NBArank roundtable – Surprises, snubs and LeBron James’ future

NBArank is in the books for the 2022-23 season. How’d we do?

Our top five was unveiled on Friday, with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo reclaiming the No. 1 spot following a three-year absence. The Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry rounded out the top five.

But the biggest headlines came from the bottom half of our top 10, where LeBron James (No. 6) and Kevin Durant (No. 8) suffered the most noteworthy falls, and where Ja Morant (No. 9) climbed into the upper tier of NBA superstars.

Following the release of the top 100 for 2022-23, we asked our panel of NBA Insiders — all of which were also part of the expert NBArank panel — to break down the countdown’s biggest surprises, what they would change in the top 10, which players will outperform their ranking and what lies ahead for LeBron.

NBArank 2022: Nos. 100-26 | Nos. 25-11 | Nos. 10-6 | Nos. 5-1

1. What would you change about NBArank’s top 10 for 2022-23?

Kendra Andrews: I would put Steph higher in the ranking, maybe at No. 3, and slide down Doncic and Embiid. Seeing how Curry ended last season — and how he performed for most of the regular season before his injury — it’s fair to rank him higher than where he was at the start of last year. He kept the Warriors at the top of the West through injuries to Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and led them to their fourth title.

Tim Bontemps: I was surprised Steph was fifth. He should’ve been second only to Giannis after that ridiculous run through the NBA playoffs, culminating in a championship for the fourth time in six seasons. Performing that way on the sport’s biggest stage should’ve earned him a bigger boost.

Tim MacMahon: I don’t have any major beef with the top 10, but I’d bump up Curry. He’s coming off a Finals MVP, which should serve as a tiebreaker if it’s close to a coin flip. Doncic and Embiid are absolutely deserving of top-five status — and…