NBA Positional Rankings: Top 10 point guards entering 2021-22

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Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports) /

No. 2: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

2020-21 Stats: 28.8p/4.2r/7.5 on .451/.391/.928

You know how Sacramento makes me sad? Portland used to make me just a little upset, but they’ve been full-on depressing since the first-round exit to the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets. The Gary Trent Jr. trade was a mistake, let’s face it. The off-season was very solid but does not get them past the first round. The GM is stubborn and the new head coach is controversial. Damian is still committed (for this season, at least).

The city of Portland may deserve Damian Lillard, who’s to say. But the organization does not. They have failed over and over again to build a contender around perhaps the clutchest player in the game. One of the best volume 3-point shooters in the best era for it.

The epic whiffs on wings are Lob City Clippers level. The resistance to trade CJ McCollum has been a gross overvaluation on perimeter scoring. McCollum, an underrated (but still redundant on this team) scorer, could have landed Portland a star wing on a number of occasions. And yet, Dame remains loyal.

Sorry for the rant but it bears repeating that despite all of that, Dame wants nothing but to succeed in Portland. Players of his caliber have left teams for less and still had good reason. Maybe some of you would not consider that in a ranking, but I do. Even if I did not, he likely would have ended up in this spot anyway. Why?

This is essentially a one-way player that is dragging a one-way team to the playoffs in the Western Conference year after year. The coaching has been fine, not stellar. The supporting cast has been fine, not stellar (no other All-Stars). The defense has never been above average. He did it again last year and will be called upon in 2021-22. Pray for Dame.