See, there's where I'm talking about the overrating. Kyrie Irving as a top 15 player in the NBA? I'm not even sure we are watching the same league.
Top 15 at "give me the ball and get out of my way" OK yes, I'll grant you that. But that's not the only skill that NBA teams need.
Top 15 at "I squint really hard and assume all the guys in their early 30's are going to fall off immediately and he is going to improve?" Kinda maybe I guess?
Top 15 at "I don't really pay attention to the NBA except the Celtics and the Finals?" This maybe is closest to the truth. Have you watched Damian Lillard play? Mike Conley? John Wall? Kyle Lowry? Am I the only one who sees that there are a ton of really good PG in the league (I'm not even counting Curry and Paul who are miles better on both ends and Westbrook and Harden who do Kyrie better than Kyrie). And how to compare him to a guy like DeRozan who also plays a lot like him but isn't a PG?
Anyway, without even looking up stats or even box scores, off the top of my head, here are the guys I think are better than Kyrie without question (again, this is in terms of winning NBA games, not just scoring the ball)
Ball handlers: Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Harden
Wings: James, Leonard, Durant, Antetokuonmpo, Butler
Bigs: Davis, Towns, Gobert, Jokic, Green
These are the guys I think you can argue about based on different skill levels and age - I think he is firmly in this group, but honestly right around the middle to lower half.
Ball handlers: Conley, Lowry, Lillard, Wall, Walker (just look up what he's been doing), Thomas (hip might drop him out of this group, sure)
Wings: Hayward, George, Beal, DeRozan, Millsap, Thompson
Bigs: Griffin, Jordan, Cousins, Gasol (only because of age or he'd be in the first group), Horford, Embiid (only because of injury question)
I won't get into the developing guys that might also pass him. Too much variation, and I would agree with the argument that at least with Kyrie there is a floor we're talking about that's pretty high. And I'll say that my list is also too PG heavy, there are probably a few under appreciated wings I'm missing.
Again, if Stevens can coach him up to a definitive top 15 guy in the NBA, then awesome. Back up the Brinks truck for Brad.