It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
The anticipation of NBA basketball is enough to make a grown man giddy (not Josh), but this year seems to be accompanied by a particular kind of electricity.
Parity is at an all-time high, with a plethora of teams in each conference having their sights set on a Conference Finals berth. Whether it was giving up a king’s ransom of first-rounders and swaps, or going neck deep into the luxury tax, several teams took out all the stops to stay competitive in an increasingly win-or-bust league.
Without further ado, here are The Lead’s Top 50 Players for 2024-25.
JUST MISSED THE CUT
Brandon Ingram
One of the purest scorers in the association, Brandon Ingram seems to have hit the dreaded plateau in the years that should be his true prime. He has the skill, but his consistency has been elusive since his sole All-Star appearance in 2020.
Desmond Bane
Desmond Bane has the fifth-highest career three-point percentage among all active players in the NBA. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best shooting guards in the game (he’s played just 100 games since the 2021-22 season). His defensive ceiling is relatively fixed due to his size and wingspan, but he’s a Grizzlies top-four seed away from an All-Star appearance.
Franz Wagner
Often overshadowed by teammate Paolo Banchero, it’s hard to believe that Franz Wagner just turned 23. He has a polish in his offensive game that you seldom see in guys five years older. For Franz, cracking the top 50 is very simple— he just needs to make more shots. His three-point percentage tanked to 28% last season, and getting that number back to the league average would cement his status as a top-50 player.
Evan Mobley
Many fans anticipated Mobley making the leap last season, but it just didn’t happen. His improvement has been slow and steady, but nothing to write home about. Instead of preemptively crowning him a perennial DPOY candidate, let’s wait for him to reach that level.
OG Anunoby
If you could build the perfect role-player prototype, it would look like OG Anunoby. His on-ball defense, switchability, and motor make him one of the most valuable non-center defenders in the league. When he’s on offensively, that’s just a bonus.
Dejounte Murray
A much better player with the ball in his hands, Murray never found a consistent rhythm with Trae Young in Atlanta. New Orleans seems to be a good fit for Murray to resume his floor general responsibilities and help mask McCollum’s shortcomings on the defensive end. Hopefully, he’ll thrive as a pass-first point guard in an offense that doesn’t need more scoring.
The Top 50
50. Julius Randle
Randle brought Knicks basketball back to life as a one-man wrecking crew on an otherwise mediocre team (until last season). His reward: a one-way ticket to Minneapolis. The tandem of Randle and Ant’s downhill attack this season should send shivers down the spine of opposing defenses.
49. Khris Middleton
Khris hasn’t played 70 games since his first All-Star season in 2018-19. For a guy who’s injured a lot, it’s a good thing he developed an elite old-man game. He ranked 1st in mid-range FG% and fadeaway eFG% last season. If he’s on the court with Dame and Giannis, the Bucks are practically unbeatable.
48. DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is truly an enigma. His game is antithetical to the pace and space era, and yet he finds a way to dominate every night. He and Fox are two of the best closers in the game, so defenses will have to pick their poison down the stretch.
47. Mikal Bridges
When you think “3&D”, Mikal Bridges is probably one of the first players that comes to mind. Bridges was reunited with college teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson in New York this summer in the franchise’s attempt to form the “Nova Knicks”. With DiVincenzo traded to Minnesota, this was a short-lived reunion, and fans have now shifted their attention to speculating what happened with Bridges’ jump shot.
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46. Jaren Jackson Jr.
The 2023 DPOY has become one of the most polarizing players in basketball. Some think he’s one of the top 3 defenders in basketball, while others don’t consider him a top-five defensive big. The addition of Zach Edey will send JJJ back to power forward, a role he hasn’t started in since 2021-22.
45. LaMelo Ball
The silver lining of LaMelo missing the better part of two seasons with injury is that the Hornets got some awesome draft picks. Brandon Miller looks like a future perennial All-Star, and Mark Williams is a serious upgrade from the Plumlee days. With the best roster (on paper) that LaMelo has played with, he’s got an awesome chance to lock in All-Star appearance number two.
44. James Harden
With Kawhi out indefinitely to start the year, Harden will have to channel his vintage Rockets performances for the Clips to stay afloat in a STACKED Western Conference. The day of nightly 40 bombs is over, but Harden’s still got some gas in the tank.
43. Scottie Barnes
After trading Siakam to the Pacers in January, the Raptors made Barnes the de-facto franchise player. Barnes assumed the point-forward role for a rebuilding Raptors squad and had mixed results. He’s got all the tools to be “the guy”, but almost all those tools need to be sharpened and polished.
42. Alperen Sengun
Sengun has amalgamated a set of skills at 22 that most players won’t develop in their lifetime. His footwork, instincts, and touch around the basket are simply marvelous. His passing, especially out of the post, took a big step last year as well. It’s still much too early to crown him “Baby Jokic”, but there are signs that Sengun can take that kind of leap in the coming seasons.
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41. Kristaps Porzinigs
Out until December at the earliest, Kristaps’ presence is going to be sorely missed on a Celtics team that has fewer center options outside of 38-year-old Al Horford. Porzingis averaged 20 points a night last season on an absurd 65% true shooting as the third option for a phenomenal Celtics’ offense. He’s honed his craft on both ends, putting up career-best advanced defensive metrics across the board last season as well.
It helps to be on a super team, but KP’s improvement on the interior passes the eye test.
40. Cade Cunningham
When a 22-year-old averages 23/7/4, you would expect to hear more about it. Unfortunately for Cade, he did it on a team that broke the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history. The additions of Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Malik Beasley finally give Cunningham some knockdown shooters to help space the floor. If the Pistons aren’t a 20-win team again, Cade should be making his All-Star debut come February.
39. Derrick White
White blurs the line between role player and star. Coming off an NBA Championship, Olympic gold medal, and $120 million contract extension, White now has the accolades and contract of a star. Despite the money and recognition, he’s still willing to do all the dirty work as one of the most well-rounded talents in the game.
38. Jalen Williams
J-Dub is too damn young to be as efficient as he is. Sure, he benefits from playing with one of the best players in the league, but we need to give credit where credit is due. Williams’ three-level scoring ability is simply phenomenal, not to mention his playmaking chops. At 23 years old, he’s the swiss-army knife that every championship contender salivates over.
37. Rudy Gobert
After a rocky start in Minneapolis, The Stifle Tower is coming off another DPOY campaign that saw him anchor the league’s best defense. With Towns gone, Gobert will have even more pressure on him to hold down the paint as the Wolves look to build on last year’s success.
36. Jamal Murray
Big Shot Jamal is best in the biggest moments. It’s the monotony of the regular season that challenges Jamal Murray to bring his best basketball more consistently. Between numerous injuries and months of mediocre basketball, Murray needs to dial up the consistency if Denver wants to have home court come April.
35. Jrue Holiday
Two rings. Two Olympic gold medals. Jrue Holiday’s trophy case is starting to fill up quickly. One of the most well-respected defenders by fans and superstars alike, Holiday is on top of the list of players that opposing stars do not want guarding them. Between his incredible point-of-attack defense and improved shooting chops, Holiday is playing some of the best basketball of his career at 34 years old.
34. Chet Holmgren
If it wasn’t for Wemby, Chet might be one of the most talked about players on the planet right now. His mobility, shot-blocking instincts, and verticality are all phenomenal. Oh, and shooting 37% from downtown as a rookie doesn’t hurt.
33. Lauri Markkanen
Lauri can score with the best of them, and he’s entering his true prime as one of the more lethal shooters in the game today. You can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him.
32. Karl-Anthony Towns
KAT donning a Knicks uniform was not on the 2024 bingo card, but here we are. Already the best-shooting big man of all time, Towns looks to be the needle mover for a Knicks team that is all in for the first time in a long time.
31. Pascal Siakam
Spicy P was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Pacers, playing a critical part in their surprise ECF run. He’s still getting used to playing off-ball, but there are not many guys I’d rather play with than Haliburton. Siakam could end the year as one of the best second options in all of basketball.
30. Trae Young
The NBA’s villain didn’t seem to enjoy sharing his backcourt with Dejounte Murray, and now he won’t have to. With the infusion of youth from Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, Trae has more transition weapons than ever. Atlanta might be the new Lob City.
29. Paul George
After avoiding serious injury in a preseason scare, we may have to wait a week or two on PG’s debut. We’ve never seen George as the third offensive option, a situation that rarely befalls a player as talented as PG. Get ready for career highs in shooting efficiency across the board.
28. Domantas Sabonis
A walking double-double, Sabonis is the paradigm of consistency. He evolved into a point-center of the sorts last season and will look to continue that style with the Kings’ addition of DeMar DeRozan. The Kings’ offense will be downright scary when Domas is rolling on all cylinders.
27. Paolo Banchero
Number one pick. Rookie of the Year. All-Star in his second season. You couldn’t have scripted a better start to a career for the 21-year-old. Every time you look away he adds another move to his offensive arsenal. If the trend continues, he’ll be top 15 by this time next year.
26. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie is living proof that basketball is art. The ball is his paintbrush and the court is his canvas. He and Luka made the Mavs the team to beat out West, but defending that status will be no easy task.
25. Damian Lillard
Dame had an absolute roller coaster of a 2023-24 season. After an unlikely trade to the Bucks and the firing of his new head coach Adrian Griffin after half a season, Lillard was just happy for the normalcy of a regular offseason. The offseason appeared anything but normal to outsiders, as Dame spent his time training with former NAVY Seal David Goggins, who reportedly has Dame in the best shape of his life.
24. De’Aaron Fox
Swipa took his nickname seriously last year, leading the league in steals. With Keon Ellis joining him in the backcourt, opposing teams will have a tough time getting into their offense. As for the Kings’ offense, it will be better than ever with Fox at the helm of the very speedy ship.
23. Tyrese Maxey
There’s just something about Kentucky guards man. Maxey went from “this guy might be an All-Star one day” to “this guy might be a top-five point guard in the league” in one season. With PG on the wing and Embiid down low, Maxey’s got the facilitator role of a terrifying three-headed snake.
22. Zion Williamson
It’s hard to avoid banal remarks here. When he’s on the court, he’s a force of nature and dominates the paint like few players the game has seen. Fans win, the NBA wins, and the Pelicans win when he’s healthy.
21. Bam Adebayo
Still chasing that elusive DPOY, now Bam has to worry about youngins Wemby and Chet along with the perennial favorite Gobert. His mid-range game has been highly inefficient at times, but with a healthy Herro and Jimmy, he’ll be asked to do less offensive creation this season.
20. Jimmy Butler
Similar to Jamal Murray, there is regular season Jimmy, and then there is Playoff Jimmy. On the biggest of stages, he’s looked like Jordan. But the postseason has never been his problem— it’s bringing even close to that intensity into the 82 games that happen before mid-April.
19. Tyrese Haliburton
Hali and the rest of the gang put the Pace in Pacers. They made their best impression of D’Antoni’s “seven seconds or less” offense with Haliburton playing the role of Steve Nash. After leading the league in assists, an ECF appearance, and a gold medal, can Hali add “All-Star Starter” to his resume?
18. Jaylen Brown
ECF MVP. Finals MVP. NBA Champion. It was a hell of a June for Jaylen Brown, who the summer before was inking a $300 million contract to make him one of the richest players alive. Blurring the lines between Batman and Robin, Jaylen doesn’t seem to care about the pecking order in Boston as long as it means more rings on his finger.
17. Ja Morant
Seeing Ja soaring through the air for a ridiculous amount of time was the highlight of the preseason. That wasn’t the only good thing for the Grizzlies in the preseason. Morant also found his new favorite lob target in ROY favorite Zach Edey. Let’s hope for a healthy 2024-25 for Ja, because the NBA is a lot more fun when he’s playing.
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16. Kawhi Leonard
After picking up his second ring and 2nd Finals MVP in 2019, it looked like Kawhi was on his way to the “Top 10 of All Time” conversation. And then a vicious cycle of injuries and load management claimed the better part of Kawhi’s prime. He might be a half-step slower and refrain from taking the toughest defensive assignments every night, but Kawhi can still get you 40 on any night.
15. Donovan Mitchell
When fans hear “microwave scorer”, Spida is one of the first players that comes to mind. He’s the ultimate shoot-to-get-hot, shoot-to-stay-hot player who only gets better on the big stage. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him on an MVP ladder if the Cavs are a top-three seed in the East.
14. Victor Wembanyama
Superhuman. Unicorn. Alien. Many words attempt to capture the once-in-a-generation talent that is Wemby, but all fall short. You just have to watch in awe. Everyone wants to see him climb to the top of this list, and we have the pleasure of seeing it happen in real time this season.
13. Devin Booker
Book’s riding high after a scorching Olympic performance. He looked like one of the best players on the court in Paris on a team full of the best players in the world. While he, Beal, and Durant never got the chance to fully mesh last season, there’s plenty to look forward to this year. Tyus Jones knows how to dish the rock, and new head coach Mike Budenholzer knows how to implement a winning system. Booker should have more open looks than ever before.
12. Jalen Brunson
From role player to fringe All-Star to bonafide Superstar, Brunson has made “the jump” multiple times in his career already. The final jump is making it to the NBA Finals. The Knicks are all in, and so is Jalen Brunson.
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11. Anthony Davis
After it seemed like we’d never get another healthy season out of Anthony Davis, he played 76 games last season on his way to averaging 25 points, 13 rebounds, and over two blocks a night. Regardless of how many times he hits the floor, there aren’t many players that can take over a game on both ends like AD.
10. Kevin Durant
The Slim Reaper loves to hoop (and we love to watch him do it). He’s been putting up 27 a night for so long that you tend to forget how spectacular his ability is. With a new coach and a new point guard, KD looks like he could play at this level for another four years.
9. LeBron James
Year 22. Some people reading this weren’t yet alive when LeBron made his first All-Star Game. If the plays are half as good as the podcast, expect JJ Redick to unlock a version of LeBron seldom seen under Darvin Ham’s tenure.
8. Jayson Tatum
A lot is new in Tatum’s world. He’s got a shiny new ring, a shiny new gold medal, and a shiny new jump shot. He still needs a Finals MVP trophy, so it looks like he’ll be more motivated than ever to run it back. He might be quiet, but don’t let that fool you. Tatum wants to build a dynasty.
7. Anthony Edwards
At 23, Ant is the unofficial new face of the league. When he’s not dunking on your face he’s talking shit to it. A scoring title seems well within reach for Ant this season, as does MVP.
6. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander
SGA knows how to generate points. Whether it’s a step back from deep, a smooth floater, a crafty layup, or at the charity stripe, Shai accumulates buckets like there’s no tomorrow. The lack of experience nipped them in the bud in the playoffs, so they went out and got Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, two of the most prized acquisitions of the offseason.
5. Steph Curry
Steph’s got nothing left to prove, but one more surprise playoff run would be awesome. Between Kuminga and Podz, the injection of youth into the Dubs’ starting lineup may be just enough to keep the Kerr machine humming. They’ll still need about 30 a night from Steph to avoid the play-in in the gauntlet that is the West. Something tells me he’s up for the job, though.
4. Joel Embiid
Last season, it looked like Embiid was running away with back-to-back MVPs. Then he suffered an all-too-familiar fate for Sixers fans. Another injury, lengthy rehabilitation, and early playoff exit. The Sixers are on about their third iteration of The Process, with the Jimmy Butler and James Harden experiments failing to bear fruit. On paper, Embiid-Maxey- PG is a force to be reckoned with.
But the game isn’t played on paper.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
If Giannis retired today, he would join Michael Jordan as the only two players with multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and a championship. It looked like he would be adding to that trophy case after the Bucks acquired Dame last summer. But between a head coaching fiasco and the injury bugs, Giannis and the Bucks have failed to get back to the Conference Finals since their 2021 title. The Bucks aren’t getting any younger, and the Celtics aren’t getting any worse. It’s now or never for Giannis if he wants his Larry O’Brien to have a companion.
2. Luka Doncic
Luka Magic was up to his old tricks last season, but he invented some new tricks too. One of those tricks was a 73-point performance, the most in a game since Kobe. Another trick was the Mavs’ surprise Finals performance. Every other player in the top five has at least one MVP, and it’s time for Luka to join the party.
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1. Nikola Jokic
Are the Nuggets on the verge of a dynasty, or will they just be another excellent basketball team that got the job done once? After their 2023 championship, it looked like Jokic might string together three or four Larry O’Briens. He’s still the best player in the world, but the competition has stiffened greatly. In an unprecedented age of parity, will we see an even better version of the three-time MVP?
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