The Philadelphia 76ers’ disgruntled star point guard, Ben Simmons, has dominated most of the late summer NBA rumor mill. His struggles in the playoffs have caused a full on assault by critics on Twitter all summer. Despite his weaknesses, is Ben Simmons talented enough to continue to be mentioned among the top 10 NBA point guards? Will he even play this season?
If your favorite point guard isn’t found below, like Kyrie Irving, chances are they can be found on my top shooting guard list.
Here are the top 10 NBA point guards this season.
10. Jrue Holiday- Milwaukee Bucks
Replacing Eric Bledsoe with Jrue Holiday was the pivotal move that helped the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA championship last season. Despite struggling to find his role on the offensive end, he was a nightmare on the defensive end for opposing guards. Whether he was facing Trae Young, Chris Paul, or Devin Booker, Holiday made the lives of opposing guards very difficult. When his offense is rolling, Holiday can look like one of the best two way players in the NBA.
He is an NBA champion for a reason. He belongs on the top 10 point guard list.
9. Ben Simmons- Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has drastically fallen down my top point guards list and I don’t feel good about it. His talent as a pure basketball player is one of the best in the game. Unfortunately, he plays the point guard position. As a point guard, you cannot hesitate. His fourth quarter usage rate is atrocious simply because he’s scared of the free-throw line.
Some think his biggest weakness is his ability to shoot. In my opinion, his biggest weakness is his mental.
Perhaps getting out of Philadelphia will help him return as a top 5 point guard. For now, we are all skeptical.
8. Russell Westbrook- Los Angeles Lakers
If you told me Russell Westbrook was the best point guard in the NBA, I’d understand. If you told me Russell Westbrook wasn’t a top 10 point guard, I’d try to understand. How he’s going to fit playing alongside LeBron James? I have no idea. However, I am optimistic.
We all know Westbrook is a triple-double machine. His heart and effort is matched by none in the NBA. However, he is a ball dominant point guard with terrible shooting efficiency. There are many questions about his fit with the Lakers that need to be answered. Is Westbrook a good fit along James, or will they stagger their minutes?
I have no idea, but I’m optimistic.
In some situations, Westbrook can be the best point guard in basketball. For him and the Lakers to succeed, he’s going to save some of that energy for the playoffs.
7. Ja Morant- Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant is one of the electrifying young stars who are quickly up and coming. He can score at will, facilitate, and make defensive plays at times. My one worry for Morant is how much the Grizzlies ask of him. He is basically asked to do so much at a young age. This hurts his scoring efficiency. He averages just over 3 turnovers per game, which is in line with most star point guards.
As Morant continues to improve, we should see him become more efficient and more controlled with his body. If he can figure out how to slow his game down just a bit, at times, Morant can become one of the most lethal guards in the game.
6. Chris Paul- Phoenix Suns
Chris Paul has completely changed the perception of him over the last couple of seasons. He has helped two young rosters learn how to win. Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker were struggling, despite their tremendous talent, prior to Paul arriving there. With Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns made it to game 6 of the NBA finals.
We can argue about the path they took to the finals. However, we cannot disagree about the impact Chris Paul made on the Phoenix Suns. He brought the best out of the Suns and is an all time great. The only thing keeping him from climbing on this list is his age.
5. Trae Young- Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young would be ranked no.1 on this list if he were to face the New York Knicks every game next season. Young has always shown tremendous talent. That was amplified ever since Nate McMillan took over as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Nate McMillan helped turn their season around. They went from looking like they might miss the playoffs to finishing at the 5th seed.
The Hawks would go on to upset the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. They also pushed the Milwaukee Bucks to their limit. Young has proven to be one of the most fearless players in the game. Several NBA analysts consider him to be a top 10 player in the game.
Although I am cautious with my ranking, I would not be surprised if he were to finish the season as a top 3 point guard in the NBA.
4. Damian Lillard- Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard can score with the best of them. He can defend with the worst of them. He is the definition of a scoring point guard. He’s flashy, cool, marketable, talented, and lethal on the offensive end. Unfortunately, whether its his fault or his surrounding cast’s fault, Lillard has yet to find success deep into the playoffs.
Lillard’s usage rate gets him pretty beat up during the regular season. By the time the playoffs come around, he is often somewhat injured or very tired. The Blazers being one of the worst passing teams in the NBA doesn’t help Lillard much either.
I’m curious to see if the hiring of Chauncey Billups as their head coach will have any impact on Lillard’s position on the top 10 NBA point guard list.
3. Luka Dončić- Dallas Mavericks
Luka Dončić is the favorite by many to win the 2021-2022 league MVP, for good reason. He is a generational talent with almost no weaknesses. The only thing that hindered his MVP campaign last season was showing up out of shape to start the year. Should Dončić show up in shape this season, he could make a case for being the best player in the world.
However, the Dallas Mavericks have made many changes, none of which included improving their roster. Rick Carlisle built the entire Mavericks offense around Dončić. We have no idea what Jason Kidd is going to bring to the table. We also have no idea if Dončić will once again have the ultimate green light in the NBA or not.
Dončić’s elite talent guarantees him a top 3 ranking on the top point guards list. Do not be surprised if I moved him up the list as early as November.
2. James Harden- Brooklyn Nets
Playing alongside an abundance of talent, with an offensive minded head coach, has only made James Harden’s life easier. For a three week span, he looked like the league MVP last season. Unfortunately, injuries hindered his MVP campaign. Many speculate the reason he battled injuries was due to the fact that he showed up very out of shape to start the year.
Harden will have a fresh start this season with a team he wants to play for. Harden not only has ability to facilitate at a high level, he is also one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
Unlike Doncic, Harden won’t have to force anything next season which should help bring the best out of him. Doncic is also several years away from his prime. For now, Harden will get the nod on my top 10 point guard list.
1. Wardell Stephen Curry II- Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry is one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. He is one of the best passers and scorers in the NBA today. I would need several articles to describe his greatness. If Klay Thompson is healthy, the Warriors are my favorites to make it to the NBA finals out of the western conference. A large part of that is due to Steph Curry’s greatness.
In my opinion, he is the most skilled player in basketball history. He is as fearless as they come.
Honorable mentions.
Jamal Murray who is recovering from an ACL injury is the first to come to mind. Lonzo Ball, LaMelo Ball, Marcus Smart, Kyle Lowry, and Mike Conley Jr are some of the other names that deserve recognition.
Do you think Ben Simmons still belongs on this list? Is Luka the best in the game?
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