The next installment of Fadeaway World’s top 100 NBA players for the 2023-24 season features young and talented stars such as Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, and Darius Garland.
The dust has settled somewhat from the release of our 100-51 ranked NBA players for the 2023-24 season. Although there were plenty of criticisms of our list, the positive feedback far outweighed the negative as we move into the beginning of the elite part of our list. The next 20 players on our list are all “needle-movers” for their respective teams and will undoubtedly have a massive impact on the league in 2023-24.
Every player on this list has either been in the top 30 at one point in their careers and is slipping as they age or has the potential to be top 30 by the end of the 2023-24 season and is surging up the rankings. There are plenty of first-time All-Stars like Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers and players on the cusp of All-NBA Team selections like Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Some players have come in and turned around the fortunes of a once desolate franchise like Jalen Brunson with the Knicks and ones who are hoping to do so in 2023-24 like Jaren Jackson Jr. with the Grizzlies.
If you are curious about our previous rankings, you can see them here:
Ranking The Top NBA Players For The 2023-24 Season: 100-51
Now, it is time to reveal the top 50-31 NBA players for the 2023-24 season.
50. Khris Middleton
Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Before injuries struck at the end of the 2021-22 season, Khris Middleton was an All-Star looking to aid in Milwaukee’s pursuit of an NBA championship. His wrist issues would keep him out for the entirety of the 2022 playoffs and cause him to miss 46 games in 2022-23. This resulted in one of his worst seasons since arriving in Milwaukee and caused many fans to seemingly forget what he meant to the Bucks’ championship run in 2021.
Middleton was even being called the Bucks’ closer in tight games and the second-best player on a championship team. Those are not labels someone earns just from being on the court. With so much time missed and spent away from the game, Middleton nearly fell apart in the games he was available in 2022-23, especially the playoffs.
Now, he heads into the 2023-24 season with a chip on his shoulder as championship expectations once again hit the City of Milwaukee with the acquisition of Damian Lillard. Instead of being looked at to be the closer for the Bucks, all Middleton has to do is be better than he was in 2022-23 for those expectations to become a reality. With a ton of defensive attention being on Lillard and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, I expect Khris Middleton to return to All-Star form and help lead a deep Milwaukee playoff run this season.
49. Michael Porter Jr.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 17.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG
The 2022-23 season was one of vindication for Michael Porter Jr. and the Denver Nuggets. Porter missed almost all of 2021-22 with a back injury that has ailed him since his college days and became a concern early on in his professional career. He answered those concerns in 2022-23 with 62 games played and 17.4 points per game on 48.7% shooting overall. He also shot 41.4% from three and 80.0% from the foul line to help them earn the number-one seed in the West.
Porter’s comeback continued in the NBA playoffs with 13.4 points per game on 42.3% shooting as the Nuggets went on to win their first championship in franchise history. Of course, Porter’s shocking shot selection had the memes rolling in but nevertheless, the strategy worked and Denver was standing atop the NBA hierarchy when the smoke cleared on the NBA season.
Heading into 2023-24, Porter should have his sights set on an All-Star caliber season for Denver who lost some key pieces on both sides of the ball this summer. Hopefully, the pressure of being defending champions doesn’t get to Porter’s head forcing him to keep taking ill-advised shots early in possessions. If he remains healthy and productive, the Nuggets will remain championship contenders in 2023-24 and beyond.
48. Mikal Bridges
Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 20.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
The 2022-23 season was a tale of two halves for Mikal Bridges coming off an All-Defensive Team selection and Defensive Player of the Year finalist run in 2021-22. Bridges began the season with the Suns where he averaged 17.2 points per game on 46.3% shooting from the field. Shockingly, he was included in the deal that would send Kevin Durant to the desert and Bridges to Brooklyn.
Once in Brooklyn, Mikal Bridges found a new gear and showed off his full offensive repertoire being given the keys to the kingdom for the first time in his young career. In 27 starts for the Nets, he would average 26.1 points per game on 47.5% shooting overall and 37.6% shooting from three while remaining an elite defender on the other side of the ball.
For the first time in his career, Bridges heads into a season as the main offensive option for a franchise in 2023-24. The Nets were just 12-15 in games in which Bridges took the court for them before being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the 76ers. For Bridges, he just needs to build on the incredible run he had with them at the end of last season in order to improve their spot in the standings. No one expects Brooklyn to be in championship talks but Bridges at his best can lead them to a playoff or play-in spot no doubt.
47. Aaron Gordon
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 16.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Many may be left scratching their heads at Aaron Gordon’s placement on this top 100 list but for those of us who intensely watched last year’s playoffs, we know it is warranted. In his second full season since coming over to the Nuggets via trade in 2021, Gordon put up some of his best all-around numbers since 2018, averaging 16.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on 56.4% shooting from the field.
Gordon proved to be a perfect complement to Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt with his beautiful movement away from the ball allowing Jokic to find him at the rim. As we saw in the NBA playoffs, his defense was the real hero of the season as Gordon did an incredible job in holding some of the Western Conference’s best offensive threats to miserable shooting nights.
In 2023-24, Gordon will be essential to any chance that the Nuggets have of repeating as NBA champions. His offense will be a bonus compared to how crucial his defensive play will be with the losses of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green this offseason. As long as he is healthy and on the court, Gordon will be the x-factor in another successful Denver Nuggets season and beyond.
46. Deandre Ayton
Credit: Fadeaway World
2022-23 Stats: 18.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG
For the last few seasons, Deandre Ayton has been a double-double machine for the Phoenix Suns. Armed with a beautiful mid-range shot and soft touch around the basket, the former number-one overall pick helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021 and capture the NBA’s best record in 2022.
While this was going on, however, a black cloud was hanging over Ayton with late-game benchings in playoff games and a tumultuous relationship with then-Suns coach Monty Williams. After another disappointing end to Phoenix’s season in the playoffs, Ayton was included by Phoenix in the deal that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee and Ayton to Portland to join the Trail Blazers.
This will end up being the perfect situation for Ayton who looked ecstatic to join his new team for Media Day activities this past week. Ayton will face minimal pressure and scrutiny on a team rebuilding for the future and ushering in a new era of Trail Blazers basketball. As a starting center, Ayton gives Portland a ton of hope to achieve that goal as essentially a guaranteed double-double almost every night he steps on the floor.
45. Rudy Gobert
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 13.4 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG
There was a time not long ago when Rudy Gobert was a lock for the top 25 on this list without hesitation. Over the last two seasons with Utah and Minnesota, his stock has taken quite the hit with a deteriorating defensive impact and a limited offensive game. After his trade reset the market last summer when he arrived in Minnesota, to say he disappointed in his first season with the Timberwolves would be an understatement even as they headed toward the NBA playoffs for the second straight season.
Defensively, he is still an elite rim protector and shot blocker who makes opponents think twice about attacking the rim when he is in the paint. However, opponents have been targeting him in pick-and-roll situations for quite some time now and feast on those opportunities to make him uncomfortable and drag him further away from the basket where he is a sitting duck.
What we need to see from Gobert in the 2023-24 season is a return to the relentless rebounder and defender he was just a few seasons ago in Utah. While still among the elite rebounders in the NBA, Gobert has let his offensive game fall way too far to the wayside. He can truly take the Timberwolves to another level in 2023-24 with even a slightly improved post game and finishing around the rim. Oh, and he must avoid fighting with teammates as the playoffs approach too.
44. Chris Paul
Credit: Fadeaway World
2022-23 Stats: 13.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Chris Paul had an interesting summer, to say the least. After being traded to Washington in the deal that sent Bradley Beal to Phoenix, Paul was then dealt by the Wizards to Golden State in exchange for Jordan Poole. Many scratched their head at the move for the Warriors who had just signed Poole to an extension following their 2022 NBA championship run.
With Paul, the Warriors are getting one of the smartest and most methodical point guards in NBA history. He gets added to an offense with generational talents such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as well. As one of the better mid-range shooters in NBA history, Paul is set to have a rejuvenated 2023-24 season at the age of 38.
Nobody expects Paul to be the same as he was in his prime but if you do not think he is going to have a positive impact on an offense like the Warriors, you must be crazy. The pressure of being a true point guard is alleviated from Curry, allowing Paul to do what he does best as a floor general and Curry to work around screens to find his open spots. It seems like a step backward for Golden State on paper but adding a point guard like Paul who has positively impacted every team he has ever been a part of could end up being a game-changer for a Warriors team seeking their fifth NBA title since 2015.
43. Evan Mobley
Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 16.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG
In his second season in 2022-23, Evan Mobley once again helped anchor a Cavaliers defense to the NBA playoffs. Mobley also slightly improved as a scorer and rebounder while earning All-Defensive Team honors for the first time in his young NBA career, leading the Cavaliers to 51 wins and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
While most await the offensive part of his game to catch up to his defense, Mobley has been as impactful as it gets for a second-year player in Cleveland. Together with Jarrett Allen, Mobley helps form one of the most intimidating defensive frontcourts in the NBA today but the most impressive part of his defense is his versatility. Mobley can hang with much smaller forwards and guards out on the perimeter, making their lives just as miserable as the bigs who challenge him in the post.
In 2023-24, there is a lot riding on Mobley’s shoulders for the continued improvement of this Cavaliers team. I expect him to remain an All-Defensive player but I also expect his offense, and more particularly his scoring, to greatly improve in year three. Mobley has already shown that he can be relied upon as a scorer in the post and if he masters his short jumper this season, he has a chance to enter the best two-way player in the Eastern Conference conversation.
42. Kristaps Porzingis
Credit: Fadeaway World
2022-23 Stats: 23.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.5 BPG
The 2022-23 NBA season was one big hurdle for Kristaps Porzingis to get over in his NBA career, and he cleared it with room to spare. For the first time since 2017, Porzingis played over 60 games in a season and averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game while grabbing 8.4 rebounds and blocking 1.5 shots per game on 49.8% shooting overall and 38.5% from three.
After such a rejuvenated season for Porzingis, this offseason came with excitement as the big man headed into free agency. Porzingis was soon traded to the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal that saw Boston commit to Porzingis by letting go of fan-favorite Marcus Smart. Porzingis now faces a ton of pressure in Boston because of that fact, and Boston proceeded to trade defensive anchor Robert Williams III to acquire Jrue Holiday as well.
Now, Boston is heavily relying on Porzingis to not only be a devastating offensive option but an even bigger defensive presence in the paint along with an aging Al Horford. The crazy thing is, barring any health issues, I fully believe that Porzingos can prove to be the missing piece for Boston’s championship hopes. He gives their best offensive frontcourt player since Kevin Garnett in the 2000s and a spark they have not had outside of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in years.
41. Dejounte Murray
Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 20.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG
After spending the first five seasons of his career with the Spurs, Dejounte Murray spent the 2022-23 season as the backcourt partner of Trae Young with the Atlanta Hawks. Murray’s first season did not go to plan in Atlanta with inner turmoil within the team and coaching changes midway through the season derailing a promising season.
Heading into his second season with the Hawks, expectations are tempered for now. Murray proved to be an excellent counterpart to Trae Young’s presence in the backcourt as a defensive presence who can still put up 20.0 points per game. I expect more fluid chemistry from Murray and his Hawks teammates in 2023-24, especially under new head coach Quin Snyder.
If they can get on the same page and play to each other’s strengths, I see no reason why Young and Murray cannot be a top-10 duo in the 2023-24 season. For now, we can keep those expectations dim but Murray could be the key to another deep playoff run for a Hawks team full of talent.
Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 21.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 10.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG
James Harden has had a rollercoaster of a ride over the last three seasons, bouncing around from team to team with unhappiness and greed fueling his moves. Harden’s play on the court has only taken a small step back in terms of his offensive play as he is no longer the scoring champion he once was yet is coming off a 2022-23 season in which he led the NBA in assists with 10.7 per game.
His play on the court isn’t the main concern though. Well, other than his inconsistent collapse in the NBA playoffs against the Celtics. Clearly, he is still valuable to a team with another star in the lineup as he was in Philadelphia. The problem is, even as he requested a trade from the 76ers this summer, a team is still waiting to offer what the 76ers want in terms of a return for his services.
This makes it a near-impossible situation for Harden. He can either swallow his pride and take the court for the 76ers again or he can deal with the fact that nobody wants a proven team headache anymore in exchange for his performance on the court. James Harden will be an asset wherever he goes, that is a certainty. The only problem is, that he can also be a massive distraction that ends up crushing a team’s hopes for title contention.
39. Darius Garland
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 21.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
When the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Darius Garland with their fifth overall pick in 2019, I don’t think many expected the levels he would reach in such a short period of time. Over the last two seasons specifically, Garland has become one of the top scorers, playmakers, passers, and shooters at the point guard position, leading Cleveland to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023.
Garland didn’t miss a beat as the Cavaliers added Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen to the mix, and even became an All-Star for the first time in 2022. He shot 41.0% from three in 2022-23, the first season in which he eclipsed 40.0% from deep range. In their first season together, Garland and Mitchell were one of the best and highest-scoring backcourt duos in the NBA, injecting excitement into a city that didn’t have much to cheer for after the departure of LeBron James in 2018.
Heading into 2023-24, Garland is ranked among the top point guards in basketball and thus, has Cleveland toward the top of Eastern Conference standings predictions as well. As long as he doesn’t suffer another freak injury as he did in 2022-23, I expect him to remain an All-Star candidate and maybe even an All-NBA Team candidate as well as he continuously adapts and improves as a scoring and playmaking force, helping lead the Cavaliers to higher heights in 2023-24.
38. Julius Randle
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 25.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 4.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
In 2022-23, the New York Knicks had one of their best seasons in nearly a decade, going 47-35 in the regular season and advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs. A big reason for that was the re-emergence of Julius Randle as a scoring, rebounding, and playmaking force for New York just as he had been in 2021.
Randle would average a career-high 25.1 points on 45.9% shooting from the field and earn the second All-Star selection of his career which have both come in a Knicks uniform since 2021. Randle was exceptional as an aggressive scorer and tenacious presence in the paint for a Knicks team in desperate need for him to return to this form in order to compete.
In 2023-24, the only fear facing Julius Randle is that he will regress as he did in 2021-22 as he did after a promising 2021 season. The way things were trending for Randle hardly suggests that will be the case despite being held in check by Bam Adebayo in this year’s playoffs. Randle should be a consistent double-double presence for the Knicks once again as long as they continue to thrive with Jalen Brunson running the offense and R.J. Barrett’s continued improvement.
37. Lauri Markkanen
Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 25.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Anyone who tells you that they saw the type of season Lauri Markkanen had in 2022-23 coming is lying through their teeth. Markkanen was almost an afterthought in the deal that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland while Markkanen landed in Utah with the Jazz. By the end of the season, he nearly looked like the featured piece of the deal.
In 66 games with Utah last season, Markkanen averaged a career-high 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He took home the NBA’s Most Improved Player award as well as All-Star honors for the first time. Even though the Jazz eventually fell out of the playoff race, Markkanen’s play and ascension to being one of the league’s premier forwards sped up the process of a Jazz rebuild.
Of all the things that stood out about Markkanen’s improvement in 20223 that I will transfer to 2023-24, was his shot-making and efficiency. Markkanen is in the perfect situation and a system that will allow him to be the best version of himself in Utah without the pressure of a big market or team with championship aspirations. I do, however, expect him to have the Jazz in play-in contention at the very least by season’s end.
36. Tyrese Haliburton
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 20.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 10.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
The entire NBA world was shocked when Tyrese Haliburton was traded by the Sacramento Kings at the 2021-22 trade deadline to the Indiana Pacers. In what turned out to be one of the most even trades in 20 years, Haliburton has thrived in a Pacer uniform, becoming one of the NBA’s most talented facilitators, playmakers, and scorers at the point guard position.
In his first full season with Indiana, Haliburton became an NBA All-Star for the first time while leading the league in assists for most of the season. He averaged a career-high 20.7 points per game while shooting 49.0% from the field and 40.0% from three. Haliburton would eventually miss 26 games due to injury and thus, the Pacers fell out of any chance they had at the NBA playoffs or play-in.
Haliburton’s leap in his third season has expectations high in 2023-24 for the Pacers, as they should be. He has already displayed the leadership and tenacity it takes from a veteran to usher in a new era of basketball in Indiana. In year two, it is time that the entire team follow his lead and get back to the NBA playoffs as a team that could make some serious noise and break a lot of hearts along the way.
35. Jalen Brunson
Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 24.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 6.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
When Jalen Bruson left the Mavericks for the Knicks in Sumer 2022, it was labeled an extreme overpay for an “unproven” player despite his success with Dallas in the previous two postseasons. By the end of 2022-23, Brunson was being labeled the steal of free agency while leading the Knicks to the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Now at the helm of his own offense, Brunson led the Knicks to 47 wins and a defeat of the Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. His bursts of scoring helped the Knicks when the pair of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were nowhere to be found but also as a playmaker that elevated both of their games.
The 2023-24 season should be no different. Brunson continues to show his deep understanding of the game with every passing second he spends on the floor for the Knicks. He makes everyone around him better and is able to take over games as a scorer when that is not an option. Brunson should have been an All-Star in 2022-23, and with that chip on his shoulder, I believe he will be in 2023-24.
34. Jrue Holiday
Credit: Fadeaway World
2022-23 Stats: 19.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
The 2023 NBA offseason has been an incredible whirlwind for Jrue Holiday who began the summer as a Milwaukee Bucks but by Media Day, was a member of the Boston Celtics. As a casualty of the Damian Lillard trade to Milwaukee, Holiday was the NBA’s hottest commodity for about a week before being dealt again to the Celtics in a shocking deal that turned the East on its side.
Holiday arrives in Boston as a perfect replacement, and even an upgrade, over Marcus Smart who the Celtics dealt to Memphis earlier in the offseason. As one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, it cost Boston reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon as well as young rim protector Robert Williams III. The trade is worth the gamble though as Holiday is coming off an All-Star season with over 19.0 points and 7.0 assists per game.
Holiday gives Boston much more offensive production from the point guard position than they had with Smart while having an elite defensive presence once again. With all of the weapons the Celtics had already, and have added, the 33-year-old point guard is set to take on an easy transition from one of the best teams in the East to another. As long as he is healthy and producing near the same level as in 2022-23, he could have the Celtics on a collision course with his former employers.
33. Jaren Jackson Jr.
Credit: Allison Farrand-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 18.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.0 BPG
As the second part of our top 100 winds down, we arrive at number 33 and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. For the second season in a row in 2022-23, Jackson led the NBA with 3.0 blocks per game as the Grizzlies went on to win 51 games and earn the second-seed in the West.
Jackson was a monumental part of Memphis’ success thanks in part to his elite defensive presence but also thanks to a career-high 18.6 points per game. The biggest knock on his aggressive style of play though was his inability to stay out of foul trouble which often took Memphis right out of close games. With this, and a need for more production as a rebounder, the 24-year-old heads into his biggest season yet with the Grizzlies.
Thanks to a 25-game suspension to be served by Ja Morant, Jackson is going to be relied upon much more heavily than in seasons past to begin the season. Jackson will be asked to repeat his All-Star and All-Defensive ways from 2022-23 but provide even more of a spark on the offensive end. He will have help from his teammates but he has to be the one who leads them. I am banking on that being the case for a Memphis team hungry for redemption.
32. Zach LaVine
Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 24.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Despite struggles that saw the Chicago Bulls fail to make the NBA playoffs, and rumors of unhappiness swirled, Zach LaVine had a season worthy of the top 35 in 2022-23. LaVine failed to make an All-Star team for a third straight season but averaged over 24.0 points per game for the fourth straight season in Chicago, leading the team for the entirety of the year.
LaVine also played at least 70 games in a season for the first time since he played all 82 in 2016. These are all good signs for a Bulls team desperately wanting out of this rut they have been in as a franchise since Michael Jordan left in 1998. LaVine can get them there if the Bulls come together as a unit and they start to win some games. Otherwise, we could possibly see him in another uniform come trade deadline time in 2023-24.
31. DeMar DeRozan
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
2022-23 Stats: 24.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Just as I have them ranked almost right in the middle as a duo, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan find themselves right next to each other individually heading into 2023-24. DeRozan is coming off his second straight All-Star appearance in Chicago and it seems like Billy Donovan has the offense running through at this point.
DeRozan has been Chicago’s best complete player over the last two seasons, and I once again believe that will be the case in 2023-24. DeRozan has completely stepped his game up as a playmaker and defender since joining the Bulls last season and still shows the ability to play like an MVP for stretches of games. As great as he has been in Chicago, the team has not lived up to the hype which brings in questions about just how impactful his play is.
DeRozan is just 34 years old heading into 2023-24 and has a season or two left as Chicago’s outright leader. If he and LaVine can get more in sync while elevating the rest of the team around them, Chicago will not be forced to break this core apart and can pursue bigger things than a measly play-in spot of first-round exit.
