It's Year 5 for #NBArank!
ESPN is ranking (almost) every NBA player and counting them down on Twitter (@ESPNNBA), from No. 400 to No. 1.
Who will be the best player this season?
To get the final ranking, we asked the panel to vote on pairs of players.
LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry. James Harden vs. Kevin Durant. Kobe Bryant vs. Pau Gasol.
We asked: "Which player will be better in 2015-16?" To decide, voters had to consider both the quality and quantity of each player's contributions to his team's ability to win games. More than 100 voters weighed in on nearly 30,000 pairs of players.
We'll roll out the results during the next five weeks. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.
Today, we're unveiling Nos. 91-100 on our list -- one at a time -- starting at 9:30 a.m. ET.
#NBArank: 91-100
91. Brandon Knight
Phoenix Suns | PG
@Goodknight11 | Score: 43.5
Last year's rank: 139
2015-16 RPM: -1.51
Insider profile: Like Eric Bledsoe, Knight is a high-usage player who enjoys having the ball in his hands and attacking out of pick-and-roll and isolation. That's where the similarities end, however, as Knight is a far superior shooter, out of both catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble scenarios, which makes him a natural complement to Bledsoe. Read more »
92. Luol Deng
Miami Heat | SF
@LuolDeng9 | Score: 43.3
Last year's rank: 58
2015-16 RPM: 2.24
Insider profile: Although he can get a few buckets in the post, the Heat should really figure out how to get him on the move more. Deng averages 1.3 points per cut scoring play, compared to just 0.9 points on his post-ups. Read more »
93. Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers | SG
@kobebryant | Score: 43.0
Last year's rank: 40
2015-16 RPM: -0.69
Insider profile: At this stage, he has turned into a parody of himself, with seemingly every field goal attempt coming "against all odds" as Bryant dominates the ball during possessions and often shoots long jumpers against double coverage. Read more »
Kobe Bryant on being No. 93 in ESPN's 2015-16 #NBArank: "Please don't ask me about silly stuff like that."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) October 9, 2015
For those that think #NBARank was hating on Kobe ... https://t.co/uYxDdnzwjI
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) October 9, 2015
94. Trevor Ariza
Houston Rockets | SF
@TrevorAriza | Score: 43.0
Last year's rank: 84
2015-16 RPM: 0.92
Insider profile: Ariza can put the ball on the ground to attack overzealous closeouts and will run the occasional pick-and-roll, albeit with poor results. He was a big upgrade over the departed Chandler Parsons defensively, and finished in the top 10 among small forwards in defensive real plus-minus. Read more »
95. Ryan Anderson
New Orleans Pelicans | PF
@ryananderson33 | Score: 42.6
Last year's rank: 80
2015-16 RPM: -0.84
Insider profile: With his quick release and good footwork that ensure he's in position to shoot, Anderson is a prolific 3-point shooter. And even when they weren't going in, that ability draws defenders to Anderson and opens things up for his teammates. Read more »
96. Nene Hilario
Washington Wizards | PF
@NeneHilario42 | Score: 42.2
Last year's rank: 63
2015-16 RPM: 0.53
Insider profile: It's hard to depend on the guy anymore. The 33-year-old has missed 30 percent of his regular-season games in the past four seasons and basically can't bring it come playoff time. The Wizards have to put Nene on the Tim Duncan regimen at this point. Read more »
97. Elfrid Payton
Orlando Magic | PG
@elfrid | Score: 42.2
Last year's rank: 254
2015-16 RPM: 1.18
Insider profile: Payton's defense is what makes him a potential foundational piece. Real plus-minus (RPM) placed him as the ninth-most impactful point guard defender in the NBA, which is an exceptional start to his career. Opposing point guards loathe going against this guy already. Read more »
98. Roy Hibbert
@Roy_Meets_World | Score: 42.1
Last year's rank: 46
2015-16 RPM: 1.09
Insider profile: Hibbert's presence not only leads to lower opponent field goal percentages at the rim, but also frequently discourages them from even attempting shots in his vicinity, which might be the greatest defensive compliment. He is not a good defensive rebounder, but he does a good job of taking up space, allowing others to receive the credit for the corral. Read more »
99. Eric Gordon
New Orleans Pelicans | SG
@TheofficialEG10 | Score: 41.5
Last year's rank: 110
2015-16 RPM: -2.52
Insider profile: Once a well-rounded shooting guard, Gordon struggled to get to the rim last season because of the quickness he's lost to the knee injuries. He also finished poorly on those rare occasions, making just 46.4 percent of his shots inside three feet, according to Basketball-Reference.com, far and away the worst mark of his career. Read more »
100. Tony Allen
Memphis Grizzlies | SG
@aa000G9 | Score: 41.5
Last year's rank: 94
2015-16 RPM: 3.47
Insider profile: Allen makes gritty defense into an art form, frustrating opponents by never giving an inch and remaining glued to them. The Grizzlies' 94.9 defensive rating with Allen on the court was the best in the league, per NBA.com/Stats. Read more »