2016-17 NBA preseason player rankings: 30-21

As part of our 2016-17 season preview, theScore's seven NBA editors each ranked their top-30 players heading into the new year. Here are the results of that collaboration.

Just missed the cut

The following eight players each received at least one top-30 vote, but didn't receive enough support to make our official top-30 ranking.

Honorable mention: Chris Bosh

Bosh's unfortunate health situation likely means the end of his Miami Heat career, and might spell the end of his basketball career in general, but make no mistake, the 11-time All-Star would have a surefire place on any top-30 list when healthy.

30. Nicolas Batum

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire list, Batum turned a big two-way season for the surprising Charlotte Hornets into a top-30 ranking - and a five-year, $120-million contract.

It's tempting to look at Batum's history and bet on regression this season, but there's probably room for improvement on his career-high usage rate of 21.4 percent, meaning his production could continue to trend upwards.

29. Kevin Love

Two years ago, most would've pegged Love somewhere in the top 10, if not the top five, but a couple seasons spent sharing the spotlight with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving has hurt the big man's rep in ways Bosh and other third stars rarely experienced.

That all became worth it when Love played a part in ending Cleveland's wretched championship drought. Plus, the $113-million man remains a walking double-double, and one of the best offensive bigs in the game, particularly when operating from the elbows.

28. DeMar DeRozan

DeRozan might be the NBA's most polarizing All-Star, and the criticisms of his shot selection and throwback scoring are fair, especially if you watched him at his worst during stretches of the 2016 playoffs.

But his ability to get to the free-throw line, his mesmerizing post game, his evolving playmaking talents, his one-on-one shot creation, and his durability have helped him secure a place among the game's most consistent scorers, and that can't be overlooked.

27. Gordon Hayward

By virtue of playing for a perennial Northwest lottery team, Hayward can sometimes fly under the radar, despite being one of the league's most consistent two-way forwards.

Over the last three years, the 26-year-old has averaged better than 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal while competently defending multiple positions on the perimeter and the wing, and suiting up for 233 out of 246 games.

With the Jazz finally poised to break through and free agency awaiting him next summer, Hayward's day in the sun has arrived.

26. Andre Drummond

Here's the list of players since 1970 who have compiled a career rebound rate of at least 23 percent while appearing in at least 300 games:

1. Dennis Rodman
2. Andre Drummond

The big man's historical presence on the glass and his defensive ability make him a top-30 player, but if he wants to take the next step toward superstardom, the Pistons need more from him on the offensive end.

25. Marc Gasol

Over the first five years of his career, Gasol missed a combined 17 games. But the 31-year-old has missed 54 games over the last three seasons, as injuries have seen him go from an All-NBA first team selection in 2014-15 to barely cracking a top-30 list as we enter the 2016-17 season.

24. DeAndre Jordan

Jordan essentially rebounds like Drummond - or close to it - defends at an even higher level, and, thanks in large part to having Chris Paul and Blake Griffin around, has become much more of an offensive threat.

He'll never be a dynamic scorer, but the Clippers don't need him to be. They'll settle for Jordan being an almost automatic bucket when he gets the ball around the rim.

23. Carmelo Anthony

Anthony is a future Hall of Famer, a decorated international superstar, a respected social activist, and will likely finish his career as a top 10 all-time scorer.

But he's never scored as efficiently as the game's greatest offensive talents. What's more, he's left much to be desired on the defensive end and his teams have lost 160 games over the last three years.

At 32, and with knee issues, it's not a slight to say he's still a top-25 player, but no longer a superstar.

22. Kyrie Irving

Irving immortalized himself among Ohio sports fans with the indelible image above, and by his overall performance as the Cavaliers staged the greatest Finals comeback ever, averaging 30.8 points on a 51-47-95 shooting line over the final five games.

If Irving can stay healthy - he missed 85 games over his first five seasons - he has more than enough talent to soar up these rankings.

21. Al Horford

Horford's numbers never blow you away, but the four-time All-Star's value was immeasurable in Atlanta, where he led the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his nine seasons. Atlanta had missed the postseason eight years in a row before drafting Horford.

A two-way star at either big position, the mid-range master even extended out to 3-point territory last season, knocking down 34.4 percent of his 3.1 attempts per game.

Just don't tell Celtics fans they still don't have a top-20 star.