Looking Ahead: Top 20 NBA Point Guards 2024-25 Season

Here is an early look and attempt to rank the top 20 point guards in the NBA for the 2024-25 season, excluding Kyrie Irving and Derrick White who would both rank high enough to show up on the list, but force their teams to be listed twice. We wanted to allow each team to show up only once and technically speaking, Irving and White can play both guard positions and are often called to do so.

All of that being said, there are rookies and off-season additions like Stephon Castle and “The Point God,” Chris Paul in San Antonio who aren’t on the list yet. Tyus Jones in Phoenix and how the Suns decide to use him is also a question mark. All those guys could find themselves ranking once roles and on-court usage times are established during the season.

This ranking is based on a combination of factors, including:

* Scoring ability: How well can the player score the basketball?
* Passing ability: How well can the player distribute the basketball to his teammates?
* Playmaking ability: How well can the player create opportunities for his teammates?
* Defensive ability: How well can the player defend the opposing team’s point guard?
* Basketball IQ: How well does the player understand the game of basketball and read the floor correctly enough to make the right decisions?
* Leadership ability: How well can the player lead his team with his actions and communication on and off the court?

1. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks): Doncic is a generational talent with a unique combination of size, skill, and playmaking ability. He can score from anywhere on the court and is a master at creating opportunities for his teammates. The expectations are clear: Get your team through the stacked Western Conference and back to the NBA Finals or else.
2. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors): Curry remains the most lethal shooter in NBA history, capable of taking over a game with his three-point shooting. His elite ball-handling and court vision make him a complete point guard. This season he will have more teammates who can score and get him assists. That should take a bit of pressure of him, if it works out.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder): Gilgeous-Alexander is a long, athletic guard who can do everything on the court- including having to play point guard as adjustments were made for Josh Giddey last season. He showed he can do that and more as an excellent defender and rebounder, not to mention and he can score and pass.
4. Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks): Brunson is a tough-nosed point guard who can score in bunches. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot. Surrounded by more weapons and experience, these Knicks could rattle a few teams in the tight-at-the-top Eastern Conference.
5. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies): Morant is an explosive athlete who can finish at the rim with incredible athleticism. He is also a good passer and defender. We are fully expecting that Morant will be hungry and ready to surprise his critics.
6. Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers): Haliburton is a young, talented point guard with a bright future. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot. He had a weak showing at the Olympics but the Pacers are counting on him to be their top player if they’re going to make it back to the top of the Eastern Conference.
7. De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings): Fox is an explosive athlete who can finish at the rim with incredible athleticism. He is also a good passer and defender and adding DeMar DeRozan to the backcourt should make him even better.
8. Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers): Maxey is a young, talented point guard with a bright future. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot. Adding Paul George should help both their games and expectations are higher than ever in the City of Brotherly Love for them to make a run to the NBA Finals.
9. Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics): Holiday is a two-way point guard who can defend the best players in the league. He is also an excellent shooter and passer. He might deserve to rank higher on this list given that he is the ring holder and defending champion, but Boston’s “position-less” approach to offense seems to make his position more flexible than some others near the top of this list. Still, his defensive prowess is unmatched and his playoff experience make the Celtics one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference again.
10. Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks): Lillard is one of the most clutch players in the NBA and landing him behind Holiday was a tough but clear decision after last year’s performances. Lillard is still very capable of hitting game-winning shots at any moment. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and has always shown the ability to create his own shot. This season has a make or break feel to it but  Milwaukee will find a way to put up a very strong fight.
11. Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks): Young is a crafty scorer who can get his shot off against any defender. He is also an excellent passer and has the ability to create his own shot. What he seems to lack most is defense, though there is plenty of tape that shows he can play solid man to man defense when the game is on the line. Let’s see how he adapts to life without DeJounte Murray in Atlanta.
12. Fred VanVleet (Houston Rockets): VanVleet is a tough-nosed defender who can also score in bunches. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot. He’s expected to have a lot more impact this season and is counting on his young Rockets teammates to adapt to growing expectations from the coaching staff.
13. Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets): Murray is a long, athletic point guard who can do everything on the court. He is an excellent defender and rebounder, and he can also score and pass. The problem is, he seemed a bit lost or spent th is summer at the Olympics. Some critics are worried that as he goes so will the Nuggets, which is one reason why the team took out an insurance policy and signed Russell Westbrook. Still, Murray is a champion and the league can’t afford to count him out.
14. Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers): Garland is a crafty scorer who can get his shot off against any defender. He is also an excellent passer and has the ability to create his own shot. His stock seemed to rise last season and the Cavs have doubled down on him by deciding to rebuff multiple trade offers which reportedly came their way.
15. Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons): Cunningham is a young, talented point guard with a bright future. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot. Will he finally be able to get his team to the victory lane more often than he has in the past?
16. LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets): Ball is a young, talented point guard with a bright future. He is an excellent shooter and passer, and he has the ability to create his own shot but Ball is expected to have a better season this year due to his improved health and enhanced offensive skills. His offseason work on reducing turnovers and increasing his assist-to-turnover ratio should also contribute to a more efficient and impactful performance.
17. Dejounte Murray (New Orleans Pelicans): Murray is a long, athletic point guard who can do everything on the court. He is an excellent defender and rebounder, and he can also score and pass but what may help him level up his game is the change of scenery and the expectations management have put on him to play more defense- like he did in San Antonio. He appears happy and hyped to get going.
18. Coby White (Chicago Bulls): White is a young, talented point guard with a bright future. He is an excellent shooter and passer, but he is expected to average career-highs in points, assists, and shooting percentages, in order to keep the Bulls competitive. Let’s see how the Bulls decide to play Josh Giddey in the Windy City.
19. Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic): Suggs is poised to be a strong starting point guard for the Orlando Magic this season due to his significant improvements in shooting and playmaking. Last season, he shot a career-best 39.7% from three-point range and averaged 12.6 points per game, showcasing his ability to score more efficiently.
20. Scoot Henderson (Portland Trail Blazers): Yes, the Trail Blazers are expected to have one of the worst records in the stacked Western Conference, but Henderson is expected to have a better year in Portland due to his increased comfort and improved performance towards the end of last season. In April he finally showed some confidence and averaged 19.4 points and 9.7 assists and that points to significant growth.