It’s the summer of 2011 and the CBA is having a meltdown of biblical proportions, creating a scenario where every NBA player becomes a free agent. Who are you looking to run the point of your franchise for years to come? Sorry, Nash, Kidd and Billups, but your services are no longer needed here. We are looking to the future to find the best players in the forward position for years to come.
10) Raymond Felton–Who would have thought that Raymond Felton would complete this list a year ago? Apparently Donnie Walsh, Mike D’Antoni and company did when they signed him to a two-year, $15.8 million contract last summer. Felton leads all point guards in MPG (6th overall) posting an impressive 38.9. What makes it even more impressive is that he’s doing it at the helm of D’Antoni’s NBA-leading points-per-game offense. Averaging 18.2 and 8.7 along with nearly 2 steals per game, he seems like a perfect fit for New York and my fantasy team. However, his inability to spike around the basket and shoot a high percentage from deep is what separates him from the top of the class.
9) Tyreke Evans–One of only four players in history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in his rookie season (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James were the other three). It’s easy to see why he earned rookie of the year honors in the 2009-2010 season. He gets to the hoop at will with a quick first step and finishes. The tallest of all the guards on this list at 6’6, he can cause attacks on the defensive end whenever he wants. His inability to shoot the basketball hurts him constantly at times. Evans can also tend toward lack of effort on the court and maturity off it, leaving him in 9th place.
8) Stephen Curry–Without a doubt, the best point guard in the NBA. Definitely point. With a quick shot and money off the dribble, he’s deadly from the middle, at 44%, and the line he’s likely to be a 90% career shooter of him. But it’s his underrated ability to see the floor and play the pick and roll that makes him so special. Where he normally takes years to master, Curry stepped in as if he’d been running the pick and roll his entire life. His lack of size and ability to get to the line is the only thing keeping him from moving up this list.
7) Tony Parker–At number 7 on our list is Tony Parker. As long as your name isn’t Eva Longoria or Brent Barry, you’d love to have this guy running the show. Parker, a three-time NBA champion and 2007 Finals MVP, showed us that he can play point at the championship level. He has an extra team, which leads him to the paint, where he can score with the best. His shooting ability is a bit below average, and at 28, he’s the senior citizen on this list.
6) Russell Westbrook–Strangely athletic with many advantages. Combine his athleticism with great size and you can see why he’s leading all point guards in rebounding, with just under five per game. The only thing keeping Westbrook from being one of the NBA greats right now is his jump shot. His shooting percentage, .436, is too low for someone who gets to the rim as often as Westbrook. That being said, we did see flashes of greatness at the World Championships last summer. Westbrook took over for periods of time on a team filled with perennial All-Stars.
5) John Wall–Another super-athletic point guard with potential through the roof. At 6’4 with lightning speed and the ability to jump out of the gym, Wall should live on the line. These abilities should also make him a tight defender. However, his jump shot is still very raw and it is known that in the past he delivered the ball at an extremely high rate. Still, Wall probably should be higher on this list with his talent level, but we’ll let him prove it to us first.
4) Rajón Rondó–Rondo leads the league with 14 assists per game. That’s three more per game than the next closest player, Steve Nash. He loves to get his teammates involved and is excellent at finishing around the rim. He’s a great rebounder, which makes him a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor. Rondo’s massive wing span makes him a disruptive beast on the defensive end. The shot of him, however, is almost laughable. He is challenged by defenders to shoot sometimes. Even with this lack of a jump shot, he was still the MVP of the Celtics’ championship run last season.
3) pink derrick–Another ultra-athletic point guard with great speed and strength. Rose is excellent at finishing the painting, using her patented float to his advantage. He’s been on an offensive streak this year, leading both the Bulls and all point guards in scoring around 24 per game. Rose is still a little weak on his long-range shots, but his midrange game and athleticism outweigh his inability to shoot long balls.
2) Chris Paul–This guy is a fantasy owners dream. CP3 possesses some of the best handling and passing skills in the NBA. He executes the pick and roll to perfection and can plow past defenders at lightning speeds. He’s also a threat on the defensive end, averaging nearly 3 steals per game in the 2010 season. It was hard not to put Paul at number one on our list, but there’s a big concern. He is coming off surgery for a torn meniscus which removed the torn portion completely. This scares some into thinking that microfracture surgery may come sometime in the future.
1) Deron Williams–The point guard we covered the most, Deron Williams. He can do it all; he scores, passes, rebounds and is a great leader on the court. It always seems like Williams knows exactly what the team needs from him. He is a very strong guard with great finishing ability. Like Paul, Williams executes the pick and roll to perfection. Jerry Sloan couldn’t find a better player to run his offense, and neither can we.