It's Year 5 for #NBArank!
Who will be the best ballers in the NBA this season?
Today, we're unveiling Nos. 16-20 on our list -- one at a time every hour -- starting at noon ET.
#NBArank: 16-20
16. Klay Thompson
@KlayThompson | Score: 67.0
Last year's rank: 38
2015-16 RPM: 4.08
Insider profile: Thompson expanded his game beyond spot shooting and coming off screens, adding some ballhandling and play creation, posting a career-high assist percentage of 14.6. No one is confusing him for Steph Curry, but Thompson's improvement helped a Warriors offense remove a great deal of the stagnation that had plagued it in years past. Read more »
17. Jimmy Butler
Chicago Bulls | SG
@JimmyButler | Score: 66.8
Last year's rank: 70
2015-16 RPM: 4.30
Insider profile: What Butler did last season is incredibly difficult. He transmogrified from a defense-first wing with solid offensive skills limited to a low-volume arsenal of open jumpers and attacks off the dribble, to a full-service 2-guard and top-flight shot maker. Read more »
18. Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers | PG
@KyrieIrving | Score: 65.7
Last year's rank: 23
2015-16 RPM: 1.74
Insider profile: At the bottom line of the value metrics, Kyrie Irving was virtually the same player last season as he's been through his career. Still, for the first time, Irving proved his immense production can come in the context of a high-level team performance. Read more »
19. Draymond Green
@Money23Green | Score: 65.1
Last year's rank: 120
2015-16 RPM: 6.83
Insider profile: If Stephen Curry was the most important player in the Warriors' championship campaign, Green was arguably runner-up. His defensive versatility made him the linchpin for the league's best defense, as Green legitimately defended all five positions well. Read more »
20. Mike Conley
Memphis Grizzlies | PG
@mconley11 | Score: 64.0
Last year's rank: 31
2015-16 RPM: 3.75
Insider profile: Last season was Conley's most efficient offensively, as he made a career-high 107 3-pointers at a 38.6 percent clip. Conley was even better in the first half before dealing with nagging wrist and ankle injuries down the stretch. Because opponents can't play off him, Conley is able to get in the paint off the pick-and-roll. Read more »
Next: 21-25 | Next: 26-30 | Team-by-team »
About #NBArank
ESPN is ranking (almost) every NBA player and counting them down on Twitter (@ESPNNBA), from No. 400 to No. 1.
Who will be the best player this season?
To get the final ranking, we asked the panel to vote on pairs of players.
LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry. James Harden vs. Kevin Durant. Kobe Bryant vs. Pau Gasol.
We asked, "Which player will be better in 2015-16?" To decide, voters had to consider both the quality and quantity of each player's contributions to his team's ability to win games. More than 100 voters weighed in on nearly 30,000 pairs of players.
We'll roll out the results during the next five weeks. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.