NBA Player Power Rankings: The Top 20 Players Of 2016-17

Feb 18, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Western Conference guard Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (0) and Western Conference guard James Harden of the Houston Rockets (13) during the NBA All-Star Practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 7, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) dribbles the ball past Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors won 96-94. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

15. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 27 (8/7/1989)
Experience: 8th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .467/.266/.842
2016-17 Season Averages: 35.4 MPG, 27.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.1 SPG

When Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors handed DeMar DeRozan a five-year deal worth $139 million, many claimed that he was overpaid. DeRozan may have played a starring role in Toronto reaching the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, but he tested poorly in advanced metrics.

During the 2016-17 NBA regular season, DeRozan silenced any remaining critics by putting forth what was easily the best campaign of his eight-year career.

DeRozan increased his scoring average by 4.3 points per 36 minutes and his field goal percentage by 2.1 percent. He finished 2016-17 at No. 5 in the NBA in points per game, No. 2 in points via drives per contest, and No. 5 in free throw attempts per game.

DeRozan still doesn’t value the 3-point shot, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the Top 5 scorers in the NBA—numbers, not opinion.

What helps DeRozan the most is how well he performed during the 21 games that Kyle Lowry missed after the All-Star Break. DeRozan was already a Top 20 player, but during that stretch, he averaged 27.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, and led Toronto to a 14-7 record.

DeRozan has been the go-to scorer for a Toronto team that’s won at least 50 games in back-to-back seasons. That’s Top 20 value.