Bobby Manning reveals his Top 100 NBA players for the 2024-25 season with Noa Dalzell. Where do the Celtics' players rank? They also discuss Joe Mazzulla's recent interview with John Karalis.
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SportsTranscript
00:00:00Can you say hardhats folks? Hardhats, munch pails, steel tool boots.
00:00:08Anything short of a championship this year is a fail.
00:00:10Look at this boomer right here.
00:00:12You've just got so much talent here.
00:00:14Somebody said we need to apologize for Jalen.
00:00:16Can I pull the John? What are we apologizing for? What did we say? What did we do?
00:00:20Hey Bobby Manning here. Welcome into a September edition of the Garden Report as we inch closer to training camp.
00:00:37Not a ton to talk about. Not a ton of news rolling yet.
00:00:41So I decided this was a good week to throw together a top 100 list.
00:00:47And I actually like how it came out. No doubts out here. SB Nation, CLNS Media, You Got Boston Podcast.
00:00:55I actually wrote through this pretty easily Noah.
00:00:59And there's going to be, I'm sure, some rankings here that people don't love.
00:01:04But I actually think the Celtics fared pretty well in this list I made.
00:01:09And they are all pretty well represented here.
00:01:14I think in the end I had six Celtics on the list here.
00:01:19So their top six in its entirety makes it.
00:01:23We'll start with some of our sponsor here.
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00:02:56I'd support the Garden Report here.
00:02:58And CLNS. So let's get into the list, Noah.
00:03:04We have a hundred names here and we don't have all night, so we'll just run through them loosely.
00:03:10Look at some of the highlights here.
00:03:12I love Devin Chenzo at a hundred because I thought he just had such a fun year and I love that he makes this list here.
00:03:20One of many Knicks on the list, too, which I found interesting that I was able to squeeze in here.
00:03:25But let's go right past Keegan Murray to our guy Al Horford.
00:03:29Still in the top 100. Still playing championship level defense.
00:03:35And still able to log huge minutes throughout that postseason run for the Celtics.
00:03:39He's turned 38 this year. The seasons keep rattling off.
00:03:43You're wondering when he's going to slow down.
00:03:45I would imagine coming out of the regular season, he won't be on this list.
00:03:50But given what he did last year with the 40 percent three-point shooting during the regular season,
00:03:54his defensive versatility, and then effectively being the team's starting center on the championship run,
00:04:00I felt like he had a squeeze in here somewhere. Do you agree?
00:04:05I mean, I'm always privy to having Al Horford in the top 100.
00:04:09I feel like he belongs.
00:04:11You know, the thing with the ranking list is, and I haven't made one of these,
00:04:15and I don't know that I'd be able to, is that it's just so hard to compare
00:04:18because it's like, are you saying right now who's literally a more valuable player?
00:04:23I'd be curious to hear, Bobby, as you assembled this list, what your criteria was.
00:04:28What is Al Horford being one ahead of Keegan Murray?
00:04:31Do you think he's more valuable to have on a team right now?
00:04:34Would you rather have him in a singular game?
00:04:37Obviously, it's positionless, so that makes things more complicated,
00:04:40but I feel like that's where I struggle to even know what exactly the order is based off of.
00:04:46Maybe you can start there with some of your perspective on it.
00:04:52Yeah, so a lot of it came down to the advanced stats leaders.
00:04:56We'll get to some of the other guys who might have taken a hit there.
00:04:59I think that's always where I'm going to start.
00:05:02Then I go to shooting. I think shooting is so valuable in the league now
00:05:05that it's going to be tough to make this list or rank high on this list
00:05:08if you're not a good shooter.
00:05:10Horford obviously brings that to the table.
00:05:12And then I go to defense.
00:05:14You can take a big hit if you're not as good of a defender.
00:05:17And then I'll start to consider roles, how much of a weight a guy is carrying.
00:05:21So a lot of it is just from having watched these guys last year.
00:05:27And then the other half of it is the numbers.
00:05:30So a lot of it is going to be based off the numbers from last year.
00:05:33A lot of it's going to be based on how much work these guys have to do,
00:05:36how big of a role these guys have, versatility.
00:05:40The big thing with this list is I'm pointing it forward.
00:05:44So you see quite a few spots up from Al Horford, Herb Jones, Sexton,
00:05:50who I thought had a pretty underrated year.
00:05:52Murphy, who I love.
00:05:54Kaminga, who I think is going to have a bigger role this year.
00:05:57Take a stab. Kuzma is fine.
00:06:00Mark Williams, who didn't play much last year,
00:06:02but I think is going to be awesome this year.
00:06:03Hart, Durin, another young guy.
00:06:06The only rookie I included was Reed Shepard,
00:06:09because again, not going off anything he did last year.
00:06:11Obviously, I think he's just going to be awesome.
00:06:13I think he's going to have a ton of opportunity in Houston.
00:06:15Love what we saw from him at Summer League.
00:06:18So I think he's going to jump right into this list right away,
00:06:21given what kind of weight he's going to have to carry there in Houston.
00:06:24So it's a mixed bag.
00:06:26Some of these guys are here because of great seasons last year.
00:06:30Another guy a few spots up who didn't have an amazing season last year,
00:06:33but I think is going to bounce back is Josh Giddey in Chicago
00:06:36with the role he's going to have.
00:06:37So it's a mix, considered a lot of different things here.
00:06:41Some of these guys are here because they've had good careers.
00:06:44They've had good handful of seasons before this,
00:06:46and they might fall out.
00:06:47I'm looking at Zach Levine.
00:06:48We'll see how this year goes for him.
00:06:51But yeah, I think I started with the advanced stats,
00:06:54shooting critical for this list.
00:06:57And then I think how big of a role you have in defense
00:07:00are important from there.
00:07:01So you could argue Horford shouldn't be here.
00:07:04I think some of the guys I left off, like Malik Monk,
00:07:07probably a slam dunk six-man guy if he didn't get hurt last year.
00:07:11Fred Van Fleet had a pretty good year, especially numbers-wise.
00:07:13But aging, maybe taking a step back with the shooting and stuff like that.
00:07:18Mike Conley, another guy who was probably top 100 last year
00:07:22that I don't have on the list.
00:07:23Brogdon would have been a slam dunk on this list in the past,
00:07:26but I think he's just getting a little bit older.
00:07:28And then there were some rising guys like Santee Aldama,
00:07:32Anthony Simons, who I had a tough time keeping off this list.
00:07:35Jaime Jacquez, too, who I think is awesome.
00:07:37Podzinski, Keontae George.
00:07:40So there could be a lot.
00:07:41You know how it goes, though.
00:07:42There's a lot of young guys every year who end up taking massive steps
00:07:47very fast, and then the old guys drop right off.
00:07:49So like I said, I'm giving Horford credit for what he did last year.
00:07:53But I'd have to imagine, especially with minute limits
00:07:56and all the rest of management they're going to do this year,
00:07:59he's probably not going to be on this list at the end of the year.
00:08:03Yeah, no, that makes sense.
00:08:04I think just looking at this, a guy who I really like
00:08:07but I can see being hurt by the shooting analytics is a Josh Hart.
00:08:11I would think he's probably more valuable than a Tyler Hero
00:08:14as far as this goes, as far as who would I rather have on my team
00:08:17if I could sign one.
00:08:20But, yeah, I can imagine with the advanced analytics,
00:08:23from a shooting standpoint, he'd probably take a massive hit.
00:08:27But I think Al seems about right in 98.
00:08:30If nothing else, he does have history.
00:08:32I decided as far as a lot of these guys is what their ceilings might look like,
00:08:35and Al's more proven than some other people that maybe left off.
00:08:39And we know that he's contributed to winning basketball.
00:08:42I mean, think about some of the big games that he had in the playoffs.
00:08:44It's not just five years ago that we're referencing,
00:08:47but it's literally a few months ago what he was able to do.
00:08:50Is Marcus Smart, who I had at 76 here,
00:08:53still a top 100 player looking forward where he's going to be in Memphis,
00:08:57injuries, maybe some slippage in his game as he gets a little bit older here?
00:09:02Do you think he'll stay on this list throughout the year?
00:09:07I mean, I think the Marcus Smart that we last saw
00:09:10really playing full-time basketball was in 2023.
00:09:13And, yes, I think he was at least a top 75 player.
00:09:18I do have some Marcus Smart bias, I'm not going to deny it,
00:09:21but I think that he was there.
00:09:23The problem is that this past year, he was really a non-factor.
00:09:26It's almost like he was on hiatus for the entire season
00:09:30because he had all those injuries.
00:09:32I feel like he had some big moments and some big games,
00:09:34but they were few and far between, very significant injuries.
00:09:38So I have no idea what Marcus Smart we're getting next year,
00:09:42if we're going to get a guy who is pretty much the same guy
00:09:46that we remembered from a couple years back,
00:09:48or a guy who has just kind of continued to show signs of wear and tear
00:09:52just because of his style of play.
00:09:54I hope that he looks like the same player that we last saw in Boston.
00:09:58But I could see, we knew that this was –
00:10:00the way that he plays is that he's going to have
00:10:05a little bit of a negative impact there.
00:10:09Yeah, and I love, as I started to get higher on this list,
00:10:13the groups of guys here have some similarities, like 70 to 80.
00:10:18I think a lot of them are secondary ball handlers.
00:10:22Some of them are getting used to new homes
00:10:24or could be going to new homes soon, in Levine's case.
00:10:29Guys who aren't number ones on their team but are ball handlers
00:10:33and that are pretty important in terms of having their team
00:10:36take a step this year.
00:10:38They're just crucial supporting cast characters here.
00:10:41And when you get into the 60s, a little bit more differentiation here,
00:10:46but still some secondary guys who are going to be pretty important
00:10:49for their team's success going forward.
00:10:52Suggs, I loved last year, finally.
00:10:55He looked like the player that he could become.
00:10:57I'm pretty high on him in Orlando.
00:10:59Wagner took a real step back this year.
00:11:03He probably would have been higher coming out of last year
00:11:06than this year with the shooting drop-off that he had.
00:11:09Green, another tough guy to rate.
00:11:11He could just massively sink here given his aging
00:11:14and the offensive drop-off from him, but still a pretty great defender.
00:11:17And then when you get into the 50s, it's like the rock defenders.
00:11:20OG, Alex Caruso, who's in Oklahoma City now.
00:11:24Jalen Williams had a pretty big impact in that area last year.
00:11:28And then some guys falling, like Chris Middleton, DeMar DeRozan,
00:11:31who used to be engines.
00:11:33Some guys like Cade Cunningham, who I hope can start to rise up
00:11:37this list pretty quickly here among the younger players.
00:11:40So it's an interesting mix.
00:11:42We'll get into the top 50 here in a minute,
00:11:44but does anything else stand out to you from 50 to 100 here?
00:11:49I think it just makes you realize how deep the league is, honestly.
00:11:52Like the fact that this is 50 to 100,
00:11:55there's just a lot of very impactful players here.
00:11:57And even someone like Cade Cunningham,
00:11:59who hasn't really been a part of winning,
00:12:01he's a guy that can go for 40.
00:12:04He's a guy that was really like the only bright spot on that Pistons team.
00:12:07So even just thinking that, I tend to agree with you,
00:12:10I think he's probably not a top 50 player based on what we've seen so far,
00:12:13but I think he will be, and he should be,
00:12:15if everything kind of goes according to plan.
00:12:17So, yeah, I think my biggest takeaway just looking at what you came up with
00:12:20here between 51 to 100 is just how deep the league is
00:12:23and just thinking about like expansion.
00:12:25It's like if this is, you know,
00:12:27if top 100 is like the top third of the league,
00:12:29like I think there's just so much talent in that space.
00:12:33I don't know, Draymond Green,
00:12:34I feel like maybe you were a little generous on him.
00:12:37That's like one guy that stood out.
00:12:42How well would you have him?
00:12:46I don't know.
00:12:49Closer to 70?
00:12:52Probably, yeah.
00:12:53I feel like I'd have to go through the exercise to be like,
00:12:56what am I sacrificing here?
00:12:58But I'm just looking at some of the guys below him and I'm like,
00:13:01okay, DeAndre Aiton, you were a little high on too, honestly.
00:13:06I am high on Aiton still.
00:13:07He was great last year and this is tough too,
00:13:10good stats, bad team kind of thing.
00:13:14I'm always going to be stuck on the 2021 Aiton,
00:13:18who is switching, who is critical on a finals team
00:13:23and has developed this mid-range game too.
00:13:26I think it was the Portland game in Boston last year, right?
00:13:28Where he was just draining mid-range after mid-range after mid-range.
00:13:31And I'm like, this guy is so talented.
00:13:34And then there's the negative side of him that maybe doesn't have the best
00:13:37motor, isn't the most consistent, injuries here or there.
00:13:42I've always loved Aiton.
00:13:44He might be stuck in Portland and might never play for a winner again,
00:13:47especially with his salary.
00:13:49But he quietly had a pretty effective year last year, I thought.
00:13:54Yeah, you're right.
00:13:55I mean, it is really hard with the players that are on losing teams.
00:13:58It's like, how do you evaluate that?
00:14:00Especially when you look at guys that didn't have the most gaudy stats,
00:14:04but really contributed to winning.
00:14:07That's kind of like the flaw of a player ranking system.
00:14:11Is it guys that are able to do their role really well,
00:14:13or is it guys that are able to produce really well?
00:14:16Somebody else I feel like maybe could be a little bit higher is CJ McCollum.
00:14:20Just looking at, he's just a little bit more proven
00:14:23than some of the guys above him.
00:14:28Yeah, Porter, I didn't feel great about shooting, though, still.
00:14:31He's such a great shooter that I think that buoys him a little bit.
00:14:36Turner, I'm not the biggest fan of.
00:14:38He really can be a limited player, though.
00:14:40Yeah, he can.
00:14:41When he's just being that, like what we've seen at points where
00:14:44he's just getting shots up and he's not contributing in all facets.
00:14:48He is a more limited player, and I feel like we haven't seen him,
00:14:51his shooting come to fruition for an extended period of time
00:14:54the way that some of these other guys have.
00:14:57He struggled, really, through that playoff run
00:14:59when they did win the championship a year ago.
00:15:02But there's things about him.
00:15:04I keep thinking about this from like,
00:15:05we're not looking at prospects here, right?
00:15:07Because that would be obviously a different list
00:15:09if you were thinking about where guys are going to go.
00:15:12Well, that's part of it.
00:15:13Again, I have Shepard on here.
00:15:16I like where Kaminga's going.
00:15:18I liked how Kobe White, even Jalen Green,
00:15:22who I'm not the biggest fan of, ended last year great.
00:15:25Jalen Johnson, I think, is going to become more of a focal point next year.
00:15:29He had a big injury midway through last year.
00:15:31And Murphy, who started last year, injured.
00:15:34I think all those guys are risers on this list.
00:15:36Even Cregan Murray, who might not have the highest upside.
00:15:39I squeezed him in because I think he can take some steps out there,
00:15:41and he needs to for that Kings team to get where they want to.
00:15:44So a lot of this is forward-facing in my mind.
00:15:48And some of these guys aren't going to be here as they get older,
00:15:53as young guys come in and make some noise.
00:15:55The only rookie I had on here, again, was Shepard.
00:15:58I think it's possible he's the only guy here at the end of the year,
00:16:01if he even makes it, given what this class looks like.
00:16:05But sometimes multiple rookies surprise you.
00:16:07Castle, could he get on here?
00:16:10Do one of the top two guys there, Pop?
00:16:13Just looking at positions, I would switch Isaiah Hardenstein
00:16:17and Brooke Lopez at this point.
00:16:19I'd rather have Isaiah Hardenstein on my team.
00:16:22Yeah, I wanted to rank him very high.
00:16:24But again, it was one year, and I'm like,
00:16:26all right, let me stay conservative with this.
00:16:28But he was unreal last year, and I love what he can do.
00:16:32Right, if you're thinking, forget long-term,
00:16:34because that's not the point here.
00:16:36But for one season, you can sign one or the other.
00:16:38I think you take Isaiah.
00:16:40I think he's a more impactful player at this point.
00:16:44It's close. Lopez was still a 36 guy from three last year.
00:16:48Just one defensive player there a couple of years ago.
00:16:52I think Hardenstein probably was better last year.
00:16:55But looking forward, I'll still take Lopez for this year, probably.
00:17:02But that might be wrong. We'll see.
00:17:04Let's get into the higher portions of this list.
00:17:07First, I want to give a shout-out to game time.
00:17:10It's still that time of year. Summer events going on.
00:17:14Baseball in action as well.
00:17:17But football is here. Sunday, you got the Patriots.
00:17:21You have college football throughout the weekend.
00:17:23So there's a ton going on this weekend right now.
00:17:26And game time has a new feature right now.
00:17:29Again, my favorite app to find tickets for everything.
00:17:33That makes getting tickets to see your favorite teams play live even easier.
00:17:37Game time picks filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats.
00:17:43So you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets.
00:17:46There's all kinds of great features on game time like that.
00:17:49The super deal. Seat views before you buy. That's a big one.
00:17:53Especially if you're going somewhere you've never seen before.
00:17:56And they have the lowest price guarantee. Event cancellation protection.
00:18:00All of that and more. All in pricing.
00:18:04Game time ticket coverage. All that and more.
00:18:08Again, over at the game time app. So go download it today.
00:18:11Download the app, create an account, and use CLNS for $20 off your first purchase.
00:18:16That's code CLNS. Over on game time, terms apply.
00:18:20Again, create an account and redeem code CLNS for $20 off.
00:18:24Download game time today. What time is it?
00:18:27Game time. Been using them all summer for a bunch of different events and sports.
00:18:31And there's more to come this fall. I'm looking for some Syracuse tickets soon enough.
00:18:37Go back up to campus. See how the football team is doing.
00:18:40They try to go 2-1-0 tomorrow. So we'll have more on that.
00:18:44And the Patriots as they play in Cincinnati this weekend.
00:18:48Make sure to tune in to Patriots Press Pass for all the coverage over there this weekend.
00:18:53Let's continue through our list here. 50-41. Here we go.
00:18:58Any Celtics in here? Yes, there are.
00:19:0250. I got Murray. 49 off a modest season. Didn't take quite the leap.
00:19:09I'm sure some people thought he would. Scotty Barnes.
00:19:12Well, Melo Ball, who I'm higher on than most, I feel like, even after a couple of injured seasons.
00:19:17Mikael Bridges, who I think is going to slide nicely into a secondary role.
00:19:21Again, there in New York. Jaron Jackson Jr., who I'm not as high on as others.
00:19:27Brandon Ingram, who's obviously taken a hit here.
00:19:30Julius Randle, who you could argue should be higher, but hurt last year.
00:19:37Probably going to become more of a secondary guy on this Knicks team, given the additions here.
00:19:41Evan Mobley and Jared Allen end up right next to each other, funny enough.
00:19:45And with all these bigs here in the 40s, it's a good look for Christas Porzingis,
00:19:50despite the injury coming in this year and his likely lack of availability.
00:19:55That he moves into the top 50 here. That's probably not where he would have been coming off last year.
00:20:01But he just had a monster year, Noah, when he was available.
00:20:05The three-point shooting came through. The post game was the best of any player in the league.
00:20:11Defensively, he had a real step forward, too.
00:20:14I think he was one of the best rim percentage defenders in the league last year.
00:20:20Injuries are obviously a factor here. If you're going to pick a center right now,
00:20:28after some of the elite of the elite, this is a guy who can compliment your stars
00:20:33if you're a contending team about as well as anyone.
00:20:36That obviously played a big role in Boston's success last year.
00:20:39I think with Porzingis, a healthy Porzingis is above a 41.
00:20:45You can move him up some of the other bigs that you have on this list.
00:20:48But the injuries, I almost feel like they're inevitable.
00:20:52Obviously, you hope that he doesn't have to miss almost the entire playoff run like he did this year.
00:20:58You hope that he's able to keep things to strains and soreness rather than anything major,
00:21:03which he did experience a couple of those.
00:21:05But yeah, I think it has to impact your ranking. You probably have him about right.
00:21:11Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram are both interesting because they're both secondary options.
00:21:17And I'll speak mostly on Julius Randle in particular, but I feel like he's somebody that,
00:21:22a lot of Knicks fans think that the Knicks are better without him.
00:21:25There's a lot of questions around how effective his points are.
00:21:29If he's an empty calories player.
00:21:31I think this year is going to answer a lot of questions about him
00:21:34because they have a really good roster around him.
00:21:36You take Julius Randle out of this Knicks team,
00:21:39and I think they're easily a top three seed in the East.
00:21:42So he should be helping that.
00:21:44And I'm really curious because I loved what we saw from the Knicks during this playoffs.
00:21:48And obviously he wasn't a part of that.
00:21:50But if he can come in and not disrupt anything that they're doing, but still help,
00:21:54I would be really impressed with what he does at that point.
00:21:59I just don't know if that's going to be the case.
00:22:01I have a feeling that he's going to disappoint.
00:22:03We haven't really seen him been able to mesh that well,
00:22:06and still score and produce at a high level and not disrupt the offensive cadence and everything.
00:22:11So he's a tough one.
00:22:15It's interesting, too, because it depends what you need.
00:22:18If you need a guy who's going to run your offense and eat innings and carry a ton of weight,
00:22:23which she does, or he's done there in New York, he's capable of that.
00:22:27And that allowed him to make two All-NBAs.
00:22:29So I'm sure some proponents of him will say that.
00:22:31There's also a lack of positional versatility with him that I think is going to show through this year.
00:22:36If he could play some center for them, that'd be huge given that they lost Hartenstein.
00:22:39But he probably can't, or he won't.
00:22:42I don't know which it is, but I'm not as high on him as the average person.
00:22:47Again, playoff struggles, ball stopping, and defense.
00:22:52Porzingis, to me, showed up as a defender last year.
00:22:55If you want to put Allen over him, a borderline DPOY guy who's carried an offensive load,
00:23:01who I think took some nice steps as a passer last year, too.
00:23:04I'll allow that.
00:23:06Mobley, not as much.
00:23:07I don't think there's enough offense there, even though he is one of the best defenders in the league right now.
00:23:12But he took a nice step in that Celtics series, either.
00:23:15So again, these are more groupings than saying one guy's absolutely better over another.
00:23:21But I do feel good about Porzingis atop the list of these guys.
00:23:25Give me him over Jaron Jackson.
00:23:27Tough to compare.
00:23:29Yeah, there's a common thread in this group.
00:23:31This group has a common thread.
00:23:33They're like the same energy.
00:23:35It's hard to explain.
00:23:37There's a lot of fundamentals and raw things about them that make you optimistic.
00:23:40But then it hasn't necessarily come together to fruition the way that it maybe will down the road.
00:23:45Or could, at least, with what they have to offer.
00:23:47I feel like Jaron Jackson, before FIBA, I had a different view of him.
00:23:51And then watching him in FIBA, I have not been able to flip the switch on what Allen has to offer.
00:23:56And the fouling. I can't get past it.
00:23:58But again, he's a guy that if you put another big next to him, that really helps.
00:24:01Like a true center.
00:24:04A lot of these guys, maybe they haven't been in the right position to succeed.
00:24:09I'm lower on Lamello than you.
00:24:11I haven't seen it personally.
00:24:14But again, I hope he sees it next year.
00:24:17And if Charles Lee starts to win.
00:24:19And I am optimistic about this new coaching staff with Charles Lee and everything that they're putting together.
00:24:23I think it's going to be a new culture.
00:24:25If he's able to lead them to even a play-in seed, I think that would help change some of the perspectives around him.
00:24:30Because he's constantly on a terrible team.
00:24:33And even some of the big games that he's had, hasn't necessarily always contributed to winning.
00:24:38Yeah, and he's been hurt a ton the last two years.
00:24:42If that continues, he's not a top 50 guy.
00:24:45I like him going into his 23-year-old season.
00:24:5023 points a game the last two years when he was out there.
00:24:538 assists.
00:24:55Real stats stuff.
00:24:57And the defense needs to come along.
00:24:58But again, I emphasize shooting.
00:25:00A guy who can take 9, 10 threes a game and hit 37, 38% as he's done in the past.
00:25:06I love that skill set of his.
00:25:08I love his size at the point guard spot.
00:25:11And maybe with some better coaching.
00:25:13It's tough because Steve Clifford was a good coach.
00:25:15Good defensive coach too.
00:25:17And it just didn't come together under him.
00:25:19But the talent around him on this team continues to get better.
00:25:22I'm pretty high on the horn this year.
00:25:24Love Mark Williams.
00:25:25You have Brandon Miller who's taken steps.
00:25:29Miles Bridges is back.
00:25:31I think there's a lot of athleticism on this team.
00:25:33Maybe not the defense you need to be a good team.
00:25:35But the rest of the East is so bad that they could squeeze into 8 easily.
00:25:39And they've played the Celtics tough at different points the last few years.
00:25:43They're actually a miniseries early in the schedule that I'm super excited to see.
00:25:48And I won't finish talking about them without shouting out Grant Williams.
00:25:52Who I think is a good fit there as well.
00:25:54So I'm high on them like you are.
00:25:56New coaching staff.
00:25:58But ball is so important.
00:26:00If he's not out there.
00:26:02If he's lackluster, inconsistent or just one-sided.
00:26:04He's not a top 50 guy.
00:26:06But I believe in him improving with age.
00:26:09His skill set is just unreal.
00:26:11And the numbers he's been able to put up early in his career too.
00:26:14Let's move on to 31-40.
00:26:18And that is where we find no Celtics.
00:26:21Drew Holliday at 35.
00:26:24Above Harden.
00:26:26Above Rudy.
00:26:28Above Shang-Goon.
00:26:30Who's pretty high on this list here after standout season before the injury.
00:26:34Towns who I'm not the biggest fan of.
00:26:37But did have a nice postseason that helped him get to the West Finals.
00:26:40Chet Holmgren who I thought was incredible as a rookie.
00:26:43I think there's some questions about him moving to the 4 if he has to.
00:26:46Next to Hartenstein.
00:26:48But he hit 37% of his threes last year.
00:26:49And Holliday.
00:26:51Might be a little high.
00:26:53But he's defending every position.
00:26:55Shooting 40% from three.
00:26:57A ball handler who can facilitate for you.
00:27:00He just does everything.
00:27:02So much respect.
00:27:04Everybody says he's one of the best defenders in the league.
00:27:06It's tough for me to not rank him high here.
00:27:10Given the impact he had on the championship team.
00:27:12The versatility of his game.
00:27:14And just how dominant his defense is.
00:27:16In the Olympics.
00:27:18I think that's just.
00:27:20It kind of showed you what he's capable of.
00:27:22When given a bigger opportunity.
00:27:24Early on when he was a starter.
00:27:26It's like you realize that his offensive game is a lot more.
00:27:28A lot more versatile.
00:27:30And he has much deeper back.
00:27:32I think that people think on a nightly basis.
00:27:34Because he just doesn't go into it.
00:27:36But I would actually say.
00:27:38Again.
00:27:40I'm not going to deny my bias here.
00:27:42But I think Holliday at least is in the right spot.
00:27:43To probably push back a little bit.
00:27:45I think that some of these guys on this list.
00:27:4732 through 40 are more impactful than him.
00:27:50So he's somebody.
00:27:52I think you're a little bit too high.
00:27:54Just taking defense into account.
00:27:56And he has had some struggles with efficiency.
00:27:58At various points.
00:28:00But for the most part.
00:28:02This grouping of 10.
00:28:04Is clearly better than the last grouping.
00:28:06So I'm generally with you.
00:28:08But I think you have Holliday around the right spot at 35.
00:28:10And it is kind of remarkable.
00:28:11When you look at it.
00:28:13At this point in his career.
00:28:15With the relatively modest numbers that he averaged last year.
00:28:17He is still a top 40 impactful player.
00:28:20And I think that he got paid like it.
00:28:22And he was selected to the Olympics like it.
00:28:24So I don't think it's a crazy viewpoint to have.
00:28:26I don't think it's a very Celtics viewpoint.
00:28:28I think it's pretty accurate.
00:28:30Yeah.
00:28:32And all these guys here have one big bankable skill.
00:28:34For Harden.
00:28:36It's probably the passing at this point.
00:28:38Gobert's post-defense is probably the best in the league.
00:28:39I think he's got a pretty good.
00:28:41Passing out of that five spot.
00:28:43He's as good as anyone there.
00:28:45Shorty Okich Towns.
00:28:47The three-point shooting at his position.
00:28:49Holmgren post-defense.
00:28:51Drew perimeter defense.
00:28:53Right up there with anybody.
00:28:55And if you want to say.
00:28:57Derek White.
00:28:59Herb Jones.
00:29:01Some of the other big perimeter defenders around the league.
00:29:03Deserve similarly high standing.
00:29:05To me it's just that 40% three-point shooting.
00:29:07Alongside that is so valuable.
00:29:09He's still in this top 40 range to me.
00:29:11That drops off.
00:29:13He's probably falling out of this range.
00:29:15At his age.
00:29:17And you know we'll see how consistently he plays.
00:29:19At this point for them.
00:29:21And again direction.
00:29:23He's probably pointing down at this point in his career.
00:29:25At least taking a step back.
00:29:27Doesn't have to carry a heavy load.
00:29:29So that's why I'll have him behind a young Siakam.
00:29:31Murray.
00:29:33Markin and even guys who are just carrying such heavy loads.
00:29:35For their teams.
00:29:37Holiday doesn't really have to do that anymore.
00:29:39I'm torn on him.
00:29:41I think he's pretty one-dimensional with the three-point shooting.
00:29:43But he's so good at it.
00:29:45It's such a valuable skill.
00:29:47He rebounds too.
00:29:49So I think he's worthy of being top 40.
00:29:51Just got paid like it certainly.
00:29:53Murray is going to be interesting.
00:29:55Injuries led to him having a horrible finish to last year.
00:29:59And then the Olympics.
00:30:01So I had him a little lower than many probably would here.
00:30:03And could trend lower if that play continues.
00:30:06Siakam I love.
00:30:07Perfect nearly through the playoffs for them.
00:30:10And I'm glad to see it.
00:30:12Because I think people got a little low on him.
00:30:14And he's still so skilled.
00:30:16And growing in many ways.
00:30:18And Young.
00:30:20I have to show him some respect.
00:30:22I know people are low on him as anyone.
00:30:24And the defense has certainly crushed Atlanta.
00:30:26Every year he's been there.
00:30:28He's going to be a tough guy for anyone to build around.
00:30:30But he is one of the best passers in the league.
00:30:32He does stretch the floor far.
00:30:34And can hit a good percentage of a high volume.
00:30:37At threes.
00:30:39And he's a guy that just watching Celtics Hawks.
00:30:42Over the last handful of years in a playoff series.
00:30:44There was able to hurt Boston.
00:30:46When he went against them.
00:30:48Probably one of the more effective guys.
00:30:50I've seen play against Boston.
00:30:52In my time covering them.
00:30:54So I got to show him a little bit of respect.
00:30:56You want to use the defense to drop him.
00:30:58You want to drop him on the defense.
00:31:00I'm as big of a defensive guy as anyone.
00:31:02You can do that.
00:31:04But 31 felt right to me.
00:31:05I think Jamal Murray.
00:31:07Gets a lot of flack.
00:31:09Because like he did.
00:31:11Obviously did not have a good Olympic run.
00:31:13I feel like he's a little bit in that Tatum pool of like.
00:31:15He just him being on the Olympic team.
00:31:17Just kind of ended up being a big.
00:31:19National headache for him.
00:31:21Maybe not to the same extent.
00:31:23But at the same time where you say you know.
00:31:25He obviously wasn't efficient.
00:31:27And he was in a shooting slump.
00:31:29Throughout the playoffs.
00:31:31He also had two game winners.
00:31:33Like legitimately won them two games.
00:31:35At the highest level.
00:31:37Get it done.
00:31:39And I feel like honestly.
00:31:41Like when people look back on that.
00:31:43You know that Nuggets team that won the championship.
00:31:45I almost feel like he's underrated.
00:31:47Because Jokic was the finals MVP.
00:31:49And the conference finals MVP.
00:31:51And there wasn't really debate about it.
00:31:53But Jamal Murray put up numbers.
00:31:55And accomplished enough to warrant.
00:31:57Those accolades on a different team.
00:31:59So the question I think is.
00:32:01Is he healthy?
00:32:03And if he is.
00:32:05I mean in a playoff series.
00:32:07Like I'm still going to pick him over.
00:32:09Most of these guys that we've talked about.
00:32:11If not all.
00:32:13Yeah.
00:32:15And he has the enormous benefit.
00:32:17Of playing with Jokic.
00:32:19And I think anyone who has that.
00:32:21Would fly up this list.
00:32:23Bruce Brown probably makes this list.
00:32:25Two years ago.
00:32:27So I think that helps him a lot too.
00:32:29I try to take that into account.
00:32:31And I don't want to kill him for that.
00:32:33But I'm considering it against.
00:32:35On their team.
00:32:37And we can move on.
00:32:39To the guys who are just above him.
00:32:41Young Siakam.
00:32:43But first I want to take a quick break.
00:32:45To let you know about.
00:32:47Back again here in the Garden Report.
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00:34:33Let's move on.
00:34:35In our list here.
00:34:37To.
00:34:39The 20s.
00:34:41And that's where you're going to find Derek White.
00:34:43Just ahead of Trey Young.
00:34:45Just ahead of.
00:34:47Jamal Murray.
00:34:49At 29.
00:34:51After the two defensive seasons we've had.
00:34:53That we've seen from him.
00:34:55After the three point shooting run.
00:34:57He's been on over the last two years.
00:34:59And in the last two years.
00:35:01He's dominated the playoffs.
00:35:03I don't think he dominated in the playoffs.
00:35:05But him moving to point guard.
00:35:07Him being a steady hand.
00:35:09Who could run some sets for them.
00:35:11And him being.
00:35:13One of the best shot blockers at his position.
00:35:15One of the best defenders at his position.
00:35:17Had such a.
00:35:19Ginormous.
00:35:21Glue effect on this championship team.
00:35:23And a lot of it's going to go beyond the stats.
00:35:25A lot of it's going to go beyond.
00:35:27Maybe even watching him.
00:35:29As much as most people do.
00:35:31Every day.
00:35:33This guy's as impactful.
00:35:35As anyone in the league.
00:35:37Among role players.
00:35:39And if you want to call him.
00:35:41The best role player in the NBA.
00:35:43I would have no qualms about it.
00:35:45So the shooting dips down.
00:35:47He's probably not a top 30 guy.
00:35:49But he's a guy who can.
00:35:51Do a lot with a few touches.
00:35:53We talked about that.
00:35:55Through the Olympic run.
00:35:57He's a guy that can defend.
00:35:59At the highest level.
00:36:01And when guys were out.
00:36:03He can score at 20-30 points.
00:36:05Off his own creation.
00:36:07Off his shooting.
00:36:09So he just brings so much to the table.
00:36:11I think he's such an elite role guy that.
00:36:13He needs to be in the top 30.
00:36:15At least coming off last year in the championship.
00:36:17And the two seasons you just had.
00:36:19I like him in the top 30.
00:36:21I have my first really strong opinion here.
00:36:24I think Tyrese Maxey is the best player on this list.
00:36:27At least next year.
00:36:29I think he will be.
00:36:31That's my first hot take.
00:36:33I would rather have him on a team.
00:36:36Than probably any of those guys.
00:36:38I don't want to bet against Eric White.
00:36:40But between Paul George and him.
00:36:42Thinking about two Sixers.
00:36:44Who scares me more?
00:36:46From a Celtics perspective.
00:36:48It's Tyrese Maxey.
00:36:50I think he made a massive leap heading into this year.
00:36:52And he's probably due for another one.
00:36:54And in those playoffs.
00:36:56Could he be an All-NBA guy next year?
00:36:58Absolutely.
00:36:59I struggled when Joel Embiid went down.
00:37:01Because for the first time.
00:37:03He was the number one option.
00:37:05And had all game planning against him.
00:37:07And everything.
00:37:09But I think that's going to make him better in the long run.
00:37:11And he's talked about that.
00:37:13And I don't think that would happen again.
00:37:15If he was in that position.
00:37:17It was really a learning curve type thing.
00:37:19But in the playoffs.
00:37:21When Embiid needed him.
00:37:23He was massive.
00:37:25He had some big shots.
00:37:27He had some big performances.
00:37:29And so.
00:37:31It's tough.
00:37:33A lot of it is recency bias.
00:37:35Darren Fox had his moments a year or two ago.
00:37:37I thought he was going to be on the brink of something great.
00:37:39Obviously, Kyrie Irving.
00:37:41There's been moments of his career where he's been the guy.
00:37:43But just coming off the finals.
00:37:45I don't know that I would put Kyrie Irving over.
00:37:47Some of the guys on this list.
00:37:49But we are getting to a more elite group.
00:37:51I would move Zion down.
00:37:53Because I think the way that Porzingis got that injury bump.
00:37:55I think Zion needs it as well.
00:37:57He hasn't been able to be consistently on the court.
00:37:59This year I think people forget.
00:38:01He wasn't able to be there then.
00:38:03He's somebody that I just wouldn't be able to rely on.
00:38:06As good as he did have.
00:38:08I think he had a sneaky good season last year.
00:38:10Under the radar.
00:38:12Wasn't really discussed.
00:38:14I almost feel like the NBA and NBA media has kind of moved on from Zion.
00:38:16So it's like no matter what he does now.
00:38:18It's just kind of going under the radar.
00:38:20But yeah.
00:38:22I'd probably bump him down.
00:38:24And I'd move Tyrese Maxey up.
00:38:26Those are my two strong opinions.
00:38:27I'd probably move Sabonis down too.
00:38:29I love Sabonis.
00:38:31I know.
00:38:34To me.
00:38:36I think he's just such an engine.
00:38:38You look at the stats.
00:38:40You look at the weight he carries there in Sacramento.
00:38:42How elite all time of an offense he's made them.
00:38:44Probably stepped back a little bit last year.
00:38:46So that's fair.
00:38:48George.
00:38:50To me the respect I give him is how many threes he can put up.
00:38:52And how elite of a percentage he can maintain through that.
00:38:55I think that's so valuable.
00:38:57I love his size.
00:38:59I think he's so perfectly suited to be the third option there in Philly.
00:39:01That's a team we have to take a long look at when it comes to challengers to Boston.
00:39:05When you have three guys of that caliber in the top 30 here.
00:39:08Because clearly Embiid is too.
00:39:10If those three guys are healthy.
00:39:12That team is going to be a load.
00:39:14There's no doubt about it.
00:39:16They have some depth questions.
00:39:18I've actually seen some of their people.
00:39:20I forget specifically what outlet.
00:39:22There was some debate in Philly circles.
00:39:24Should Yabusele start?
00:39:25That doesn't speak well to their depth.
00:39:27In my mind.
00:39:29But wow.
00:39:31The three players they have at the top there.
00:39:33If they can stay healthy are pretty admirable.
00:39:35Love Bam.
00:39:37If you want to put him over to bonus.
00:39:39I wouldn't mind that.
00:39:41The defense he brings is so transformative.
00:39:43And he said he wants to go get that DPOY.
00:39:45This could be the year he does it.
00:39:47In my mind.
00:39:49Especially if there's some campaigning behind him.
00:39:51And he's obviously going to be carrying a heavy weight there in Miami.
00:39:53On offense too.
00:39:55I'm so high on Paulo.
00:39:57I'll admit he has to take a leap this year.
00:39:59He took another step last year.
00:40:01But efficiency wise.
00:40:03It's tough in that offense.
00:40:05But I think he's going to have some better talent around him this year.
00:40:07He can be a top 25 guy.
00:40:09But it's going to take another leap from him on both ends of the court.
00:40:12And then Zion.
00:40:14The reason I am so high still.
00:40:17Is when he's out there.
00:40:19When he's healthy.
00:40:21They've been a borderline contender.
00:40:23And that was more two years ago.
00:40:25Last year he actually played a lot.
00:40:27And they weren't as consistent and effective.
00:40:29So if you want to take a notch down off that.
00:40:33That's fair.
00:40:35But there's been times where he's playing at his best.
00:40:38That his presence alone has made them a borderline contender.
00:40:42With a solid supporting cast.
00:40:44There's actually been quite a few pelicans we've named on this list.
00:40:47And it's still baffling how they're so mediocre.
00:40:50Every year despite that talent.
00:40:51A lot of it is the injuries.
00:40:53A lot of it's the inconsistency of the lineups.
00:40:55And all that.
00:40:57So I won't knock anyone who says Zion's not out there enough.
00:41:01He's not a top 30 player.
00:41:03But when he is out there.
00:41:06He's one of the guys who has just swung his team's fortunes.
00:41:10So drastically.
00:41:12But this is going to be a big year for him.
00:41:14Because I think if it goes the same way it's gone the last couple years.
00:41:16He could actually be out of there.
00:41:18And who knows who would even want to pick him up at that point.
00:41:19Especially with the money he makes.
00:41:21So he's an interesting guy on this list.
00:41:23Lilly too.
00:41:25As he's starting to trend down for real.
00:41:27The defense was a big problem for that team last year.
00:41:29He was definitely a top 20 guy late there in Portland.
00:41:32He could be out of the top 30 if it's similar to how it went last year for him.
00:41:36Let's move on to the top 20.
00:41:40And people might have some gripes about this.
00:41:42But I had Jalen a little low.
00:41:46Coming off the finals MVP.
00:41:47East finals.
00:41:49But I do have him over Ja.
00:41:52Who has some serious questions still.
00:41:54Injury last year.
00:41:56Efficiency too.
00:41:58Just what I mentioned with Zion.
00:42:00When he's there the Pelicans have been borderline contenders.
00:42:03When Ja's been there the Grizzlies are in that class.
00:42:05And when I talked to Noah Eagle last week.
00:42:07He was making sure to emphasize that the Grizzlies are going to be a real deal team.
00:42:12With everybody back this year.
00:42:14But I'll be conservative about his ranking.
00:42:15Jimmy.
00:42:17Actually crazy enough I'm a Jimmy guy.
00:42:19But when I put this list together the first time.
00:42:21He actually wasn't on the list at all.
00:42:23I totally forgot about him.
00:42:25And I had to go and rework everything to put him back on there.
00:42:27I'm a little low on him coming into this year.
00:42:29Because I think it could be weird with the contract and all that.
00:42:31His age.
00:42:33He almost never plays in the regular season.
00:42:35But he's still maybe the best playoff guy in the league.
00:42:37At this point.
00:42:39And of course he wasn't out there last year.
00:42:41In the playoffs.
00:42:43So that's why he takes a big drop here.
00:42:46Phenomenal year.
00:42:48Brilliant in the playoffs.
00:42:51And the two MVP awards.
00:42:53Speak for themselves.
00:42:55I thought he took a nice step defensively this year too.
00:42:57Mid-range.
00:42:59One of the better mid-range guys in the league.
00:43:01And I love his ability to crack open elite.
00:43:03Post-defense.
00:43:05I think that's what's most valuable for the Celtics.
00:43:07And he really found his role.
00:43:09Playing for the Celtics too.
00:43:11And if you want to rank him higher.
00:43:13I think the argument would be.
00:43:15To play alongside Tatum.
00:43:17Where Tatum's being the one.
00:43:19At such a high level.
00:43:21And maybe a higher level than anyone else.
00:43:23In this class of guys would be capable of.
00:43:25But there's still.
00:43:27A lot of these other guys.
00:43:29Leading their teams.
00:43:31As the one.
00:43:33There's still.
00:43:35The free throw thing.
00:43:37Three point shooting thing with him.
00:43:39That I think have to improve into this year.
00:43:41And as great as he was defensively last year.
00:43:43I want to see him do it again.
00:43:45I don't think it's a knock.
00:43:47The guys who are in front of him.
00:43:49Booker.
00:43:51Another great year last year.
00:43:53I don't think any of the problems in Phoenix are his.
00:43:55And he has in my mind.
00:43:57To shoulder the load of running that team.
00:43:59As the facilitator.
00:44:01As a guy who still has to score a ton of points.
00:44:03Brown may be a better defender than him.
00:44:05But Booker's taking some steps there.
00:44:07Kawhi.
00:44:09It's all about health.
00:44:11But if Kawhi's healthy.
00:44:13And Kawhi.
00:44:15Defensive defense.
00:44:17Availability.
00:44:19He was tremendous last year though.
00:44:21And so great inside the arc.
00:44:23And outside the arc too.
00:44:25That I think it's actually going to be pretty tough.
00:44:27For LeBron to repeat.
00:44:29What he did last year.
00:44:31He was unreal efficiency wise.
00:44:33So yeah.
00:44:35He just had a better year than Jalen.
00:44:37Tyrese.
00:44:39Probably the one people are going to have the biggest problem with here.
00:44:41I'm way higher on Tyrese than maybe almost anyone.
00:44:43I think he's an engine.
00:44:45He's on par with anybody.
00:44:47He's right there with the Celtics.
00:44:49He was the best in the league last year.
00:44:51And so much of it is just his passing.
00:44:53His shooting ability.
00:44:55He got hurt midway through last year.
00:44:57And the shooting kind of fell off the map after that.
00:44:59And defensively he leaves a lot to be desired there too.
00:45:01So it's tough.
00:45:03Again.
00:45:05Jalen's the two on the Celtics.
00:45:07Tyrese is doing everything for Indy.
00:45:09It's tough to compare those guys.
00:45:11Edwards.
00:45:13Again I'm a little lower on him.
00:45:15He and Jalen are actually pretty comparable players.
00:45:17Anthony Edwards isn't always the point of attack guy there in Minnesota.
00:45:21So I think he and Brown are actually probably in the same area right now.
00:45:26More than most people would think given the Edwards hype.
00:45:29Mitchell.
00:45:31I wanted to make a statement about Mitchell.
00:45:33He was the best player of the Celtics.
00:45:35The most dangerous player the Celtics saw in their run.
00:45:37When he's out there.
00:45:39He's just blowing up the rim.
00:45:41Whether it's dunking.
00:45:43Whether it's pulling up for a ton of threes.
00:45:45Whether it's being a great facilitator.
00:45:47Not a bad defender either.
00:45:49I love his game.
00:45:51And he just powers that Cavs offense.
00:45:53That has a lot of weak points in it.
00:45:55So hard to guard.
00:45:57I think when he's healthy and he wasn't super healthy last year.
00:45:59He's an all NBA guy.
00:46:01And then Brunson.
00:46:03Who again probably a little lower on than most here.
00:46:05But I think it's going to be tough for him to repeat what he did last year.
00:46:07It was an incredible season.
00:46:09I actually think there's some parallels to the Isaiah year.
00:46:11That he had in Boston.
00:46:13Can he repeat it again?
00:46:15Can he make it work with a bunch of other guys?
00:46:17Who are fitting into that lineup now.
00:46:19So if he can maintain top 10 status.
00:46:21And he was top 10 last year.
00:46:23I'd say.
00:46:25Super impressive at his stature.
00:46:27How far he's had to climb up this list through his career.
00:46:31I think 11 is more than fair for him.
00:46:33And he was a top 5 MVP guy last year.
00:46:36So I don't know.
00:46:38Who would you put Jalen over here if you had to move him up?
00:46:40Everybody other than Jalen Brunson I think.
00:46:43Really?
00:46:45Yeah, I mean listen.
00:46:47What else do we want from him?
00:46:49He literally just led the Celtics to a championship.
00:46:51He was genuinely.
00:46:53He did everything.
00:46:55He did everything well.
00:46:57I feel like defensively.
00:46:59Honestly, I'm starting to think that his performance was underrated.
00:47:01Defensively.
00:47:03What he was able to do throughout that run.
00:47:05And then offensively.
00:47:07I'd have to look at the efficiency numbers.
00:47:09Because I do think he takes a big hit with the free throws.
00:47:11But I mean.
00:47:13Yeah, I think you have to put him above.
00:47:15Yeah, Kawhi I don't think should be here.
00:47:17Because of the injuries.
00:47:19If we're talking injuries for Zingas.
00:47:21And everybody else gets a knock.
00:47:23Kawhi can't be number 16.
00:47:25How low should he drop?
00:47:2730s.
00:47:29Wow.
00:47:31I love Kawhi.
00:47:33I hate to knock guys for injuries.
00:47:35But it's like.
00:47:37He's not available.
00:47:39He's consistently not available.
00:47:41It's not a one-off thing.
00:47:43It's a very specific thing that we know is going to continue.
00:47:45To play in the Olympics.
00:47:47Kawhi.
00:47:49I don't think you can have him above Jalen Brown.
00:47:51I don't think you can have Devin Booker.
00:47:53I want to see Devin Booker do what Jalen Brown just did.
00:47:56At a certain point.
00:47:58You have to go off of what they gave us.
00:48:00And Hal Burton.
00:48:02I love Hal Burton.
00:48:04I love him as a player.
00:48:06I think he's great.
00:48:08I think he's a beautiful passer.
00:48:10I also felt like when he got hurt in the playoffs.
00:48:12There wasn't a substantial drop-off with that team.
00:48:13Like.
00:48:15It almost felt like they didn't have a defender.
00:48:17To exploit as much the Celtics.
00:48:19And so you have to.
00:48:21He has to get knocked a little bit for that.
00:48:24So.
00:48:26But all those guys.
00:48:28I would comfortably move down.
00:48:30Brunson is the one that I think has to be.
00:48:32Honestly, I don't know.
00:48:34I have to look at your top 10.
00:48:36But I think Brunson has to be a top 10 player.
00:48:38Just based on what we saw.
00:48:40I thought he was playing at an MVP caliber level for stretches.
00:48:41And I expect him to be an MVP candidate this year.
00:48:43That's my prediction.
00:48:45But yeah, if he is.
00:48:47Wow.
00:48:49He's in all the time.
00:48:51If you can see that up.
00:48:53I feel like Hal Burton said as a concept.
00:48:55Like you're saying Hal Burton because I think what his ceiling might be.
00:48:58Right.
00:48:59But we're not talking to the ceilings here.
00:49:01Like right now, Jalen Brown has shown us more.
00:49:03He's accomplished more.
00:49:05I think that it has to go.
00:49:07You have to go off of that.
00:49:09So that's my case for Jalen Brown.
00:49:13Obviously, these are all very talented players.
00:49:16So it's no shame being in the top 20 players in the world.
00:49:20But I think Jalen Brown has to be a little bit higher than that.
00:49:23You win finals MVP.
00:49:25And the way that he did it too.
00:49:27He won finals MVP when Jason Tatum was.
00:49:29I think the big knock on him is that he plays alongside another superstar.
00:49:33That's the idea.
00:49:34Yep.
00:49:36I think some of these other guys are more frontman's on their team.
00:49:39But, you know, if you want to rank Edwards a little lower here, more alongside him.
00:49:44Booker, again, he's down at 17 right next to Brown.
00:49:47Not saying Booker is a million times better than him.
00:49:49Because obviously he's got Katie and all the rest there.
00:49:51But, you know, he's driven his team to the finals in the past.
00:49:54And I think he's been super consistent in terms of his output.
00:49:57So it's tough.
00:49:59So many of these guys are so close.
00:50:01And that brings us to the top 10.
00:50:02I went Davis over Brunson.
00:50:04Davis was just out of this world.
00:50:07Even during some of the Olympic stretches, we saw him.
00:50:09I still think he's one of the best defenders in the world.
00:50:12And he's putting up 24 and 12 or whatever he does.
00:50:15I think he's so impressive at this stage, despite all the injuries he's gone through.
00:50:19Curry, Durant.
00:50:21Those guys are in very similar places.
00:50:23So old at this point.
00:50:25But they're still keeping up out of this world production, which we saw in the Olympics too.
00:50:29From those guys.
00:50:30I'll give Tatum the benefit of the doubt over them.
00:50:33As you see, he's here at 5.
00:50:35Just based on their ages, the trajectory, the defense certainly here too that Tatum has shown.
00:50:40But those two are still much more consistent and dominant offensive forces than what we've seen from Tatum here.
00:50:46I think Tatum gets them.
00:50:48And I do buy into the width of his impact.
00:50:50So I was pretty generous to Tatum here.
00:50:52I feel like.
00:50:54Putting him out at 5.
00:50:56And that's, you know, when he's at his peak.
00:50:58When he's playing at the level he can and the level I expect him to.
00:51:00I think he's squarely the fifth best player in the league.
00:51:02Some would argue Embiid over him.
00:51:04Embiid was the MVP the last two years before the injuries.
00:51:07And even on one leg.
00:51:09I still thought he played out of this world last year.
00:51:11But Tatum has beaten him so many times.
00:51:13Embiid's fallen so flat in the playoffs.
00:51:16That Tatum gets an odd over him in my mind.
00:51:19And yes.
00:51:21I'm going 7.
00:51:23For Wenbinyama.
00:51:25Going Defensive Player of the Year this year.
00:51:27Almost automatically.
00:51:28If he does what he did last year.
00:51:30More minutes.
00:51:32More impact.
00:51:34More strength.
00:51:36Coming off the offseason.
00:51:38We just saw what he did against Team USA.
00:51:40Almost single-handedly.
00:51:42Trying to drive them to a win there, France.
00:51:44And I think the offense is going to take a real step too.
00:51:46If he's hitting threes this year, Noah.
00:51:48He's going to be first team All-NBA.
00:51:50Everything else is there in my mind.
00:51:52There's some facilitating questions.
00:51:54And certainly the team around him isn't great.
00:51:56Which I think hurts him.
00:51:58What we saw him do in his first season.
00:52:00Trying to get his feet under him.
00:52:02Trying to figure out the NBA.
00:52:04Probably being a little skinny.
00:52:06All that stuff.
00:52:08He put up 21, 10, 4 assists.
00:52:10A steal a game.
00:52:123.6 blocks per game.
00:52:14And per 36, he was 26, 13, 5 with 4 blocks a game.
00:52:19And that's shooting 32% from 3.
00:52:22If that's 33, 35, 37.
00:52:25Forget about it.
00:52:26He's going to be number one soon on this list.
00:52:28And this year I think he's going to get up to 7.
00:52:30And then you got your Shea, Luka, Giannis, Jokic.
00:52:33Who were the bonafide MVP candidates last year.
00:52:37Thoughts?
00:52:39My biggest one is I think just Luka is too high.
00:52:42I think you just have to take into account defensively.
00:52:46The liability that he is.
00:52:48And most of these other stars in that position
00:52:52wouldn't have allowed the Celtics to go up 3-0.
00:52:53I thought that his defense was a major reason why that happened.
00:52:56And that has to be 50% of the game.
00:52:59So if we breach that, I think he's just ranked too high on here.
00:53:03Wembley startled me a little.
00:53:05I didn't expect him to be ranked 7th.
00:53:08Just because he was on such a massively losing team last year
00:53:12that you think a top 7 guy almost single-handedly
00:53:17could make that record be better.
00:53:19But he really had an abysmal cast around him.
00:53:21And I don't think they set him up for success.
00:53:23So it's hard to fault him.
00:53:26I was a little surprised Anthony Davis.
00:53:29Honestly, I'm really feeling clouded by the Olympics right now.
00:53:32Because even just seeing Steph and Duran,
00:53:35I'm like, those are the two best players in the world.
00:53:37What are we doing here?
00:53:39Because those two and LeBron really looked like the three best players.
00:53:43And so it's hard to reckon.
00:53:47The Steph that we just saw take over,
00:53:48especially win Olympic gold,
00:53:50and Steph that we know is going to be on the decline next year.
00:53:53So you probably have those two in the right spot.
00:53:56I still think Wembley is a little high.
00:53:58Yeah, I don't know.
00:54:01He looked great in the Olympics.
00:54:03He had some big moments.
00:54:05But we haven't seen him be able to be a guy
00:54:09willing his team to victory in the NBA yet.
00:54:12I'm anticipating a real leap at 21 with Chris Paul.
00:54:16And with just the comfort of knowing what he was able to do last year
00:54:21and going out and doing it.
00:54:23I think his confidence is at a high level right now.
00:54:26And a lot of it is going to be the shooting.
00:54:28If it's there, he's on this level.
00:54:30If it's not, he's probably more in the teens or high 20s.
00:54:35So he's definitely top 25.
00:54:37There's no doubt about that right now to me.
00:54:39But I'm projecting a massive leap from Wembley to Alabama this year.
00:54:42Already led the league in blocks.
00:54:43Already was second last year in defensive play of the year.
00:54:47So the defense is there at this level.
00:54:49Now is the offense going to follow?
00:54:51I thought he already did a lot in limited minutes last year on offense too.
00:54:55So we'll see.
00:54:57It's a high bar.
00:54:59It's going to be tough to reach this echelon.
00:55:01And the team's still pretty shaky.
00:55:03But I think he can do it.
00:55:05Especially as some of these other guys age here
00:55:07and maybe deal with injuries and some other stuff.
00:55:09I hope he continues to stay healthy too with that body.
00:55:11That's still the big concern.
00:55:13But Noah DelZell, thanks for stopping by.
00:55:16We'll talk a little bit longer here and tell you about one of our sponsors.
00:55:19But Noah's got to run.
00:55:21Check out her work on SBNation.com and the You Got Boston podcast
00:55:25multiple times a week here on CLNS Media.
00:55:27Thanks, Noah.
00:55:29Thanks, Bobby.
00:55:31All right.
00:55:33So that is our top 100.
00:55:35I want to give a shout out to one of our other sponsors.
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00:57:46So a few notes this week.
00:57:50Not a ton going on still.
00:57:52I'm thinking we'll maybe get some stuff
00:57:54to react to next week here.
00:57:56And then two weeks from now or so,
00:57:58give or take,
00:58:00we're going to get into training camp.
00:58:02A lot of preview material for the season two.
00:58:04I'm starting to think about
00:58:06what kind of questions we have with this team,
00:58:08how things are going to stack up.
00:58:10I think a lot of it's going to be the teams
00:58:12around the NBA
00:58:14as they try to compete with Boston here.
00:58:16And Joe Mazzulla talked a little bit about that.
00:58:18He went on with John Corrales
00:58:20over on the Lockdown Celtics podcast.
00:58:22Great interview.
00:58:24Definitely recommend it.
00:58:26And the big thing he said here
00:58:28was that
00:58:30they're going to have a target on their back.
00:58:32He's embracing that.
00:58:34And the big quote from the interview was
00:58:36he wants to see the red dot
00:58:38between their eyes.
00:58:40And he's embracing the fact
00:58:42that they're going to be the hunted team this year.
00:58:44I think they've talked about that
00:58:46over the last couple of years
00:58:48in different spots,
00:58:50more so when they've disappointed.
00:58:52And I find this talk from him,
00:58:54from Brad Stevens,
00:58:56who was emphasizing with the Globe
00:58:58that it's going to be hard this year.
00:59:00It's going to be harder than last year.
00:59:02Mentally preparing this team
00:59:04for the hangover effect.
00:59:06There's going to be no surprise
00:59:08when teams are giving their best effort
00:59:10this year.
00:59:12There's obviously a number of teams,
00:59:14the Knicks included, as we talked about today,
00:59:16who built their rosters
00:59:18almost with the thinking of
00:59:20how do we beat Boston?
00:59:22How do we defend these multiple wings?
00:59:24How do we have the defensive versatility
00:59:26we need to hold up against
00:59:28their mismatch attacking
00:59:30system on offense?
00:59:32There's no Porzingis as an outlet this year.
00:59:34That's obviously what we're going to talk about
00:59:36over and over and over again.
00:59:38How does it look without that there?
00:59:40What do we need?
00:59:42What kind of system are we running here?
00:59:44What are the X's and O's
00:59:46we need to reach proficiency-wise
00:59:49to reach the finals
00:59:51and championship level again?
00:59:53And more, what's the mentality
00:59:55they need to have
00:59:57to be able to stay consistent
00:59:59during the regular season,
01:00:01stay motivated during the regular season?
01:00:03Because that's not going to be their focus
01:00:05regular season basketball next year.
01:00:07But you can't fall off the map.
01:00:08If you fell off a seed or whatever,
01:00:10people wouldn't have a huge deal.
01:00:12But if you fell to like three or four
01:00:14off a hangover, that's not great.
01:00:16And that's going to set you up
01:00:18for a much harder road to the championship.
01:00:20One thing people always say like,
01:00:22oh, they had the easiest road ever.
01:00:24You earn that by being the one seed
01:00:26to some degree, like they were.
01:00:28So interesting stuff there in the interview.
01:00:31I definitely would go check it out.
01:00:34Corrales did a good job there,
01:00:36but that was the thing that stood out to me.
01:00:38The Celtics leadership were asked to say,
01:00:40this is going to be a mentality thing this year.
01:00:43Teams are coming for us, all of that.
01:00:45So good interview there.
01:00:48Other thing, we've talked at length
01:00:52about the Lonnie Walker situation.
01:00:54Again, coming in on a training camp deal here.
01:00:58High expectations for him.
01:01:00Is he going to make this roster?
01:01:03I still have questions about that.
01:01:06And there's been some reporting about that
01:01:08coming out since that he could be waived,
01:01:11could end up in Maine.
01:01:13And you look at what's going on across the NBA here.
01:01:15Taylor Horton Tucker just signed
01:01:17an exhibit deal with Chicago.
01:01:19Guys are starting to settle for that.
01:01:21And O'Shea Brissett, who went on
01:01:23with his brissy TV there on YouTube
01:01:26and started to allude to the fact
01:01:28that that could be it for him here with Boston.
01:01:30And not that Lonnie Walker signing
01:01:33precludes him from returning here,
01:01:35but it does make that room filled
01:01:38on a training camp.
01:01:40They have 20 guys signed out of 21.
01:01:42It's going to be tough to get back
01:01:44into the mix and play consistently here
01:01:46and have a guarantee to make the roster.
01:01:48You look around the league right now.
01:01:50Most teams have 14 guys signed.
01:01:53Are many of them going to use all 15 spots?
01:01:57Probably not, you know,
01:02:00especially the taxpayers like Boston.
01:02:02You save 12 million, give or take,
01:02:05by not filling 15 for the time being.
01:02:08And that's something where you're spending
01:02:10as much as you are here to have
01:02:14this contending team.
01:02:16You probably don't need a luxury
01:02:18on the backside of the roster at 15,
01:02:20like Walker.
01:02:22And so if he blows you away,
01:02:24if he's super consistent,
01:02:26if he's effective and has all the habits
01:02:30that they're looking for here, again,
01:02:32I think the Celtics have emphasized
01:02:34like having the right personalities in the room,
01:02:36having guys who are committed to roles,
01:02:38having guys who defend,
01:02:40which Walker struggled with to some degree here.
01:02:43I'm still on the lower side of Walker.
01:02:46And I know Noah didn't have the time
01:02:48to stick around here.
01:02:50We talked about it a little bit in our video
01:02:52down in Providence a couple of days ago.
01:02:54There's some holes in his game.
01:02:56And he's bouncing around teams now,
01:02:59still on the young side of things.
01:03:01And he shot well enough last year
01:03:04to project that he's going
01:03:06in the right direction here.
01:03:08The defensive numbers were so bad
01:03:10in and out of things in terms of
01:03:12his involvement in the rotation in Brooklyn
01:03:15and a similar deal in LA.
01:03:17The highs were high.
01:03:19The lows weren't great.
01:03:21He's a streaky player,
01:03:23a guy who's still trying to figure it out
01:03:25to some degree it feels like here.
01:03:27So it's no mistake,
01:03:29teams across the league,
01:03:31not just the Celtics or whoever it might be here,
01:03:33didn't want to go guaranteed on him.
01:03:37They're younger guys.
01:03:39They're younger prospects.
01:03:41There are guys who haven't had the opportunity
01:03:43he's had to figure it out yet.
01:03:45And so do you need him?
01:03:47I think that's what Brad has talked about.
01:03:49They don't need him right now.
01:03:52It'd be cool to have.
01:03:54It'd be nice if he could figure it out
01:03:57here in Boston.
01:03:59And that's the reason they're bringing him
01:04:01to camp and all that is that there's enough
01:04:03talent here to suggest that
01:04:04with the right environment,
01:04:06with the right coaching,
01:04:08with the patience.
01:04:10And that's going to be the big thing for him
01:04:12because we haven't heard a lot from him,
01:04:14but a lot of it's going to be,
01:04:16I'm going to prove people wrong.
01:04:18I'm going to show people what I'm made of.
01:04:20For Walker, I think it's going to be
01:04:22going back to square one.
01:04:24And I know that sounds crazy,
01:04:26but this might be what it takes for him
01:04:28to make it in Boston.
01:04:30Maybe another team sees what he does
01:04:32in the preseason or whatever and says,
01:04:35can he take a step back to Maine
01:04:37for at least a couple months,
01:04:40have a role there,
01:04:42show consistent winning habits,
01:04:45grow defensively.
01:04:47I think Maine's done a good job with that.
01:04:49Again, it sounds crazy.
01:04:51Going to have to take a big step back
01:04:53money-wise and all that.
01:04:55But that's what it's going to take in my mind
01:04:57for him to make it here in Boston.
01:04:59He's not just going to sit on the bench every day
01:05:01and develop that in practice
01:05:02when they have practice
01:05:04and the rare opportunities
01:05:06where he's able to step into the lineup.
01:05:08It's going to happen through
01:05:10taking a serious step back, I think.
01:05:12And, you know,
01:05:15it sounds like such a staggering step back
01:05:17for a guy with his name
01:05:19and what he's done in different spots in his career.
01:05:21But again, multiple teams have moved on from him.
01:05:24The whole NBA,
01:05:26save for Boston,
01:05:28didn't give him a minimum contract,
01:05:30a guarantee,
01:05:32to make a roster here at this point.
01:05:34So it might be for the best with him.
01:05:36And if he can accept that,
01:05:38you might have a really good story here
01:05:40of a guy who turns it around completely
01:05:42and becomes a new player,
01:05:44a more well-rounded and consistent player
01:05:46than what we saw with certainly some big flashes,
01:05:48but no staying power in his last three teams.
01:05:50And he started in San Antonio,
01:05:52went to L.A.
01:05:54and had a big role on that team in spots.
01:05:56Brooklyn last year had a great season
01:05:58and still,
01:06:01there's more to it here, obviously,
01:06:03than the three-point percentage
01:06:05and everything that stands out
01:06:07from what he did last year and in recent spots.
01:06:09So I'm interested to see how it goes
01:06:12as we find out more about
01:06:14what led him to this Exhibit 10 contract
01:06:18and what he's aspiring to do being in Boston
01:06:20because obviously he knows
01:06:22it might not make the team,
01:06:24could end up in Maine.
01:06:26I think it does say something about his acceptance of that
01:06:28that maybe he's able to
01:06:30embrace a developmental path
01:06:32at this point in his career
01:06:34because I still think he's young enough
01:06:36to make some real strides here.
01:06:38So that's our show for today.
01:06:40The rest of the list will be up on CLNS Media shortly.
01:06:42Some quick blurbs on why I rank guys
01:06:44where I did in the top 100.
01:06:46Thanks for joining us here today.
01:06:48Again, show some love to our sponsors
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01:07:34I'm Bobby Manning.
01:07:36This has been the Garner Report.
01:07:38We will talk to you again next week
01:07:40as we start previewing this season.
01:07:42I think it's going to be preview season
01:07:44when we get back here after the weekend.
01:07:46Enjoy yours.
01:07:48Enjoy football.
01:07:50Hoping for a 2-0 start for Syracuse.
01:07:52We'll see what the Patriots show you there.
01:07:54I'm not feeling great about it,
01:07:55so I'm going to press pass to go subscribe there as well.
01:07:58And that's it for our show here.
01:08:00We will talk to you next week.
01:08:25Transcribed by https://otter.ai