LukaSZN
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Taking a look across the league, here's my top three upcoming stars at each position:
*Please note, these aren't definitive or objective at all, and in fact, are heavily biased by the style of player I like at each position.
Point Guard:
Luka Doncic: Nate is bad at this. What's worse than trading rookie Bron Bron for 31-year-old Giannis? How about trading one of the best prospects in the game with Kristaps Porzingis for Trae Young. We will get to Trae in a minute but Luka has it all, the size, the handle, the shooting, and room to improve into one of the league's best players. Doncic's one flaw is the defense, which he will need to figure out if he wants to be an MVP type player.
Trae Young: Trae guards his man like teenage girls guard secrets but he is going to get buckets. A lot of buckets, endless buckets. Not unlike last file where he was the next best thing to Luka as a scorer and distributor, Young is on pace to be a Finals MVP type talent once again. The Mavericks jumping off him, without securing their picks from the Knicks was a mistake. All-around, the Mavs been blundering.
Ja Morant: Foreman took a large risk selecting the Murray State point guard ahead of the highest ceiling player (Barrett) and the most polished, clear cut star (Zion) in last year's draft. Morant's turnovers are an issue but should he clear that hurdle, he's pretty polished everywhere else and has a very clear route to being one of the game's best point guards over the years to come.
HM: Jamal Murray
Shooting Guard:
R.J. Barrett: Barrett was the rawest of the top three last draft but he had the most complete starting base and a sky high pot that stayed such after his first training camp. He's struggling to stand out in a class featuring Zion Williamson and upstart Jarrett Culver but I wouldn't bet against him being a long time star in this league. He may not be as good as Barrett was on the last file but it's not an impossibility.
Devin Booker: Booker is the Trae Young of shooting guards. He has a disgusting baseline as a scorer. He's probably already a top 5-8 scorer all things considered in the league. He's better suited at the two because the defense and turnovers at PG are rough but lord he can shoot the piss out of that ball.
Donovan Mitchell: Cloud once told me that guards that could play in a balanced were studs and Mitchell has some of the best inside / outside balance in the game. Mitchell isn't as honed as Booker, nor does he have the room to grow Barrett or even Culver does, but he is put together without an inherent weakness. Mitchell should be an All-Star for a lot of years in this league.
HM: Jarrett Culver
Small Forward:
Ben Simmons: We are all aware Simmons build is very tough to play with in FBB but he's elite in three aspects of the game. As an inside scorer, play-maker, and defender -- Ben bangs. That shot hurts and where is long-term fit is positionally is tough to say but he's very talented.
Jayson Tatum: Well, let's start with the obvious. . . Donk is a Boston fa. . . Just kidding. But seriously, Tatum is stupid nice. Looks like he's going to be a complete two-way player and one of the league's best scorers. On pace to be close to as good as he was last file.
Michael Porter Jr.: I felt like small forward was the weakest position on the board hence the shot in the dark with Porter here. Volume seems like it might be an issue but he's talented. Similar to Mitchell at SG, it looks like he's not going to have a major flaw and he's still got room to grow. Frank did well to hold on to him despite pushing to compete.
HM: Caris Levert & Lauri Markkanen
Power Forward:
Wendell Carter Jr.: My guy SZN! But for real WCJ is really good already. He's cheesing stupid numbers on a bad team but he looks like he's going to be a top two-way big for years to come. He's scoring above his station and I doubt he scores like this once the team gets better but his build is unique relative to a lot of other bigs in FBB.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: 3J needs to get better offensively and as a rebounder but he has quality volume and blocks shots. That's more than enough in FBB and he complements Jokic beautifully. Knicks snagging him in the first free agency was a game changer for that franchise.
Zion Williamson: The man was the All-Star MVP year one. He's probably the most valuable player in the game. Thank the lord Gabe didn't seduce Daulten on draft night. He can do it all, the steals are -- well, wow. The basketball higher powers smiling on Zion hist first TC was just another ray of sunshine to strike the insanely lucky ass of lil D.
HM: Myles Turner & Brandon Clarke.
Center:
Karl-Anthony Towns: Towns is the Harden of big-men. Lord, his scoring is impressive. He's going to be one of the five best scorers over the next ten FBB seasons and although he might never be a shutdown defensive big, he's not an absolute liability in that department.
John Collins: Collins being one of the best prospects in the game is a nice treat, surprised Nate didn't stay just for that. He can score inside and outside, he's a stud athlete and he's got a high ceiling. Collins is in a supremely talented, albeit, young frontcourt and he's clearly the prize mare.
Deandre Ayton: Ayton is true to form. He's going to score, he's going to rebound and double-doubles will come easy but getting to the next level of stardom isn't a guarantee. Ayton's rim protection and overall defense has to go up if he wants to be the class of the league.
HM: Goga Bitzadze.
*Please note, these aren't definitive or objective at all, and in fact, are heavily biased by the style of player I like at each position.
Point Guard:
Luka Doncic: Nate is bad at this. What's worse than trading rookie Bron Bron for 31-year-old Giannis? How about trading one of the best prospects in the game with Kristaps Porzingis for Trae Young. We will get to Trae in a minute but Luka has it all, the size, the handle, the shooting, and room to improve into one of the league's best players. Doncic's one flaw is the defense, which he will need to figure out if he wants to be an MVP type player.
Trae Young: Trae guards his man like teenage girls guard secrets but he is going to get buckets. A lot of buckets, endless buckets. Not unlike last file where he was the next best thing to Luka as a scorer and distributor, Young is on pace to be a Finals MVP type talent once again. The Mavericks jumping off him, without securing their picks from the Knicks was a mistake. All-around, the Mavs been blundering.
Ja Morant: Foreman took a large risk selecting the Murray State point guard ahead of the highest ceiling player (Barrett) and the most polished, clear cut star (Zion) in last year's draft. Morant's turnovers are an issue but should he clear that hurdle, he's pretty polished everywhere else and has a very clear route to being one of the game's best point guards over the years to come.
HM: Jamal Murray
Shooting Guard:
R.J. Barrett: Barrett was the rawest of the top three last draft but he had the most complete starting base and a sky high pot that stayed such after his first training camp. He's struggling to stand out in a class featuring Zion Williamson and upstart Jarrett Culver but I wouldn't bet against him being a long time star in this league. He may not be as good as Barrett was on the last file but it's not an impossibility.
Devin Booker: Booker is the Trae Young of shooting guards. He has a disgusting baseline as a scorer. He's probably already a top 5-8 scorer all things considered in the league. He's better suited at the two because the defense and turnovers at PG are rough but lord he can shoot the piss out of that ball.
Donovan Mitchell: Cloud once told me that guards that could play in a balanced were studs and Mitchell has some of the best inside / outside balance in the game. Mitchell isn't as honed as Booker, nor does he have the room to grow Barrett or even Culver does, but he is put together without an inherent weakness. Mitchell should be an All-Star for a lot of years in this league.
HM: Jarrett Culver
Small Forward:
Ben Simmons: We are all aware Simmons build is very tough to play with in FBB but he's elite in three aspects of the game. As an inside scorer, play-maker, and defender -- Ben bangs. That shot hurts and where is long-term fit is positionally is tough to say but he's very talented.
Jayson Tatum: Well, let's start with the obvious. . . Donk is a Boston fa. . . Just kidding. But seriously, Tatum is stupid nice. Looks like he's going to be a complete two-way player and one of the league's best scorers. On pace to be close to as good as he was last file.
Michael Porter Jr.: I felt like small forward was the weakest position on the board hence the shot in the dark with Porter here. Volume seems like it might be an issue but he's talented. Similar to Mitchell at SG, it looks like he's not going to have a major flaw and he's still got room to grow. Frank did well to hold on to him despite pushing to compete.
HM: Caris Levert & Lauri Markkanen
Power Forward:
Wendell Carter Jr.: My guy SZN! But for real WCJ is really good already. He's cheesing stupid numbers on a bad team but he looks like he's going to be a top two-way big for years to come. He's scoring above his station and I doubt he scores like this once the team gets better but his build is unique relative to a lot of other bigs in FBB.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: 3J needs to get better offensively and as a rebounder but he has quality volume and blocks shots. That's more than enough in FBB and he complements Jokic beautifully. Knicks snagging him in the first free agency was a game changer for that franchise.
Zion Williamson: The man was the All-Star MVP year one. He's probably the most valuable player in the game. Thank the lord Gabe didn't seduce Daulten on draft night. He can do it all, the steals are -- well, wow. The basketball higher powers smiling on Zion hist first TC was just another ray of sunshine to strike the insanely lucky ass of lil D.
HM: Myles Turner & Brandon Clarke.
Center:
Karl-Anthony Towns: Towns is the Harden of big-men. Lord, his scoring is impressive. He's going to be one of the five best scorers over the next ten FBB seasons and although he might never be a shutdown defensive big, he's not an absolute liability in that department.
John Collins: Collins being one of the best prospects in the game is a nice treat, surprised Nate didn't stay just for that. He can score inside and outside, he's a stud athlete and he's got a high ceiling. Collins is in a supremely talented, albeit, young frontcourt and he's clearly the prize mare.
Deandre Ayton: Ayton is true to form. He's going to score, he's going to rebound and double-doubles will come easy but getting to the next level of stardom isn't a guarantee. Ayton's rim protection and overall defense has to go up if he wants to be the class of the league.
HM: Goga Bitzadze.
