1. Luka Doncic, 2018
Are we talking out of both sides of our mouths?
We ranked Brown ahead of Ball because of his portability. Isn't Tatum more portable than Doncic? Aren't Doncic's metrics inflated by his high usage?
Sure. Still, these are not one-to-one comparisons. Doncic is arguably the best playmaker in the NBA. You can build an offense around Ball, but you can build a Finals-caliber offense around Doncic.
Luka Doncic is the first player in NBA history to lead the playoffs in PTS • REB • AST • STL. pic.twitter.com/vrL3kNwh1t
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) June 18, 2024
What more can we say? With a career BPM of 7.8, Doncic is a perennial MVP candidate. If you'd take Tatum ahead of him, we won't argue.
If whoever the Rockets select even approaches either of them, it will be a Godsend.