Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, it’s time to take a look at the league’s stacked group of starting shooting guards and rank them all.
With free agency all but over and the new season still more than six weeks away, the dog days of NBA summer are out in full force. What better way to pass the time than ranking all 30 projected starting shooting guards for the upcoming 2018-19 campaign?
At this point in the offseason, official depth charts aren’t a thing yet. Injuries can change a team’s projected starting lineup in an instant, as could a team’s goals for the season once the losses start piling up. In that case, more established veterans could easily see their minutes reduced in favor of the younger guys who need playing time to develop.
After starting with point guards on Monday, we’ll now be taking a look at the 30 players who should spend the majority of the upcoming season starting at shooting guard for their respective teams, assuming everyone stays healthy (fingers crossed, but don’t hold your breath on that one).
The question is, what factors go into determining these rankings? There is no advanced algorithm or specific statistic to determine potential wins added or anything along those lines. These aren’t based on fantasy projections or contract value either; they’re simply one writer’s opinions on each player’s potential on-court value in 2018-19.
As such, these are just some good old-fashioned rankings based on the players’ stat lines from last season, the impact and fit they’re expected to have with their current teams, their opportunity and projected team success, their propensity for injury and a myriad of other factors that go into determining a player’s true value.
In an effort to generate discussion (and probably draw the ire of NBA Twitter for the second day in a row), it’s time rank all 30 projected starting shooting guards for the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season. Let’s get right into it.
30. Frank Ntilikina, New York Knicks
This is not an indictment of Frank Ntilikina‘s potential, nor is it an affirmation that the “draft bust” labels are apt; it’s simply an acknowledgment that Ntilikina will probably be forced into the starting 2-guard spot, that his offense is nowhere near where his defense is at this point, and that there are a ton of established 2-guards in this league who can spread the floor more capably.
With only one season under his belt, there’s a good chance Ntilikina will improve on the paltry 5.9 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game he averaged last year simply by being the beneficiary of more minutes under the New York Knicks‘ new head coach, David Fizdale.
However, it’s his 36.4 percent shooting from the field and 31.8 percent conversion rate from distance that need the most work, and no one will be gifted minutes under Fizdale. Here’s hoping his advanced defensive skill-set translates into enough playing time to help him grow on the offensive end.
29. Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
In his first season, Dillon Brooks made quite a few teams regret passing on him in the late first round/early second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t win a whole lot, but in his first year in the league, the rookie cemented himself as one of the team’s most reliable players and an integral part of the young core moving forward.
Brooks averaged 11.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in his 28.7 minutes per game, suiting up for all 82 games. He shot a respectable 44 percent from the field, including 35.6 percent from deep, and provided the kind of tough, hard-nosed defense fans of the Grit-N-Grind can appreciate.
Brooks was still prone to making the kinds of mistakes you’d expect from any rookie, and with the team ratcheting expectations from “rebuilding year” to “playoff pursuit,” Brooks will have to be prepared for a drastic change of pace. However, assuming he starts most of the year at the 2 over Garrett Temple, while Kyle Anderson joins him at the 3, he should continue to make Grizz fans feel optimistic about this second round steal.
28. Tony Snell, Milwaukee Bucks
Ironically enough, Tony Snell should actually have a better year in 2018-19 under Mike Budenholzer, a head coach who prioritizes 3-point shooting. That’s Snell’s one redeeming quality, as the 26-year-old wing knocked down 40.3 percent of his triples last season.
However, even with instability at the head coaching position, it’s not a great sign Snell was unable to fully entrench himself as the Milwaukee Bucks‘ starting 2-guard, especially in the first year of a four-year, $46 million contract. That’s why he finds himself so low on the list, despite optimism that his skill-set should fit Budenholzer’s system.
Snell isn’t a bad player, but with Giannis Antetokounmpo running the point and Bud spreading the floor with shooters and defenders around him, he’ll have to do better than the 6.9 points in 27.4 minutes per game he averaged last year.
27. Allen Crabbe, Brooklyn Nets
Allen Crabbe is coming off perhaps the finest year of his young career. He averaged a career-high 13.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in his first season with the Brooklyn Nets, and though his 3-point shooting dropped from 44.4 percent the year before, he still canned a more than respectable 37.8 percent of his long range attempts.
Unfortunately, as much as he was able to remain efficient with his 3-point tries skyrocketing from 3.8 per game to 7.1 per game in Brooklyn, he only shot 40.7 percent from the field overall. In a league that values 3-and-D wings, Crabbe also has problems supplying the “D” part of the equation.
He still has room to improve at 26 years old, and another year under Kenny Atkinson with a healthier Nets team around him should help. For now though, Crabbe is fairly one-dimensional — even if that one dimension is the ever-important ability to shoot 3s.
26. Reggie Bullock, Detroit Pistons
More surprising NBA factoid: Darren Collison leading the league in 3-point percentage, or Reggie Bullock following up in second place at 44.5 percent? On a Detroit Pistons team that suffocated at times due to lack of spacing, Bullock’s career year from 3 provided much-needed oxygen.
After bouncing from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Phoenix Suns and then to the Pistons, Bullock finally carved out regular minutes for himself in Motown, averaging a career-high 11.3 points in 27.9 minutes per game and shooting 48.9 percent from the floor.
Bullock will see some competition for his starting job from second-year guard Luke Kennard, whose 3-point shooting will also be welcome under new head coach Dwane Casey. Coming off such an eye-opening year though, we’ll give the nod to the more experienced Bullock and see if he can improve the other areas of his game to become the two-way wing Detroit needs.
25. Rodney Hood, Cleveland Cavaliers
Technically speaking, Rodney Hood is still a restricted free agent who has yet to be re-signed. Due to a lack of cap space around the league though, it’s safe to assume he either plays out the upcoming season on his qualifying offer or comes to an agreement on a new contract.
This would make him the more likely starter over David Nwaba, or trade candidates like J.R Smith or Kyle Korver. In any case, Hood has a lot more to offer a regrouping Cleveland Cavaliers team than the 5.4 points per game on anemic shooting splits he offered during their last playoff run.
Whether the Cavs stick to trying to compete or opt for a youth movement with LeBron James gone, Hood will be able to help. He’s got to prove himself after a disappointing year, but it wasn’t long ago that he was seen as a two-way wing with tons of potential. If Cleveland sees him as more of the guy who posted 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting in Game 3 of the Finals, rather than the guy that refused to come off the bench, he should earn enough minutes to redeem himself.
24. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings
Why is it that when the young players composing the Sacramento Kings‘ future core come up, Bogdan Bogdanovic is rarely found on that list? People realize he started more games at the 2 than Buddy Hield did last year, right?
Despite it being his rookie year, the Rising Stars Challenge MVP looked fairly NBA-ready, posting 11.8 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range. He may be 26 years old already, but that only makes the former EuroLeague standout more likely to hold down the starting job in 2018-19 now that he’s adjusted to the speed of the NBA game.
Double Bogdan has to prove he can actually help this young team win games, which is what prevents him from climbing a few spots higher on the list, but there’s no question he’s quickly heading for “overlooked” territory among the league’s promising 2-guards.
23. Dion Waiters, Miami Heat
A fully healthy Dion Waiters leapfrogs the next couple of players, especially based on what we saw during the Miami Heat‘s red-hot second half of the 2016-17 season. That kind of clutch shot-maker, 3-point shooter and serviceable defender deserves to be ranked higher than 23rd on this kind of list.
However, that version of Waiters is rare, and may not be what we see in 2018-19 after he missed 52 games due to injury last year. Though he averaged 14.3 points per game in his 30 appearances, he also shot a dismal 39.8 percent from the floor and 30.6 percent from 3-point range.
This ranking splits the difference between the two, erring on the side of caution given Waiters’ inconsistent play, injury-proneness and the competition he’ll face for the starting job. Even with Josh Richardson starting as a 3, an improving Tyler Johnson, a returning Dwyane Wade or a Justise Winslow making the leap could make Erik Spoeltra’s wing rotation even more competitive.
22. Nicolas Batum, Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets‘ former Swiss Army knife started to look a little worse for wear last season. After being such a versatile, multifunctional piece for so many years, Nicolas Batum saw his numbers dip to 11.6 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game on lackluster .415/.336/.831 shooting splits.
Maybe it was just a down year for a guy who missed 18 games due to injury, but at age 29, Batum isn’t getting any younger either. If he continues to start at the 2 ahead of Malik Monk and Jeremy Lamb, rather than his preferred position of small forward, he’ll need to have a bounce-back year under new head coach James Borrego.
The Hornets are coming off back-to-back 36-win seasons, and though contracts don’t factor into our rankings, there’s no question that with Batum being owed $76.7 million over the next three years, this team won’t have the financial means to improve if his downward trajectory continues. With Batum’s contract being virtually untouchable, Charlotte needs big things from him again in 2018-19.
21. Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are seriously devoid of established talent, but Kent Bazemore isn’t part of the problem there. In 65 games last year, the former journeyman averaged a career-high 12.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, canning 39.4 percent of his 3s.
Bazemore isn’t perfect though, and his numbers only grew marginally from the season before despite a severe drop in accompanying talent. He’s only a career 42 percent shooter overall, and his 42.2 field goal percentage last year reflected that.
Baze might not be in Atlanta for too long, in which case, rookie Kevin Huerter, Jeremy Lin or Tyler Dorsey become the most likely candidates to replace him in the starting lineup. Still, that contract won’t necessarily be easy to unload, so there’s a chance he remains with the Hawks despite the early trade rumors.
20. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Some might see this as too high for an unproven rookie that’s been compared (only by the uninformed) to Darko Milicic and other overseas draft busts. Some might see this as too low for an NBA-ready prospect who dominated in Europe at the tender age of 18 and will now join an ideal situation for his talents.
This ranking tries to balance “Luka Doncic the phenom” with “Luka Doncic the rookie,” since there’s an adjustment process for everyone in their first year in the league. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about Wonder Boy’s fit under Rick Carlisle, especially with Dennis Smith Jr. as his backcourt mate and DeAndre Jordan as a pick-and-roll partner and regular lob target.
After falling to No. 3 in the draft, Doncic won’t have as much pressure on him to perform, so considering his fit with the Dallas Mavericks and the hearty opportunities he’ll get, don’t be surprised to see this Rookie of the Year candidate wind up even higher than this optimistic ranking.
19. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Los Angeles Lakers
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope quietly had a good year for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017-18, and he should be even more useful in 2018-19 since his 3-and-D skill-set is the ideal complement to any LeBron James roster.
KCP isn’t particularly efficient inside the arc, but he still posted 13.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last year, helping out on the boards, supplying stout wing D for one of the league’s most improved defenses and drilling 38.3 percent of his 5.6 3-pointers per game.
The two caveats here are 1) Some players that project to fit well with the King just wilt under the pressure, and KCP could very well be one, and 2) After such an impressive rookie year and NBA Summer League, Josh Hart could be gunning for his job. Caldwell-Pope has the edge for now, but there’s no guarantee it stays that way.
18. Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers
J.J. Redick held down the fort at shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers last year, but based on preseason, it appears a healthy Markelle Fultz will get the starting nod, saving Redick’s 3-point punch for the second unit and turning him into a top Sixth Man of the Year candidate in the process.
This is not only a vote of confidence in Fultz’s new and improved jump shot, but a deft bit of strategy to deploy Redick as a sharpshooting microwave scorer off the bench. If Fultz can keep defenses honest and shoot a respectable percentage from deep, it’s the right move for the Sixers both in the short-term and the long-term.
It’s impossible to predict how long this revamped starting lineup lasts, just as it’s difficult to project what Fultz will bring to the table in his first healthy season. Still, even with his 3-point shot needing some work, it appears as though this No. 1 overall pick is poised for at least some kind of breakout season following that much-maligned rookie campaign.
17. Danny Green, Toronto Raptors
There’s a good chance this winds up being a generous ranking for a guy whose numbers dipped to 8.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last year, but perhaps a change of scenery will do Danny Green some good.
The San Antonio Spurs were still a good team last year, but hopefully in 2018-19, Green will get to play alongside a healthy Kawhi Leonard once more. OG Anunoby could very well earn the starting nod over the 31-year-old Green, but for his experience, stifling wing defense and career 39.5 percent shooting from downtown, it might make more sense to slot Green ahead of Anunoby.
In any case, Green would certainly enjoy a bounce-back year playing for the Toronto Raptors after shooting just 38.7 percent from the field in 2017-18. On one of the East’s premier teams, there’s a good chance he’s able to do so, even if most of his impact doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.
16. Andre Roberson, Oklahoma City Thunder
Andre Roberson can’t shoot outside of the restricted area. Seriously, his shot chart is almost comical, with a beehive right at the basket, a few blips in the corners for 3, and nothing else. His value is limited to cutting on offense, and he won’t even be 100 percent until around December.
Still, there’s no question he holds immense value to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the defensive end of the floor. He was legitimately in the running for All-Defensive First Team honors and even the Defensive Player of the Year award last year before his ruptured patellar tendon ended his season.
Here’s a more accurate depiction of his defensive value for OKC: Before his season-ending injury in January, the Thunder ranked fifth in defensive rating, holding opponents to 103.1 points per 100 possessions. After Roberson went down, they plummeted to 15th, giving up 107.0 points per 100 possessions. Elite defense can only get you so far with no offense attached, though.
15. Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic
This is about as high as we could realistically rank a somewhat one-dimensional player from the Orlando Magic, but there’s no question Evan Fournier can score the rock. Last year, he increased his scoring average again — something he’s done every single season of his six-year career — by averaging 17.8 points per game.
The problem is, Fournier is really the only adequate offensive threat on a bad team, and he doesn’t do much else to contribute to winning basketball. Even on efficient .459/.379/.867 shooting splits, Mr. “Do Not Google” is hardly a lockdown defender, and he only averaged 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Fournier’s scoring ability alone nearly bumps him into the top half of the league’s starting shooting guards, but because of his deficiencies in the defense, playmaking, rebounding and hair style departments, this is as high as he goes.
14. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
Zach LaVine is perhaps the worst defender on this list, and if he shows the same signs of rust that he did last year, this ranking will be way too high. The Chicago Bulls probably weren’t thrilled with the 16.7 points per game he posted in 24 appearances last year, since they came on uninspiring .383/.341/.813 shooting splits.
However, coming back from an ACL tear is not easy, and with a full offseason under his belt, he should be much better in 2018-19. LaVine still showed signs of being a high riser, and his game extends beyond simply being a bouncy dunker.
Remember, LaVine drained 38.7 percent of his 3-pointers in his final season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game. His contract is still a monstrosity, but since that’s not a factor here, we’re still believers in this 23-year-old becoming a go-to scorer and reliable 3-point threat.
13. Avery Bradley, Los Angeles Clippers
Avery Bradley‘s value is as low as it’s been in quite some time. He played in only 46 games last year, including just six with the Los Angeles Clippers. In that tiny sample size, his numbers dropped to 9.2 points per game on 11.1 percent shooting from 3, but truth be told, his numbers from his 40 games in Detroit weren’t anything to write home about either.
Still, the 15.0 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting from deep that he posted in Motown are a better indicator of what to expect in 2018-19, especially after the Clippers re-signed Bradley to a two-year, $25 million deal.
Whether the Clippers start Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Patrick Beverley at the 1, Bradley should hold down the starting 2-guard spot until the team knows what it has in rookie Jerome Robinson, For those one or two years, Bradley should provide tenacious wing defense, 3-point shooting and secondary playmaking, no matter what injury did to his value last year.
12. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown is already an elite wing defender, and he’s only going to get better as he approaches his 22nd birthday. There’s a chance he makes “the leap” in his third season, which would be downright scary for the East considering the Boston Celtics already feel like the heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
However, it’s hard to expect Jaylen Browns to take another drastic jump in year three, especially on a team that will turn to Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford first whenever it needs a bucket. Tatum feels like the most likely wing to come off the bench, but there’s no guarantee Brown keeps his starting job all year at the 2.
Still, it’s not like Brown is some raw offensive player still trying to find his way. He did average 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last year, shooting 39.5 percent from 3. If he can somehow improve those numbers, or just be more efficient with fewer touches on a fully healthy Celtics team, ranking him this low — even at a stacked position — could feel like a mistake a year from now.
11. Gary Harris, Denver Nuggets
This feels disrespectful to one of the NBA’s best two-way guards, since Gary Harris is already a stifling defender, a consistent 3-point threat and a respectable scorer given how much talent he has around him. Approaching his 24th birthday, Harris could be ready for yet another “breakout year” in 2018-19.
However, that feels less likely than some of the other players on this list, and it’s because of the amount of offensive firepower around him on this Denver Nuggets team. Even as he increases his scoring and 3-point potency year after year, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are always going to command the brunt of the shot attempts, and Paul Millsap is somewhere in the equation too.
On a worse team, Harris would get his chance to shine on offense with more responsibility. As the second or third option last year, he still put up 17.5 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting from deep. Unfortunately, he’ll get fewer opportunities to expand his offensive game on this Denver team, he doesn’t contribute much elsewhere on the stat sheet, and until the Nuggets’ defensive rating reflects his reputation, it’s hard to argue his defensive impact is truly elite.
10. Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans
Maybe too much credence is being given to Jrue Holiday‘s defense and his scorching hot playoff run, but there’s no question switching him to the 2-guard spot unlocked a more dangerous version of the New Orleans Pelicans. After all, this is the guy who thoroughly outplayed both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in a dominant first round playoff sweep.
With Elfrid Payton replacing Rajon Rondo at the point, only time will tell how long the Pelicans can afford to keep playing Holiday at the 2. If Payton flounders, Holiday might have to take over point guard duties out of necessity.
However, NOLA is also short on wing depth. Given his success playing off the ball last year (a career-high 19.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game), Holiday might see a permanent switch to the 2-guard spot. If that’s the case, and if he can improve his 33.7 percent shooting from distance, he could bypass the next few youngsters on this list as well.
9. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Don’t sharpen your pitchforks just yet, Utah Jazz fans. Donovan Mitchell was tremendous last year, emerging as a true leader both on and off the court. As Utah’s leading scorer and an immediate replacement for Gordon Hayward as the face of the franchise, his impact cannot be understated. It’s also rare to see such a competent rookie on the defensive end.
However, the 2-guard position is ridiculously stacked in the NBA right now, and as much as Mitchell screams superstar potential, we need to see how he adjusts in his sophomore season now that opposing defenses will see him coming. That certainly wasn’t a problem in the playoffs, but Spida Mitchell could also stand to improve his efficiency and contribute in the other areas of the stat sheet to round out his game.
After one of the finest seasons in NBA history to fall short of the Rookie of the Year award, these are all nitpickings, however. Mitchell is only going to get better as he turns 22 in September, and once he grows as a playmaker, rebounder and emotional leader of this dangerous Jazz team, he’s only going to continue to climb these rankings.
8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
This probably feels too high for the best player on the NBA’s worst team last year, but rest assured, Devin Booker is a bona fide superstar and he was worth every penny of that massive contract extension he got this summer. If the Phoenix Suns can just put some talent around him, he’ll get the chance to prove himself as one of the league’s up-and-coming dynamite scorers.
Last year, Booker posted career highs across the board, averaging 24.9 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game and shooting 38.3 percent from 3-point range. His scoring at the tender age of 21 puts him the same company as some of the game’s elite Hall-of-Famers, and as he enters year four, he could get even better as a facilitator, three-phase scorer and 3-point marksman.
His defense is still an issue that holds him back in these rankings, as does his obvious lack of team success. Until the Suns start winning games, he’ll continue to be misjudged as a “good numbers, bad team” guy. However, if Phoenix can add, you know, any semblance of established talent around him moving forward, the rest of the league will realize that label was a mistake. The 2018-19 season should be the first step in getting everyone on the same page about Booker’s status.
7. CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
For all the gripes about how the Damian Lillard-CJ McCollum backcourt plays no defense, the Portland Trail Blazers were the NBA’s eighth-ranked defense last year. Both guards drastically improved their effort on that end, which is what made McCollum’s slight statistical dip easier to explain.
In his fifth NBA season, McCollum saw his averages drop from 23.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on .480/.421/.912 shooting splits the year prior to 21.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on .443/.397/.836 shooting in 2017-18.
Still, those are pretty damn good numbers, especially on the third-best team in the West. Rip City flamed out early in the playoffs, but McCollum more than did his part in that series, carrying the load for a struggling Lillard. Given his defensive progress and the fact that he’s still just 26 years old, “3J” could be heading for a career year in 2018-19.
6. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
It sounded ridiculous at first, but 2018-19 could be the season that finally tips the scales from the Washington Wizards being John Wall‘s team to being Bradley Beal‘s team. They need both healthy to make a legitimate playoff run, but Beal was a revelation in his first fully healthy season.
While Wall only played 41 games last year, Beal held it down for all 82, averaging 22.6 points, 4.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game on .460/.375/.791 shooting splits. His growth as a playmaker was the biggest reason for encouragement, and when he’s engaged, he’s a lengthy and athletic defender.
Beal will never replace Wall as the team’s primary facilitator, but he might be a more well-rounded player and he’s definitely a more dangerous 3-point threat. If he and Wall can both stay healthy (and stop taking so many long 2s), this unspoken struggle for alpha dog status could be settled, and if it finally is, the duo could lead Washington somewhere special together.
5. DeMar DeRozan, San Antonio Spurs
On the one hand, DeMar DeRozan is coming off a special season where he grew as a playmaker and 3-point shooter, averaging 23.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game as the best player on the No. 1 seed in the East. He’s an upgrade over nine games of banged-up Kawhi Leonard, which means the San Antonio Spurs could realistically improve on their 47-win season from last year.
However, his “growth” as a 3-point shooter was limited to a 31 percent conversion rate, he just turned 29 years old, and this master of the mid-range is joining a Spurs team that ranked in the bottom five in 3-point attempts, makes and percentage last year. Gregg Popovich is still one of the NBA’s best coaches, but will he be able to figure out how to space the floor on offense?
Playing alongside another mid-range throwback like LaMarcus Aldridge won’t help matters, and mainstay veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are gone. DeRozan’s defense shouldn’t be as much of an issue playing in San Antonio, but the flaws in his game don’t make this the cleanest of fits, and it’s the reason he’s “only” No. 5 in these rankings.
4. Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
This may seem like an overreaction to one good year, but it’s not an exaggeration to say Victor Oladipo was one of the best guards in the entire association last year, and he more than earned his first All-Star appearance and Third Team All-NBA selection.
Averaging 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game, Oladipo was a two-way terror for the pleasant surprise of the season, a 48-win Indiana Pacers team. He shot 37.1 percent from 3-point range, provided late-game heroics time and time again and nearly led his plucky squad past LeBron James in an intense seven-game playoff series in the first round.
Basically, Oladipo looked like the franchise star he was pegged to be after being drafted second overall back in 2013. It took him a few years to find his confidence and the right situation, but at only 26 years old, he and the Pacers should be able to build on their unforgettable season and seriously challenge for a top-four seed in the East.
3. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
The numbers won’t reflect it next season, especially with DeMarcus Cousins joining an already loaded Golden State Warriors roster. With that being said, there’s no question about Klay Thompson‘s status as one of the NBA’s best two-way 2-guards, and his importance to the Dubs’ offense.
As Golden State’s third option, Thompson still averaged 20.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game on red-hot .488/.440/.837 shooting splits last year. Despite his number of shot attempts decreasing from the field and from downtown, the second Splash Brother was far more efficient than his first year adjusting to Kevin Durant‘s arrival.
Thompson takes on the tougher defensive assignment in the backcourt on a nightly basis, provides easier driving lanes simply because of his gravitational pull, and is a walking supernova ready to go off in a second’s notice. His basic averages don’t compare to some of the other guys in the top 10, but his efficiency, defense and vital importance to perhaps the greatest team of all time shouldn’t be overlooked.
2. Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves
It’d be nice if Tom Thibodeau would stop running Jimmy Butler (and everyone else) into the ground, but even in 59 games last year, there’s no question the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ star acquisition proved himself as the team’s best player in 2017-18.
That could quickly change in 2018-19 if Karl-Anthony Towns starts giving a damn about the defensive end, and it could change even if he doesn’t, but for the time being, Jimmy Buckets’ two-way game puts him in elite company on this roster and in the NBA in general.
Last year, Butler posted 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range. He remains one of the game’s most imposing defenders, and if the Wolves can’t convince him to re-sign next summer, they’ll likely be losing the game’s second-best shooting guard.
1. James Harden, Houston Rockets
Defensive flaws be damned; even if you believe James Harden only plays one end of the floor, he plays it so excellently that he’s still the best shooting guard in the NBA by a wide margin. Coming off a long-awaited first MVP award, after finishing second in MVP voting twice, this shouldn’t be a surprise.
Last year, the Beard averaged a league-leading 30.4 points, 8.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 44.9 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from 3-point range. He was the best player on the league’s best regular season team, personally banished a defender into a black hole, and was responsible for some of the best stat lines, highlight plays and clutch moments of the 2017-18 NBA season.
Having just turned 29 years old, Harden is still in the middle of his prime, and Chris Paul will be back to make sure the Houston Rockets‘ title window remains open. With a healthy CP3, this team may have been able to unseat the almighty Warriors in the Western Conference Finals last year.
Harden shouldn’t be blamed for the Rockets squandering a 3-2 lead to perhaps the greatest team ever, especially with Paul sidelined. He’s one of the game’s deadliest scorers, most visionary passers, meanest pick-and-roll manipulators and a downright nasty step-back artist.
Considering his effort on defense did improve last year, and the monumental load he carries for one of the most potent offenses in NBA history, James Harden is more than deserving of the No. 1 spot on this list heading into 2018-19.