NBA: Top 10 Players In The Eastern Conference

Mar 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
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Without top NBA talent, it’s hard to win much of anything. Do the Milwaukee Bucks have any of the 10 best players in the Eastern Conference?

Mar 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

NBA power rankings and top 10 lists are funny things. It’s pretty rare for anybody to agree completely with them–most fans who read them end up tweeting angrily at authors afterwards based on their team getting somehow hosed.

Still, people love reading (and writing) them. It’s fun to start a conversation, or an argument. So in that spirit, here’s a list of who the best ten players in the Eastern Conference will be next season.

Team fits are taken into account in these rankings, because they do matter. A certain shooting guard in Chicago is absolutely one of the ten most talented players in the East, but because his team decided to add two other guards who also can’t shoot he won’t be put in good positions to succeed this season, and thus wasn’t included here.

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Defense is also taken into account. Basketball is played on both ends–there are no designated hitters in the NBA. Players that are incredible on one end only to be underwhelming on the other lose spots for it.

Finally, remember that these are projections. They’re not exclusively based on what a player has done already, although past performance is obviously taken into account.

Next: Number Ten