How this works
These rankings are based on how much of an impact these players will have on championship teams. Individual skills doesn't always mean you are the better player if the way you play the game is not going translate the best on a championship roster.
The tiers
Tier 1 (Creams of the crop)
The best of the best.
Tier 2 (Superstars)
These players are not necessarily making historical impact of the players above, but are still very much superstars in this league and can still be #1's on championship teams.
Tier 3 (Borderline Superstars)
These players I would not consider true superstars, but their impact on the game comes close to that. It's questionable if you want any of these players to be your best player on a championship roster, but it can happen if the team is just very well constructed around these said players.
Tier 4 (All Star Impact)
You for sure cannot build a team around these players but they can definitely have the impact of a 2nd best player on a title team.
Tier 5 (3rd guys)
Just like it says, players than can be 3rd best players on championship teams.
Tier 6 (Best "Role Players")
This tier is designed for players considered one of the best "role players" in the NBA. I put that in quotes because I find that term very disrespectful considering their impact on the basketball court is far greater than what that word implies and yet these players are never really considered stars. These players can also be the 3rd most important player on championship teams or 4th depending on how good the team is.
Tier 7 (The Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal Tier)
Its hard to really put them in a specific category, they aren't tweeners because they can for sure fit on title teams, and they are more impactful than the players in key starters. However the tier above are full of players that are for sure more impactful than these 2.
Tier 8 (Tweeners)
Talent wise, these players are probably top 40, these are very skilled basketball players. The issue is the way they play the game is that of a 1st option when in reality they are not capable of being that on a team serious of competing for a championship, and if you want them to play a smaller role, they won't be able to impact the team in a way to set that team up for more success. However they are too talented that putting them any lower than this is not correct.
Tier 9 (Key Starters)
The following players can be important starters on a championship roster. Think like a 4th most important player on a title team
Tier 10 (Floor Generals)
4th/5th options who focus on distributing the ball, and hitting shots when they have to. These are also key starters, but to somewhat of a lesser extent
Tier 11 (The Coby White and Malik Monk Tier)
Combination of the above tier, and the bottom tier. Not a true floor general but a much better playmaker than the guys below him and still is a good bucket getter in their own rights
Tier 12 (Bucket Getters)
These players are out there to do one job and one job only, get buckets. Then again, none of these guys are Cam Thomas level in terms of not passing the ball (Which is why spoiler, he's not on the list), but their main focus is bucket getting which on a title team would be a 6th man role getting starting minutes or a 5th guy in the starting lineup depending on the depth of the position.
Tier 13 (The Rest)
The rest
Tier 1 (The creams of the crop)
Nikola Jokic
Joel Embiid
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Luka Doncic
Tier 2 (The Superstars)
Kevin Durant
Kawhi Leonard
Jayson Tatum
Lebron James
Stephen Curry
Devin Booker
Ja Morant
Jalen Brunson
Tier 3 (The Borderline Superstars)
Anthony Davis
Donovan Mitchell
Anthony Edwards
Zion Williamson
Paul George
Kyrie Irving
Tier 4 (All Star Impact)
Victor Wembanayama
Tyrese Maxey
Jamal Murray
Jalen Williams
Karl Anthony-Towns
Jimmy Butler
Kristaps Porzingis
Scottie Barnes
Tyrese Haliburton
De'Aaron Fox
Trae Young
Lauri Markknanan
Chet Holmgren
Bam Adebayo
Desmond Bane
Jaylen Brown
Damian Lillard
Tier 5 (3rd guys)
Pascal Siakam
Rudy Gobert
James Harden
Jrue Holiday
LaMelo Ball
Jaren Jackson Jr
Jarrett Allen
Domantas Sabonis
Alperen Sengun
Julius Randle
Tier 6 (Best "Role Players")
OG Anunoby
Draymond Green
Evan Mobley
Derrick White
Mikal Bridges
Keegan Murray
Franz Wagner
Deni Avdija
Aaron Gordon
Michael Porter Jr
Trey Murphy
Herb Jones
**Tier 7 (The Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine Tier)
Bradley Beal
Zach LaVine
Tier 8 (Tweeners)
Brandon Ingram
Demar Derozan
Paolo Banchero
Tier 9 (Key Starter)
Dejounte Murray
Jalen Johnson
Jalen Suggs
Alex Caruso
Donte DiVincenzo
Brook Lopez
Devin Vassell
Jaden McDaniels
Austin Reaves
Kentavious Caldwell Pope
Tier 10 (Floor Generals)
Darius Garland
D'Angelo Russell
Cade Cunningham
Fred VanVleet
Mike Conley
Malcolm Brogdon
Tier 11 (The Malik Monk and Coby White Tier)
Coby White
Malik Monk
Tier 12 (Bucket Getters)
CJ McCollum
Khris Middleton
Jonathan Kuminga
RJ Barrett
Tyler Herro
Colin Sexton
Anfernee Simons
Miles Bridges
Kyle Kuzma
Immanaual Quickley
Jerami Grant
Tier 13 (The Rest)
Grayson Allen
Isaiah Hartenstein
Myles Turner
DeAndre Ayton
Dillon Brooks
Marcus Smart
Daniel Gafford
Jabari Smith Jr
Bobby Portis
EDIT: GIANNIS IS AT 5 I FORGOT HIM. MOVE EVERYONE DOWN ONE