SI.com's Top 100 NBA Players of 2016

Let the debates begin: the Top 100 NBA players of 2016.

SI.com is proud to offer our list of the Top 100 NBA players of 2016, an exhaustive exercise that seeks to define who will be the league's best players in the 2015-16 season.

Given the wide variety of candidates involved and the deep analytical resources available, no single, definitive criterion was used to form this list. Instead, rankings were assigned based on a fluid combination of subjective assessment and objective data, including per-game statistics and advanced measures like Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares, Real Plus-Minus, WARP, Net Rating and Synergy Sports data. This list is an earnest attempt to evaluate each player in a vacuum. As a result, future prospects beyond this season did not play a part in the ranking process, while the influence of team context was minimized to whatever extent was possible. Our sole concern was how players are likely to perform this season alone.

Top 100 NBA Players of 2016: Snubs

Injuries and injury risks are thus an inevitable component of that judgment, and chronic concerns or repetitive absences earned demerits. Past performance (postseason included) weighed heavily in our assessment, with a skew toward the recent. First-year players—including delayed rookies like Sixers center Joel Embiid—were not included for that reason, among others. A predictive quality also came into play with the anticipated improvement of certain younger players, as well as the possible decline of aging veterans. Salary was not taken into consideration, even in those instances below where a contract is mentioned. Otherwise, players were ordered based on their complete games—offense and defense both, along with everything in between.

Naturally, rounding out the top 100 included some tough calls. The list of notable omissions is dotted with players both well regarded and largely deserving, though lines ultimately had to be drawn somewhere—in many cases based on extremely minor differences. For those interested in understanding more about the ranking process and the limitations of this exercise in general, make a quick detour here.

Please feel free to take a look back to SI.com’s Top 100 Players of 2015 and our Top 100 Players of 2014. This year’s list includes each player’s ranking from last year for comparison purposes.

100-76 | 75-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1

100. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

99. Wesley Matthews

Mavs | Guard | Last year: 72

98. Donatas Motiejunas

Rockets | Forward | Last year: —

97. Nerlens Noel

76ers | Forward | Last year: —

96. Josh Smith

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 53

95. Roy Hibbert

Lakers | Center | Last year: 52

94. Reggie Jackson

Pistons | Guard | Last year: —

93. J.J. Redick

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 93

92. Lou Williams

Lakers | Guard | Last year: —

91. Andrew Wiggins

Wolves | Forward | Last year: —

90. Taj Gibson

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 75

89. Amir Johnson

Celtics | Forward | Last year: 71

88. Isaiah Thomas

Celtics | Guard | Last year: 90

87. Ricky Rubio

Wolves | Guard | Last year: 87

86. Kenneth Faried

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 77

85. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Hornets | Forward | Last year: —

84. Robin Lopez

Knicks | Center | Last year: 82

83. Deron Williams

Mavs | Guard | Last year: 45

82. Joe Johnson

Nets | Guard | Last year: 51

81. DeMarre Carroll

Raptors | Forward | Last year: —

80. George Hill

Pacers | Guard | Last year: —

79. Brandon Knight

Suns | Guard | Last year: —

78. Tobias Harris

Magic | Forward | Last year: —

77. Jonas Valanciunas

Raptors | Center | Last year: 80

76. Andrew Bogut

Warriors | Center | Last year: 65

75. Thaddeus Young

Nets | Forward | Last year: 69

74. Tiago Splitter

Hawks | Center | Last year: 70

73. Danilo Gallinari

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 62

72. Ryan Anderson

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 59

71. Paul Pierce

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 46

70. Tristan Thompson

Cavs | Forward | Last year: —

69. Hassan Whiteside

Heat | Center | Last year: —

68. Timofey Mozgov

Cavs | Center | Last year: —

67. Nikola Vucevic

Magic | Center | Last year: 89

66. Chandler Parsons

Mavs | Forward | Last year: 56

65. Trevor Ariza

Rockets | Forward | Last year: 83

64. Markieff Morris

Suns | Forward | Last year: —

63. Marcin Gortat

Wizards | Center | Last year: 58

62. Bradley Beal

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 76

61. DeMar DeRozan

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 61

60. Derrick Rose

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 23

59. Jrue Holiday

Pelicans | Guard | Last year: 50

58. Tyreke Evans

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 84

57. Monta Ellis

Pacers | Guard | Last year: 66

56. Luol Deng

Heat | Forward | Last year: 55

55. Nicolas Batum

Hornets | Forward | Last year: 43

54. Kobe Bryant

Lakers | Guard | Last year: 24

53. Tony Parker

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 15

52. Rudy Gay

Kings | Forward | Last year: 67

51. Ty Lawson

Rockets | Guard | Last year: 44

50. Danny Green

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 96

49. Zach Randolph

Grizzlies | Forward | Last year: 42

48. Greg Monroe

Bucks | Forward | Last year: 68

47. Al Jefferson

Hornets | Center | Last year: 26

46. Kyle Korver

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 74

45. Khris Middleton

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

44. Andre Iguodala

Warriors | Forward | Last year: 29

43. Joakim Noah

Bulls | Center | Last year: 17

42. Goran Dragic

Heat | Guard | Last year: 35

41. Jeff Teague

Hawks | Guard | Last year: 92

40. Pau Gasol

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 49

39. Rudy Gobert

Jazz | Center | Last year: —

38. Brook Lopez

Nets | Center | Last year: 36

37. Derrick Favors

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 79

36. Tyson Chandler

Suns | Center | Last year: 39

35. Andre Drummond

Pistons | Center | Last year: 37

34. Kyle Lowry

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 30

33. Eric Bledsoe

Suns | Guard | Last year: 33

32. Paul Millsap

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 34

31. Gordon Hayward

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 57

30. Dwyane Wade

Heat | Guard | Last year: 20

29. DeAndre Jordan

Clippers | Center | Last year: 38

28. Dirk Nowitzki

Mavs | Forward | Last year: 14

27. Mike Conley

Grizzlies | Guard | Last year: 32

26. Klay Thompson

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 54

25. Serge Ibaka

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 19

24. Damian Lillard

Blazers | Guard | Last year: 22

23. Kyrie Irving

Cavs | Guard | Last year: 21

22. Chris Bosh

Heat | Forward | Last year: 18

21. Al Horford

Hawks | Center | Last year: 25

20. Paul George

Pacers | Forward | Last year: —

19. Dwight Howard

Rockets | Center | Last year: 9

18. Jimmy Butler

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 98

17. Kevin Love

Cavs | Forward | Last year: 7

16. Draymond Green

Warriors | Forward | Last year: —

15. Carmelo Anthony

Knicks | Forward | Last year: 11

14. DeMarcus Cousins

Kings | Center | Last year: 27

13. John Wall

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 31

12. LaMarcus Aldridge

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 12

11. Tim Duncan

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 5

10. Kawhi Leonard

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 28

9. Marc Gasol

Grizzlies | Center | Last year: 16

8. Blake Griffin

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 10

7. Russell Westbrook

Thunder | Guard | Last year: 4

6. Chris Paul

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 

5. James Harden

Rockets | Guard | Last year:13

4. Stephen Curry

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 8

3. Anthony Davis

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 4

2. Kevin Durant

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 2

1. LeBron James

Cavs | Forward | Last year: 1