. His play on the other side of the ball is even more impressive; an above average midrange game, especially for a player of his size, lets Yao put in 21.4 PPG on 46.8% from the field and close to 80% from the line. He controls his turnovers and is an excellent passer for a player his size as well, and with only improvements to come in the future, Yao could quite easily become the league's top center in a few short years.
5. Dwyane Wade (Whoever Skillz Trades Him To) SG 21 6'4'' 213 A- B- C+ B+ C A
One of the most explosive guards in the league, Wade's A- B- scoring ratings couples with good defence and handles make him a premier prospect just below the likes of LeBron and Arenas. The seperation among the top 5 is small, and Wade's placement at the bottom is evidence of that. Despite averaging a fantastic 23.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.2 APG Wade is still a step below his fellow superstar guards in his potential due to his size and age. His defence is on a level above most of the young scorers in the league, putting up 2.4 SPG, and his midrange game seems to be well developed already. With RCs applied to his long distance shot, he'll likely be among the league leaders in scoring for the majority of his career.
6. Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks) C 21 7'1'' 238 B- D+ D+ A B B
The importance of having shotblocking and rebounding in the frontcourt can't be understated. Chandler is already one of the best defensive big men in the league. Only a handful of big men can claim to have A defence and B rebounding, and none of them have Chandler's youth or rawness in their games. It would not be out of the question for Chandler to become an A+ defender in a few years, with his natural progression already looking very solid and with RCs applied to his strength and shotblocking. The Mavericks center already puts up solid rebounding numbers to go with 2.3 BPG and 1.1 SPG. An injury plagued season this year hid what Chandler can do, but after more development over the offseason and playing with a loaded Mavericls core, Chandler should be a sight to behold next year.
7. DeSagana Diop (Seattle Sonics) C 21 7'0'' 300 C+ D D+ A- B A
Chandler geets the edge of Sagna solely because he is slightly more well rounded. Diop is the fourth best shotblocker in the league, but with his size and likely solid strength, his ratings remain fairly raw which suggests low ratings in the skill categories such as positional defence and inside scoring. Solely for those reasons I expect Chandler to develop into a slightly more efficient player as the two progress, and wouldn't be surprised to see his production surpass Diop's in the near future. That said, Diop is an absolute freak at only 21 years old. He has excellent size, has shown serious improvement, and blocks 3.3 shots per game while hauling in 10.3 rebounds. On top of that, he plays for the best squad in the league, anchoring them on defence while Rip and Q-Rich taking care of the scoring load.
8. Joe Johnson (Golden State Warriors) SF 22 6'8'' 225 B B+ B- B C A
The oldest member of the list gets placed at 8th because the development he has shown in his game surpasses that of a normal 22 year old. An excellent passer as a small forward, and a beautifully efficient offensive player, JJ averages 19.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.6 APG on solid percentages and decent turnovers. There's some pretty solid speculation that Johnson got the Warriors midseason progression this year as well, which would be scary for the rest of the league. With additional potential and 2 more RCs, Johnson would become of the leagues most well rounded scorers and possibly even an elite defender with already solid steals numbers. Even without the progression, JJ should still be one of the better swingmen in the league before long.
9. Kirk Hinrich (Philly 76ers) PG 22 6'3'' 190 C B A- B D+ A
The recently crowned Rookie of the Year joins Arenas to form the scariest backcourt in the BBS for the next number of years. Hinrich is a perfect fit next to Arenas, a pure PG who put up some of the best overall PG numbers in the league after just one season and one TC. His age is the only thing somewhat worrisome, but it is negated by his inexperience. While he can receive fewer RCs than certain players left off of the list, he has also undergone fewer TCs than most. But in actuality, his numbers are what earn him this spot. His 16.8 PPG, 8.0 APG and 3.8 RPG are not globe blazing, but when added to 1.8 SPG, a modest 2.1 TOPG and ridiculous percentages (47.4 FG%, 44.4 3P%) he has a complete game with no weaknesses. His defence and outside shot are expected to contine developing, and his peak ratings should feature a few A's in them. Hinrich is a rarity in the league, a PG who controls TOs and shoots excellent percentages, which makes him even more valuable.
10. Darko Milicic (L.A. Clippers) PF 18 7'0'' 250 B- D+ C B+ B- A
The opposite of Captain Kirk, Darko is stock full of promise but hasn't shown a ton yet. With undeniably pretty ratings especially for an 18 year old and excellent size, there's no telling what Darko could eventually become after developing through TC and especially the huge amount of RCs he can recieve. The amount of polish he has already makes him even more intriguing - a C handles rating already means his inside scoring and shotblocking can be concentrated on instead of having to worry about any major weaknesses. Darko is looking like a potentially major steal from the previous draft, but Galo shouldn't get too excited yet; this offseason and TC will determine a lot of Darko's future, and without having a good showing in TC he could easily be another of the mediocre bigs circulating throughout the league.
