SI.com's Top 100 NBA Players of 2016
SI.com is proud to offer our list of the Top 100 NBA players of 2016, an exhaustive exercise that seeks to define who will be the league's best players in the 2015-16 season.
Given the wide variety of candidates involved and the deep analytical resources available, no single, definitive criterion was used to form this list. Instead, rankings were assigned based on a fluid combination of subjective assessment and objective data, including per-game statistics and advanced measures like Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares, Real Plus-Minus, WARP, Net Rating and Synergy Sports data. This list is an earnest attempt to evaluate each player in a vacuum. As a result, future prospects beyond this season did not play a part in the ranking process, while the influence of team context was minimized to whatever extent was possible. Our sole concern was how players are likely to perform this season alone.
Top 100 NBA Players of 2016: Snubs
Injuries and injury risks are thus an inevitable component of that judgment, and chronic concerns or repetitive absences earned demerits. Past performance (postseason included) weighed heavily in our assessment, with a skew toward the recent. First-year players—including delayed rookies like Sixers center Joel Embiid—were not included for that reason, among others. A predictive quality also came into play with the anticipated improvement of certain younger players, as well as the possible decline of aging veterans. Salary was not taken into consideration, even in those instances below where a contract is mentioned. Otherwise, players were ordered based on their complete games—offense and defense both, along with everything in between.
Naturally, rounding out the top 100 included some tough calls. The list of notable omissions is dotted with players both well regarded and largely deserving, though lines ultimately had to be drawn somewhere—in many cases based on extremely minor differences. For those interested in understanding more about the ranking process and the limitations of this exercise in general, make a quick detour here.
Please feel free to take a look back to SI.com’s Top 100 Players of 2015 and our Top 100 Players of 2014. This year’s list includes each player’s ranking from last year for comparison purposes.
100-76 | 75-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1
100. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks | Forward | Last year: —
99. Wesley Matthews
Mavs | Guard | Last year: 72
98. Donatas Motiejunas
Rockets | Forward | Last year: —
97. Nerlens Noel
76ers | Forward | Last year: —
96. Josh Smith
Clippers | Forward | Last year: 53
95. Roy Hibbert
Lakers | Center | Last year: 52
94. Reggie Jackson
Pistons | Guard | Last year: —
93. J.J. Redick
Clippers | Guard | Last year: 93
92. Lou Williams
Lakers | Guard | Last year: —
91. Andrew Wiggins
Wolves | Forward | Last year: —
90. Taj Gibson
Bulls | Forward | Last year: 75
89. Amir Johnson
Celtics | Forward | Last year: 71
88. Isaiah Thomas
Celtics | Guard | Last year: 90
87. Ricky Rubio
Wolves | Guard | Last year: 87
86. Kenneth Faried
Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 77
85. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Hornets | Forward | Last year: —
84. Robin Lopez
Knicks | Center | Last year: 82
83. Deron Williams
Mavs | Guard | Last year: 45
82. Joe Johnson
Nets | Guard | Last year: 51
81. DeMarre Carroll
Raptors | Forward | Last year: —
80. George Hill
Pacers | Guard | Last year: —
79. Brandon Knight
Suns | Guard | Last year: —
78. Tobias Harris
Magic | Forward | Last year: —
77. Jonas Valanciunas
Raptors | Center | Last year: 80
76. Andrew Bogut
Warriors | Center | Last year: 65
75. Thaddeus Young
Nets | Forward | Last year: 69
74. Tiago Splitter
Hawks | Center | Last year: 70
73. Danilo Gallinari
Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 62
72. Ryan Anderson
Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 59
71. Paul Pierce
Clippers | Forward | Last year: 46
70. Tristan Thompson
Cavs | Forward | Last year: —
69. Hassan Whiteside
Heat | Center | Last year: —
68. Timofey Mozgov
Cavs | Center | Last year: —
67. Nikola Vucevic
Magic | Center | Last year: 89
66. Chandler Parsons
Mavs | Forward | Last year: 56
65. Trevor Ariza
Rockets | Forward | Last year: 83
64. Markieff Morris
Suns | Forward | Last year: —
63. Marcin Gortat
Wizards | Center | Last year: 58
62. Bradley Beal
Wizards | Guard | Last year: 76
61. DeMar DeRozan
Raptors | Guard | Last year: 61
60. Derrick Rose
Bulls | Guard | Last year: 23
59. Jrue Holiday
Pelicans | Guard | Last year: 50
58. Tyreke Evans
Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 84
57. Monta Ellis
Pacers | Guard | Last year: 66
56. Luol Deng
Heat | Forward | Last year: 55
55. Nicolas Batum
Hornets | Forward | Last year: 43
54. Kobe Bryant
Lakers | Guard | Last year: 24
53. Tony Parker
Spurs | Guard | Last year: 15
52. Rudy Gay
Kings | Forward | Last year: 67
51. Ty Lawson
Rockets | Guard | Last year: 44
50. Danny Green
Spurs | Guard | Last year: 96
49. Zach Randolph
Grizzlies | Forward | Last year: 42
48. Greg Monroe
Bucks | Forward | Last year: 68
47. Al Jefferson
Hornets | Center | Last year: 26
46. Kyle Korver
Hawks | Forward | Last year: 74
45. Khris Middleton
Bucks | Forward | Last year: —
44. Andre Iguodala
Warriors | Forward | Last year: 29
43. Joakim Noah
Bulls | Center | Last year: 17
42. Goran Dragic
Heat | Guard | Last year: 35
41. Jeff Teague
Hawks | Guard | Last year: 92
40. Pau Gasol
Bulls | Forward | Last year: 49
39. Rudy Gobert
Jazz | Center | Last year: —
38. Brook Lopez
Nets | Center | Last year: 36
37. Derrick Favors
Jazz | Forward | Last year: 79
36. Tyson Chandler
Suns | Center | Last year: 39
35. Andre Drummond
Pistons | Center | Last year: 37
34. Kyle Lowry
Raptors | Guard | Last year: 30
33. Eric Bledsoe
Suns | Guard | Last year: 33
32. Paul Millsap
Hawks | Forward | Last year: 34
31. Gordon Hayward
Jazz | Forward | Last year: 57
30. Dwyane Wade
Heat | Guard | Last year: 20
29. DeAndre Jordan
Clippers | Center | Last year: 38
28. Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs | Forward | Last year: 14
27. Mike Conley
Grizzlies | Guard | Last year: 32
26. Klay Thompson
Warriors | Guard | Last year: 54
25. Serge Ibaka
Thunder | Forward | Last year: 19
24. Damian Lillard
Blazers | Guard | Last year: 22
23. Kyrie Irving
Cavs | Guard | Last year: 21
22. Chris Bosh
Heat | Forward | Last year: 18
21. Al Horford
Hawks | Center | Last year: 25
20. Paul George
Pacers | Forward | Last year: —
19. Dwight Howard
Rockets | Center | Last year: 9
18. Jimmy Butler
Bulls | Guard | Last year: 98
17. Kevin Love
Cavs | Forward | Last year: 7
16. Draymond Green
Warriors | Forward | Last year: —
15. Carmelo Anthony
Knicks | Forward | Last year: 11
14. DeMarcus Cousins
Kings | Center | Last year: 27
13. John Wall
Wizards | Guard | Last year: 31
12. LaMarcus Aldridge
Spurs | Forward | Last year: 12
11. Tim Duncan
Spurs | Forward | Last year: 5
10. Kawhi Leonard
Spurs | Forward | Last year: 28
9. Marc Gasol
Grizzlies | Center | Last year: 16
8. Blake Griffin
Clippers | Forward | Last year: 10
7. Russell Westbrook
Thunder | Guard | Last year: 4
6. Chris Paul
Clippers | Guard | Last year:
5. James Harden
Rockets | Guard | Last year:13
4. Stephen Curry
Warriors | Guard | Last year: 8
3. Anthony Davis
Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 4
2. Kevin Durant
Thunder | Forward | Last year: 2
1. LeBron James
Cavs | Forward | Last year: 1
