'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Anthony Davis
I'd like readers to ponder upon the answers to the following two questions:
(a) Who's the best player at the 4 spot in the NBA?
(b) Who's the best player at the 5 spot in the NBA?
Chances are, the unibrowed, Pelicans-jerseyed player pictured right above this is your answer to both the questions. Indeed, I fully expect NBA GMs to have answered both questions as Anthony Davis in the GM survey that will be made public in a few days.
Anthony Davis is essentially a Tim Duncan on steroids who can also make plays facing up his man on the regular. This is no hyperbole - if AD were to replace Steph and Kevin Durant together on the Warriors as of today, their dynasty will be set for about a decade to come.
Davis' elite defensive ability (he can truly guard all of the 1-5 spots), his multifaceted offensive skill, dominant rebounding and transition ability mark him out as the single most unstoppable player in the league not named LeBron James or Kevin Durant. In my mind, he is the 3rd best player on the planet, but I'll still allow somebody to slide him down up until the #5 spot if they value Steph and Harden's playmaking ability that much.
#6 below Giannis, however? That smacks of incompetence from ESPN.
