Things have begun to get truly interesting in #NBARank as we have stumbled into the top 70 players in the league this week. No longer are the fans struggling to identify some of the players named; instead we are front and center in a debate about which rotation player is better than the next. The Golden State Warriors will be well represented with three players making the list of at least top 55 players in the league.
Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis have yet to be named, but the ESPN writers and bloggers have spoken and rated Warriors’ starting power forward David Lee as the 54th best player in the NBA.
The Florida product is in fact one of the best players in the league at his position thanks in large part to a multitude of skills. Indeed, he is a decent ball handler for his size, does a good job of finishing around the basket with both hands, solid rebounder, good finisher, displays good leaping ability, converts half of his shots and has shown the ability to be durable throughout the course of his career.
Consequently, one has to come to the conclusion that there are few power forwards better than Lee in the league. Let’s have a look at the list:
- Amare Stoudemire
- Blake Griffin
- Chris Bosh
- Carlos Boozer
- Kevin Garnett
- Kevin Love
- LaMarcus Aldridge
- Lamar Odom
- Pau Gasol
- Tim Duncan
- Zach Randolph
The list might seem long, but context is important in this situation. In a league of about 500 players, coming up as the 54th best player in the league and arguably the 12th best at your position is still worthy of mention.
The Golden State Warriors were one of the most exciting teams during the 2010-11 regular season because of the fast pace at which they played as well as their ability to light up the scoreboard. Unfortunately, that did not result in a playoff appearance but they were still a joy to watch and David Lee’s contributions to the team were a big part of what made the Dubs one of the most exciting squads in the NBA last season.
One could go so far as to make the case that the Warriors should have looked more often in Lee’s direction for scoring given his 50.7 percent field goal shooting last season. He would have helped the team in terms of efficiency but would also have lessened the burden on players such as Curry and Ellis.
Nonetheless, Lee was an integral part of the Golden State Warriors last season, and barring any major changes in the collective bargaining agreement (I do realize that this is basically on par as saying that unless Kevin Garnett finds the fountain of youth, his skills will erode but still) he will continue to be one of the best players on the Warriors’ roster.
One last little footnote: According to Hoopshype.com David Lee is scheduled to make $11.6 million once the NBA season gets underway (unless salaries get rolled back). As we climb up the charts of #NBARank, we should also technically be going up the pay scales of NBA players. The best players, unless they are still on their rookie contracts, get paid the most money. Mind you, there may be a few head scratchers along the way (we already passed Gilbert Arenas and Rashard Lewis) and it might be fun to point them out as the countdown continues. Elton Brand’s name is already on the board which means….yes Carlos Boozer, we’re looking at you.
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