Top 100 NBA Players of 2013-2014: Preseason Edition

1. LeBron James

LeBron is in great position to become the first player in NBA History to win the MVP award five times in a six-year span.

2. Kevin Durant

Last season at the age of 24, Kevin Durant became the youngest player in league history to join the 50-40-90 club. 

3. Chris Paul

Chris Paul is the best PG in the NBA, but can he lead the Clippers to their first title in franchise history?

4.      James Harden

Harden blossomed into a superstar in Houston, finishing fifth in scoring (25.9) and first in free throws made per game (8.6).

5.      Tony Parker

Tony Parker had a career year in 2012-2013, posting 20.3 points per game and dishing out 7.6 assists per contest.

6.      Russell Westbrook

Critics of Westbrook's game diminished last season, especially after the Thunder struggled mightily with their star point guard sidelined for the duration of the 2013 playoffs.

7.      Kevin Love

Kevin Love registered MVP-like numbers last year when healthy (18.4 ppg, 14.0 rpg). However, he appeared in just 18 games.

8.      Dwight Howard

Can Howard follow in the footsteps of Rockets' all-time franchise centers Moses Malone and Hakeem Olajuwon?

9.      Tim Duncan

37-year-old Tim Duncan remains in the elite echelon of NBA players, a major reason why the Spurs are title contenders yet again.

10.  Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony won his first career scoring title last season, registering 28.7 points per contest.

11.  Kobe Bryant

Will Kobe return to his usual form after spending the past six months recovering from a torn Achilles in his left leg?

12.  LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge may be the most underrated player in the NBA. He finished 9th in scoring (21.1 ppg) last year and was a force in the middle, corralling roughly nine rebounds and a block per contest.

13.  Rajon Rondo

Why so much Rondo trade chatter? He led the league in assists last season (11.1) and a new voice in the huddle will be refreshing for the 27-year-old PG... Rookie head coach Brad Stevens and Rondo could be a match made in heaven. 

14.  Paul George

George had a tremendous postseason (19.9 ppg) after his breakout regular season, earning the league's Most Improved Player honors for the 2012-2013 season.

15.  Paul Pierce

Even at 36 years old, Paul Pierce remains of the most clutch players in the NBA and that's the Truth.

16.  Derrick Rose

Can Rose return to being a Top-5 player in the NBA? Will he use his incessant critics as fuel and guide the Bulls to their first title since M.J. retired? Or is he still not "mentally ready" to be the leader and All-Star the Bulls need?

17.  Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving is the best scoring point guard (22.5 ppg last season) in the NBA and has the potential to be one of the league's elite players. However, in order to be considered a top-tier player, he must first prove he can stay healthy.

18.  Marc Gasol

Marc Gasol won the Defensive Player of the Year award last season, cementing his status as one of the NBA's elite big men.

19.  Stephen Curry

Last year, Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made (272) in a regular season.

20.  Dirk Nowitzki

The Mavs missed the postseason last year for the first since 2000 in large part to the absence of Dirk in the lineup for 29 of 82 regular season games.

21.  Joakim Noah

Even with Rose returning this season, Noah will be the emotional leader for the title-contending Bulls. Noah averaged a double-double last season and finished sixth in blocks per contest.

22.  Roy Hibbert

While his regular season stats were not that impressive, Hibbert was a beast in the playoffs, helping the Pacers push the Heat to the brink of elimination in the Conference Finals. Hibbert is closing in on Marc Gasol, Noah and Howard for the distinction of the best center in the NBA.

23.  Zach Randolph

Randolph was horrendous in the 2013 Western Conference Finals. But he was the driving force in the Grizzlies' series victories over the Clippers and Thunder. He also had an exceptional regular season, averaging 15.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest.

24.  Deron Williams

Deron Williams played great down the stretch of last season and now has all the talent he could have ever asked for around him. Can he lead the new-look Nets deep into the playoffs?

25.  Dwyane Wade

If you tuned into the 2013 NBA playoffs last year, you know there is no way Wade cracks the Top-10 (or Top-20 for that matter) list of NBA players...Wade is a hustler on defense and has elite scoring abilities (21.9 ppg in regular season), but his best days are far behind him.

26.  Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez had a career-year in 2012-2013 (19.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.1 BPG) and his post-game and overall defensive play will improve immensely with Kevin Garnett now in Brooklyn.

27.  Al Horford

Horford, an unheralded forward from the Dominican Republic, had a career year in 2012-2013. He notched 17.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest for an overachieving Hawks club.

28.  Jrue Holiday

Holiday dropped 8.0 dimes per game on a 76ers roster devoid of scoring talent in 2012-2013. Now in New Orleans, Holiday has a chance to win the assist crown, given the bevy of scorers he can dish the rock to, such as Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, and Tyreke Evans.

29.  Chris Bosh

Bosh's 2012-2013 regular season averages of 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds were his lowest since his rookie campaign... A return to the power-forward position (with Greg Oden expected to start at center in 2013-2014) could pay major dividends for Bosh, particularly on defense.

30.  Kevin Garnett

K.G. changed the culture in Boston with his defensive prowess and ceaseless intensity... Alongside Pierce and Lopez, KG has the chance to be an integral part of the league's most formidable front-lines. 

31.  Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin asserted that the "Lob City" era has ended with Doc Rivers now running the show for the Clippers. Will the league's most athletically-gifted player thrive in a system that stresses defense and backcourt offense?

32.  John Wall

Wall signed a 5 year, $80 million extension this summer with the Wizards, a team he believes has "all the pieces to make the playoffs". Wall proved to be the real deal last season (18.5 ppg, 7.6 apg), a major reason why the Wizards have a realistic chance of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2006.

33.  Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka led the NBA in blocks in 2012-2013. He also became a viable option on offense, posting 13.2 points per contest.

34.  David West

David West, an integral part of the Pacers 2013 playoff run, will remain in Indiana after signing a three-year, $36 million contract extension this summer. West scored 17.1 points per game and grabbed 7.7 rebounds per contest last season.

35.  Josh Smith

Will Josh Smith live up to his lucrative four-year, $54 million deal he signed with the Pistons this offseason? Probably not, but Smith will provide the Pistons an edge on defense the club has been devoid of in recent years.

36.  Nikola Pekovich

The Timberwolves wisely locked up their restricted free agent center to a five-year, $60 million extension in August. Pekovich, one of the most underrated big men in the league, averaged 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds in 62 starts last season. 

37.  Damian Lillard

Lillard attained the Rookie of the Year honors for the 2012-2013 season...He broke the rookie-record for three-point field goals made with 185.

38.  Greg Monroe

Monroe started all 82 games for the Pistons a season ago, averaging 16.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest. 

39.  Pau Gasol

Gasol will actually benefit from the departure of  Dwight Howard because Mike D'Antoni's offense never gelled when the two 7-footers were on the floor last season...Will the Lakers finally ship away Gasol this season after years of swirling trade rumors?

40.  Andre Iguodala

The Warriors have filled their glaring hole from last season by signing Andre Iguodala, who can attack the rim and finish strong in the paint. "Iggy" will provide adept defensive play, something the Warriors have coveted in recent years.

41.  Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the first time in his career last season.

42.  Ty Lawson

Ty Lawson is on the cusp of being an elite point guard in the NBA. Lawson spearheaded the Nuggets' offense in 2013, averaging career bests' in points (16.7) and assists (6.9).

43.  Paul Millsap

The Hawks signed Millsap to a bargain, two-year, $19 million deal this offseason. Millsap, a scrappy defender and relentless rebounder, could be a perfect fit in the Hawks' offense next to center Al Horford. 

44.  Danilo Gallinari

Gallinari was in the midst of  a career year in 2012-2013, before tearing his ACL in April. Before injuring his left knee, Gallinari helped lead the Nuggets to the third-seed in the Western Conference, averaging 16.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

45.  David Lee

David Lee recorded a league-high 56 double-doubles last season.

46.  Mike Conley

Conley had a breakout season in 2012-2013, averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals per contest. Conley was even better in the postseason (17.0 ppg, 7.1 apg, 4.7 rpg, 1.7 spg), helping the Grizzlies reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

47.  Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson should provide the Bobcats with their first prominent post-presence in franchise history.

48.  Luol Deng

Luol Deng promptly made his second consecutive all-star appearance in a season that saw the defensive-minded swing-man finish in the Top-10 in points, rebounds, and assists among small-forwards.

49.  Anthony Davis

The first pick of the 2012 NBA draft registered a solid stat line in his rookie season (13.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg).

50.  Kawhi Leonard

Leonard rose to the occasion in the 2013 playoffs, averaging 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds (up from 11.9 and 6.0 during the regular season), leading the Spurs in minutes played. Unfortunately, the up-and-coming star's recent postseason will be synonymous for his critical missed free throw in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

51.  DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins' 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per-game totals earned him a four-year max contract extension this offseason, worth roughly $62 million... The Kings believe Cousins is the foundation the franchise can build around... Cousins' scoring totals could skyrocket with the addition of PG Greivis Vazquez.

52.  Carlos Boozer

Boozer has been the victim of unremitting criticism since signing a hefty five-year, $80 million contract in the summer of 2010... Boozer remains a scoring threat (16.2 ppg in 2012-2013) and active rebounder (9.8 rpg)...Boozer did, however, shoot a career-worst 47.7 percent from the field last season.

53.  Danny Granger

Granger appeared in just five games last season...For most of Granger's eight-year career, he has been the go-to-scorer in Indiana. However, this is Paul George's team now. Can Granger adjust to being the second option (or possibly third or fourth) on offense?

54.  Anderson Varejao

Varejao was well on his way to earning his first All-Star game appearance (14.1 ppg, 14.4 rpg) of his career, before suffering a season-ending blood clot in his lung in mid-December of last season.

55.  Ryan Anderson

Anderson excelled in his first season in New Orleans, averaging a career best 16.2 points per contest.

56.  Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay enters his first full season as a Raptor, looking to bring the franchise back to the postseason for the first time since 2008.

57.  Tony Allen

Allen was named to his second consecutive NBA All-Defensive First Team last season.

58.  Kenneth Faried

"The Manimal" is one of the most athletic players in the NBA, providing high-flying abilities and a consistent force on the glass (9.2 rpg in 2012-2013).

59.  Nikola Vucevic

The Magic proved to be the only winners in the Dwight Howard trade from a summer ago. Vucevic, acquired in the four-team trade from the 76ers, posted 13.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per contest, recording the third most double-doubles (46) in the NBA last season.

60.  Joe Johnson

Johnson, set to make $21 million in the upcoming season, will be the fifth option on offense for the Nets in 2013-2014. New head coach Jason Kidd asserted that Johnson will, however, be the "clear cut guy" to take the last shot of the game for Brooklyn. Johnson was 9-for-10 with 24 seconds or less in the game last season.

61.  Jamal Crawford

Crawford flourished in his inaugural season with the Clippers, finishing second in voting for Sixth Man of the Year.

62.  Greivis Vazquez

Vazquez led the league in total assists last season with 704, dishing out 9.0 dimes per contest in New Orleans. The Sacramento Kings traded for Vazquez this offseason, acquiring a franchise PG for many years to come.

63.  Jeff Green

Green will have the opportunity to demonstrate his ability to lead a club this year, with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett now on the Nets and with PG Rajon Rondo sidelined for at least the first month of the season.

64.  Ray Allen

Ray put an end to his well-documented postseason woes by draining the game-tying three pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals with 5.2 seconds to play. Ray's championship-saving three-pointer will be remembered as one of the most clutch shots in NBA history.

65.  Manu Ginobili

Ginobili's abysmal performance in the 2013 NBA Finals hurt the legacy of the future Hall-of-Famer. Nonetheless, the 36-year-old guard remains one of the most effective bench players in the NBA.

66.  Andrei Kirilenko

AK-47 can play multiple positions and has proven to be a 5-category player, averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals throughout his 11-year career in the NBA. The veteran small-forward will be counted upon to spearhead the Nets bench this season.

67.  Ricky Rubio

After tearing his ACL in his rookie season, Rubio posted 10.7 points and 7.3 assists per contest in 47 starts in the 2012-2013 season. Rubio will need to elevate his game to the next level if the Wolves are to make their first postseason appearance since 2004.

68.  Ersan Ilyasova

Ilyasova is one of the most versatile players in the league. At 6-foot-10, Ilyasova can play all three positions in the frontcourt. He is one of the better shooting big men in the league, posting the fourth-highest three-point field goal percentage (44.4) in the the NBA last season.

69.  Tyreke Evans

The 2009 Rookie of the Year was acquired by the Pelicans in a three-team deal in July. Evans notched 15.4 points per game in four seasons with the Kings.

70.  Thaddeus Young

Young led the 76ers in rebounds (7.5) and steals (1.8) per game last season. He finished second in scoring per contest (14.8) for the 76ers a season ago, finishing behind only Jrue Holiday, who was traded on the 2013 NBA Draft night.

71.  Nicolas Batum

Batum recorded career bests' in points (14.3), rebounds (5.6), assists (4.9) and blocks (1.1) per contest last season. Batum also shot a career-best 84.8 percent from the free-throw line in 2012-2013.

72.  Danny Green

Danny Green set a record for most three-pointers made in a NBA Finals' series with 27 against the Heat this past June.

73.  Tiago Splitter

Starting alongside Tim Duncan, Splitter posted 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest this past season. The Brazilian center agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract extension with the Spurs this past summer.

74.  Arron Afflalo

Afflalo recorded career bests' in points per game (16.7), assists per game (3.2), rebounds per contest (3.7) and free throw percentage (85.7) last season.

75.  Omer Asik

Asik's rebounding and scoring per game totals soared (10.1 ppg, 11.7 rpg in 2012-2013) in his first season as a starter, but can the scrappy big man play effectively alongside Dwight Howard?

76.  Eric Gordon

Gordon is a bonafide scorer, posting 17.0 points per contest in 2012-2013. However, his injury woes are a growing concern. Gordon appeared in just 42 games a season ago, a year after suiting up for just nine contests.

77.  Gordon Hayward

With Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson no longer on the roster, Hayward will be called upon to be the No. 1 scoring option for the Jazz. He averaged 14.1 points per contest last season.

78.  Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum is one of the most immature, self-centered and narcissistic players in NBA history. That being said, he is undoubtedly a Top-5 center in the league when healthy.

79.  Larry Sanders

Sanders had a breakout season in 2012-2013, averaging career bests' in blocks (2.83, second most in the NBA), points (9.8) and rebounds (9.5) per contest.

80.  Klay Thompson

Will Thompson help form the greatest shooting backcourt in league history alongside teammate Stephen Curry? The second-year pro certainly had his moments a season ago, most notably his 34 point performance in the Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. 

81.  Chandler Parsons

Parsons developed into a potential franchise player for the Rockets in his sophomore year in the NBA, tallying 15.5 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting from the field.

82.  Brandon Jennings

On the surface, Jennings' stat-line from last season--17.5 ppg, 6.5 apg--appears to represent a high-caliber point guard. But some further digging shows he shot an anemic 39.9 percent from the field (31st among point guards). His assists-per-game total ranked just 16th among point guards. Jennings, acquired by the Pistons in a sign-and-trade deal, must incorporate his new teammates into the offense if he has any plans of ever getting out of the first round.

83.  Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis can put the ball in the hoop on a nightly basis (19.2 ppg in 2012-2013), but can he be relied upon to be the second fiddle in Dallas?

84.  Andre Drummond

Few players, particularity youngsters, are unanimously loved by league experts. Drummond won over his critics with his fearless attack on the boards.

85.  Lou Williams

Williams is one of the league's most underrated scorers. He is capable of lighting it up for over 20 points any given night. But will Williams' defense ever improve?..Will he be the same player after tearing his ACL last season?

86.  Kevin Martin

Martin will become a starter again after being acquired in a sign-and-trade by the Timberwolves in July, a season after playing the role as sixth-man for the Thunder.

87.  George Hill

Hill's scoring abilities (14.2 ppg) cannot be questioned, but his aptitude as a facilitator (4.7 apg) still remains in doubt moving forward.

88.  Tristan Thompson

Thompson became a consistent contributor for the Cavs in his second NBA season, averaging 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest.

89.  Raymond Felton

After wavering through his worst season of his career in 2011-2012 with the Trail Blazers, Felton helped lead the Knicks to a 54-win season and their first postseason series victory in a decade.

90.  Bradley Beal

Beal, the 3rd overall pick in the 2012 draft, shined in his first season in the NBA, recording 13.9 points per game.

91.  J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith won the Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2012-2013 season. However, Smith was horrendous in the postseason and his maturity is in question after being suspended five games by the NBA for marijuana use. 

92.  Jarrett Jack

As far as backup guards go, Jarrett Jack is as good as it gets. Jack could prove to be highly influential in the development of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters careers. He signed with the Cavs this July after spending the 2012-2013 season with the Warriors.

93.  Carl Landry

Landry joins the Kings for his second stint in Sacramento (he previously played with the club from 2009-2011). Landry averaged 10.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest as a key contributor off the Warriors' bench last season.

94.  Jimmy Butler

Is Jimmy Butler the small-forward of the future for the Bulls? Butler will have to prove his worth to the team as Luol Deng enters a contract-year with the Bulls.

95.  O.J. Mayo

Will the Bucks ever leave basketball purgatory (good, but not even close to winning a title)? The signing of Mayo implies the franchise is suffice earning a bottom level postseason seed--and a subsequent first-round exit in the playoffs.

96.  Goran Dragic

Can Dragic play alongside newly-acquired guard Eric Bledose? The Suns would have a severely undersized backcourt with Dragic and Bledose apace one another. For now, Dragic deserves the nod over Bledose. Dragic was the Suns best player a season ago, posting an impressive stat line. (14.7 ppg, 7.4 apg, 3.1 rpg).

97.  J.J. Redick

Redick recorded the third highest free throw percentage (90.0) in 2012-2013. He will be the starting shooting guard for a Clippers team expected to contend for a title.

98.  Gerald Henderson

Henderson re-signed with the Bobcats for a team-friendly 3 year, $18 million deal this offseason because he had "unfinished business to solve." Henderson wants to be the guy that turns around this woeful franchise. Gotta respect Henderson, especially in the modern-day landscape of the NBA, where  talented players often leave their clubs to team up with other star players.

99.  Avery Bradley

Avery Bradley is the best on-ball defender in the league. But will his offense ever catch up with his defense?

100. Kyle Lowry

The Raptors demonstrated their utmost confidence in Lowry by trading away PG Jose Calderon (the deal in which was Rudy Gay was acquired) last February... Can Lowry run the Raptors' offense efficiently? Lowry has proven himself as one of the better scoring point guards in the league, but he must become more of a facilitator on offense.