In our latest edition of our NBA Power Rankings, we tier all 30 projected starting point guards in the league heading into the 2023-24 season.
Just like that, the 2023-24 NBA season is on the horizon. It all begins when NBA Training Camps officially open across the league on October 3. Teams that are participating in pre-season games overseas will be able to report to camp soon but for the most part, the NBA will be back into full swing by the first week of October.
As we inch closer to the start of the new season, this is a good time to begin rolling out our player power rankings. We begin by ranking (with the help of four tiers) all 30 projected starting point guards in the NBA heading into the 2023-24 campaign.
Tier 4 – The point guards that are solid starters
In this first tier, these are projected starters who could very much fill the role of a starting point guard for the team but may have reached a point in their careers where they might be better suited as a backup. This is not a knock on any of these players as earning a starting point guard in the NBA is a great accomplishment in itself.
30. Tyus Jones, Washington Wizards
During the offseason, the Washington Wizards made the big pivot toward rebuilding, and trading Bradley Beal was part of those initial plans. As part of the offseason moves, Tyus Jones now becomes the projected starting point guard for the Wizards this season.
Jones has been a spot starter throughout his career in Memphis but I’m not so sure he should be considered an everyday starter. Coming off a season in which he averaged 10 points and five assists per game on efficient shooting numbers, Jones is going to be an effective stopgap at the position for the Wizards.
In turn, he could also emerge as an appealing trade target for a contender team looking for depth at the point guard position at the NBA Trade Deadline.
29. Dennis Schroder, Toronto Raptors
I truly went back and forth with Dennis Schroder, who is penciled in to be the new starting point guard for the Toronto Raptors this season. There are times when he looks like a really good point guard but then there are others where you’re wondering why he’s even in the rotation. He’s often a liability on the defensive end of the floor and if his shot isn’t working on any specific night, it’s easy for opposing defenses to scheme him off the floor.
Overall, Schroder is a solid starter. He’s not perfect and certainly has his faults. At this point in his career, he is what he is. He’ll work as a stopgap for the Raptors this season until they decide how they want to proceed forward as a franchise. The good news for Schroder is that the Raptors may be a great spot for him this season.
All he really has to worry about with the Raptors is scoring and finding his role among Toronto’s more talented players. At this point in his career, that’s probably the best role for Schroder. The question is, does that entail being a starter?
28. Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
More of a natural shooting guard than a point guard, Alex Caruso is listed to be the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. Whether that ends up changing once training camp comes and goes remains to be seen. At least for now, Caruso is expected to be the starting lead guard. And that may not be a bad thing for the Bulls. Looking at the stat sheet, Caruso is not a player that jumps off the paper. However, he’s a player who impacts the game at a much deeper level.
Caruso has never been a full-time starter in the league even at his highest moments in the NBA, and that’s part of the reason why I have him as the No. 28th ranked point guard in the league. He has yet to prove that he can be a consistent starter in the league. Maybe he will prove me wrong this year?
Caruso is a player who does all the dirty work and answers the call from the head coach time and time again, no matter the command. That’s an invaluable asset that every team would love to have in the lead guard position.
27. Tre Jones, San Antonio Spurs
The tier 4 points guards in the NBA are all about being solid starters. That’s exactly how you can label Tre Jones last season. Starting 65 of 68 games played, Jones averaged 13 points and seven assists per game for the Spurs. He left a bit desired in terms of 3-point shooing and that played a big part in him landing at No. 27. As the NBA continues to evolve, one of the last things that teams envy is a point guard without the consistent ability to drain the deep ball.
If that’s something Jones improves on, there’s no question he can be ranked much higher on this list by the end of the season. Luckily for Jones, playing next to rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama is only going to make his life easier. It’s difficult to pinpoint what Jones’ ceiling is as a player, but there’s really nothing stopping him from being a solid lead guard for the Spurs moving forward.
Jones may never develop into an All-Star but he may not have to be that to be successful in San Antonio. There are worse talents to have at the point guard position than Jones, and you can still make the argument that he’s still elevating as a player.
26. Russell Westbrook, LA Clippers
With how his season began with the Los Angeles Lakers last year, I’m not sure how we’re about to enter a new campaign with Russell Westbrook being a projected starting point guard once again. Nevertheless, the Russ experiment may not have worked with the Lakers but it’s clear the Clippers saw something in him over the last few games of last season. He was re-signed and, at least for now, is penciled in to be the starter for LA.
Some of that can change if the Clippers do move forward with acquiring James Harden but at least for now, Russ is entering training camp as the lead guard for a talented Clippers team. For as “bad” as he was with the Lakers to start last season, Russ closed the season with respectable numbers during his short stint with the Clippers.
In 21 games played for the Clippers, Westbrook averaged 16 points, eight assists, and five rebounds per game. He was also quite efficient, shooting 49 percent shooting from the field overall and 36 percent shooting from deep. If he can post those types of numbers again this season, he’ll be a huge contributor to the Clippers. I’m not sold on those shooting numbers, though. Maybe I’m wrong?
25. Mike Conley Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves
Throughout the course of his career, Mike Conley Jr. has been one of the most underrated point guards in the league. Even though he’s no longer an All-Star-level point guard, he’s still a really solid starter. He proved that this past season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Acquired at the NBA Trade Deadline by the team, there’s hope that Conley can continue to be that veteran lead guard for the Wolves heading into this season.
In 24 games played in the regular season, Conley averaged 14 points and five assists on 42 percent shooting from 3-point range. He carried that into the postseason where he put up similar type numbers. The big question is whether he can continue to do so heading into this season on a consistent basis. He’s 35 years old and is well past his prime. The good news is that with the emerging Anthony Edwards, the Wolves don’t need him to be much more than a solid starter.
Conley is a quality point guard and I don’t think the Wolves are expecting him to be anything more than that. It’s the right match for what both sides are looking for heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. I do fear a step back this year for Conley due to Father Time, however.
24. Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
A former No. 1 overall pick, there’s no way Markelle Fultz is ever going to live up to his prior potential. That ship has sailed. However, that doesn’t mean that he can’t be a good quality starter for a good team. And that’s exactly what Fultz was this past season for the Orlando Magic. After his rough start to his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Fultz has found a home in Orlando. Coming off the best season of his career thus far, Fultz will be looking to build off of last season’s success.
Starting all 60 games that he played in, Fultz averaged 14 points, six assists, and four rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the field. His 3-point shooting still leaves much to be desired but from where he was just a few seasons ago, he’s improved dramatically as a player.
The Magic still have long-term questions at the point guard position, which was evident when the team drafted Anthony Black with one of their top 10 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. At least for now, Fultz is still a quality point guard.
23. Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
You can make the argument that the Brooklyn Nets will be entering the 2023-24 NBA season with one of the more underrated rosters. A big part of that is their solid overall depth. At the point guard position, that includes Spencer Dinwiddie. Starting while splitting time between the Dallas Mavericks and Nets last season, Dinwiddie is once again slated to be a starter for Brooklyn. And while he may not match the other star talent that there is in the Eastern Conference, he has the potential to be a difference-maker.
In the 26 games he started with the Nets last year, he averaged 17 points, nine assists, and four rebounds per game on 40 percent shooting from the field. He still has to prove that he can be an efficient offensive player but he has the potential (and surrounding supporting cast) to have another good season.
A team may not win many games with Dinwiddie as the best player but there’s no question that he could help a really good team (with other stars) take a step forward. That’s almost the exact situation that he finds himself in with the Nets.
22. D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Reflecting on last season, the one thing that many remember about D’Angelo Russell’s post-NBA Trade Deadline stint with the Los Angeles Lakers is the fact that he was benched in the Western Conference Finals. However, there were many other bright moments that he had after he was acquired. In fact, you can probably make the argument that the Lakers probably don’t make their playoff run without swapping Russell Westbrook for D’Angelo Russell at the trade deadline.
In 17 regular season games, Russell averaged 17 points and six assists per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent shooting from 3-point range. He might’ve struggled with Jamal Murray in the conference finals but after the run that the Denver Nuggets went on, which team didn’t have trouble containing him?
Russell may not enter the season as one of the best point guards in the league but he’s still pretty solid. In fact, the Lakers could’ve easily let him walk in free agency but decided he was too valuable to allow that. Russell should continue to be a solid contributor for the Lakers this season. I don’t envision him losing the starting spot to Gabe Vincent.
21. Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz
Still in the early stages of their rebuild, the Utah Jazz are well on the right track. And part of that is due to the fact that they have several young pieces on their roster. Utah still must figure out which young players are going to emerge as fundamental building block pieces, but they have a strong group to pick from. One intriguing young player who is entering the season as their starting point guard is Collin Sexton. He’s had an up-and-down last couple of seasons as he’s recovered from a significant knee injury, but the talent is clearly evident with Sexton.
In a minimal role for the Jazz this past season, Sexton averaged 14 points and three assists per game on 51 percent shooting from the field. Now that he has officially put his injury behind him, the belief is that he will slowly begin to look like his old self. But he’ll have to prove that again.
There’s a chance that Sexton doesn’t end the season in a Jazz uniform but at just 24 years old, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding him. The question that needs to be answered this season regarding Sexton is whether or not the Jazz is the right spot for him.
20. Derrick White, Boston Celtics
There was one point in the NBA Playoffs last season when Derrick White was playing like the Boston Celtics’ second-best player. While that brought about bigger questions about their dynamic duo, it also spoke to White’s work ethic, his ability to perform on a big stage, and his talent as a whole. Overall last season, White averaged 12 points and four assists on 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. He managed to play even better when it mattered most for the Celtics in the playoffs.
In the end, it didn’t matter as they lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on their home floor. Nevertheless, after trading Marcus Smart this offseason, White’s role for the team is only going to be that much more meaningful. With the uncertainty regarding Malcolm Brogdon’s future with the team, you can make the argument that White is the most important guard on the roster not named Jaylen Brown.
The good news is that White has proven he can step up and effectively answer the call. White may not ever post All-Star worthy numbers, but he’s one of the most solid non-star point guards in the NBA.
19. C.J. McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
Heading into this age-32 season, there’s a good chance that C.J. McCollum is entering the non-prime chapter of his career. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just because McCollum may no longer be in the prime of his career, that doesn’t mean that he still can’t be an effective and difference-making player. And that’s exactly what he has been for the New Orleans Pelicans for the past season and a half that he’s been with them. That’s not expected to change heading into the 2023-24 season.
McCollum is an underrated non-star lead guard. In fact, he may be the best of the bunch. He’s clearly the best point guard in this tier 4 and you can probably make an argument that he deserves to be a few spots higher. However, I’m projecting a bit of a step back due to age and Father Time.
If the Pelicans can remain healthy all season long, and that’s a big “if,” this is a team that can make some noise in the Western Conference – which we saw for the first half of last season. And if they’re able to do that, McCollum will undoubtedly be a bit part of their success.
Tier 3 – The point guards with star potential
The third point guard tier consists of players that have some star potential but still have some proving to do. This tier is separated for young players who have shown the ability to enter the star tier for point guards.
18. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
We begin this third tier with Tyler Herro. He’s not naturally a point guard but at least for now, he’s expected to be the starter at the position for the Miami Heat. If they end up making the move for Damian Lillard, that all changes. However, it’s impossible to predict that will happen before the start of the season considering there’s been no movement on trade talks between the Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
Herro is one of the best offensive young players in the league. He’s also shown the ability to be a good playmaker at times and has improved every year in that department. In each of the last two seasons, Herro has averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game. He hasn’t played the point guard position full-time yet and I can’t imagine he will this season, but he could start the year at 1 for the Heat.
It’s not ideal but with how the Heat roster stands, it may not be that terrible of an idea.
17. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
If the Detroit Pistons are going to take a big step forward this season, a big part of that will have to be Cade Cunningham. And one of the bigger critiques for him at this point in his career is the fact that he needs to stay healthy. If he can, there’s nothing stopping him from developing into a star. He has that potential. That’s the biggest reason why he finds himself in tier 3, and not in tier 2. He still must prove that he can remain healthy while also continuing to develop as a player for Detroit.
Only playing in 12 games last season, Cunningham was on the right track. In that short stint before being shut down due to injury, Cunningham averaged 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 42 percent shooting from the field. He still must prove that he can shoot the 3-point shot on a consistent basis but if he can, there’s really nothing stopping him from being one of the better point guards in the NBA.
This season, it’s all about remaining healthy and continuing to grow as a player. The star moment will eventually come for Cunningham. At only 21 years old, Cunningham has a very bright future in the NBA.
Tier 2 – The points guards with All-Star talent/potential
Almost midway through the list, we have arrived at tier 2 of point guards. This is the spot where we begin to introduce the list of players who have the ability to make an All-Star team or have All-Star talent. All these point guards are proven and are on the path toward stardom, if not already there.
16. Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
Jrue Holiday is one of the most underrated two-way stars in the league and played a huge role in the Milwaukee Bucks winning their first NBA Championship a couple of seasons ago. He might be beyond his “prime” years but he continues to prove that he’s still one of the better lead guards in the NBA.
Holiday is coming off a season in which he averaged 19 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game on 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. Putting up those types of numbers next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton is quite impressive.
You can probably argue that he deserves to be higher on this list but I think we’re going to see a bit of a step back from Holiday soon and there are many other young point guards that will likely be taking a step forward this season.
15. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
The arrival of Donovan Mitchell last season may have prevented Darius Garland from taking another step forward from a statistical point of view, but it’s hard to argue that he wasn’t a better player last season compared to the year before. It’s now been back-to-back seasons that Garland has averaged at least 20 points, eight assists, and three rebounds per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from 3-point range.
The big question is whether Garland has room to grow even further. With Mitchell on the roster, I’m not sure if that will be the case, and that’s one of the bigger reasons why he’s slotted at No. 15 and not higher. It may be a little over-reactionary to say that Garland has already reached his ceiling as a player but at the same time, it may not be completely off.
Garland is a three-level scorer who has proven the ability to be a good playmaker. He struggled at times defensively but he’s the exact type of young point guard that you want as you begin to make strides as a potential dark horse in the Eastern Conference.
14. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
There’s probably going to be some disagreement here and certainly some pushback but with how productive and good LaMelo Ball has been through the first few seasons of his career, it’s hard not to view him as a potential All-Star talent. Will he ever be an NBA All-Star? Who knows. But it would be foolish to say that he doesn’t have the potential to make one at some point over the course of his career. He’s made strides every year of his career and the expectation is that he’ll make another one heading into this season.
He’s coming off an injury-plagued season a year ago but still managed to average 23 points, eight assists, and six rebounds per game on 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. If his last name isn’t Ball, he’s probably viewed in a different light.
Ball still has to make strides on the defensive end of the floor and needs to be better when it comes to shot selection, but Ball has the tools and talent to be an All-Star caliber player in the Association. The big question is whether he’ll get there. However, if he can remain healthy, don’t be surprised if it does happen this season.
13. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Cashing in on a big contract this offseason, it feels a bit weird to say that Fred VanVleet is a Houston Rocket now. Nevertheless, the former All-Star checks in at No. 13 in the second tier of point guards in the NBA. VanVleet is one of the better stories in league history as he went from being an undrafted player to making an All-Star Game in 2022. As he enters the second half of his NBA career, it’ll be interesting to see what type of role he embraces in Houston.
Brought in to be a veteran presence, you can’t help but wonder if this is the type of situation that’s going to invigorate VanVleet or if it’s going to work as a retirement spot before actual retirement. With as much talent as the Rockets have on their roster, VanVleet could be viewed as somewhat of a missing piece to expedite the rebuild. And I’d imagine, that’s the hope from Houston’s point of view.
Coming off somewhat of a down season in Toronto, I’m eager to see what type of year VanVleet has in Houston. At least on paper, he looks like a player who could thrive next to such a young team.
12. James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
If there was one player that I had a difficult time ranking, it was James Harden. He has so much uncertainty revolving around him heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. But based on talent and production, he’s easily one of the 12-best point guards at this point in his career. If it wasn’t for his health concerns and postseason shortcomings, he’d probably be ranked higher on this list. But this is more of a projection for the upcoming season than a ranking based on accolades; let’s remember that.
Here are the facts: Harden is 34 years old and is likely going to hit a wall over the course of the next couple of seasons. I think it may happen sooner rather than later, and there’s no guarantee that we see him at all this season anyway. What if the Sixers continue to call his bluff and don’t trade him? Will he sit out the first part of the season? Is he willing to sit out until the NBA Trade Deadline?
There are so many questions revolving around Harden’s future in the NBA. Talent-wise? He’s still a top-12 point guard in the NBA, but he’s clearly dropping.
11. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
The early word out of the Phoenix Suns is that Bradley Beal is going to start the season out as the starting point guard for the team. Whether or not he ends the season in that position remains to be seen but it’s an experiment that the team almost has to try with as much talent as they have all over their roster. On paper, the Suns could have one of the best starting 5’s in NBA history. Now, Beal is a part of that at the 1.
It’s fair to question if Beal has enough playmaking ability to be a consistent point guard in the NBA but over the last few years, he’s become a better passer. Last season, in what was labeled as somewhat of a down year for him, Beal averaged 23 points, five assists, and four rebounds per game on 51 percent shooting from the field. Not bad for a “down” season. But that’s the level of talent that Beal is.
If he can make it work, I don’t think it’s outrageous to say that Beal would be in the conversation as one of the 10-best point guards in the league.
10. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
De’Aaron Fox played a big role in the Sacramento Kings taking a huge step forward last season, finishing as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Even though they lost in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, it’s hard to not look at last season as a success for a franchise that hadn’t qualified for the postseason since the 2006 season. Without Fox, it’s hard to see how the Kings make those strides as a franchise.
Fox made his first NBA All-Star team this past season and there’s a good chance that it won’t be his last. Fox is coming off a season in which he averaged 25 points, six assists, and four rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the field. At age 25, you can make the argument that he’s barely entering the prime of his career.
At this point, it’s a pretty easy argument to make that Fox is one of the 10-best point guards in the NBA. The only question is whether he has another professional step to make. If so, the Kings are in very good hands moving forward.
9. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
When the New York Knicks signed Jalen Brunson last offseason, many were split on the move. Some believed it was a massive overpay while there was also a section of fans that were sold on the idea of him as a star worth building around. The latter ended up being right. During his first season with the Knicks, Brunson averaged 24 points and six assists per game on 49 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from 3-point range.
He also helped lead the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs. They ended up being a piece or two away from making a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, but they proved they were very much on the right track. You can argue that the signing of Brunson ended up changing the entire trajectory of the franchise.
Heading into 2023-24, Brunson is viewed as one of the better point guards in the league. And it’ll be interesting to see how he continues to not only improve as an individual player but also how he positively impacts the Knicks as a whole.
Brunson has completely changed the outlook for the Knicks franchise. That move ended up being an absolute home run.
8. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
I may be a bit higher on Tyrese Haliburton than most but I think he’s an absolute star. I think his best is yet to come and he has a very real chance of being a top 5 point guard in the league one day. Haliburton is primed to have the best season of his career thus far and the fact that he’s only 23 years old has to be viewed as very exciting and encouraging. During his first full season with the Indiana Pacers (after being traded from the Sacramento Kings), Haliburton averaged 21 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
There’s not much that Haliburton can’t do on the floor as a 6-foot-5 point guard, and he’s still getting better as a player. You can probably make the argument that if he played for any other team or market, he’d be a bigger star at this point in his career. The fact that he’s already growing into a household name with the Pacers is a testament to how good of a talent he is.
How big of a step Haliburton takes this season will tell us a lot about his ceiling moving forward.
Tier 1 – The elite point guards
In our tier 1 NBA point guards, we have the elite class. These point guards have already separated themselves from the rest of the pack at the position. These are the perennial All-Stars or the point guards that have that in their future. These point guards have also reached superstar status in the league or are going to reach that point in the not-too-distant future.
7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
There may be some who say they haven’t seen enough from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to warrant him being in tier 1 or in the top 7 of NBA point guards, but I’m officially on the side that is saying he’s there. SGA has the Oklahoma City Thunder on the precipice of making the leap toward being a playoff team in the Western Conference and he is coming off a season in which he finished in the top 5 of scoring.
There are not many players in NBA history who can say they averaged 31 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game on 51 percent shooting from the field over the course of an entire season. SGA can say that, and at just 25 years old, there’s a chance that he can take another step in his development.
6. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young’s stock may be at an all-time low, but he’s still one of the best point guards in the NBA. He may not get enough credit for it but he’s a dynamic offensive player on multiple fronts He can score 40 any given night and is one of the more underrated playmakers in the Association as well. Young rarely gets credit for being a good playmaker but is coming off a season in which he averaged 10 assists per game. It should be noted that over the first five years of his career, he’s never averaged less than eight assists per game.
A “down” season for Young consisted of him averaging 26 points and 10 assists on 43 percent shooting from the field. If that’s a down year, you can only imagine what Young’s ceiling is in the NBA. At 24 years old, Young could very much be just scratching the surface of the player that he can be. And he’s probably already among the elite point guards in the league.
If Young can rejuvenate his career, there’s nothing stopping him from taking another step forward among his peers on this list. My only concern with Young falls with his environment in Atlanta.
5. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Over the past few seasons, there hasn’t been a better comeback story than Jamal Murray. After tearing his ACL a couple of seasons ago, Murray has done a great job in building himself back up and has emerged as one of the better clutch postseason performers in the NBA right now. His performance this past season was punctuated by winning a championship with the Denver Nuggets. Even though Nikola Jokic gets much of that glory, the Nuggets don’t win without Murray.
During the regular season, Murray averaged 20 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting from the field. In the postseason, averaged 26 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game on 47 percent shooting from the field. There aren’t many players that can consistently level up their game when it matters most, but Murray can.
That’s probably one of the biggest reasons why it’s easy to rank him in the top 5 of NBA point guards right now. Having a player who can perform at his highest when the lights are brightest is an extremely underrated ability. Murray may not get the props he deserves but perhaps winning a championship changes the narrative around him moving forward.
4. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
As far as talent is concerned, there’s an argument to be made that Ja Morant is already a top 3 point guard in the NBA. At just 24 years old, he’s also just getting started. I think we need to get used to Morant being close to, if not at the top, of many of these lists. However, his off-the-court distractions have hurt them for the time being. Generally, I don’t like to include off-the-court happenings, but when those situations literally force you to miss games, it’s not a great look.
And that’s where Morant stands as he’s slated to miss the first 25 games of the season due to a suspension. Nevertheless, Morant is easily one of the best players in the NBA. He’s also one of the most electric at the position. There isn’t much he can’t do. He’s one of the most athletic point guards we’ve ever seen, he’s an underrated playmaker, and has shown signs of being a good 3-point shooter.
If he can continue to make improvements to his individual game, there’s no question that he could become the best player at the position in a few years. Especially with a couple players in the top 3 being at the latter end of their respective careers.
3. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
For the time being, Damian Lillard remains the third-best point guard in the NBA. The sad part of this all is that there’s at least a good chance at the moment that he will miss half the season. After demanding a trade at the beginning of the offseason, there has been no traction on a potential deal. With less than a month remaining before the start of NBA Training Camp, all signs point to him still being on the Blazers’ roster when the season begins. That could lead Portland to tell Lillard to simply stay home until they are able to work out a deal that they see fit.
If that does end up happening, Lillard may not be traded until the deadline and that means he could end up sitting half the season. considering how good Lillard was for the team last season, that would be a huge disappointment. With only a year or two left of prime basketball left, the last thing that we want to see as basketball fans is Lillard wasting away at home.
He’s one of the most dynamic offensive players when he’s healthy and playing at the top of his game. Here’s hoping he finally gets a chance to prove just how good he his by competing for a championship.
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
You can make the argument that the next two players should be in a tier on their own and I wouldn’t budge. However, I’m not sure what tier is about elite status. We start here at No. 2 with Luka Doncic who is probably already considered a top 5 NBA player across the board, regardless of position. If there’s any early-career knock on Doncic, it’s the fact that he hasn’t had the playoff success that many other superstars have. In fairness, he is just 24 years old and the Dallas Mavericks haven’t done a tremendous job to surround him with the necessary talent to compete for a championship year in and year out.
Nevertheless, it’s pretty unprecedented for a 24-year-old to be averaging 32 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on 50 percent shooting from the field. That’s inching closer and closer to LeBron James territory. Luka is clearly on the right track and the scariest part of it all is the fact that he’s still getting better.
With the path and strides he’s made through the first few seasons of his career, it wouldn’t be al that surprising if he emerges as the best player in the NBA in a few years.
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
At least for now, there’s not a better point guard in the NBA than Stephen Curry. When he’s at the top of his game, there are not many point guards in the league that can keep up with him. But it’s not just the fact that he’s the best point guard in the NBA. He’s also the best shooter in NBA history and one of the best winners – he’s won five NBA Championships and will have a solid chance to win a sixth this year.
Even as he enters his age-35 season, Curry continues to play at a high level. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 29 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 43 percent shooting from 3-point range. He continues to be the most important player for the Warriors and, once again, will only go as far as he can take them this year.
There’s a chance that Curry remains the best point guard in the league for a few more seasons. But even if he does fall off a bit over the next few years, he has a game that should age well. He could easily still have five more years left in his career.