1 Word To Describe Every NBA Team's Best Player
The Luka Dončić trade raises a fascinating question: "Who is the Los Angeles Lakers' best player?"
Long-term, the answer is clearly Dončić. But this year, LeBron James has been the better of the two. At a minimum, James' All-Star nod is the tiebreaker.
Looking around the rest of the NBA with about six weeks left in the regular season, who stands out as each team's top player, and what's the one word to best describe them? That's what we've set out to do here.
Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks): Replacement
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While "replacement" may sound initially off-putting, it's more of a badge of honor for Trae Young, who has been overlooked in All-Star selections for the last few years until someone went down with an injury. Young is this generation's replacement All-Star, which is still an All-Star but a tiny notch below.
Should Young have earned a spot outright? His team's inconsistent play in recent years has hurt his bids. This season, Young is averaging 23.6 points and 11.5 assists per game. He's not shooting the three well (32.8 percent), but he also lost his best teammate, Jalen Johnson, to a shoulder injury.
Young's best revenge will be a long playoff run, though the Hawks need to get through the play-in first.
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics): Consistent
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While Jaylen Brown was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player this past June, the consensus seems to be that Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics' best overall player. Both Brown and Tatum score and play defense, but Tatum is more dynamic.
If anything, Tatum exemplifies the Celtics' consistency this season. He's scoring 26.8 points per game after averaging 26.9 last year.
Boston knows precisely what it's getting in Tatum, who sets the tone for the rest of the group. Perhaps this year, Tatum will edge out Brown in NBA Finals voting.
Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets): Impressive
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Before the Nets started trading and buying out players, they won more games than they should have given their focus on the future. Cam Johnson was a big reason why.
Johnson had always been a role player—a complementary scorer to Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and the rest of the Phoenix Suns. He came to Brooklyn with Mikal Bridges and played second fiddle until Bridges was moved to the New York Knicks.
The Nets haven't played competitive hoops for the last few months, but when they were trying, Johnson was impressive in his starring role.
LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets): Chaos
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The Hornets aren't playing great basketball this season, but LaMelo Ball is an agent of basketball chaos. He takes and makes wild shots, willing his team to (admittedly rare) victories.
The bigger question is, can Ball's playing style work on a roster built to win? His tenure with the rebuilding Hornets has been desolate, with insufficient talent around him.
He's fun to watch when he gets rolling. Ball is arguably the king of "No, that's a terrible shot. Yes, it went in."
Nikola Vucevic (Chicago Bulls): Productive
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The Bulls' best player isn't clear-cut, but Nikola Vučević may be the most productive. The 34-year-old center is a steady inside force at 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He's shooting a solid 53.3 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three.
Coby White is the other worthy candidate. Chicago may end up being the fourth and final play-in team in the Eastern Conference by default unless the Philadelphia 76ers can make a run without Joel Embiid (spoiler: they shouldn't).
The Bulls got their 2025 first-round pick back from the San Antonio Spurs in the Zach LaVine trade, so they could make the postseason without losing their pick. They'll need everything they can get out of Vučević and White to get through the play-in tournament.
Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers): Committed
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When Donovan Mitchell committed to the Cavaliers long-term with an extension, he changed the franchise's trajectory. Competing teams were readying bids, expecting Mitchell to force Cleveland to trade him.
Instead, he chose to continue building something special with the Cavaliers, which locked everyone else into their roles.
Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and an impressive array of complementary players could lead Cleveland to a title run as early as this June.
Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks): Delicate
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The Mavericks are learning a difficult lesson that the Los Angeles Lakers dealt with dating back to their 2019 blockbuster trade to get Anthony Davis.
When healthy, Davis is among the best players in the world—a scoring big with elite-level defense. But he's delicate and often misses time due to injury.
He was dominant in the first half of his Dallas debut after the Luka Dončić trade, but he suffered an adductor injury in the third quarter of that game and hasn't played since. While waiting for Davis to recover, the Mavericks lost Kyrie Irving to a season-ending knee injury.
Between the backlash for moving Dončić and losing Davis and Irving to injury, the Mavericks are in a delicate situation.
Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets): Best
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Despite getting worse due to financial constraints and attrition (losing Bruce Brown Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, etc.), Nikola Jokić continues to lead the Nuggets to the upper tier of the Western Conference.
The three-time MVP seemingly improves every year, making him arguably the best player in the world. His combination of size, scoring, shooting and playmaking is nearly unstoppable.
Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons): Arrived
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The NBA world was generally confused when the Pistons signed Cade Cunningham to a full five-year max extension this offseason despite languishing at the bottom of the standings throughout his tenure. He's a talented player, but why pay him that much for a team going nowhere?
Surprise! Detroit is good this year. The Pistons are poised to make the playoffs (avoiding the play-in outright), and Cunningham has arrived. He's an All-Star and one of the league's more difficult players to guard due to his size and playmaking.
Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors): Scary
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There's not much that teams fear more than a Stephen Curry jumper in the air with the game on the line. He's still the "baby-faced assassin," scaring teams nightly as the most lethal three-point shooter in NBA history.
The Warriors look reborn after adding Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. Instead of being a low-level play-in contender, they're now thinking about the NBA Finals and another title.
Whoever Curry faces in the playoffs, win or lose, he's going to put a serious scare into the opposition.
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets): Versatile
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Alperen Şengün made his first All-Star appearance in February. Because of his scoring, rebounding and play-making abilities, the Rockets' young center is often referred to as "Jokić-lite."
Şengün doesn't have the same outside range on his jumper as Jokic, but he's helped the Rockets compete at a high level throughout the year. Although they've stumbled as of late, they've taken a significant step forward after years in the lottery.
Şengün is the skilled center of Houston's attack. He'll start a lucrative extension next season as a reward.
Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers): Tough
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With Tyrese Haliburton taking a step back earlier this season, the Pacers have relied on Pascal Siakam to help provide toughness.
The Pacers may be more of a "outscore the other team" squad than a defensive juggernaut. However, Siakam's combination of skill, aggression and physicality has helped his team climb comfortably above .500.
Indiana won't need to go through the play-in and is still fighting for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
James Harden (Los Angeles Clippers): Unselfish
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Harden became a superstar as a high-usage, high-volume offensive player. Because of that, he's often perceived as a selfish player. However, Harden's career average of 7.2 assists per game may suggest otherwise.
What's impressive about Harden's 2024-25 All-Star season is how he's helped keep the Clippers competitive when Kawhi Leonard was out with a knee injury. For those looking closely, Harden has remained an unselfish leader on a winning team (33-29) in the competitive Western Conference.
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers): Ageless
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Luka Dončić needs to be the Lakers' best player in the coming years, possibly even through a playoff run this season. Still, the ageless James—who's also the oldest player in the NBA—is L.A.'s All-Star and veteran leader.
Playing more off the ball than he ever has with the Lakers, James' career may be prolonged by the attention Dončić draws as a playmaker. James has also increased his effort defensively.
The Lakers appear reborn since the trade, and James looks like he's having a blast.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies): Two-Way
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Jaren Jackson Jr. is out with an ankle injury, which is a problem for the Grizzlies. The former Defensive Player of the Year is one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
Jackson should return in a few weeks. Can the Grizzlies avoid a freefall until then? The Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and L.A. Clippers are all within range of them, but Memphis should be able to stay in the top six if it can steal a few wins until he's back.
Tyler Herro (Miami Heat): Volume
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While some will claim Bam Adebayo as the Heat's best player, Herro was their lone All-Star. The shooter is putting up a career-high 23.9 points a game this season, benefitting from Jimmy Butler's absence as his team's primary scorer.
Herro isn't as efficient as he was last season from three-point range (37.1 percent, down from 39.6 percent), but he's getting the job done by taking 9.7 three-pointers per game. And it's not like he's changed his game entirely. Herro has successfully been a high-volume three-point shooter over the last few seasons.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks): Dominant
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The Bucks have remained a dominant team after a slow start, led by one of the most dominant players in the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
In the modern game, big men often rely on the three-point shot, but Antetokounmpo is more of a throwback. He's shooting 19 percent from behind the arc on low volume (0.9 attempts per game).
Instead, he's ferocious attacking the basket with his size, length and agility.
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves): Explosive
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Whether he's going up for a dunk, killing teams from three or drawing technical fouls from the officials, Anthony Edwards has an explosive personality. This led to a recent one-game suspension for too many technicals, but he's also helped the Wolves stay in the West playoff hunt.
Minnesota is neck-and-neck with the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and L.A. Clippers. Only one of those four will avoid the play-in tournament, but given the chance in a win-or-go-home game, Edwards is an explosive option for Minnesota.
Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans): Unavailable
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Watching Zion Williamson score reminds me of LeBron James. He's too big, forceful, and mobile with the ball in his hands. However, the Pelicans have had a nightmare of a season because of injuries throughout the roster.
The biggest issue with Williamson is his availability. He's hurt too often, and New Orleans needs him to be incredible for at least 70 games per year, along with the rest of this cursed 2024-25 squad.
Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks): Reliable
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The Knicks have two viable candidates for their best player: All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. Both have had tremendous years, but Brunson drives most of the team's attack as its lead guard, especially in crunch time.
New York has more offensive upside with Towns than it did last year, but Brunson was already leading the Knicks to postseason success. The goal is a championship, and the team will need to get through the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, but Brunson is one of the most reliable closers in the NBA.
The Knicks may not be the favorite to emerge from the East, but they won't go down easy this postseason because of Brunson.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC Thunder): MVP
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The 2024-25 MVP debate will be between Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While Jokić can viably win the award any year, Gilgeous-Alexander has led his team to the best record in the Western Conference. He could end up No. 1 by season's end if the Thunder can catch the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He leads the NBA in scoring at 32.8 points per game and is often the endgame bucket-getter for a team that rarely loses. Gilgeous-Alexander has tremendous body control and footwork. Put him down as this year's Most Valuable Player.
Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic): Improved
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The Magic have struggled to stay healthy, losing Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner for extended periods. Wagner has been the most available of the three and has led the team well despite the injuries.
Wagner was already a great player prior to this year. The team rewarded him with a max extension this past offseason. He's justifying that faith this season.
He climbed from 19.7 points per game last season to 25.0 this year despite playing only one more minute per game. He's also grown as a playmaker (up from 3.7 to 4.7 assists) and is inching up as a three-point shooter (28.1 percent to 30.9 percent).
Shooting is Orlando's biggest weakness, but health is the biggest culprit for the team's losing record.
Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers): Hope
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The 76ers don't have much hope this year with Joel Embiid out for the season (knee), Paul George underperforming relative to his recently signed max contract and other injuries. They could still try to make a play-in push or just accept their fate and work to improve their lottery position to protect their first-round pick (which would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside of the top six).
It's pretty bleak, but Tyrese Maxey stands out as the team's hope for the future. The young guard is averaging 26.3 points and 6.1 assists per game.
Building a roster around Maxey may be Philadelphia's best path in the future, though the long-term salaries of Embiid and George could make that a challenge.
Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns): Frustrated
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The Suns aren't nearly as good as they expected this season. A team with championship expectations and the highest payroll in the NBA wouldn't expect to be fighting this late in the season just to make the play-in tournament.
A small win streak may be enough to catch the injured Dallas Mavericks. The bad news is that Kevin Durant looks frustrated by his team's lack of success and may be headed toward an offseason trade.
Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers): Ascending
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The Blazers looked like they'd be one of the worst teams in the league this season, but their chemistry has suddenly developed. Instead of focusing on lottery position, they're making a late push for the final play-in berth in the West.
Even if the Blazers fall short of that goal, their ascension is notable. Deni Avidja, who's averaging a career-high 14.8 points per game despite playing 1.5 fewer minutes than he did last year, is the personification of that growth.
Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings): Numbers
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Domantas Sabonis is a workhorse for the Kings. He puts up huge numbers on a team that's still fighting for a playoff berth after trading De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Sabonis is averaging 19.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He's more productive individually than Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Şengün.
He's currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, but the Kings have been competing well without him, recently winning four straight. That begs the question: Are the Kings more capable of winning defensively without Sabonis, or will his productive numbers coalesce down the stretch into a successful play-in and/or playoff run?
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs): Recovering
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The NBA needs All-Star center Victor Wembanyama to fully recover from the deep vein thrombosis that prematurely ended his season. Wembanyama is one of the most intriguing players in the league, with incredible size, skill and a will to win.
He made strides this season, and the Spurs were in the postseason hunt until he went down. Once he fully recovers, he and newcomer De'Aaron Fox should make the Spurs even more of a force next season.
Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors): Versatile
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The Raptors have not been good this season. Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes' injuries earlier in the year set the team back. The acquisition of Brandon Ingram at this year's trade deadline will help in the future, but the former All-Star is out with an ankle injury.
Still, Barnes is one of the more versatile players in the NBA. He's averaging 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game this season.
The Raptors rely on him for everything from scoring to defense to playmaking. Now, they just need a healthy roster and a clean slate for 2025-26.
Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz): Miscast
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Lauri Markkanen is a talented scorer with great size. A few year ago, he was an All-Star on a Jazz team that surprised the league with its competitiveness.
Now, Markkanen is the best player on a young roster that is focused more on player development and lottery position. The soon-to-be 28-year-old is miscast on a team that will continue adding teenagers in the draft.
When Utah's youth movement (including Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier) is ready for postseason success, Markkanen will be in his 30s on a way-too-expensive contract.
Jordan Poole (Washington Wizards): Empty
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The Golden State Warriors were eager to part ways with Jordan Poole for several reasons (chemistry, finances, etc.). He's been much maligned for being inefficient, but he's been the Wizards' best player this year.
Unfortunately, Washington has the worst record in the NBA. Poole's improved play has only partially revitalized his reputation. Now, he needs to show that his output isn't empty calories.
Perhaps Kyle Kuzma's productive exodus to the Milwaukee Bucks will convince a more competitive team to take a chance on trading for Poole this offseason.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him @EricPincus on X and Bluesky.
