This Is Ranked For Shooting Guards Next Season
This ranking is for next season because every team (Including the Boston Celtics) wants to look ahead. So remember this is immediately after the NBA finals and before free agency and the draft. Shooting Guards are also incredibly subjective. So remember that before you get angry. This is after the 2021-2022 season so players will be on the team they were on during the finals.
30: Justin Holiday, Sacramento Kings
At least you aren’t the worst Holiday brother in the NBA. Sadly, everyone except you on this list has a particular skill or solid upside that pushes him to the back of the list. Same deal with Satoransky for the point guards list; he shouldn’t be a starter. Sometimes, players are meant to be role players, which is okay.
29: Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs
You had a high finish in the point guards list but a low for shooting guards. He does get the edge over Justin Holiday for being competent on offense and averaging a steal per game on defense. Going into next year, we should also see Vassell shoot up the list and rank higher.
28: Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons
The French man himself. Coming into the draft, he was seen as an incredibly high boom or bust player and has been a bust over his time with the Pistons organization. He is next to Cunningham now, so there is hope that he will play better next to a true point guard who is half decent, but he still sucks.
27: Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
People made fun of the Raptors for passing on him in the draft, but for now, it seems as if they were right. In limited action, he has been good, but that is minimal action. Forty-eight games are not what you want to see from your fifth overall pick. HE has colossal potential, though, and I expect him to skyrocket on this list.
26: Will Barton, Denver Nuggets
The most notable thing about Will Barton is that he has played with Nikola Jokic. He has done pretty much nothing except play second fiddle his whole career. First to Damian Lillard and now to Jokic. He has been a consistent scorer, putting up 15 a game, but if that’s the best scorer next to Jokic, he’ll be sent to Portland for Lillard in coming times.
25: Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers
Monk has always had very solid potential. This past season he opted to leave the Charlotte Hornets in favor of switching to LA Lakers in an effort to ring chase. I guess also playing with LeBron is cool, but it was to ring chase. He’s a solid role player, but I see him more as a seventh man, who can come in and be athletic from time to time.
24: Max Strus, Miami Heat
Although I think it should have been Duncan Robinson, the depth chart says Strus, so he gets shoved way down here. Strus only started 16 games for the heat, as they had a revolving door system for whoever was hot, whether it was Vincent, Strus, or Robinson. Strus wasn’t that spectacular, only averaging around ten points per game, and was incredibly lackluster in the playoffs.
23: Seth Curry, Brooklyn Nets
Imagine being an NBA player and still being your parent’s disappointment. All jokes aside, he only got to play 24 games for his new team, and wasn’t jaw dropping. Aside from that, he was solid in the playoffs. Shot over 50 percent in the playoffs for the nets, and did his job well, except they came up short. Seth is good, but I have good reasoning to put him down here.
22: Gary Trent Jr, Toronto Raptors
Trent has this weird thing like all shooting guards where he will randomly put up 40 every once in a while for fun. Then you think, “He can do it again!” He then shoots 0/8 from three. The best part about Trent Jr. is his defense. He has suffocating perimeter defense that then allows the defensive centers to make a play in the paint, or force a bad shot from three. I also firmly believe he will move up this list in coming years.
21: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks
He is a very weird shooting guard. He plays big as he has the size to play forward, but he chooses to play shooting guard for more looks from three. But, Trae Young increases his stats big time. man led the league in both points and assists last year for a reason. Bogdan is odd, but I can’t convince my self to put a mid tier shooting guard who’s at his ceiling any higher.
20: Grayson Allen, Milwaukee Bucks
The absolute menace of the NBA. Daring enough to take out one of the fan’s favorite players, Alex Caruso. Aside from that, though, Caruso is an excellent player for the Bucks. While he plays a role of a role player, he is effective when needed. He is excellent in the paint and one of the NBA’s best trash talkers; he brings back the 90s to the current NBA. Bill Laimbeer would be proud.
19: Anfernee Simons, Portland Trailblazers
While figuring out the configuration for this list, I learned he somehow went from IMG Academy to the NBA? Not sure how that works, but it worked out for him. He took over after CJ McCollum was traded to the Pelicans and has been great in the role since. Averaging 17 a game as a rookie isn’t easy, and he was made for the shooting guard position. I look forward to him doing well in the regular season, then not getting past the second round as he is a Trailblazer.
18: Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericks
I feel weird for Jalen Brunson, but I know my man is about to get paid this offseason. While he is set up well in Dallas, playing with Luka and Christian Wood, I’m sure he will leave to get paid. Brunson did average 21 a game for the Mavericks this past season and then had a great time in the playoffs, helping lead the Mavericks to the conference finals. The question is if he will stay in Dallas or leave after free agency.
17: Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
A menace in the making. He had a bad foul on Andrew Wiggins that got him labeled, and I think it will stick. Aside from that, though, a solid defender, he was crucial in getting the Grizzlies the two seed and making it as far as they did. In the future, I assume he will stay in Memphis to keep growing with their young roster and keep getting better. I’m sure we will see more of this behavior from him in the future.
16: Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Haliburton was traded halfway through the season to the most irrelevant team in NBA history and switched positions, and he is still this high. With Brogdon, Hield, and a decent supporting cast, I think we will see him continuing to improve at the two spots, and maybe the Pacers will do something in their team’s history. We’ll also see how the trade-in between him and Sabonis ages.
15: Jalen Green, Houston Rockets
I fully expect hate to put him this high, but I think it’s justified. After being thrown into the lead role as the rookie, he averaged 17, 3, and 4 to compliment a fragile team. The team is very young, however, and we could see him progress with it as well. I think he is already better than half of the shooting guards in this league for the role he was given on the team that he was assigned to. Even though I know I’ll be receiving hate for this.
14: Terry Rozier, Charlotte Hornets
Considering their team, he is one of the veteran leaders, but he has been good in that role. Now that the pressure is off him to ball handle, he has excelled as a secondary guy. He is still a very consistent shooter, except now he gets to work off the ball and work with a gifted passer in LaMelo Ball. What the future holds for Rozier, we don’t know, but I expect to see him re-sign in Charlotte.
13: Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers
I feel a little bit bad for his situation in Cleveland, but I’m happy they moved him before he inevitably leaves. Sexton seems one of those very good players who will get overpaid. Like Luol Deng or Chandler Parsons. Not to that extent, but it will get overpaid by some team in need of a scoring guard. I believe it’s clear of Cleveland, though, and we have seen the last of “Sexland”
12: CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
We’ve seen that McCollum was always stuck as the shooting guard in Portland. Now, between the two spots, he slides around but still leans more to the shooting guard side. But now, he has his team. He is the leader, and we will see what he is truly capable of. He has always been consistent but short of that all-star tier. He has the opportunity to make that jump now.
11: RJ Barrett, New York Knicks
The maple mamba. It fits him better than Wiggins anyway. Regardless RJ has been one of the most underrated players in the league during his career so far. Primarily due to how bad his team is, but he has still been awesome. He averaged 20, 6, and 3 this season with Julius Randle as his second best player. if Randle is your asset, he is hurting you. I fully expect him to take a huge leap next year as well into the all-star tier.
10: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
As I’m typing this, the Warriors just won another ring. So, congrats Klay on ring number four. But it does greatly pain me to place him this low. Klay is easily one of the most likable players in the league, and injuries have destroyed his career in recent years. So while I’m thrilled to see him back, he isn’t his past self. While that is fine, I can’t put him past ten. Say Hi to Rocco for me.
9: Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Another Canadian shooting guard is tearing it up—another player who switched from point guard to shooting guard that’s benefited them. Included in the trade that sent Paul George to the Clippers, Shai has progressed very nicely into a superstar in the making. This past season he averaged 25, 5, and 6 on a very bad Thunder team. With the 2nd pick in this draft, I’m sure they wil acquire some help for him as well.
8: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
I was debating between Gilgeous-Alexander and him for this spot, but I opted for Brown after this playoff run. He was still awesome despite them coming up short in the NBA finals. As the second option for the Celtics, he showed up when needed. Sometimes even being better than Tatum. I think conference finals MVP should have gone to me. But regardless, with his clutch gene and strong defense, he’ll stay great for a while.
7: James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
This pains me so dearly to do. Harden is one of my all-time favorite players, but he has fallen off. he doesn’t have that killer spark that the Harden who’d drop 40 a night had. While he is still excellent and could make the all-star game next year, I don’t think he is top five anymore. There are just other guys I’d far rather have for the future and currently. I’m sorry, Harden. But this is what it’s come to.
6: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
While Harden isn’t top five anymore, Edwards is knocking on the door to the top five. Edwards is one of the most electric players we have seen in a while and showed it during the playoffs. I mean, just ask Yuta Watanabe. With Towns and Russell there for the next few years, it is possible they could be gearing up for a deep run these times. Especially with this man at the helm of it all.
5: Zach Lavine, Chicago Bulls
Lavine may hit the market, or he may not. Regardless, the man is about to get paid. Lavine has changed over his time in the NBA. he went from being known as the guy who won the dunk contest twice to the all-star who will stay that way for a while. If we are talking electric players, Lavine is still so athletic it’s insane. At any point, he could demolish a seven-footer.
4: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
I feel very bad for Mr.Beal. During his time with Washington, he has been continuously great, and has received zero help. excluding John Wall, but they never really played together. one of them was always hurt. But this year, he averaged 23, 5, and 7 while battling injuries. The man is all-pro worthy when he is healthy. Do the right thing and send him to Denver. Jokic would love another player who could score.
3: Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
George used to be a small forward but has recently transitioned to a shooting guard role. He has also been the target of extreme amounts of hate, often undeserved. George has been and will continue to be one of the NBA’s best players when surrounded well. Not to mention his defensive capabilities are fantastic. If he and Kawhi Leonard stay healthy next year, we have another threat in the west.
2: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
I’m going to get insane amounts of flack for not having Booker first, but his winning isn’t truly due to him. Before Chris Paul arrived, Phoenix hadn’t won anything in a long time. granted that was three years ago, it’s a safe assumption to say it was primarily due to him. We also see, Booker’s stats haven’t had a massive change since the arrival of Paul. Booker is fantastic, and has a bright future, but he isn’t the best. He couldn’t even make the playoffs without Chris Paul.
1: Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Now, this is interesting. Mitchell has been entertaining to watch and grow as a player, and I believe he has earned the title of best shooting guard in the NBA. He doesn’t have the playoff success others have; on offense, it is mainly up to him. The second-best offensive talent there is Bojan Bogdanovic. While his future in Utah is largely up in the air, I have no doubt he will thrive wherever he lands. Hopefully, the Knicks. That would be fun.
