2015-16 NBA Player Rankings: 30-21
Welcome to theScore's preview of the 2015-16 NBA season. Visit our season preview hub for comprehensive coverage of all 30 teams.
As part of our season-preview coverage, theScore's six NBA editors each ranked their top 30 players heading into the 2015-16 campaign. Players were awarded 30 points for a first-place vote, 29 points for a second-place vote, and so on, with one point awarded for a 30th-place vote.
We then compiled those point totals for the 35 different players who received votes, leaving us with a cumulative top 30. Here's Part 1 of the four-part series.
Just missed the cut
After a tie for 30th, four players were left just missing the cut.
| Player | Highest Ranking |
|---|---|
| Gordon Hayward | 19 |
| Andre Drummond | 29 |
| Zach Randolph | 28 |
| Eric Bledsoe | 30 |
Without further ado, the top 30 (31) players in the NBA heading into the 2015-16 season, according to theScore's NBA editors.
The top 30
T-30. Serge Ibaka (Highest Ranking: 25)
Ibaka's numbers fell across the board last season, as he missed more games due to injury (18) than he had in his previous five years combined (12). Still, even in a down year, Ibaka posted about 14, eight, and two while remaining a defensive force.
T-30. Paul Millsap (Highest Ranking: 21)
Millsap may be the most underrated player in the Association. Over the last two seasons, the 30-year-old has posted averages of roughly 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block, while becoming a two-way force and adding a dependable 3-point stroke to his game.
The only other player to average at least 17, eight, three, one, and one over the last two years? DeMarcus Cousins.
29. Mike Conley (Highest Ranking: 25)
Speaking of underrated.
The generational collection of talent among Western Conference guards will make it tough for Conley to earn an All-Star nod for the Grizzlies, but he's undoubtedly developed into one of the game's top point-men. He's an efficient scorer, a dogged defender, and takes care of the rock as well as anyone not named Chris Paul.
28. Kyle Lowry (Highest Ranking: 21)
How much you buy into Lowry as a top-30 player will depend on which 2014-15 version of the Raptors point guard you believe was the real Lowry - the one who looked like an All-NBA talent while carrying Toronto to the East's top record through the first half of the season, or the one who broke down as the team fell apart down the stretch.
| Kyle Lowry 2014-15 | PPG | APG | eFG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games 1-35 | 20.7 | 7.6 | 50.2 |
| Games 36-70 | 14.8 | 5.9 | 44.5 |
27. Dwyane Wade (Highest Ranking: 22)
Even at 33, Wade averaged 21.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals last season. But he missed another 20 games and hasn't cracked the 70-game mark in five years, making it virtually impossible to project him as a top-20 player.
26. DeAndre Jordan (Highest Ranking: 24)
Jordan is one of the best two or three rebounders around right now and is a monster around the rim, but his overall defensive impact is overblown and his free throw futility remains a liability.
25. Dwight Howard (Highest Ranking: 13)
Similar to Wade, no one can deny Howard's on-court impact when healthy, but back and knee issues have slowed the eight-time All-Star in recent years. At his best, he remains a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber defender and an x-factor in determining whether the Rockets can win a title with this core.
T-23. Chris Bosh (Highest Ranking: 17)
Before being sidelined by blood clots in February, Bosh was a treat to watch in Miami's first post-LeBron season, blending the high-usage player he was in Toronto with the more complete big man he had evolved into with the Heat.
He remains one of the most versatile bigs in the game, and if he and the Heat can stay healthy while rejoining the Eastern Conference's upper echelon, Bosh could earn some deeper-ballot MVP votes.
T-23. Draymond Green (Highest Ranking: 15)
Bosh's versatility is a perfect segue to Green, who, at 6-foot-7, logged time at all three frontcourt positions for the eventual champion Warriors last season. The stat sheet-stuffer is one of the most important defensive players today, and has become the embodiment of a modern, two-way forward.
T-21. Damian Lillard (Highest Ranking: 19)
Lillard's not going to earn himself any defensive honors, but his place among the league's most dominant offensive players makes him the rare breed who can positively affect a game while only playing one way.
Other names that combine Lillard's stunning volume and efficiency? Try LeBron, KD, Harden, Curry, and Griffin.
T-21. Klay Thompson (Highest Ranking: 17)
Thompson's otherworldly shooting (43.9 percent from deep) and perimeter defense were invaluable components of Golden State's 67-win season and championship run last season, earning him All-NBA third-team honors.