The Athletic released the second section of its NBA player rankings, Tier 4, on Tuesday.
This section has the 40th to 80th best players in the league, as described by Seth Partnow and his Athletic peers as “generally very good players, some of whom might grab an All-Star slot or two, but are not (or in the case of some are no longer) in the “perennial All-Star” conversation.”
Two Oklahoma City Thunder players made this section.
Second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was listed in this group, as was free-agent-to-be power forward Danilo Gallinari.
This tier itself was split into two groups, 4A and 4B. Both Thunder players were in the better section.
Partnow explained that Gilgeous-Alexander is in this category based on his “flashes of potential and expectation of future improvement.”
Last season, the guard’s 19 points per game led Oklahoma City, and he showed versatility with 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, often playing off-ball, and solid defense. In his first season as a primary option, Gilgeous-Alexander impressed and looked like he has All-Star potential.
The writer did not give Gallinari an individual description, but instead grouped him in with forwards Gordon Hayward, Joe Ingles and Tobias Harris.
Partnow wrote:
“This group of bigger wings who can all shoot, facilitate and even slide to the power forward slot at times doesn’t have the kind of elite individual talents needed to push its members into Tier 3, but by virtue of that versatility and range of skills are still highly valuable performers.”
Gallinari is entering free agency at a near-perfect time: He stayed healthy. He made the playoffs. He averaged 18.7 points, shot more than 40% from 3 and nearly 90% from the free throw line. And he enters the market at a time when stretch-fours are at a premium.
His only issues are things he cannot control. There is a projected salary cap decrease, and teams are trying to keep payrolls manageable ahead of the loaded 2021 free agency class.
In all other regards, he enters at a high note. Gallinari arguably the best player who will enter the market (no, Anthony Davis will not enter the market), and earned a distinction as one of the top 60 or so players in the league.
Tier 5, which was made of players ranked from around 80 to 125, included Thunder guard Dennis Schroder and center Steven Adams.
The third tier will be players who are perennial All-Star contenders, which will range to about the 15th-best player in the league, at which point it will turn to the All-NBA constants for Tier 2. The top five or so players will be in the franchise tier of The Athletic’s rankings.
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