Anyone can list the best players in the NBA, but basketball is as much about chemistry as it is about talent. Within each of the league’s 30 teams there is a hierarchy, and how well each of the five players on the court understands and fulfills his role within that hierarchy is every bit as important as his individual ability.
Ideally, a lineup has its superstar, a respectable co-star, a third star who owns his role, a fourth option and a fifth starter to tie it all together – clearing Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. In this series, we line up the five best players from each level for a broader look across the league. How close is your team to ideal alignment?
No. 1 options | No. 2 options | No. 3 options
No. 4s: The Fourth Options
What is No. 4? In general, he is not a star; if he is, he better be a role player first. And if he is both, then your team is a bear. At the very least, he should be too good to ever be denied a starting spot. He may be a table runner or edge runner, but his skills must complement everyone above him in the pecking order. He can get you 20 points on any given night, but he won’t get you the most because his defense is more important. You can’t be a one-dimensional fourth pick, because if you are, your team probably isn’t very good.
It’s a funny thing: #4 and #5 can be comparable in ability, and if they’re both good, your team is good. And if they are both not good, your team is not good. It’s often here where teams are separated – where boundaries become a little clearer and rosters drop a little steeper. And money plays a role in that. You don’t want to pay your fourth pick a max contract, but you do want to pay him what he’s worth, and whether he provides value could mean the difference between contending or pretending.
Without further ado, your top five #4s…
1. Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics
The beauty of the Celtics is that either Holiday or Derrick White could be considered their fourth option, and either would rank among the best players here. Holiday has the longest record. He was #2 on a New Orleans Pelicans team that reached the second round of the playoffs and #3 on the Milwaukee Bucks, who won a championship with him in that role. The Bucks exchanged him with number 2, Damian Lillard.
In Boston, he just needed to flex his muscle as arguably the best perimeter defender in the league, a catch-and-shoot 3-point threat and occasional playmaker on secondary actions. He played it to perfection, averaging a super-efficient 13-5-5 and making the All-Defensive second team. He stepped up into a bigger role in the injury absence of Kristaps Porziņģis, even warranting consideration for Finals MVP.
What other fourth option now in the NBA could make the Hall of Fame? Holiday is a two-time All-Star, two-time champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and a six-time All defense selection. His resume speaks for itself, and it says that the Celtics are the deepest team in the league – before we consider White.
2. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
Gordon’s career faltered in Orlando, where he was at times the number 1 option of the Magic. The Nuggets targeted him as an ideal candidate to fill specific roles, defending multiple positions, showing off his athleticism around the rim, occasionally spacing the floor and filling in as a backup small-ball center.
It was Gordon’s strong play that wrestled the Heat into submission in the 2023 Finals. He punished smaller defenders, playing off Nikola Jokić’s vision as a post-up player or lob finisher. And when Miami’s game plan forced him away from the basket, he found other ways to make them pay as a shooter and cutter.
As one of the greats in dunk contest history, Gordon’s strength and agility make him flexible against bigger or smaller opponents on both ends of the floor. He had all the raw tools to be a primary focus on a worse team, but by limiting him to his strengths he became an overqualified #4 on a contender.
3. AND Anunoby, New York Knicks
The Knicks were 23.9 points per 100 possessions better when Anunoby was on the court last season, the highest on/off performance of anyone — even Jokić, according to Cleaning the Glass. This was no accident. They finished 20-3 when the 27-year-old was in the lineup during the regular season and 6-2 in the playoffs, tied for the Eastern Conference finals when he suffered a hamstring injury. If only he can stay healthy.
Otherwise, Anunoby can do a little bit of everything. He is one of the most versatile defenders in the league and also one of its most cerebral. He shot 38.3% on more than five 3-point attempts per game over the past four seasons. He keeps the ball moving, perpetuating the flow of the offense, and he can put it on the floor if needed. And he’s 6-foot-7, 232 pounds. If you were to build #4, he would look like Anunoby.
4. Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
A decade ago, Lopez was still a back-to-the-basket big man and a good one — a one-time All-Star and No. 1 option on a Brooklyn Nets team fighting for relevancy. He was unceremoniously shipped off to Los Angeles, where he established little other than confirmation that he was no longer a star to build your roster around.
The Bucks dismissed him from the scrap heap in 2017 when we discovered he was a building block best suited around a star. In one of the more notable career transformations, Lopez transformed himself into both a floor-spacing shooter and an elite rim protector. His 3-point attempts exploded in his ninth season, increasing from about none to a handful per game, and he made his first All-Defensive roster at age 31. In his mid-30s now, Lopez remains a safety valve for Milwaukee’s offense and the backbone of its defense.
5. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
The matchup between Allen and Cavaliers teammate Evan Mobley is a little worrisome, if only because neither big man has expanded his game beyond the 3-point line, but there’s no denying Allen’s talent as Cleveland’s fourth-best player. The 26-year-old edge rusher and defensive center made the All-Star team in 2022.
Allen was never expected to be more than he is — an athletic 7-footer who can clean around the rim on both ends of the floor — and he’s damn good for what he is. He has averaged a double-double in 32 minutes per game over the past three seasons, making 65% of his shots. He has improved as a passer. We just want more from Allen because Mobley hasn’t (yet) developed into what prognosticators projected for him. But Allen deserves his flowers, even if he is the fourth pick of some other team before season’s end.
Honorable mentions
6. Jaden McDanielsMinnesota Timberwolves
7. Herb JonesNew Orleans Pelicans
8. Alex CarusoOklahoma City Thunder
9. Marcus SmartMemphis Grizzlies
10. Jonathan KumingaGolden State Warriors
11. PJ WashingtonDallas Mavericks
12. Kentavious Caldwell-PopeOrlando Magic
The rest
13. Jabari Smith Jr.Houston Rockets; 14. Andrew NembhardIndiana Pacers; 15. Tyus JonesPhoenix Suns; 16. Keegan MurraySacrament Kings; 17. Harrison BarnesSan Antonio Spurs; 18. Jonas ValančiūnasWashington Wizards; 19. Josh GiddeyChicago Bulls; 20. Nic ClaxtonBrooklyn Nets; 21. Terry RozierMiami Heat; 22. Deni AvdijaPortland Trail Blazers; 23. Caleb MartinPhiladelphia 76ers; 24. Jakob PoeltlToronto Raptors; 25. D’Angelo RussellLos Angeles Lakers; 26. De’Andre HunterAtlanta Hawks; 27. Keyonte GeorgeUtah Jazz; 28. Jalen DurenDetroit Pistons; 29. Derrick Jones Jr.Los Angeles Clippers; 30. Josh GreenCharlotte Hornets.
