The end of a playoff cycle is often the best time for players in the NBA to be ranked and re-ranked. After all, individuals like Anthony Edwards - on the strength of a superb postseason run - can and should find themselves jumping over established names such as Kawhi Leonard.
Call it recency bias, or just boredom on the part of fans and media outlets now that the games have stopped for the foreseeable future, but that's just the way that it is. The Phoenix Suns boast two superstars in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant that every other organization in the league would love to have.
You would think that one or both would be among the top 10 players in the league then, right? Wrong.
That's because Bleacher Report's latest look at the top 10 players in the league after the season that was has neither Booker or Durant featuring. Does that seem harsh? After all, the team did win 49 games while having no point guard and a third star in Bradley Beal limited to just 53 regular season games played. Let's get into it.
The no complaints - Nikola Jokic/Luka Doncic/Giannis Antetokounmpo
Look, we all love Booker and Durant. Both have been in the NBA Finals and Durant has done it all in this league. But as of this moment, neither is better than Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic. Jokic has won three MVPs in four years - and while that Game 7 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves does not look good - he's still at worst one of the top two players in the world.
Doncic's ascension went to another level in these playoffs - and although he too had some low moments at key times - he was incredible in getting the Mavericks all the way to the finals. If you had to start a franchise with one player tomorrow, you could make the case Doncic should go first overall.
Jaylen Brown: “Luka, you’re a killer, you got the best out of me. I love you bro”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 19, 2024
Luka Doncic: “I love you too bro”
✊
(🎥 @AhnFireDigital )
pic.twitter.com/FKNLGuoaDH
There are slight cracks in Giannis appearing alongside the other two, but not enough to force Durant or Booker in there instead. He may have been injured for the last two playoff appearances the Milwaukee Bucks have had, but he's only 29 and had 50 points in a championship winning game versus the Suns. In a straight swap, you're taking Giannis over Booker or Durant.