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What is a point guard? In the modern NBA, positional labels have never felt more obsolete. So much offense flows through nontraditional tributaries. Is Nikola Jokic not Denver's point guard, at least spiritually? What about a secondary ball-handler like Dylan Harper, who'd be the primary creator just about anywhere except in San Antonio? You can even posit a case for LeBron James, who's the leading assist man in Philadelphia despite nominally playing the four.
This sort of ranking requires a few snap judgements based on current role and skill set; you'd probably define a point guard as a primary ball-handler who sets up the offense, but there are teams (see: Portland, OKC) effectively starting multiple point guards, while others (see: Steph Curry, Tyrese Maxey) have mastered the art of getting off the ball. These rankings will also attempt to balance current output (as in this season's numbers) with overall body of work and impact. As always, there is no way to please everybody with a list like this, but we can try...
De'Aaron Fox has become vastly underrated after a nightmare Finals run with San Antonio, during which he was hurt — and still their only real stabilizer on offense. It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind ascent of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, but Fox's ability to compose himself and the offense while still operating at break-neck speeds is special. He applies constant pressure on the rim and is the only truly instinctive passer on the Spurs roster. San Antonio does not function as smoothly without Fox to conduct the proverbial orchestra.
Fox has accepted a dramatically reduced shot diet this season, which is for the best. He is fully bought into the collective, making all the right plays and no longer focused on imposing his will when it's not necessary. He has the luxury of setting up two of the best play-finishers in the NBA in Wemby and Harper.
Dame D.O.L.L.A., aka Dame Time, aka Unc Still Got It. The early returns on the new-look Trail Blazers are remarkably positive, even as Ja Morant nurses a worrisome hamstring injury. It's hard not to credit Damian Lillard for their early success; he's the most effective guard in a deep backcourt, still pressuring defenses with his limitless pull-up range and cagey handles.
Lillard can't attack the rim like he used to and the defense is ever more problematic, but even as the efficiency wanes, Lillard exerts a special and specific gravitational force on the court. He is a threat from anywhere, and that strikes fear into an opposing defense.
Ty Jerome could land much higher on this list by midseason, if he (and the Grizzlies) can keep it up. Contrary to the popular narrative, Jerome's sudden breakout was not so sudden nor unexpected. Jerome has dealt with injuries in recent years, but he put up 19.7 points per game on 61.6 percent true shooting just last season. It was only 15 games post-injury and the Grizzlies were tanking to the bottom, so nobody cared.
Jerome has limitations, primarily on the defensive end, but he's one of the most well-rounded and efficient scorers in the NBA right now. He's comfortable on or off the ball, able to counteract poor burst with manipulative handles and outrageous touch, plus a bit more strength than he's credited for. It's rare to find such a purely additive scorer; Jerome does not step on toes and he can put up monster numbers completely in the flow of the offense.
Ajay Mitchell has bounced between the starting lineup and the second unit with OKC battling injuries, but he is the clear No. 2 in OKC right now. Mitchell is the NBA's cheapest star, and this is a rare opportunity to step into the spotlight on the NBA's deepest team.
Mitchell is basically the embodiment of everything the Thunder covet in a guard. He's a relentless slasher, applying constant pressure on the rim, but also a viable catch-and-shoot threat. He flits effortlessly between different roles and play types on offense, all while playing smackdown defense on the other end.
A torn ACL has done little to knock Kyrie Irving off course, even in his age-35 season. He's still a wizard with the rock, able to spin, hesi and cross his way to any spot on the floor, with a gorgeous pull-up jumper and an endless bag of tricks under the rim.
So many guards should take notes on Irving's ability to shine individually in such a specific and exciting way, while also adapting to his co-stars. Irving has made a career of being an elite No. 2; whether it's LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic or Cooper Flagg, Irving has figured out how to stand out and blend in simultaneously, which is his greatest magic trick of all.
Devin Booker is spiritually and canonically a two-guard, but the Suns insist on running him at point these days. It's not really a bad idea on paper, as Booker has made huge strides in his ability to read and manipulate a defense. He's a damn fine passer, with the three-level scoring gravity to command the floor and get teammates open.
Phoenix would probably benefit from a slightly more natural facilitator (or just a more coherent starting lineup), but Booker is not at fault for the Suns' current disposition. He is doing The Most on a team that's not really designed to complement him. He deserves credit for weathering the storm as well as he has.
There's a debate to be had about Jamal Murray's role in Denver. He is so dangerous off the catch, or working two-man actions with Nikola Jokic. The latter is still very much the sun around which Denver's offense orbits. At the end of the day, however, Murray is the Nuggets' one true ball-handler and table-setter on the perimeter. He is comfortable in that primary role, with an ability to supress turnovers and leverage his gravity to set up teammates. He is a point guard, if not in the most traditional of ways.
Murray is on an extended heater dating back to last season. He is plainly one of the best volume shooters in the NBA, whether it's sticking a tough pull-up or flying around screens and flinging 3s off the catch. He is also an underrated downhill scorer, with real craft and strength as a ball-handler. Again, the best modern point guards are often those who can become chameleons, changing roles like hats.
Look no further than the Hornets and their 30th-ranked offense to get a sense of LaMelo Ball's influence on the court. He's not without his quirks, but the positives of Ball's profound confidence far outweigh the negatives. He will get sidetracked by the occasional cold snap; his shot profile certainly isn't the most refined. Then again, in this modern league, Ball's willingness to launch deep 3s is also a huge benefit. Sometimes he settles when he ought to attack, but also defenses need to track LaMelo all over the floor.
Ball is a unique point guard. He's not super effective at getting downhill against a set defense. He does not finish terribly well at the rim. Instead, Ball thrives on tempo. He loves to grab and go in transition. He's not one to over-dribble; instead he processes the floor at warp speed and gets the ball out quickly. More than most, LaMelo promotes a flow state offensively. When he's at his best, the Wolves offense (like the Hornets before) is the closest we get to watching poetry on a basketball court.
This is where we enter superstar territory. Cade Cunningham has fully lived up to the hype as a former No. 1 overall pick, and the Pistons are on track for another dominant regular season. Cunningham is built like a wing at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, but in the classical sense, he may be the NBA's purest point guard. He is the engine driving the Pistons offense on almost every possession.
It's easy to nitpick Cunningham's hot-cold shooting and general lack of creativity, but sometimes blunt force and subtle manipulation is all it takes to be effective. He's consistently putting two feet in the paint and making the right reads. We typically think of superstars as flashy and explosive, but Cunningham is a master of simplicity. He does throw some bonkers passes, however.
Tyrese Maxey continues to level up every season, a testament to his unmatched work ethic. There is no more potent blend of speed and shooting in the NBA. Maxey can go end-to-end as fast as any player in the world, but he's also a dangerous shooter, with deep range and a killer James Harden impression on his step-back.
More than fast, however, Maxey has controlled speed. It's hard to fathom the physics of Tyrese Maxey, who can unleash a corkscrew layup at Autobahn speed, at the perfect angle and with the absolute perfect amount of spin. Maxey's ability to decelerate and contort his frame to avoid the shot-blocker is truly singular. Maxey has slowly improved as a facilitator and an isolation scorer, although he's still most dangerous attacking off the catch, where a defense in rotation is hopeless to stop him.
Tyrese Haliburton missed all of last season with a torn Achilles and is now sidelined again with a hamstring injury. The burden of proof is on Haliburton to maintain his superstar status at this point, so any arguments to place him lower are completely understandable. That said, the earliest of returns before the hammie — four tremendously productive and efficient outings — at least provide a glimmer of hope.
The Pacers were in the Finals two years ago, lest we forget. Haliburton's game has never been predicated on athleticism. He still needs to get downhill and handles defensive pressure, but Haliburton is the closest to "Jokic as a point guard" as the NBA will probably ever get. He just sees the floor differently than his opponents, with a special knack for pressing all the right buttons, whether it's a pull-up 3, a slippery drive, or a pinpoint pass through the slimmest of windows, delivered right into the shooter's pocket.
It's hard to knock results, and Jalen Brunson is the reigning Finals MVP for a reason. He's undersized and especially vulnerable on the defensive end, but Brunson has total command over the offensive end of the floor at this point. His superpower is his strength. Brunson is the rare 6-foot-2 guard who can productively post-up. It's also like watching Charles Barkley in miniature at times. He has an innate ability to plow through a defender's chest and create space with that special blend of power and finesse.
Brunson is also a preposterous shot-maker at this point. He can stick it from anywhere on the floor, with textbook footwork that allows him to get to his spot and flow into pull-up jumpers. There is no more trustworthy player in late-game situations. Terms like "clutch" and "killer mentality" are overused, but they are extremely accurate to Brunson.
Stephen Curry is still impacting the game like an MVP candidate at 38 years old, which is a testament to his timeless skill and basketball IQ. Curry has really mastered the game of basketball. There is no more dangerous off-ball player in the NBA. He just has that second sense for when to cut, when to relocate, and how to use his gravitational pull for the betterment of others.
Curry remains lights-out from beyond the arc. He's the greatest shooter of all time, with a nifty handle that allows him to weaponize the threat of his jumper to attack the paint as needed. The floater is pure. He still has the footwork and the English to finish below the rim and in traffic. Besides health, there's not much stopping Curry from dominating into his 40s, if he so chooses. He's in great shape and the skill level is truly unrivaled.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not really a point guard in the traditional sense. He's built more in the mold of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan — a relentless mid-range maestro who can isolate and attack more effectively than all his peers. He has the size and defensive range of a wing. He's not a bad passer, but SGA does not pride himself on the ability to set the table for others.
And yet, he is still the spearhead to OKC's offense. His ability to penetrate and collapse the defense is what sets the Thunder in motion. Gilgeous-Alexander is such a talented scorer that notions of "shot quality" go out the window, and he does not need to overcomplicate his role as a facilitator. A two-time reigning MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander's talent is beyond reproach at this point.
It's hard to weigh 12 games against two straight MVP seasons from Gilgeous-Alexander, but how could Luka Doncic not land No. 1 on this list right now? He's flirting with historic production right now, with a Lakers roster that finally empowers him to the fullest extent possibe. We can quibble with Doncic's designation as a point guard — he is more of a wing for defensive purposes — but he's the single most prolific shot generator in the NBA right now. Doncic carries the NBA's highest usage rate with aplomb, equally dangerous as a scorer or a facilitator.
That is what's so special about Doncic. He has nutty range as a pull-up shooter and he's a dominant slasher, able to bulldoze defenders with his strength or tap-dance around them with balletic footwork. But he's also a generational passer; his vision and creativity is only truly matched by Nikola Jokic and LeBron James. Doncic has every answer to the test on offense right now. There is no defensive weakness he cannot exploit, nor strength he cannot overcome. We are watching a masterclass in progress.
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