Rating NBA’s high 20 guards: Stephen Curry vs. Luka Doncic for No. 1 on listing, Kyrie Irving misses high 15

We all the time speak about ring tradition within the NBA. However what about wing tradition? The emphasis on 3-and-D, versatile forwards dominates primarily each basketball team-building dialog. And people guys are nice, we’re not denying that. However finally it is arduous to make it work with no dynamic guard to run the present.

The times of the John Stockton “sport supervisor” kind of guard are lengthy gone. In 2023, the most effective lead guards are as athletic because the wings, can shoot from the brand and end round — and generally over — the most important bigs within the league. Simply check out latest NBA champions: Steph Curry, Jrue Vacation, Jamal Murray, Kyrie Irving. It is practically unimaginable to win a title with out an All-Star stage guard.

So immediately, we pay homage to arguably crucial place within the NBA. As a part of our rollout of the NBA’s High 100 Gamers we tasked our CBS Sports activities NBA employees with rating the highest 20 guards heading into the 2022-23 season, bearing in mind projected enchancment and decline.

Bane put the NBA on discover in his third season by notching profession highs in factors (21.5), rebounds (5.0), and assists (4.4) per sport. He was one of many league’s finest perimeter shooters, pulling down his triples at a 40.8 % clip. Bane is greater than a catch-and-shoot participant. He demonstrated his means to take defenders off the dribble and play make. With Ja Morant suspended for the primary 25 video games of the 2023-24 season, Bane will get an opportunity to showcase much more of his skillset with the Grizzlies’ finest scorer out of the image. — Tyree

Ball’s well being points had been one of many many issues that plagued the Hornets final season. When he was wholesome, he reached new highs in factors (23.3) and assists (8.4) per sport in his third NBA season, however solely managed to go well with up for 36 video games. Ball undoubtedly has the expertise to reside as much as the max extension he signed, however he is but to play significant playoff basketball as his workforce’s chief. He lacks self-discipline on the defensive finish however makes up for his shortcomings by scoring, rebounding, and playmaking at such a excessive stage. Ball merely has to remain on the court docket and contribute extra to profitable. — Tyree

Beal has dropped off in each manufacturing and availability since his lone All-NBA season in 2020-21, however he is nonetheless a deadly creator who put up 23 factors per sport on 51/37/84 splits final season. A part of Beal’s rating on this listing is the projection that each his stage of funding and shot high quality will dramatically enhance alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix. On his new workforce, he’ll presumably be requested to do extra playmaking as effectively, an space the place he is proven promise all through his profession. Beal shot 46% on what the NBA deems “broad open” 3-pointers final season, and he ought to get much more of these appears to be like as a member of the league’s newest superteam. — Ward-Henninger

Garland obtained off to a gradual begin final season and fell wanting making a second straight All-Star sport final season following the arrival of Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland. Nevertheless, he continued to showcase elite playmaking and environment friendly shotmaking whereas sharing the backcourt with a high-volume shooter. He practically matched his 2021-22 scoring common with 21.6 factors per sport and shot a career-high 41.2% from past the arc. Whether or not he has sufficient room to develop with the Cavs’ present personnel stays to be seen. Evan Mobley is trying to get extra concerned on offense and the Cavs added some much-needed wing scoring over the offseason. — Tyree

There is not a participant on this listing who can deal with the basketball like Irving can. He is usually talked about among the many finest at that exact talent in NBA historical past, and for good motive. He has a resume that ought to make him a Corridor of Famer when he decides to name it quits, however his on-court capabilities have usually been overshadowed by what he says and does off the court docket. He compelled a commerce from the Brooklyn Nets final season, and after touchdown with the Dallas Mavericks, he signed a long-term contract this summer time that ought to hold him tied to Doncic for the foreseeable future. On paper, Irving and Luka Doncic must be probably the most potent offensive duos within the sport, but it surely stays to be seen if Irving can truly stay accessible over the course of an 82-game season with out his personal phrases and actions getting in the way in which. — Wimbish

As you may see, the listing is filled with big-time scorers who dominate their offenses with pick-and-rolls and isolation buckets, however nonetheless have the imaginative and prescient to arrange teammates. The standard names are on the high — or backside so far as the listing goes — however you may additionally discover we’re highlighting some up-and-comers who’re able to Who is aware of the place Harden goes to start out, or finish, this season, however no matter franchise is “fortunate” sufficient to have him might be getting a 20-point scorer and final season’s help chief. Harden is not the participant he as soon as was, however you are still speaking a few man who scored 40-plus factors in two separate convention semifinal video games final season. Sadly, he is additionally the man who scored 21 mixed factors on 26% capturing in Video games 6 and seven because the Sixers had been unable to shut out a 3-2 sequence lead towards Boston. — Botkin

If there was any doubt that Brunson was deserving of his contract with the Knicks, all of that melted away along with his efficiency final season. The stocky guard not solely proved he may deal with extra accountability and a much bigger function, however that he must be the lead guard on a playoff workforce. Nevertheless it’s not simply the artful play, mid-range prowess and excessive IQ that has Brunson within the high 30 on our rankings. He proved to be the precise kind of chief the Knicks wanted at level guard. When he was on the ground, New York outscored opponents by 6.8 factors per 100 possessions, which ranks within the 92nd percentile within the league. He took strain off gamers like Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, changing into the central playmaker on offense and setting guys up for simple appears to be like. He is a low-mistake guard, with a turnover proportion of 8.7%, and he is simply as harmful scoring off the bounce as he’s with out the ball in his palms. — Wimbish

With Khris Middleton sidelined for lengthy stretches of final season, the Bucks requested Vacation to choose up the slack on the offensive finish, and he did simply that, averaging 19.3 factors and seven.4 assists – his highest numbers since 2019 and 2014, respectively – whereas additionally enjoying his standard elite protection on the perimeter. He was rewarded along with his first All-Star look since 2013 and the third All-Defensive First-Workforce collection of his profession. Lengthy one of many league’s most underrated gamers, Vacation is now correctly revered. It’s value noting, although, that his capturing percentages took a precipitous drop within the playoffs (47.9% to 40.0%) for the third consecutive season. That is one thing to contemplate relating to the Bucks’ title possibilities, particularly if Middleton cannot get again to his pre-injury self. — Maloney

One participant averaged a minimum of 20 factors and 10 assists per sport on 40% 3-point capturing final yr: Haliburton. He is already an All-Star and can seemingly be a perennial All-NBA candidate each wholesome season transferring ahead. He is that good. Earlier than Haliburton went down in mid-January with an harm, he had the Pacers as a top-six seed. I’ve a sense it is a man who will eternally battle to get the precise quantity of famous person respect he deserves — suppose Jalen Brunson kind — however we’ll lookup on the finish of his profession and discover that his groups had been all the time constant winners and the gamers round him can have had a number of the finest years of their careers. — Botkin

It wasn’t particularly stunning to listen to Bruce Brown name the Timberwolves the toughest opponent Denver confronted en path to their first championship. He needed to spend most of that sequence guarding Anthony Edwards, who averaged 35 factors within the last 4 video games of that sequence, all determined by single digits. Edwards carried that momentum right into a stellar run for Workforce USA, one of many NBA’s nice star-creation automobiles. Athletically gifted, more and more dependable from deep, steadily enhancing as a playmaker and even dedicated to enjoying hard-nosed protection, Edwards was inbuilt a lab to be a flawless NBA capturing guard. With a brand new max contract to his title, this would be the season Edwards ascends to the higher echelon of NBA stardom. — Quinn

After a honeymoon run to the 2021 Jap Convention finals, the dropping participant bug, pretty or not, is beginning to chunk Younger. He continues to place up gaudy stats for Hawks groups which have, regardless of legitimately proficient rosters, fallen into play-in irrelevancy the previous two years. Younger has a case as the most effective passer within the league. He can create offense in his sleep. He’s, and lengthy has been, an overrated shooter, however his risk stage and vary is that of a marksman. If Younger ever commits to transferring with out the ball, and simply turns into a satisfactory defender, he might be among the many sport’s elite gamers. Proper now, he is wanting that stage. — Botkin

Fox has been trending upward for years now and established himself as one of many league’s premier closers final season. He led all gamers in clutch factors (194) en path to the Kings’ first playoff berth since 2006. Fox’s playmaking has dropped off since partnering with Domantas Sabonis, however he shot a career-high 51.2% from the sphere in 2022-23. Fox may proceed to climb the ranks of the NBA’s most dynamic lead guards with one other profitable marketing campaign. — Tyree

You would argue that maybe Murray must be greater on this listing given his postseason efficiency that helped the Nuggets to a championship. His 522 factors within the playoffs final season is essentially the most scored in a single postseason by a participant who has by no means been named an All-Star. He additionally mixed with Nikola Jokic to develop into the primary pair of teammates to complete 1,000 factors in a single postseason. Whereas Jokic is on the coronary heart of all the things Denver does on offense, Murray is a harmful No. 2 possibility who’s able to lighting you up for 40 factors on any given night time. — Wimbish

In his first season with the Cavaliers, Mitchell had arguably the most effective yr of his profession, averaging private highs in factors (28.3 per sport) and effectivity with 48/38/86 capturing splits. He was additionally amongst the most effective pick-and-roll ball handlers within the league, producing 1.13 factors per possession, which ranked second to solely Stephen Curry within the league (min. 5 possessions a sport). His ending price across the rim (68%) places him within the 82nd percentile, which can also be the best of his profession, indicating that he had little hassle adjusting to the brand new ambiance in Cleveland. The postseason was a disappointment for Mitchell and the Cavs, however with one other full season to construct chemistry, it would not be loopy to see him put up even higher numbers than final yr. — Wimbish

Morant is among the many most electrifying gamers to look at within the league, and whereas his effectivity took a step again final season, his affect was nonetheless essential to Memphis’ success. He will get to the rim virtually at will, rating within the 93rd percentile amongst guards through the use of his fast first step and freakish athleticism to get by even the most effective defender. He is an absolute terror in transition, one thing that occurs usually with the Grizzlies rating third in transition frequency. Nevertheless it’s not simply his on-ball presence that makes him a headache to protect. For those who’re not cautious, you would possibly simply be the following particular person to get posterized by Morant as he is reducing towards the rim to catch a lob cross. The All-Star guard will miss the primary 25 video games of the season as a consequence of a league suspension, however when he returns, he is certain to make a direct affect on a Grizzlies workforce with championship aspirations. — Wimbish

Gilgeous-Alexander is essentially the most prolific driver within the league, however he isn’t the head-down, bowling-ball kind. He will get downhill as a result of he retains defenders off-balance — they know he is snug going left or proper, and so they’re frightened about his pull-up, his stepback and his spin transfer. He will get to the road as a result of opposing groups cannot hold him out of the paint and he has impeccable footwork when he will get there. The Thunder as soon as had a slithery guard with related offensive strengths, however traded him earlier than he made his first All-Star or All-NBA workforce. Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned each honors final season, is not going wherever. And in the identical yr that he bumped his scoring common as much as 31.4 per sport, he grew to become a extra dedicated particular person defender. — Herbert

A lot for the entire “small level guards over 30” narrative. Lillard bounced again from an injury-plagued 2021-22 season to place up a career-high 32.2 factors per sport final yr. He additionally grew to become the one participant in league historical past not named Steph Curry to shoot a minimum of 37% on 11 or extra 3-point makes an attempt per sport. Whereas actually thought of a shoot-first level guard, Lillard used his gravity and drive-and-kick abilities to common over seven assists per sport for the fourth consecutive season. He was practically a one-man offense for Portland, because the Blazers’ effectivity jumped from 105.9 factors per 100 possessions to an elite 119.5 when he was on the ground. — Ward-Henninger

For the previous decade of NBA historical past, the league’s two finest mid-range marksmen had been Chris Paul and Kevin Durant. Maybe not coincidentally, one is a former teammate of Devin Booker’s and the opposite is his present co-star. Whether or not he picked up a few of their picks by osmosis or not, Booker will quickly declare their mid-range crown. Among the many 20 gamers to aim essentially the most mid-range jumpers per sport final season, solely Durant topped Booker’s 49.4% capturing mark, after which Booker took it to the following stage within the postseason by hitting practically 55% of his makes an attempt. Booker’s development as a playmaker and defender might be vital because the Suns alter to their new three-headed scoring monster, however make no mistake: Booker is right here as a result of when he must create a very good look late in a sport, there’s just about nothing you are able to do to cease him. — Quinn

At simply 24 years outdated, Doncic already has as many first-team All-NBA choices as Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and up to date Corridor of Fame inductee Dirk Nowitzki. And whereas the Mavericks missed the playoffs altogether final season, it wasn’t as a consequence of an absence of effort from Doncic. Amidst roster turnover, the Slovenian guard as soon as once more carried the burden of Dallas’ offense on his shoulders, averaging a career-high in factors (32.4) and capturing the ball at a 49.6% clip, additionally the most effective of his profession. With offseason enhancements geared in direction of supplying Doncic with extra assist, we must always get an much more environment friendly model of the All-Star guard who hopefully will not be requested to do all of it once more. — Wimbish

You’ll be able to nonetheless make a case that Curry is the most effective participant within the league. I will not attempt to do it. Nikola Jokic has earned the mantle and deserves to not have it debated after what ought to’ve been a 3rd straight MVP and an NBA title. However Curry stays on the peak of his powers, and in the event you’re sleeping on the Warriors, go check out the web score of their starters final yr. Finest within the league. Not shut. That is still disproportionately as a consequence of Curry’s particular person capturing prowess and dizzying off-ball motion. — Botkin