Suns in ESPN in top 500 players

[Mainstreet]

As ESPN is wrapping up it's top 500 player rankings, Steve Nash is the Suns highest ranked player based upon "the current quality of each player" at #14, Grant Hill at #67 and Marcin Gortat at #86. Aaron Brooks is ranked at #118, Vince Carter is #121 and Jared Dudley is surprisingly behind him at #133.

It seems reputation has a lot to do when it comes to ranking as clearly Dudley should be ranked well ahead of Carter. Other rankings can be debated as I'm sure they will.

See article by Paul Coro at azcentral dated 10-17-11.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...hoenix-suns-player-rankings-espn-500-nba.html

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Man, what a gold mine of young talent we have!!! Can't wait for them to mature into a perennial title contender! Oh wait, it's not 2004...

 

[elindholm]

Yeah, either that list was compiled over several months, or not very many people who worked on it saw Carter play with the Suns. He was simply awful.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Yeah, either that list was compiled over several months, or not very many people who worked on it saw Carter play with the Suns. He was simply awful.

I hope you're using "play" VERY loosely.

I've seen cardboard cutouts do more.

 

[elindholm]

I just looked at the full list of Suns players. The survey is so ill-informed as to be a waste of time; it's nothing more than a cynical attempt to generate page hits. Say what you want about Frye, but it's obvious that his "current quality" is way, way ahead of either Robin Lopez or Mickael Pietrus, who ranked only a couple of spots behind.

 

[Mainstreet]

I just looked at the full list of Suns players. The survey is so ill-informed as to be a waste of time; it's nothing more than a cynical attempt to generate page hits. Say what you want about Frye, but it's obvious that his "current quality" is way, way ahead of either Robin Lopez or Mickael Pietrus, who ranked only a couple of spots behind.

Maybe they were throwing darts during much of the survey. Sort of like an essay test when one throws in a lot of filler hoping the teacher does not read it.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I just looked at the full list of Suns players. The survey is so ill-informed as to be a waste of time; it's nothing more than a cynical attempt to generate page hits. Say what you want about Frye, but it's obvious that his "current quality" is way, way ahead of either Robin Lopez or Mickael Pietrus, who ranked only a couple of spots behind.

Yep, and Aaron Brooks has devolved into something beyond worthless as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yep, and Aaron Brooks has devolved into something beyond worthless as well.

Maybe, but I have a hunch Nash will be traded before the trading deadline and Brooks is about as good a PG the Suns may be able to get going into the upcoming season. The Suns will need more than Dowdell.

 

[Folster]

Top 500? Really? What a stupid list. Simple math shows us that 30 teams with 15 roster spots accounts for 450 players. There is no need to rank any current players after about 25, 50 max. This list is worthless.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Maybe, but I have a hunch Nash will be traded before the trading deadline and Brooks is about as good a PG the Suns may be able to get going into the upcoming season. The Suns will need more than Dowdell.

Be that as it may, Brooks will never be a starter on a good team. (Note - that of course wouldn't prevent him for starting on the Suns)

 

[Mainstreet]

Lebron is ranked #1 in the ESPN poll. This is a joke. Dirk Nowitzki should rightfully be ranked #1 as he led his team to a championship. Incredibly he was ranked number #5.

The top 500 rankings was a popularity contest, pure and simple.

 

[Bufalay]

Lebron is ranked #1 in the ESPN poll. This is a joke. Dirk Nowitzki should rightfully be ranked #1 as he led his team to a championship. Incredibly he was ranked number #5.

The top 500 rankings was a popularity contest, pure and simple.

Lebron James isn't very popular.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Lebron James isn't very popular.

He is with his jockriders at ESPN.

 

[elindholm]

Lebron is ranked #1 in the ESPN poll. This is a joke. Dirk Nowitzki should rightfully be ranked #1 as he led his team to a championship.

I must not understand what you mean. At least 99% of all basketball fans in the world think that James is better than Nowitzki, and I would agree with them. Nowitzki did a great job leading a balanced, hungry team to a title, but there is more to being the league's best player than being the best player on the current champion.

(That said, I would probably still put Bryant ahead of James.)

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I must not understand what you mean. At least 99% of all basketball fans in the world think that James is better than Nowitzki, and I would agree with them. Nowitzki did a great job leading a balanced, hungry team to a title, but there is more to being the league's best player than being the best player on the current champion.

(That said, I would probably still put Bryant ahead of James.)

+1. #5 sounds about right. He isn't the best player in the league.

 

[Mainstreet]

I must not understand what you mean. At least 99% of all basketball fans in the world think that James is better than Nowitzki, and I would agree with them. Nowitzki did a great job leading a balanced, hungry team to a title, but there is more to being the league's best player than being the best player on the current champion.

(That said, I would probably still put Bryant ahead of James.)

I really do not care what 99% of the basketball fans think. Lebron could not win a championship last season with the help of Wade and Bosh. Compare the Mavericks top players to the Heat's top players. Enough said. The game is played on the court. I'm guessing Lebron needs another top star talent to get him a championship.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

(That said, I would probably still put Bryant ahead of James.)

Really? Did you watch Kobe in the playoffs? Tread is wearing a lil thin on those tires these days. Maybe it's just injuries, but regardless, Kobe appears to be regressing.

 

[jbeecham]

These rankings are pretty much worthless...

Channing Frye is probably the 3rd best player on the Suns (#1 Nash, #2 Gortat, #4 Hill, #5 Dudley).

Arron Brooks @ 118 & Carter @ 121 are absolutely laughable... these two should've been lucky to crack the top 200. Lopez & Pietrus should also have been ranked lower... both around 200-275. Even Grant Hill probably should've been closer to #100.

Frye is at least at the level of Taj Gibson #103 & Haslem #104 and better than Sam Dalembert #112 (are you kidding me?), Nick Collison #115, Carl Landry #116, Glen Davis #117,etc etc etc.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I really do not care what 99% of the basketball fans think. Lebron could not win a championship last season with the help of Wade and Bosh. Compare the Mavericks top players to the Heat's top players. Enough said. The game is played on the court. I'm guessing Lebron needs another top star talent to get him a championship.

Not to be snide but they don't play 3 man basketball. Miami had a better big three but IMO, Dallas had a lot more talent overall. Usually, this game is decided by the top 2 or 3 players but the gap in talent after the first 3 for Miami was so huge that it changed everything.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Not to be snide but they don't play 3 man basketball. Miami had a better big three but IMO, Dallas had a lot more talent overall. Usually, this game is decided by the top 2 or 3 players but the gap in talent after the first 3 for Miami was so huge that it changed everything.

Steve

Three of the top players including the so called #1 ranked player should have been enough to win a championship for the Heat last season even with journeyman talent. If the Mavericks had lessor talented players but better depth this just points out how good Dirk was leading the way. Let's say a young Michael Jordan was on last year's Heat team instead of Lebron. Do you think we would even be discussing who is the #1 ranked player?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Three of the top players including the so called #1 ranked player should have been enough to win a championship for the Heat last season even with journeyman talent. If the Mavericks had lessor talented players but better depth this just points out how good Dirk was leading the way. Let's say a young Michael Jordan was on last year's Heat team instead of Lebron. Do you think we would even be discussing who is the #1 ranked player?

No, but I'm not trying to put Lebron anywhere near MJ's level. This will sound like I'm backing your cause but I think if you switch Dirk and Lebron the Heat win the championship. A team is more than just their top 3 players, they are more than just the sum of their parts. IMO, there are even more teams though that would be improved by the addition of Lebron more than they would by the addition of Dirk. It's tough to compare the value of dissimilar players but I'd put Lebron above Dirk because of the huge gap on the defensive end.

Steve

 

[Mulli]

I would put Dirk over El BJay based on Dirk showing up at crunch time in the Finals. ESPN would too except more buzz is created by putting El BJay at 1.

 

[Mainstreet]

I would put Dirk over El BJay based on Dirk showing up at crunch time in the Finals. ESPN would too except more buzz is created by putting El BJay at 1.

Yea! I found some company.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yea! I found some company.

Don't get too cocky, it's just Mulli.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Don't get too cocky, it's just Mulli.

Steve

Mulli knows his stuff.

I'm so ready for the NBA season to get started. I'm fired up and ready to go.