NBA PG rankings

[eRay]

How would you rank the 30 starting PG's in the NBA? You could rank them in a couple groups, 1-30, or do whatever you need to express how you feel they should be ranked. I am particularly interested to see where you think Jameer Nelson, Rajon Rondo, and Deron Williams fit in after this year, and how far Jason Kidd has fallen after this past season. Thanks for the help, and enjoy the discussion!

[mantleisthebest7]

Being a homer fan of course, Deron Williams is my #1.

But i'd definetely have Chris Paul right up there too. I didnt watch enough basketball at all this year to really see how others did but from what I was able to watch my top two would be D-Will and Chris Paul.

[TFoA]

Chris Paul is far and away number one, if only for the fact that if he wasn't on that team, New Orleans wouldn't have even made the playoffs this past year.

Statistically, #2 is Boom Dizzle, Baron Davis. People tend to forget that after he played at that otherworldly level when the Warriors overturned the Mavs, he's still been one of the best PGs in the NBA. His athletic skills at his size are unbelievable. So yeah, I'd put the Baron at #2. #3 is Tony Parker, 4 is Deron Williams, 5 would be Nash, 6 is Billups, 7 is Hibachi, 8 is Kidd, 9 is Andre Miller, and 10 would be Jamal Crawford (Seriously, and he seems like the only player on the Knicks that fits D'Antoni.)

I'm not gonna do all 30 though. That's way too many.

[HedleyLamarr]

#90: Speedy Claxton

[dfwabel]

Chris Paul is far and away number one, if only for the fact that if he wasn't on that team, New Orleans wouldn't have even made the playoffs this past year.

Statistically, #2 is Boom Dizzle, Baron Davis. People tend to forget that after he played at that otherworldly level when the Warriors overturned the Mavs, he's still been one of the best PGs in the NBA. His athletic skills at his size are unbelievable. So yeah, I'd put the Baron at #2. #3 is Tony Parker, 4 is Deron Williams, 5 would be Nash, 6 is Billups, 7 is Hibachi, 8 is Kidd, 9 is Andre Miller, and 10 would be Jamal Crawford (Seriously, and he seems like the only player on the Knicks that fits D'Antoni.)

I'm not gonna do all 30 though. That's way too many.

It depends on who you consider the PG. Monte Ellis is the PG for the Warriors, IMO. But eRay, what do you want from your PG? Points or getting players the ball to be successful, what could be eve called a "hockey assist", or +/-? taking our his year with the Royals, Cousy averaged 18 PPG, Stockton only 13, KJ averaged 18 and Zeke 19, but Kidd averages 14 PPG and barely shoots 40% from the field. Different eras, I don't know how you want to define them.

Think about it this way, Marbury and Derrick Rose had very similar numbers on points, assists, and rebounds in their only year in college. I believe that could be a measure for Rose's future regardless of team he is on.

And Mantle, when you're happy to display 2nd place, we know you are a homer.

[nyk]

Chris Paul without a doubt is the best point guard in the leauge

[Discrim]

#103-Mo Williams

[eRay]

103? I have Mo ranked a lot higher, like middle of the pack for the 30 "starters".

I based my personal ranking on points, assists, and the reputation that they seem to have(aka what type of player they are, and how effective they are at that). I know the criteria of a "good PG" changes from person to person, but thats what I find interesting. Where certain players come out on people's lists on average.

And before you put down Mo Williams being in the middle of the pack, look at the crop of what I consider the "usual starting PG's" in the NBA. This list is just taken from Yahoo Sports' depth charts, so take it as you will.

Alphabetically by city:

Mike Bibby

Rajon Rondo

Ray Felton

Kirk Hinrich

Delonte West

Jason Kidd

Anthony Carter

Chauncey Billups

Baron Davis

Rafer Alston

Travis Diener

Brevin Knight

Derek Fisher

Mike Conley

Chris Quinn

Mo Williams

Randy Foye

Devin Harris

Chris Paul

Jamal Crawford

Jameer Nelson

Andre Miller

Steve Nash

Steve Blake

Anthony Johnson

Tony Parker

Earl Watson

T.J. Ford

Deron Williams

Antonio Daniels

[DDR]

#1 Deron Williams

#2 Chris Paul

#3 Steve Nash

#4 Tony Parker

#5 Derrick Rose

[ShinyHubCaps]

This is my revised list of starting PGs. Some of them did not start a lot in 2007-08 because of injury (Arenas), or they did start a lot but were traded (Damon Stoudamire) where they no longer started and thus were removed.

Mike Bibby (ATL)

Rajon Rondo (BOS)

Raymond Felton (CHA)

Kirk Hinrich (CHI)

Delonte West (CLE)

Jason Kidd (DAL)

Anthony Carter (DEN)

Chauncey Billups (DET)

Baron Davis (GS)

Rafer Alston (HOU)

Jamaal Tinsley (IND)

Brevin Knight (LAC)

Derek Fisher (LAL)

Mike Conley (MEM)

Jason Williams (MIA)

Mo Williams (MIL)

Randy Foye (MIN)

Devin Harris (NJ)

Chris Paul (NO)

Jamal Crawford (NY)

Jameer Nelson (ORL)

Andre Miller (PHI)

Steve Nash (PHX)

Steve Blake (POR)

Beno Udrih (SAC)

Tony Parker (SA)

Earl Watson (SEA)

T.J. Ford (TOR)

Deron Williams (UTAH)

Gilbert Arenas (WAS)

[The Nation]

From a Toronto point of view. TJ ford is not better than Jose Calderon. TJ is on the trade block for a reason, because Jose is 2x better. Also Jose Calderon led the Eastern Conference in Assists, or might have been in 2nd.

[ShinyHubCaps]

OK, here is my list. I broke it into 7 levels. The top 4 levels are above-average, while the bottom 3 are sort of average or worse.

Scoring: Players are near the top based on the following credentials:

- Consistent player

- Ability relative to statistics

- How well they personify a PG

- How well they contribute to their team

Low scoring players may fall under the following:

- Inconsistent performances

- Not entirely capable of running the offense

- Relatively weak stats

- Higher than average stats that only compensate for below average teammates (ex. Beno Udrih can score, but few else on Sacramento can)

1. Chris Paul (NO)

2. Steve Nash (PHX)

3. Deron Williams (UTAH)

4. Tony Parker (SA)

-

5. Chauncey Billups (DET)

6. Baron Davis (GS)

7. Mike Bibby (ATL)

8. Gilbert Arenas (WAS)

-

9. Jamal Crawford (NY)

10. Andre Miller (PHI)

11. Devin Harris (NJ)

12. Jason Kidd (DAL)

-

13. T.J. Ford (TOR) (interchangeable with Jose Calderon)

14. Kirk Hinrich (CHI)

15. Jameer Nelson (ORL)

16. Jamaal Tinsley (IND)

17. Rajon Rondo (BOS)

18. Derek Fisher (LAL)

-

19. Delonte West (CLE)

20. Mo Williams (MIL)

21. Randy Foye (MIN)

22. Raymond Felton (CHA)

23. Rafer Alston (HOU)

-

24. Beno Udrih (SAC)

25. Brevin Knight (LAC)

26. Steve Blake (POR)

-

27. Jason Williams (MIA)

28. Mike Conley (MEM)

29. Anthony Carter (DEN)

30. Earl Watson (SEA)

[nyk]

OK, here is my list. I broke it into 7 levels. The top 4 levels are above-average, while the bottom 3 are sort of average or worse.

Scoring: Players are near the top based on the following credentials:

- Consistent player

- Ability relative to statistics

- How well they personify a PG

- How well they contribute to their team

Low scoring players may fall under the following:

- Inconsistent performances

- Not entirely capable of running the offense

- Relatively weak stats

- Higher than average stats that only compensate for below average teammates (ex. Beno Udrih can score, but few else on Sacramento can)

1. Chris Paul (NO)

2. Steve Nash (PHX)

3. Deron Williams (UTAH)

4. Tony Parker (SA)

-

5. Chauncey Billups (DET)

6. Baron Davis (GS)

7. Mike Bibby (ATL)

8. Gilbert Arenas (WAS)

-

9. Jamal Crawford (NY)

10. Andre Miller (PHI)

11. Devin Harris (NJ)

12. Jason Kidd (DAL)

-

13. T.J. Ford (TOR) (interchangeable with Jose Calderon)

14. Kirk Hinrich (CHI)

15. Jameer Nelson (ORL)

16. Jamaal Tinsley (IND)

17. Rajon Rondo (BOS)

18. Derek Fisher (LAL)

-

19. Delonte West (CLE)

20. Mo Williams (MIL)

21. Randy Foye (MIN)

22. Raymond Felton (CHA)

23. Rafer Alston (HOU)

-

24. Beno Udrih (SAC)

25. Brevin Knight (LAC)

26. Steve Blake (POR)

-

27. Jason Williams (MIA)

28. Mike Conley (MEM)

29. Anthony Carter (DEN)

30. Earl Watson (SEA)

Jamal Crawford #9???? Imma Knicks fan but theres a bunch of point guards on that list better than him. By the way, he's not a PG, he's a SG. Yes He ran the point a couple time last season but that because Knicks didnt have a PG when Steph got injuried and Nate Robinson wasnt always trusted.

[ShinyHubCaps]

Jamal Crawford #9???? Imma Knicks fan but theres a bunch of point guards on that list better than him. By the way, he's not a PG, he's a SG. Yes He ran the point a couple time last season but that because Knicks didnt have a PG when Steph got injuried and Nate Robinson wasnt always trusted.

Well Crawford had that 51 point game in 2006-07. I haven't really followed him since. And if I did Robinson, he'd be a bit lower. I had Crawford because he started 80 games, and I didn't think the PG would be Marbury, Richardson, or Fred Jones, with whom he started much of his games (2 of those 3, along with Curry and Randolph).

(NY Starting Lineups here.)

[SLAM]

Calderon is so under-rated.

[eRay]

Calderon is so under-rated.

Skill based? Maybe. Stat based? Not yet, and it's probably because of splitting minutes.

ShinyHubs- Thats a pretty good list, close to mine. Notable differences: Mo Williams came in at 14, Jameer Nelson at 19, and Ray Felton was a little higher. Still, pretty similar. I think making 'levels' of PG's is the right way to do it because on any given night any of the players within the group could be ranked anywhere within that group, but there is a very low probability of somebody in the 4th group playing himself into the 1st group for a night.

[ShinyHubCaps]

ShinyHubs- Thats a pretty good list, close to mine. Notable differences: Mo Williams came in at 14, Jameer Nelson at 19, and Ray Felton was a little higher. Still, pretty similar. I think making 'levels' of PG's is the right way to do it because on any given night any of the players within the group could be ranked anywhere within that group, but there is a very low probability of somebody in the 4th group playing himself into the 1st group for a night.

I think I may have given Jameer Nelson too much of a bump because, thinking about it, he has more people on his team that he can assist with Howard, Turkoglu, and Lewis than, say, Mo Williams.

Also, for anyone who doesn't like the levels, they are not absolute. eRay has the right idea that a "4" can't consistently play to a "1," but there's not that much difference between a "4" and a "5" or even a "4" and a "6." I just don't want to hear people saying I put their favorite player in too low of a level because it's not an absolute scale.