Brick by Brick: Pyramid 3.0

In the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdown, we started a task that seemed like an enjoyable, if time-consuming diversion from the unfortunate realities facing us. At the time, the world was in total lockdown, the NBA season had been postponed indefinitely, and we had never seriously considered who we felt were the greatest NBA players of all time. Thankfully, those things have now been rectified, to varying degrees of success.

As far as March 2020 feels, on the other side of the coin it’s bizarre that since the original publishing of our pyramid, three new NBA champions have been crowned. Following the Lakers bubble run, we took a preliminary look at where players generally landed. Although obvious players like Jimmy Butler and Anthony Davis made serious steps in their historical standing, it felt premature to re-publish an entire list. However, now with the Bucks and Warriors runs in the rearview mirror, we are long overdue.

Here is our Pyramid 1.0.

With another NBA Finals in the books and a new season rapidly approaching, we’re going to take a look at just how much has changed.

Chris Paul — #28

Now that we have those out of the way. Let’s talk about Chris Paul. If you can remember that far back, CP3 played the 2020 season for OKC, and had a fantastic showing. He was locked in at #29, firmly ahead of John Stockton. We praised his floor-raising ability, and he put to bed any questions surrounding his postseason chops, as he took a far inferior Thunder team to a Game 7 versus the Rockets.

As mentioned with Harden and Westbrook, it is hard at a certain point to make progress. Especially so in the top thirty. The guys in CP3’s range are the likes of Pippen, Isiah Thomas, Rick Barry, D-Wade. We hit that point home talking about CP3 — you have to play on a contender to move the needle. Well, what has happened?

To lay it out in front, Paul acquired two more Second-Teams in 2020, and 2021, and Third-Team this past year. He was the primary engine on the 2021 Suns, coming within a few superhuman Giannis plays of winning his elusive ring. To put it mildly, a Finals appearance is huge. After failing to get out of the second round for years, he was as close as anyone in the 2018 Rockets-Warriors series. But actually helping get the Suns there is a monumental achievement, and for the general public, hopefully confirms a lot of peoples’ beliefs that there is a world where CP3 could be a primary guy on a championship team.

Off the bat, a Finals appearance further confirms Paul’s spot in front of Stockton, which was basically the Jazz’s point guard only trump card. Although the assists are impressive, it’s not like Paul is a slouch, currently in 3rd in assists behind only Stockton and Kidd. I think making the Finals, plus his longevity, leaves me more comfortable keeping him above Kawhi (more on him later).

Finally CP3’s past two seasons on such high-quality teams, puts him in front of Rick Barry for us as well.

Anthony Davis — #41

It’s hard to remember given how the Lakers have looked both last season, and heading into this one. Anthony Davis was on top of the world, fulfilling the promise of his younger self brought from New Orleans, putting up 30+ PER seasons before he could rent a car. Before his ring, Davis was ranked #82. After winning a title as the 1B, and spearheading a fantastic defence, Davis comfortably jumped into the top 50. In fact, all the way to #41. He needs to continue to log All-Star and All-NBA seasons to continue to climb. He is in Tier 4 — hallowed territory for MVP candidates and multiple championship winners. He is unfortunately in Shaq/Dwight Howard territory at the moment, with the fears of what-ifs and what-coulda-beens lying in the weeds, despite an unbelievable career even if he retires tomorrow. I think he has more in him, and I am rooting for him to climb farther up this list. More on Davis to come — he is long overdue a Brick by Brick article.

Giannis Antetokounmpo — #34

How high is the ceiling for Giannis? We pencilled him in at an intentionally low #69 during the 2020 season, and bumped him to the mid 60s after winning his second MVP. We like to act on current players slowly, but still, that felt like a trudge. The lowest back to back MVP other than Giannis was Nash in the late 30s. The only MVPs lower than the 50s (at that point) were McAdoo and Derrick Rose. On the backs of Giannis’ playoff run and historic Finals, it was an easy leapfrog into the mid 30s. He already has two MVPs, two more top-5 finishes (plus one 6th), and a DPoY, and is showing zero signs of slowing down. With one ring, the Giannis comp to David Robinson is an easy one. I have been debating moving The Admiral up separately, and so it feels like this could be an easy jump. Bucks are my pick to win the Finals, and with Giannis almost assumed to finish in top-5 MVP voting again, he can easily climb up this list. We’ll remain similarly behind the 8-ball on his historical pedigree for now. If you want a barrier to examine him crossing, look at where KG and D-Wade are. How far is Giannis from eclipsing them?

Steph Curry — #14

What a delight it is to watch this man play basketball. The pendulum swung from the most beloved player, to the part of one of the most villainous franchises of all time, back to being beloved. Steph’s 4th ring is unimpeachable. Being the sole great player, being the straw that stirs the drink, and not some glorified ‘system player’, Steph proved any doubter very wrong. Breaking down an historic defence that badly, making mince meat of the recently crowned Defensive Player of the Year, adding elements to his game, while his dynastic counterparts show signs of age.

His Game 4, 43 point masterpiece down 2–1 versus the Celtics is his magnum opus:

What does this mean? Curry was slotted at 23, and comfortably launches into the mythical Pantheon alongside the true greats. 4 rings, 2 MVPs, and some of the most unique and innovative stats and shots taken to get there, everything is gravy for Steph at this point. An impressive statement given that the Warriors are right in the thick of NBA contenders as well. Well I’m assuming that no one has any major quibble with what’s just been said, our placement of Steph over KD, all the way to #14, might be different. More on that eventually.

Kevin Durant — #15

While there is only praise for what Curry has achieved, and being (perhaps unjustly) constantly considered an underdog, there should similarly be no shame for what KD has accomplished. His standing in the Pantheon felt (perhaps unfairly) mildly tenuous during 2020. Though Durant’s Nets tenure is unfortunately going to be the draw of far too many tell-all books in 15 years time, he has still built on his legacy. He’s built on it to comfortably be in the Pantheon in our mind, and to jump past Moses Malone.

As many have pointed out, Durant was toe away from beating the Milwaukee Bucks, and being right in the mix for a 3rd ring. Though he has added to the drama, much has happened around him, in spite of Durant’s consistency when has been on the floor. His skills have never wavered. The same can’t be said for Kyrie, Harden, or Simmons. Durant has only proven how malleable and portable he is in a variety of situations, with a continual ability to play at an MVP level. Because of LeBron, we take it for granted how impressive it is Durant is still that dude at age 34, still comfortably logging a Second Team All-NBA season.

Jimmy Butler — #100

Jimmy Butler is a tough player to measure. It reminds me of the lamentations for Russell Wilson never receiving an MVP vote a couple years ago. Yes, that seems crazy. But just when exactly would you have picked him over Mahomes, Rodgers, Brady, etc.? Acknowledging Wilson or Butler are not Tier 1 players shouldn’t take away from their greatness.

We wrote a Butler Brick by Brick article following the Heat’s run to the Finals. I do think he is underrated historically. Outside of his Finals run, he has been a key piece on many very good teams. He has racked up All-NBAs. He is a foul-drawing machine, despite less of a ‘bag’ than many of the other free throw leaders. He just simply sucks to play against. Looking at our Top 100 and beyond, it honestly feels like I could interchange most people from 70–110. Butler is right on that bubble, but I think he deserves to be there, extrapolating a little bit with what he is going to accumulate with multiple more solid years in Miami. That bumps Chris Mullin down and out, and after looking at Mullin’s career, I feel good about it.

Dame Lillard — #99

I struggle with Lillard. I’d like to think I’m one of his biggest defenders. Qualitatively, he is ridiculous, and far better than many people on this list. To my surprise, he made the NBA Top 75 list, and was ranked #68 all time by The Athletic.

Like Kevin Garnett, how do you adjust for a player who struggled to make playoff runs? How do you measure the impressiveness of yet another first round exit? Lillard has done little to boost his legacy since 2020, and I am not optimistic about the Blazers chances to exceed expectations this year.

It’s hard to leave him here after my historical comparison to Allen Iverson. (Part 1 and Part 2). In the name of growth, we are leaving Lillard at #99 for now, but I am looking forward to doing even more work to contextualize him in the near future, to give him the praise he deserves. He is one of the most offensively talented players ever, and has top 5 MVP finishes. His consistency in elevating the Blazers to a team far greater than they ever had any business being, for that many years, is a rare feat.

Kawhi (#31) & Paul George (#95)

I am once again reticent to write much on Kawhi and PG, given the lack of progress made in their historical standing since joining forces. This is Year 4 for the Clippers. Hard to believe. They have not made it past the second round, and lost in inexcusable fashion to the Nuggets no less. Still, they have racked up further individual accomplishments, further adding to their career goodness. Could you have told me Kawhi made First Team All-NBA in 2021? The years have truly blended together since Rudy Gobert lit the world on fire.

Kawhi is a unique entity for a player comfortably in the top 35. I think if you lined up PG with a lot of other players in a Player X v. Player Y fashion, he’d be a lot higher than 95. I will be moving him up soon. For now, I would just love to see these two play some high level basketball in a once again fantastic Western Conference.

Lebron James- #2

LeBron’s 4th title has firmly landed him in a singular tier with MJ. It’s hard to fully remember, but I’m not quite sure that was such a consensus to have him clear cut above Kareem and Russell (the obvious 3/4 in a 1B tier of their own). Without coming within 100 miles of a GOAT debate. LeBron got that ever important fourth ring, and despite a visible slow down in terms of games played, logged two more All-Star season, Second-Team and a measly Third-Team, all at an average of 25 and 30 PPG the past two seasons, respectively.

Russell Westbrook — #52

Without getting into too many weeds, Russell Westbrook has played zero additive basketball legacy-wise since our original publishing. In many ways that’s a credit to him. With being right outside the top fifty, it’s tough to make incremental progress.

James Harden — #35

In May 2020, shortly after publishing our original top 100, we did a huge 3-piece deep dive on James Harden, and landed on him at #36. Shortly thereafter, we bumped him ahead of Willis Reed, to remain at #35, but behind David Robinson. He has also been jumped by Giannis, but we moved Bill Walton further down, thus keeping him pegged in the same slot. Although Harden’s performance hasn’t been quite as destructive as Westbrook’s, I will remain similary succint and say that not a lot of has gone on since the 2020 season for him, and leave it at that.

Credit to the legend, Zach Lowe, perfectly articulating my thoughts on Harden. I think it’s reasonable to assume the MVP Harden is gone. But next to Joel Embiid, Harden just has to be a Third Team All-NBA level guy — aka one of the 15 best players in the league, for the Sixers to have a chance. I think he can be, and I think they (the Sixers) do. If Harden can win, or even make the Finals, in that context, there is still a lot of room for growth.

The rest

After the Lakers title run, as we re-visited both active and inactive players, and added new entrants. We had Damian Lillard move up to #96, Kyrie Irving at #100, and Chauncey Billups at #99. We will get to more on Lillard soon, but unfortunately for Billups and Kyrie, who have basically contributed equivalent amounts to their on-court legacy in the past two years, have been leapfrogged, by Jokic, Embiid, and Jimmy Butler. So Kyrie and Billups’ entries are currently moot.

But wait? Where are Jokic and Embiid? To confirm, they are on our top 100, and quickly climbing. They are in a tricky spot, because they are too young to fully delve into. A brief entry point by way of a paragraph, or footnote at the bottom of an article, seems like a disservice as well. Like others above, more on them in the near future.