NBA: Ranking The League’s Top 10 Point Guards In 2016-17

As the 2016-17 NBA season gets underway, here’s a look at player rankings for the top 10 point guards in the league.

Now that the 2016-17 NBA season is officially underway, all the talk about the draft, free agency, trades and preseason expectations has finally given way to actual basketball. Every team has played its first game, and now the players get to do all the talking.

The results and stats won’t start sinking in for another week or so, however, so there’s still plenty to evaluate after another summer full of player movement. From offseason grades to season previews, there’s been plenty to analyze, but what about some good, old-fashioned player rankings?

Player rankings are always subjective, and that makes them open to an awful lot of scrutiny, debate and differing opinions.

There are a ton of factors to take into account, including stats, advanced stats, individual skills, defense, team success, value to a team, upside, injury history, projections for the upcoming season, how they’ll fit in a new role or on a new team…the list goes on and on.

In an attempt to make sense of that myriad of judging standards, it’s time to take a look at the 10 best players in the NBA at each position. Today, we wrap this series up with the 10 best point guards in the association.

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At perhaps the league’s deepest positions, there are quite a few honorable mentions that are deserving of the top 10, but simply didn’t make it because there are too many great floor generals in this league. Without further ado, here are the top 10 point guards in the NBA.

Honorable Mentions:  Mike Conley, Reggie Jackson, D’Angelo Russell, George Hill, Goran Dragic, Jeff Teague, Ricky Rubio, Jeremy Lin, Rajon Rondo, Dennis Schroder, Derrick Rose, Tony Parker, Jrue Holiday

10. Kemba Walker

2015-16 Stats:  20.9 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, .427/.371/.847 shooting, 20.8 PER

First, a couple of notes about our closest cuts:

• Mike Conley, the league’s perennial, “most underrated point guard,” just earned the largest contract in NBA history, missed 26 games due to injury last year and is now 29 years old. He’s properly rated at this point, and it keeps him out of these top 10 projections.
• Reggie Jackson would make a case for this list, but he’s out injured to start the season and will miss significant time.
• Second-year stud D’Angelo Russell is going to put up big numbers on a bad team just like his Phoenix Suns buddy Devin Booker, but Book makes his respective top 10 thanks to a thinner collection of shooting guards. Russell doesn’t get that same benefit at the 1.

As for Kemba Walker, he’s coming off a career-best 21-5-4 stat line, he improved his three-point efficiency — one of the bigger flaws in his game — and he overcame his size disadvantage at 6’1″ to emerge as an All-Star caliber point guard in the East.

He didn’t get the nod, but with Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee and Al Jefferson all gone, the pressure is on Walker to spread the floor, run the offense with Nicolas Batum and put up solid scoring numbers.

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His 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting in Charlotte’s season debut weren’t spectacular, but he also put up eight assists and went 3-for-7 from long range in a blowout win.

The Charlotte Hornets might take a step back this year, but if Steve Clifford and company manage to stave off regression in 2016-17, it’ll be for two reasons: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist‘s return, and the 26-year-old Walker building on his career year.

9. Eric Bledsoe

2015-16 Stats:  20.4 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG, .453/.372/.802 shooting, 20.0 PER

If Eric Bledsoe‘s knees could be trusted, he’d probably be a few spots higher up this list — even playing for a likely bottom-feeder like the Phoenix Suns. Unfortunately, Bledsoe missing 39 games in 2013-14 and 51 games last season due to meniscus injuries limits his value here.

When Bledsoe is fully healthy, however, he’s capable of playing with any point guard in the league, as his epic duels with Russell Westbrook over the years have proven. He sometimes loses focus on the defensive end and he’s not a particularly charismatic leader, but when he’s locked in, he lives up to his mini-LeBron nickname as a terrifying blend of speed, athleticism and strength on both ends of the floor.

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Bledsoe was in the middle of an All-Star caliber year before his season-ending meniscus injury in 2015-16, averaging 20.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on .453/.372/.802 shooting splits. He looked healthy in the Suns’ 2016-17 season opener, putting up 16 points, six rebounds and five assists in only 29 minutes during the blowout loss.

Phoenix’s standing as a non-playoff team, Bledsoe’s inconsistent effort and his extensive injury history relegate him to No. 9, but if he stays healthy, he’s one of the league’s most underrated two-way guards who’s made strides to improve his three-point shooting as well.

8. Isaiah Thomas

2015-16 Stats:  22.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG, .428/.359/.871 shooting, 21.5 PER

Jae Crowder was probably the Boston Celtics‘ most well-rounded player (before Al Horford joined), Avery Bradley might be their X-factor, and Horford will be the catalyst if they make the jump from “playoff team” to “biggest Eastern threat to the Cavaliers.” But there’s no question that Isaiah Thomas is the Celtics’ heart and soul.

This ranking might seem high for a one-sided player like Thomas, who struggles on the defensive end due in no small part (get it?) to his 5’9″ frame. Advanced statistics don’t love him as much as some of the other guys on this list, and he’s not a terribly efficient scorer either. And yet, it hasn’t stopped him from becoming an instant fan favorite and offensive dynamo.

There’s no tangible measure for his ability to inspire the Boston faithful, but his instant connection with this blue-collar fan base shouldn’t be taken for granted. Thomas is pure, unadulterated fun, and his spot on last year’s All-Star team was well-deserved.

I.T.’s spot on this list isn’t just because he’s fun to watch though. His first two games of the 2016-17 campaign — 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds against the Nets and 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting against the Bulls — show he might not be done improving at age 27.

7. John Wall

2015-16 Stats:  19.9 PPG, 10.2 APG, 4.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG, .424/.351/.791 shooting, 19.8 PER

On the defensive end, John Wall is far better than the next three point guards on this list. He’s a premier distributor, he’s single-handedly made the Washington Wizards relevant over the last few seasons and he’s still only 26 years old.

So why is he only No. 7 on this list? Well, last year’s hugely disappointing season didn’t help, with Wall getting off to a very slow start and his Wizards missing the playoffs in a 41-win season. Everyone knows Wall is deadly with the ball in his hands, but the point guard spot is so loaded we need to see him lead the charge in a bounce-back season for Washington first.

https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/791812446184886272

For all his distribution, quickness with the rock and smart defensive instincts, Wall lacks a skill intrinsic to being considered  elite in the NBA these days: a passable three-point shot. His 12-point, 10-assist, four-steal season opener left something to be desired and was basically a perfect representation of his 2015-16 season, since he shot 3-for-15 from the floor in a loss.

Last year, Walls shot a career-high 35.1 percent from deep, and hopefully that upward trajectory continues. But he’s a career 31.9 percent shooter from three-point range, and his insistence on shooting long twos (along with Bradley Beal) doesn’t help matters. Wall is a tremendous floor general, but he’s not without flaws.

6. Kyle Lowry

2015-16 Stats:  21.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 SPG, .427/.388/.811 shooting, 22.2 PER

If these rankings were based on the 2015-16 regular season, Kyle Lowry would be ahead of the next two guys on this list. He’s a more well-rounded point guard than either one, playing a slightly more central role for the Toronto Raptors than Kyrie Irving did for the Cleveland Cavaliers and leading his team to more success than Damian Lillard did.

However, coming off a career-best 21-6-5-2 stat line, it’s kind of reasonable to assume the 30-year-old Lowry is due for some regression, right? Especially compared to Kyrie, who hit the game-winning shot in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and Dame, who could be a dark horse MVP candidate?

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Lowry is a wrecking ball at his best, bullying opponents on his way to the basket, drilling big three-pointers and providing far better defense than anything Dame or Kyrie are capable of. However, those two guys are still on an upward trajectory, while Lowry is probably due for some plateauing.

This slight demotion isn’t just because DeMar DeRozan‘s 40-point season opener vastly dwarfed Lowry’s 10-point, 3-for-13 debut either. Something may have clicked for Irving in those Finals, Lillard is as motivated as ever, and Lowry is simply reaching that age where another career season feels like a bit too much to ask.

5. Kyrie Irving

2015-16 Stats:  19.6 PPG, 4.7 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG, .448/.321/.885 shooting, 19.9 PER

Due to last year’s injury problems, the experience of helping his team win a championship and hitting one of the biggest shots in NBA Finals history, Kyrie Irving could be in store for one of the biggest one-year turnarounds we’ve seen in quite some time.

Last year, he put up a 20-5-3 stat line and only played in 53 games. He was an inefficient scorer, a woeful defender and his distribution left something to be desired. In the postseason, however, he was finally 100 percent healthy and went on a tear, posting 25.2 points and 4.7 assists per game on .475/.440/.875 shooting splits, dropping 41 points in a do-or-die Game 5 of the Finals, and locking in defensively in a way we’ve rarely seen from him.

Irving has always been the best example of why they call the NBA a make-or-miss league. When he’s hitting, his dribble-heavy iso ball is a joy to watch. When he’s not, it’s blatantly obvious that style of basketball isn’t always sustainable. After making it work to his team’s advantage on the grandest stage in basketball, it’s possible that something finally clicked for him.

In 2016-17, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to coast. If their season opener against the Knicks — in which Irving put up 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting and LeBron James dropped a triple-double — is any indication, Kyrie and the Cavs are just getting started. If he can make this renewed sense of purpose last all season, he’ll have earned his spot this high on the list.

4. Damian Lillard

2015-16 Stats:  25.1 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.0 RPG, .419/.375/.892 shooting, 22.2 PER

This is probably a bit higher on the list than even I’m comfortable with, since Damian Lillard is still a dreadful defender. He’s basically a James Harden-lite in that aspect of that game, only his three-point shooting, bravado and off-court dedication to making sure everyone knows he’s an underdog defying expectations helps him overshadow the fundamental flaw in his game.

That being said, Lillard could be poised for a breakout season in 2016-17, and that’s quite a scary thought after he averaged a 25-7-4 stat line and led the Portland Trail Blazers to 44 wins last year when they were expected to tank. Everyone — myself included — doubted Dame and the Blazers; another year of development for this young core could see Lillard explode as a leader.

Even without another All-Star snub to fuel him, Lillard could very well lead the league in scoring this year. His comments about super-teams and his ascension following LaMarcus Aldridge‘s exit have made him beloved in Rip City and around the league, and another blistering season from three-point land could put him in the conversation for the NBA’s leading scorer.

Dame is probably a worse defender than Kyrie, but he’s a more consistent gunner from deep, he’s going to put up bigger numbers as his team’s No. 1 option, and I’m still not 100 percent certain Irving’s game (and health) can be trusted yet. Guys like Kyle Lowry and John Wall are far more well-rounded, but with Dame already averaging 34.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game on .545/.545/.875 shooting splits this season, doubt him at your own risk.

3. Chris Paul

2015-16 Stats:  19.5 PPG, 10.0 APG, 4.2 RPG, 2.1 SPG, .462/.371/.896 shooting, 26.2 PER

If you were wondering if Chris Paul was going to start showing signs of his age in his age-31 season, a 27-5-5 stat line in the Los Angeles Clippers‘ season-opening win in Portland quickly put those concerns to bed. After averaging a 20-10-4 stat line last year, we probably shouldn’t be surprised.

In fact, many people would rather have CP3 than the next guy — and maybe even the next two guys — on this list. By all rights, Paul is one of the five greatest floor generals of all time and even his lack of playoff success doesn’t change the way he controls the game and dictates its tempo in a way rarely seen from the 1-spot. Embracing the villain role only makes CP3 that much more appealing.

So why isn’t he higher on this list? Well, Russell Westbrook might average a triple-double this season and Stephen Curry is still the league’s two-time reigning MVP. It’s hard to top that kind of production, even if the advanced numbers love CP3 as well.

Defensively, Chris Paul is better than Russ and Curry. He’s a far more efficient scorer than Russ and perhaps a better “true point guard” than either of them. But Westbrook is going to be on an absolute tear this season, Curry is still Curry, and until CP3 makes a damn conference finals, it’s hard to trust him to suddenly surpass his younger counterparts.

2. Russell Westbrook

2015-16 Stats:  23.5 PPG, 10.4 APG, 7.8 RPG, 2.0 SPG, .454/.296/.812 shooting, 27.6 PER

If any player in NBA history had a chance to match Oscar Robertson‘s untouchable feat of averaging a triple-double for an entire season, it’d be 2016-17 Russell Westbrook.

He’s always played the game with a competitive-bordering-on-insane fire; now that Kevin Durant is gone, he has more motivation than ever to sneer his way to nightly triple-doubles, punish opposing rims with thunderous dunks and prove once and for all that he is a legitimate franchise player, not just the Robin to KD’s Batman.

In the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s season opener, Westbrook’s 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists almost seemed mundane, if only because his team barely beat the Philadelphia 76ers and Anthony Davis‘ opening night stat line trumped all others.

But even with a horrendously inefficient three-point shot, Westbrook has become one of the league’s best distributors and undeniable bolts of lightning. He plays with a passion this game wants and needs, and his outright statistical output — even on a Thunder team that might struggle to make the playoffs — gives him the edge over the more well-rounded, efficient CP3.

1. Stephen Curry

2015-16 Stats:  30.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.1 SPG, .504/.454/.908 shooting, 31.5 PER

Coming off the greatest regular season in NBA history, it’s a bit silly that anyone would remove Stephen Curry from his top spot as the league’s best point guard — even if Kevin Durant’s arrival may lead to a slight decrease in his gaudy 30-7-5 stat line from last year.

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With Curry and these super-team Golden State Warriors, we probably shouldn’t count our championship chickens before they hatch into little baby rings. Their disastrous season opener was a reminder that for all their firepower, the Dubs’ depth, defense and rebounding are all serious concerns.

However, as easy as it’d be to overreact to one game, there’s just way too much talent for this NOT to work. Curry and Klay Thompson are still premier three-point shooters, and their gravitational pull is only going to be that much harder to account for now that Durant joins them on the wing.

It certainly doesn’t seem as though the arrival of another former MVP has made Curry shy about shooting the rock either.

A season after joining the 50-40-90 club, averaging 30 points per game and making an NBA-record 402 three-pointers, it’s reasonable to assume that Curry’s numbers will dip a little bit in 2016-17.

Next: 2016-17 NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

What wouldn’t be reasonable to assume is that this slight regression will make him anything less than the NBA’s reigning No. 1 point guard. For all his turnover-proneness, his lackluster performance in the NBA Finals and the way the public has turned on him and the Warriors since forming their super-team, Steph Curry is still a top-five player and the game’s best point guard.