Ranking Garland and the 30 best point guards in the NBA
30 best point guards in the NBA: Rising Stars
The players in the first two tiers have proven themselves over multiple seasons and in the crucible of the playoffs. This group either lacks that experience or has not had to do so as their team’s lead guy. All are incredibly talented and should be in the All-Star conversation next season.
No. 9: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 10: Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Both of these talented point guards have been playing the past few seasons on lottery teams. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got to experience the playoffs as his team’s third guard when Chris Paul was in town, but since then has taken up the mantle as top creator in Oklahoma City and played tremendously despite a wild rotation of players around him. He brings a well-rounded game to the table including defensive chops, putting him at the top of this tier of similarly-ranked players.
Darius Garland checks in just below, technically qualifying as a “Top 10 point guard” but more importantly being a part of an exciting group of young talent. From Luka, Morant and Young in the tier above to SGA, Murray and Garland here (and LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson below) the future at the position is bright, and Garland is leading out.
He is a knockdown shooter from outside, a creative finisher around the basket and helped elevate defense-first lineups in Cleveland all of last year on a team that barely missed out on the playoffs. His passing is already at a high level and will only improve as his teammates do around him. He made his first All-Star Game last season and should only make more for the foreseeable future.
No. 11: Jamal Murray
No. 12: Dejounte Murray
No. 13: Fred VanVleet
Jamal Murray has had some incandescent playoff series, but coming off of an ACL tear there is just a bit of hesitation as to how he will play when he returns, and whether he has benefited from being the Denver Nuggets’ second option rather than its first. Dejounte Murray is a defensive hawk as a 6’6″ point guard, but last season the offensive game came together in a big way as he averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game.
Fred VanVleet has had some big playoff moments himself, but always in the shadow of Kyle Lowry or Kawhi Leonard. Now he is running point for a good Toronto Raptors team and proving that he can be more than an off-ball guy. Last season he was somewhat streaky, which places some variance in where he might land next year.