Ranking the Top 10 NBA Players by Overall Value

Ranking the NBA's best players by value requires you to consider multiple factors. Positional scarcity (or the lack thereof) plays a role. Injury histories are looked at. Contract sizes are weighed. Age matters.

For example, as great as Dirk Nowitzki is, would you rather have three more years of Dirk or 12 more years of Kevin Love? Right.

With all of that in mind, there are bound to be some feelings hurt. Apologies to the always woefully underrated Tony Parker (longevity), the aforementioned forward tandem of Nowitzki (age) and Love (defense), Carmelo Anthony (selfishness), Dwyane Wade (injuries), Blake Griffin (shooting), Tim Duncan (age), Paul George (polish), Joakim Noah (scoring), Rajon Rondo (injury), Anthony Davis (unestablished), and anyone else with a legitimate claim to the top 10. You are all very, very good at basketball.

On to the top-10 list of players with the most overall value.

10. Derrick Rose

Here's what we know: Before Derrick Rose tore his ACL, he was the league's youngest MVP winner. No one could stay in front of him. He was explosive, he finished at the rim and he scored 25 points a game without the aid of a consistent jumper.

Here's what we don't know: How will a player that relies so much on athleticism and speed recover from such a damaging injury? While it's not unreasonable to assume that Rose will rely more on his jumper and become a slightly different (and perhaps more well-rounded) scorer, there is definitely a concern that he won't be as effective as he once was.

Would the Chicago Bulls ever trade the face of their franchise before finding out what kind of player was returning to the floor? Of course not. Still, there are too many question marks here to rank him above durable, proven commodities.   

9. Kyrie Irving

There isn't a better value contract in basketball. Kyrie Irving is already an All-Star at the young age of 21 years old, but better yet, he still has two years left on his rookie deal. 

That production-to-price ratio makes Irving virtually untouchable, but there are some concerns.

After missing most of his lone year at Duke, Irving missed 15 games his rookie year and 23 games last season. Could he have played through some of his injuries if the games really mattered down the stretch? Probably, but it is slightly troublesome we haven't seen him play close to a full slate yet. Add in some really porous defense, and there is lots of room to improve.

That's just the thing, though. Irving has so much potential as a player, mainly because he can get to any spot on the floor whenever he'd like to thanks to that ridiculous handle of his. Don't downplay his already refined stroke from the perimeter, either.

Bottom line: Irving is already a star, and for now, he's too affordable to consider dealing for just about anyone.

8. Stephen Curry

This may sound hyperbolic, but Stephen Curry might be the greatest shooter ever. Look at his career percentages (field-goal, three-point, free-throw) next to Ray Allen and Steve Nash, arguably the two greatest shooters to ever play:

Ray Allen:  45.2%, 40.1%, 89.4%

Steve Nash: 49.1%, 42.8%, 90.4%

Stephen Curry: 46.5%, 44.6%, 90.1%

That's pretty scary, especially since Curry probably hasn't seen the prime of his career yet. Aside from his elite shooting, Curry is a pretty underrated rebounder and a really nifty passer with either hand. Although he's not an overwhelming athlete, he can shake free or blow by his man with the best of them.

Curry's contract (he'll make $9.8 million next year) seems somewhat unfair given his incredible play.

Like Rose and Irving, Curry's major concern is his durability. Will those ankles hold up? If the basketball gods are just, we'll get to watch this incredible shooter do his thing for many years to come. 

7. Dwight Howard

You could have Dwight Howard ranked anywhere in the top 20 of a list like this, and it would be tough to complain with almost any ranking. He's virtually impossible to peg right now. 

Is Howard going to be able to rebound from his most disappointing season in years? Can he lead a team as the top guy? Are his back issues going to cut his career short? Will his pouting submarine a team's chemistry?

We don't know, and that's the issue. Howard is still probably the best rebounder in basketball, an elite rim protector (though no longer a one-man defense) and a perennially underrated offensive threat. He's a force capable of being unstoppable unlike nearly any other player in the league. 

Is he worth the risk? Absolutely. But there's a decent chance that he's no longer the player he once was.

6. Marc Gasol

Does this feel a little high? If it does, consider this: Is there anything that Marc Gasol can't do?

Next to LeBron James, Marc Gasol might be the best overall player in the game. He can shoot from distance, he can pass like a basketball genius, he rebounds, he blocks shots, he defends pick-and-rolls and he plays help defense. He does it all.

Gasol is a player without weaknesses, and at a position where even the best players are terribly flawed, he's a player who can anchor a defense and have the entire offense run through him.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is also durable, in his prime and fits with every type of player. He's the ideal building block for a franchise.

5. Russell Westbrook

What's the old saying? Eighty percent of success is just showing up? Well, Russell Westbrook has that down.

Westbrook has never missed a regular-season game in over five years. Just knowing you can bank on his production is worth a ton, but when you factor in that he's still just 24 years old and approaching his prime, Westbrook could be even more terrifying than he is now with deeper range on his jumper.

Westbrook does have his flaws, of course. He doesn't know how to turn his scoring instincts off, even in the midst of a terrible night. You love his competitiveness obviously, but he can get a bit out of control.

But outside of that? Westbrook is an unstoppable athlete who is relentless in every sense of the word. 

4. James Harden

James Harden is the prototype for what wing scorers should look like going forward.

His game is based around three things: drawing fouls (10.2 free-throw attempts a game), shooting tons of threes (6.2 per game) and scoring at the rim with regularity.

Harden is an incredibly efficient scorer for these reasons, but there's more to it than that. He's an incredible pick-and-roll player and passer, and his game is more reliant on clever fakes and footwork than it is pure athleticism. There's no reason why Harden can't be this good, or better, for the next 12 seasons barring injury.

Harden isn't a good defender right now, as he conserves all of his energy for the offensive end. Considering he's 23 years old and coming off his first full season as a starter, however, there's reason to hope he'll become a better overall player soon.

When you consider the positional scarcity at shooting guard and the need for efficient scoring, Harden is knocking on the door of the top three players in terms of trade value.

3. Chris Paul

Chris Paul has long been the game's best point guard. He's an elite defender at the position, he can create his own shot as well as anyone and he may be one of the best distributors the game has ever seen. 

Any concerns with Paul boil down to the ineffectiveness of his teams in the playoffs. Although there is still plenty of time in his career, it is slightly concerning that a player who could easily retire as one of the all-time greats has taken this long to not even reach a conference finals. 

Still, Paul is a player who takes virtually nothing off the table every single night. Even during his bad games, he's an incredibly productive player. That can't be said about any of his contenders for the point guard throne.

2. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is second only to one, but for how long?

Remember, Durant is just 24 years old. While we've likely seen the best of LeBron James (can it get better?), Durant just keeps on adding elements to his game. Last year, it was his passing. Down the line, it will be a post game. It's scary to think how indefensible Durant can become with all that length and skill.

It's preposterous to even think about a trade for Durant, isn't it? That's how you know. He may have to wait a while to grab the crown (or win a title), but Durant is as untouchable of an asset as they come. 

1. LeBron James

No surprises here. LeBron James is the best overall player in basketball by a long way. Comparing him to his contemporaries is almost insulting—it's Michael Jordan or bust.

LeBron impacts the game on every possession, just by being on the floor. That kind of star power comes around once in a generation.

There is no "trading up" from LeBron James. He could make $50 million a year and be worth every penny. He might be the best perimeter defender in basketball, which is slightly unusual (look at this list) for a player of his skill level.

Any complaint about LeBron's game just feels dishonest at this point. He shot 40 percent from behind the arc this year. He has won two titles. He's the best player in basketball, and it's not really all that close.