This week, NBA.com released its annual GM Survey, in which general managers evaluated team personnel and their offseason moves. The general managers that participated weren’t allowed “to vote for their own team or personnel.” This framework has its pros and cons, as it hedges against bias but doesn’t necessarily reflect those general manager’s genuine assessments.
With that being said, there were still several head-scratching results, at least if they were based on objective evidence.
Lakers’ LeBron James Among Biggest Snubs In NBA GM Survey
Best Small Forward
In NBA.com’s GM Survey, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was voted as the best small forward in the league, receiving 47 percent of the votes. Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James each received 17 percent of the votes. Celtics wing Jaylen Brown received 5 percent of the votes.
Before getting into the meat of the issue, it’s worth noting that Doncic was voted as the best point guard in the NBA, with 37 percent of the votes. He also received the fifth-most votes for best shooting guard in the NBA. In next year’s poll, it might be prudent to have players receiving votes at only their primary position.
Now, to assess whether Tatum is the best small forward in the league, let’s look at some key figures.
For the past five seasons, Tatum’s been named an All-Star with averages of 26.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. In that time, he’s had .460-.371-.845 shooting splits. He’s also won an NBA championship, averaging 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals per game during the playoff run (on .427-.283-.861 splits).
Numbers aside, Tatum is the Celtics’ offensive hub but an all-around player. He’s a better rebounder than defender and a better shooter than slasher. However, the guy is pretty good.
LeBron James Is Still The King
Is Tatum actually better than James though, who is playing at an advanced age but a high level? It wasn’t long ago that James, not Tatum, was leading Team USA to a gold medal in the Paris Olympics.
With Captain LeMerica having four times as many All-Star selections and championships as Tatum, it makes it difficult to say he’s the best player at his position. Furthermore, in the five seasons that encompass Tatum’s prime, James has averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. Sans his steal average, he has the advantage over Tatum statistically. His shooting splits (.514-.360-.734) tell the story of a player who is generally more efficient, though he has less touch on his jumper.
Numbers aside, James is a better driver, finisher, playmaker, and help defender than Tatum. He’s also the better locker room leader.
LeBron James Erasure?
There were several other categories where James was snubbed:
70 percent of general managers voted Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the best passer. 53 percent of general managers believe Jokic has the highest basketball IQ. 30 percent of general managers voted Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as the most versatile player.
The Best Playmaker
Yet, James is universally regarded as one of the smartest basketball players in history. In fact, his memory and insight are part of his magnificence, with myriad stories about his ability to call out or recall plays. His basketball IQ has lended itself to his passing ability, and there’s no doubt that James is a better live dribble playmaker than Jokic.
Players like Doncic and Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young also belong in the conversation though. In fact, Young (19.4 percent), Doncic (17.5 percent), and James (16.4 percent) had the highest assist-to-pass ratios among players with at least 8 assists per game last season. For comparison, Jokic had a 12.0 percent assist-to-pass ratio last season.
Where the rubber really meets the road is the realization that James isn’t as ball-dominant as Jokic and makes quicker decisions than Young or Doncic. According to NBA.com’s tracking data, Jokic had 7,782 touches to James’s 5,385 in 2023-24. Young held the ball for 5.82 seconds per touch and Doncic held the ball for 5.46 seconds per touch. However, James held the ball for 4.07 seconds per touch.
Mr. 1-5
Between James and Antetokounmpo, there’s no question that the former is the better passer or shooter. As a result, he’s better at playing either point guard or shooting guard. Because James has a better low-post game, he’s also a superior player at power forward. Antetokounmpo is longer than James and a better shot-blocker at this point of his career. However, James has plenty of size and strength. Frankly, it’s a toss-up between who plays center better, though one could lean toward Antetokounmpo.
In the end though, Mr. 1-5 is undoubtedly more versatile than Antetokounmpo.
Best Head Coach
In the category for best head coach, Miami Heat mastermind Erik Spoelstra was the runaway winner with 69 percent of the votes. Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, the reigning Coach of the Year, took 17 percent of the votes. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who has won four championships, held 7 percent of the votes. Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also received votes.
The issue here is simply that Spoelstra shouldn’t have won.
Kerr and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich have won at least twice as many championships as Spoelstra. Kerr’s offensive philosophy has been adapted all but league-wide and Popovich’s principles are preached by multiple teams. Meanwhile, Spoelstra’s Heat have ranked in the bottom half of the team standings in points per game in eight of the last 10 seasons.
Unlike either Kerr or Spoelstra, Popovich has a coaching tree that includes several current head coaches: Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown, and even Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon.
Spoelstra is a savant as a basketball mind, which is often demonstrated tactically. He’s willing to think outside the box. Last but definitely not least, he knows how to coach a stingy defense. However, he hasn’t had enough success or influence to realistically be considered the best head coach in the NBA.
