Nick Crain

11/22/22

                As the 2022-23 season continues to unfold, the conversation around who should win the MVP award is starting to take place. The league is filled with some of the most talented athletes we’ve seen in quite some time, making it even more difficult to pinpoint who the best player in the NBA is.   With that in mind, the ProFitX Athledex is able to, both, place value based on real-time performance and make performance projections throughout the entire season.   It’s still relatively early, but who are the top ten players in the NBA based on real-time performance value?  

     

1. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

Despite being in the first season of his new max contract, Doncic is already outperforming it. A current frontrunner for MVP, he clocks in as the most valuable player in our real-time performance model.  

2. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

We still haven’t reached the day in which James starts to fade and is no longer one of the top players in the NBA. At 37 years old, he’s still arguably the face of the league and a force not to be slept on.  

3. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

The greatest shooter in the world might be on a struggling team early in the season, but he’s still proving to be a once in a generational talent. Coming off of a championship, he’s still irreplaceable.  

4. James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers)

Harden signed a team-friendly deal in the offseason, hoping to win a title in Philadelphia. Early in the season, he’s playing his best basketball as a Sixer and meshing with his teammates.    

5. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Can the Suns get over the hump this season? They’ve gotten off to a hot start, led by their franchise cornerstone in Booker.    

6. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)

A rising superstar, Morant has been perhaps the most lethal scorer in the NBA through the first few weeks of the season. As such, he’s a top-ten player based on performance value.      

7. LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)

While Ball hasn’t been healthy this season, we project he’s going to have a huge year in Charlotte. He’s set for a breakout season en route to a potential playoff appearance from the Hornets. He’s always an athlete to look out for.    

8. Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Now that he’s playing alongside a star guard in the backcourt, Young has unlocked new pieces of his game. If the Hawks are going to make the playoffs this season, he’ll need to continue making strides and emerge as a legitimate top ten player in the NBA.  

9. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

The winner of back-to-back MVP awards, Jokic raises the ceiling of the Nuggets tremendously. Over the past few games, Denver has started to hit its stride which is in large part due to early season play.

10. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

There’s an argument to be made that Antetokounmpo is the best player in the league. His Bucks are the best team in the league to this point, as his production continues to impress.