Welcome back, my friends, to the show that typically ends after about 1,000 words every Friday late-morning (unless it's the All-Star Break or the Committee is on vacation). Yes, that's right. It's back. We are now entering the season's home-stretch, which means the DeAnd'Rankings are heating up.
After what was a struggle (due to suspension) for Suns center Deandre Ayton in the early going, he started gaining ground on old-head Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan. But Jordan's recent surge has kept him in the #1 overall spot for the season thus far. A pair of Hawks - De'Andre Hunter and DeAndre' Bembry, have rather consistently found themselves in the 3 and 4 spots, but you really never can say for sure how the rankings will turn at any given moment.
We've already seen injuries and suspensions shake up the rankings, maybe this time it will be something more unexpected (I don't wanna suggest the coronavirus, but at least that's topical and more interesting than resting as your team tanks its way to April).
As is customary, we will start with five questions.
Q1: Are you entirely sure that DeAndre Liggins shouldn't count?
It's murky, technically, since he has not filed official retirement papers and could theoretically return to the NBA. However, a 31-year-old journeyman wing with some off-court baggage who last appeared in the NBA on May 6th, 2018? The Committee feels comfortable leaving him off the list.
Q2: Is Liggins so much of a journeyman that you're creating a question just to explain his wild journey?
Yep. DeAndre Liggins's career has made the following stops, in the following order: Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Tulsa 66ers (G-League), Sioux Falls Skyforce (G-League), Miami Heat, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Krasny Oktyabr (Russia), Eisbaren Bremerhaven (Germany), Sioux Falls Skyforce, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Kolossos Rodou (Greece), Fuenlabrada (Spain), and Panionios (Greece). That's 17 roster moves since he came out of college in the summer of 2011. Incredible.
Q3: How does a person deal with all of that?
Sometimes you eat the eisbaren, and sometimes, the eisbaren, well, he eats you.
Q4: Did the Committee really only choose the name DeAndre because of the variability in the spelling?
That and because ranking the NBA's best LeBrons would have been boring.
Q5: Ready?
Ready.
THE NINTH DEAND'RANKINGS: THROUGH FEBRUARY 27, 2020
4. DeAndre' Bembry
There's not all that much to say about DeAndre' Bembry right now. It's been a tough season for him, but at least he's still rostered. He hasn't played since January 20th, as he's dealing with a couple of injuries.
Last week's ranking: 4
3. De'Andre Hunter
Hunter is showing signs of what could be a very promising career, but he has had a tough time putting it all together at the same time. Since the last DeAnd'Rankings, he's had a game where he went 3-3 from deep with 17 points, an 11-rebound game, and a 22/7 game. On the other hand, the 11-rebound game included an 0-8 shooting performance, and even the 22/7 game saw him go 1-6 from deep.
But De'Andre Hunter is showing stuff out there. He's valuable. He's got a way to go to match the production of the two in front of him, but he's holding his own.
Last week's ranking: 3
2. DeAndre Jordan
The veteran big-man has outperformed the Committee's (nay, the world's?) expectations pretty handily. DJ is averagine 14 points and 16.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. That's crazy! Each of those is the 2nd best of his career. Who could've predicted this?!
The flip side is that DJ's value is a little bit matchup-based. Jarrett Allen is a solid player and some nights he'll get the bulk of the minutes, while other nights will go to Jordan. DeAndre posted a 14/15 game against Joel Embiid and Philly, but the Nets lost in overtime. DJ also posted a 16/16 night on Wednesday against Washington (in just under 30 minutes!)...but the Nets lost. It's fair to question how much he contributes to wins, but he's grabbing more than 4 offensive rebounds per game in Brooklyn's last six games. That's a big deal. It's just not enough to claim the #1 spot this week.
Last week's ranking: 1
1. Deandre Ayton
This dude is turning a corner, statistically. The Suns continue to struggle (we're pushing a decade of this), but Ayton is at least putting up the numbers to keep them close in games. In their last two close games, Ayton has a 25/17/3 blocks performance and a 28/19/3 blocks performance, with a 16/5 in a blowout win sandwiched in between. The numbers are getting too big to ignore.
The Committee is keenly aware that there is more to a good player than numbers. The Committee is also aware that number help. In his last 8 games, the Bahamian has averaged 22/13/2/2 blocks - and all of those averages get pulled down a little because of two blowout wins in which he played about 22 minutes each. He's also shooting over 60% in that stretch and hasn't shot worse than 50% in any of those games.
He's a beast right now. The Suns are only 3-5 in that 8-game stretch.
It's complicated.
Last week's ranking: 2
SEASON STANDINGS AFTER VOLUME IX
4. DeAndre' Bembry: 12 points
3. De'Andre Hunter: 22 points
3. Deandre Ayton: 22 points
1. DeAndre Jordan: 33 points
After what was a struggle (due to suspension) for Suns center Deandre Ayton in the early going, he started gaining ground on old-head Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan. But Jordan's recent surge has kept him in the #1 overall spot for the season thus far. A pair of Hawks - De'Andre Hunter and DeAndre' Bembry, have rather consistently found themselves in the 3 and 4 spots, but you really never can say for sure how the rankings will turn at any given moment.
We've already seen injuries and suspensions shake up the rankings, maybe this time it will be something more unexpected (I don't wanna suggest the coronavirus, but at least that's topical and more interesting than resting as your team tanks its way to April).
As is customary, we will start with five questions.
Q1: Are you entirely sure that DeAndre Liggins shouldn't count?
It's murky, technically, since he has not filed official retirement papers and could theoretically return to the NBA. However, a 31-year-old journeyman wing with some off-court baggage who last appeared in the NBA on May 6th, 2018? The Committee feels comfortable leaving him off the list.
Q2: Is Liggins so much of a journeyman that you're creating a question just to explain his wild journey?
Yep. DeAndre Liggins's career has made the following stops, in the following order: Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Tulsa 66ers (G-League), Sioux Falls Skyforce (G-League), Miami Heat, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Krasny Oktyabr (Russia), Eisbaren Bremerhaven (Germany), Sioux Falls Skyforce, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Kolossos Rodou (Greece), Fuenlabrada (Spain), and Panionios (Greece). That's 17 roster moves since he came out of college in the summer of 2011. Incredible.
Q3: How does a person deal with all of that?
Sometimes you eat the eisbaren, and sometimes, the eisbaren, well, he eats you.
Q4: Did the Committee really only choose the name DeAndre because of the variability in the spelling?
That and because ranking the NBA's best LeBrons would have been boring.
Q5: Ready?
Ready.
THE NINTH DEAND'RANKINGS: THROUGH FEBRUARY 27, 2020
4. DeAndre' Bembry
There's not all that much to say about DeAndre' Bembry right now. It's been a tough season for him, but at least he's still rostered. He hasn't played since January 20th, as he's dealing with a couple of injuries.
Last week's ranking: 4
3. De'Andre Hunter
Hunter is showing signs of what could be a very promising career, but he has had a tough time putting it all together at the same time. Since the last DeAnd'Rankings, he's had a game where he went 3-3 from deep with 17 points, an 11-rebound game, and a 22/7 game. On the other hand, the 11-rebound game included an 0-8 shooting performance, and even the 22/7 game saw him go 1-6 from deep.
But De'Andre Hunter is showing stuff out there. He's valuable. He's got a way to go to match the production of the two in front of him, but he's holding his own.
Last week's ranking: 3
2. DeAndre Jordan
The veteran big-man has outperformed the Committee's (nay, the world's?) expectations pretty handily. DJ is averagine 14 points and 16.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. That's crazy! Each of those is the 2nd best of his career. Who could've predicted this?!
The flip side is that DJ's value is a little bit matchup-based. Jarrett Allen is a solid player and some nights he'll get the bulk of the minutes, while other nights will go to Jordan. DeAndre posted a 14/15 game against Joel Embiid and Philly, but the Nets lost in overtime. DJ also posted a 16/16 night on Wednesday against Washington (in just under 30 minutes!)...but the Nets lost. It's fair to question how much he contributes to wins, but he's grabbing more than 4 offensive rebounds per game in Brooklyn's last six games. That's a big deal. It's just not enough to claim the #1 spot this week.
Last week's ranking: 1
1. Deandre Ayton
This dude is turning a corner, statistically. The Suns continue to struggle (we're pushing a decade of this), but Ayton is at least putting up the numbers to keep them close in games. In their last two close games, Ayton has a 25/17/3 blocks performance and a 28/19/3 blocks performance, with a 16/5 in a blowout win sandwiched in between. The numbers are getting too big to ignore.
The Committee is keenly aware that there is more to a good player than numbers. The Committee is also aware that number help. In his last 8 games, the Bahamian has averaged 22/13/2/2 blocks - and all of those averages get pulled down a little because of two blowout wins in which he played about 22 minutes each. He's also shooting over 60% in that stretch and hasn't shot worse than 50% in any of those games.
He's a beast right now. The Suns are only 3-5 in that 8-game stretch.
It's complicated.
Last week's ranking: 2
SEASON STANDINGS AFTER VOLUME IX
4. DeAndre' Bembry: 12 points
3. De'Andre Hunter: 22 points
3. Deandre Ayton: 22 points
1. DeAndre Jordan: 33 points
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