The 2013-14 NBA Starting Point Guard Rankings: From Best to Worst

It isn't easy being a point guard in the NBA. You're expected to set the tone of the game, execute plays set out by the head coach, balance out scoring with dishing the rock and even take a little verbal abuse from teammates. Sorry, Mario Chalmers. Last night, the regular season started with some of the best at the position taking the court, including the nearly 40-year-old Steve Nash, the comeback of Derrick Rose and Chris Paul being, well, Chris Paul.

To commemorate the return of the L, we have put together a list sorting out who are the best and worst at the one today. While the rookies who haven't proved much occupy the bottom of the totem pole, there are a few players who rose up the ranks, thanks to their clutch playoff performance last season. Find out where a veteran like Deron Williams and sophomore Damian Lillard were placed in the 2013-14 NBA Starting Point Guard Rankings.

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2012-2013 stats: 16.9 PPG, 9.7 APG, 3.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG

There really isn't any debate as to who is the most valuable point guard in the league. Since joining the Clippers in the 2011 offseason, Chris Paul has led L.A. to two consevutive playoff appearances and their first division title. He's averaged at least 15 PPG and 9 APG over the last six seasons. In a league full of point guards often playing like shooting guards, CP3 is a one in its purest form.

With Doc Rivers leading the way, sky is the limit for the team formerly known as Lob City. Meanwhile, Lake Show fans are still cursing David Stern.

2012-2013 stats: N/A

It’s only been one game, but it sure looks like the old Derrick Rose is alive and well. While he struggled to find a consistent rhythm Tuesday night in the Bulls’ 107-95 loss at Miami (4-for-15 for 12 points, and just four assists against five turnovers in 30 minutes of action), early on he put on several of his vintage explosive moves to the basket, drawing a crowd but still converting at the rim. While it probably will take him a month to get settled back into the NBA routine, the things that made Rose great (explosiveness, toughness) are clearly still present.

It has to be a huge relief to Bulls fans, who can now look at their team as a legitimate title contender and—despite their performance Tuesday night—a threat to Miami’s reign atop the Eastern Conference.

2012-2013 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 7.6 APG, 3.0 RPG, 0.8 SPG

Tony Parker is finally getting his props. As Ginobili and Duncan fight Father Time, Parker has been the catalyst to San Antonio's last couple seasons. He's been playing like an MVP as of late, and he looks to lead the Spurs back to the Finals this season. He put up 20 a night while dishing a career-high seven assists last year. Without him, the Spurs are pretenders instead of contenders.

2012-2013 stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG

Guess who was second in the league last year in field goals attempted. Melo? KD? Monta Ellis? Nope. Russell Westbrook was—he took 102 more shots than Kevin Durant did, but averaged about five PPG less. The guy stays getting buckets, seemingly in spite of critics who malign his shot selection and his role as a score-first guard in an offense featuring none other than Kevin Durant. Westbrook may be a "point guard" because he brings the ball up the court (even moreso in a Harden-less Thunder offense) and initiates the action, but really, he's a combo guard and a very good one.

He'll get his 25 points (even if it takes 22 shots), but he'll also create off the dribble with his devastating athleticism. Westbrook is out until December with a knee injury...or maybe not, but when he comes back, best believe he'll reassert himself (with no apologies to Derrick Rose) as the NBA's most explosive and athletic guard. Let's just hope Patrick Beverley isn't snooping around OKC's training facilities.

2012-2013 stats: 22.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.6 SPG

The 2012-13 playoffs were Stephen Curry’s coming out party, as the Warriors’ point guard had a couple absolute eruptions on the NBA’s biggest stage, perhaps none better than his 44-point outburst on the road in San Antonio. It was the culmination of a breakout season for the former Davidson star, who set an NBA record by making 272 three pointers during the year and finishing third in the league with a .453 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

The question with Curry is not one of ability; it’s one of health. His balky ankles have, to varying extents, limited him in each of his four pro seasons, and the way he manages them this season will go a long way towards determining whether he makes his first All-Star team in 2013-14.

2012-2013 stats: 13.7 PPG, 11.1 APG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG

When the Boston Celtics completed their roster dismantling this offseason by sending Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, they were effectively handing the keys to the franchise over to Rajon Rondo. Before tearing his ACL last season, Rondo was having a typical season (for him):averaging double-digit assists, and putting up triple-doubles (five in 38 games). However, last season the Celtics were 18-20 before Rondo went down, and had a couple bad losing streaks (including six in a row leading into the injury).

How long it's going to take him to come back is also up in the air (especially considering what happened with Derrick Rose), and it’s equally a mystery what Rondo's game will look like once he gets back on the floor. We're banking on him being the same player.

2012-2013 stats: 18.9 PPG, 7.7 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG

We're still waiting for Deron Williams to be the star everyone says he is. He has a duo of Hall of Famers in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett on his team now, so this is the year to make people believe. Williams, like Melo, hasn't had much playoff success and is widely regarded to be a tier under the likes of Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant. He definetly has the skills to pay the bills, but can he lead a team deep into the playoffs? That remains to be seen. But for now, he's still one of the best guards in the L.

2012-2013 stats: 22.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG

Will the Cavaliersfinally get a full season with Kyrie Irving? In his first two years with the Cavs, Irving has missed at least 23 games in each season. It may not sound like a substantial amount of time, but Kyrie's shoes are hard to fill. As one of the best players in the league today, Irving has the ability to single-handedly take over a game. Just ask the Knicks. Or, single-handledly emasculate a defender or two. If the small sample size proves to be true, Irving will continue to improve every year on all the facets of his game. And, are you ready for the scariest part of it all? Dude just turned 21 in March.

2012-2013 stats: 19.0 PPG, 6.5 APG, 3.1 RPG, 0.9 SPG

Coming off a 2012-13 campaign that saw him win the NBA Rookie of the Year award, Damian Lillard is undoubtedly going to be a promising talent in the league for years to come. But you knew that already. However, if this preseason showed us anything (22.4 PPG, 3.2 APG over the last five games), it's that Lillard is looking to become more of a scoring point guard who steps up on the offensive end while spending less time dishing out the rock.

It's no knock on the 23-year-old because whether you think Liilard's Batman to LaMarcus Aldridge's Robin or vice versa, it's undeniable that both guys will need to step up their game if they want to see the Trail Blazers improve from a dismal 33-49 record last season. A season which included losing the final 13 games. Plus, with trade talks involving Aldridge consistently popping up, there is always the possibility that Lillard could become the franchise's lone star player in the very near future. And that is a role that the pride of Weber State is very capable of assuming.

2012-2013 stats: 18.5 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG

Last year's Wizards squad followed the path of their young leader Wall. After a historically miserable 5-28 start, Wall returned on January 12th and helped "jolt" the team to an, average but much better, 24-25 finish. His PPG have gone up as his APG have gone down as his team relies more on him as a scorer instead of a court general.

His health and experience have finally culminated into a year with legitimate expectations to produce. No more learning on the job. Finally, the Wiz should have a chance to make the postseason for the first time since Gilbert Arenas came into the locker room guns blazing. Anything less will be interpreted as a step backward for both Wall and his teammates.

2012-2013 stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.9 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG

Many critics expect the Denver Nuggets to be this season's "fall-off" team. After losing free agents Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer as well as letting go of coach George Karl this Nuggets team has a ton of questions. If the Nuggets want to get back to the playoffs this season they will need a lot from fifth-year point gaurd Ty Lawson. Lawson is a quick waterbug point guard who finds his way into crevices and can finish despite his small stature. If he improves his playmaking abilities and has the ball in his hands even more, can he take the next step?

2012-2013 stats: 14.6 PPG, 6.1 APG, 2.8 RPG, 2.2 SPG

Mike Conley is in a sticky situation this year. It's perceived that the Grizzlies title window has shut, but the Grizzlies don't, and won't believe that. We all know that Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph can put in work down low, but who else on the Grizzlies can score the ball on the perimeter and in transition? Mike Miller? Tayshaun Prince? LOL. Those guys are more likely to cash their AARP check than give Conley help out there. He's steadily improved year-to-year, and for the Grizzlies to stay relevant in the West, Conley's going to have to put up numbers closer to Ty Lawson rather than Raymond Felton. But don't get it twisted, he's one of the best defenders at his position. You don't average two steals a game by mistake.

2012-2013 stats: 12.7 PPG, 6.7 APG, 2.8 RPG, 0.6 SPG

The 2012-13 season was a rough one for Steve Nash and his teammates. Nash battled his way to 6.7 APG (his lowest average since the 1999-2000 season) while nagging injuries seemed to get the best of him. He manged to play in 50 games but gone are the days of the old Nash we saw running the seven seconds-or-less offense.

The man who won back-to-back MVP titles in 2004–05 and 2005-06 is now 39 years old and entering his 18th season. He's lost a few steps but his basketball IQ is still there and that alone makes him a huge asset on this year's struggle new-look Lakers.

2012-2013 stats: 17.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG

At this point in his career, Brandon Jennings' 55-point outburst as a rookie with the Milwaukee Bucks has become something of a mixed blessing. On one hand, it shows what a threat Jennings can be when he's in the zone. On the other, it also shows how little Jennings has improved since his rookie campaign. Though his three-point percentage was the highest of his career in 2012-13, Jennings also only shot 39 percent from the field, and saw his scoring average dip slightly from the previous season.

However, this may have had something to do with the fact that he was distributing the rock more, and with his move to Detroit—where Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Josh Smith will be eagerly waiting to be fed in the post—that's only a positive development for Jennings. Can he finally break out and make a name for himself beyond his one freshman highlight? With the front court he has now, it's hard to bet against him.

2012-2013 stats: 17.7 PPG, 8.0 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.6 SPG

Last season, Holiday poured in 17.7 PPG, but we don't expect the same type of production due to the offensive weapons New Orleans possesses. Holiday's 8.0 APG last year could rise with the foursome of Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis to feed. Combine that with solid defense and you'll see why Holiday climbs into our upper half. At 22, he was (quietly) an All-Star and we expect him to prove it was the first of many selections.

2012-2013 stats: 10.7 PPG, 7.3 APG, 4.0 RPG, 2.4 SPG

When Rubio was taken fifth overall many an optimistic Minnesotan couldn't have foreseen him (four years later) as a PG barely cracking the Top 25. To be fair it took him a long time to catch a flight to the Twin Cities. After two injury-plagued seasons, Rubio is finally looking to combine with Love to justify the Timberwolves diehards who haven't lost faith.

Expect Rubio to be a traditional (albeit flashy) operator at the point. That means mediocre scoring totals with a high amount of assists. Also, don't be shocked if he leads the league in steals. Proving it on this continent will go a long way in jumping in the rankings next year.

2012-2013 stats: 11.6 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG

Unfortunately, Kyle Lowry's 2013-14 season is already off to a pretty rocky start. He injured his left ring finger tendon in the preseason and is going to need to spend the next six weeks wearing a splint on it to prevent him from injuring it further. And the Raptors need him to stay healthy because he's essentially the lynchpin of their offense right now.

Sure, they have a bunch of guys like Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, and even Jonas Valanciunas who can score the ball. But what good are they if they've got Lowry's backup D.J. Augustin or third-stringer Dwight Buycks (who?!) trying to get them the rock? Lowry may not be the flashiest PG in the league but he's a solid facilitator who has what it takes to keep the Raptors' offense running smoothly. So let's hope that his finger injury isn't a sign of things to come.

2012-2013 stats: 14.7 PPG, 7.4 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG

Nelson will still be running point after the Magic fell off for obvious, 6'11" reasons last season. An interesting storyline around him this year is the development of No. 2 pick Victor Oladipo, who may very well be the next Rookie of the Year juding from his preseason performance. An interesting storyline that Nelson does have more control over is that jump shot. There were too many bricks last season. Nelson's .392 field goal percentage is the lowest of his career and the number of misses from beyond-the-arc are a big reason the Magic were second-to-last from that range. His 7.4 APG was the most his career, but still, the jump shots have to get wetter.

2012-2013 stats: 13.3 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.3 RPG, 0.8 SPG

Before the haters throw even more dirt on the grave they've dug for Brandon Knight's career, let's all try and remember one thing about the Milwaukee Bucks' newly-acquired point guard: he's only 21. Drafted after his freshmen year out of Kentucky, Knight has already tallied two seasons as a starting point guard in the L, starting 135 games in the process. By comparison, Trey Burke (who will be 21 in November) has started none. Knight's first two seasons in Detroit may not have been perfect—with many wondering whether he was even a point guard at all—but they still allowed him to get his feet wet in the NBA at a very young age.

If Knight has any chance of making it in the league, he'll take what the critics say with a grain of salt, use the experience of his first two seasons as a foundation, and move on to Milwaukee ready to change the course of his career. The dude showed flashes of ability during his time with the Pistons, but now it's time for him to fully unleash those talents with the Bucks.

2012-2013 stats: 14.7 PPG, 7.4 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG

There is a chance that Dragic won't be with the Suns by the time the end of the 2013-14 season rolls around. Shortly after the team traded Marcin Gortat to the Wizards last week, there were reports out of Phoenix indicating that Dragic could be the next player to go. The Suns seem to be in full tank mode this season. But if they do decide to keep Dragic, we don't think anyone in Phoenix would mind.

He's a tough, scrappy player who has gotten better every single year he's been in the league-he averaged career highs in points, assists, and even rebounds last season-he plays solid D, and he always seems to provide the Suns with a spark when they need it. Essentially, he can do a little bit of everything, which is exactly what a team like the Suns needs.

2012-2013 stats: 14.6 PPG, 7.2 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG

Last season was Teague's best season in the NBA. His averages in both points and assists were career highs and, somewhat surprisingly, he ranked sixth in the entire NBA in transition points. So the thought is that now that Josh Smith has moved on to the Pistons, it's Teague's turn to run the Hawks. However, it's worth noting that in addition to seeing a bump in both points and assists last season, Teague also turned the ball over 2.9 times per game, which was a career high.

So if he wants to be successful this season, he's going to need to limit his turnovers while continuing to both score and distribute the basketball. It's a lot to ask of a guy who won't be surrounded by much talent. But it's the price Teague is going to have to pay if he wants to be one of the Hawks' go-to guys.

2012-2013 stats: 17.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, 3.5 RPG, 2.0 SPG

Nothing says welcome to the NBA like coming from a national championship to the Bobcats. Walker had the misfortune of being drafted into a tragic Bobcat team that won an NBA record-low seven games (2011-12) after being the main threat of that year's champion Connecticut Huskies. The team has since evolved from pitiful to "OK starters, this isn't a warm-up game anymore." But unless Michael Jordan decides to return and offer 10 points and them some, Walker still has to continue with his progress.

Two variables he's going to have to deal with are consistency and Al Jefferson, the post threat Charlotte signed to a three-year contract. If Micheal Kidd-Gilchrist and Gerald Henderson shots aren't falling, can Walker get his .423 percentage shot to do so? Jefferson presence in the frontcourt will get Walker some breathing room to work, but will the guard make the most of it.

These are two factors that will determine if the Bobcats will be a bit more bearable this season, which will hopefully be the case since those Charlotte memes are getting kind of stale.

2012-2013 stats: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG

Raymond Felton gives fans headaches. He's inconsistent most of the time, but he plays hard. He's also clutch, but can't defend an elite point guard to save his life. One thing is for sure, he's the best the Knicks could do and that's alright. Felton never plays scared, sometimes to a fault, and he can say that he was a floor general for a 50-win team. Not many points on this list can say the same.

2012-2013 stats: 8.6 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG

Mario, you have the best job in the NBA: don't fuck it up. (Sidebar: How have we not done A History of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh sonning Mario Chalmers?) Heat fans wish they could do better than Chalmers, but given their cap situation, he's the best they can do at the moment. And frankly, he's doing OKAY.

All the Heat need out of their guards are athleticism, tough defense, and three-point shooting. And you know what? Chalmers sort of does all three of those things. He was 15th last season amongst point guards in steals, shot a career-high 40 percent from three last year (including 40 percent in the Finals), and isn't one to be taken to the rack that easily-LeBron commands more out of him. Maybe after the Heat three-peat (the jinx is on), Chalmers will release his memoir, Playing With Mario Chalmers: You Could Do Worse.

2012-2013 stats: N/A

Coming into the draft, former Michigan point guard, Trey Burke, was regarded as one of the surest prospects in the entire 2013 class, this distinction having to do in large part with the Wolverines' NCAA tournament run back in March. Burke was a leader, a distributor and, as the Kansas Jayhawks found out, totally fearless when the game was on the line.

Selected ninth overall by Minnesota (before being traded to the Jazz), Burke came into the Orlando Summer League with the expectation that his game would translate almost seamlessly to the NBA. So far, this hasn't quite been the case. During the Summer League, Burke shot 24 percent from the field, and went 1-19 from beyond the arc, clearly struggling to find his groove against the pros. In response, the Jazz signed John Lucas III after the Summer League so that the team could have an insurance policy in case of Burke going bust. Now sidelined with a broken finger, it seems that things can only get better for Trey as he waits to make his regular season debut.

2012-2013 Stats: 5.6 PPG, 2.9 APG, 2.7 RPG, 0.9 SPG

It was all good just 20 months ago. Back in February 2012 Jeremy Lin was the hottest thing in the NBA (word to 'ol girl). Then he got injured, the Linsanity craze died down, and Lin went to Houston. He still managed to put up respectable numbers (14.9 PPG and 6.8 APG) in 2012-13.

So, why is Patrick Beverley the starting point guard for the Houston Rockets? Through last season's playoffs and this year's preseason he's emerged as a better shooter (.431 FG% vs. Lin's .250 in last year's playoffs) and defender than Lin which is what Houston's starting lineup needs. That being said, he's still unproven and best known for inadvertently ruining OKC's title hopes in last year's playoffs.

2012-2013 stats: N/A

When you look at Michael Carter-Williams, you can't help but think of Anfernee Hardaway. We don't know how you feel about that, Sixers fans, but it's just commentating on the fact that Carter-Williams is a 6'7" point guard. In his second year at Syracuse, MCW came into his own as a skilled passer and accomplished defender, who averaged 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the 2012-13 season.

The only problem with Carter-Williams' game is his ability to consistently knock down the jumper. In fact, here's a quote from his former coach, Cuse's Jim Boeheim on MCW's weakness: "I can't cook, but if I believed in my cooking like Michael Carter-Williams believes in his shooting, I would win the show Iron Chef. I would win and I can't boil water." So...yeeeeeeah. There's definitely some room for improvement with this raw talent.