Sixers: Ranking Tyrese Maxey and every starting point guard in the NBA

Ranking NBA starting point guards — 6. Trae Young, Hawks

Trae Young continues to get better each and every year. On top of his characteristic 3-point range and dynamic handles, Young has added something important to the mix in 2021-22 — a mid-range game. Now he’s a true threat from everywhere on the court, leveraging his shooting gravity, quick-twitch handles, and speedster status to punish his defenders for any manner of mistake.

With averages of 28.0 points and 9.6 assists, Young is one of the most purely productive players in the NBA. He puts numbers on the board, and he makes everyone around him better in the process. The Hawks have let him down in myriad respects this season, but don’t confuse Atlanta’s struggles for that of Young. He’s going to be around for a long time.

Ranking NBA starting point guards — 5. Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers

There is real concern about the future of Damian Lillard. His abdominal injury continues to linger, and signs point toward a potentially long-term issue. He’s 31 years old already, and he’s a relatively small point guard who doesn’t play great defense. Is that precipitous fall that catches all superstars going to catch Lillard sooner than expected? It’s possible.

That said, Lillard is still really freakin’ good, and even in a down season, he’s averaging 24.0 points and 7.3 assists, comfortably above what most NBA players can offer. His efficiency has dipped dramatically, hitting only 32.4 percent of his 3s, but it’s hard not to think of it as a cold spell and nothing more. The injuries are a problem, and Portland is in complete disarray around Lillard, but he’s still a top-5 NBA point guard. He gets the benefit of the doubt.

Ranking NBA starting point guards — 4. Chris Paul, Suns

Chris Paul is still the Point God. Phoenix looks primed to defend its conference title, and the 36-year-old CP3 has still shown absolutely no signs of slowing down. His mastery of the game at every level, from leadership in the locker room to firmly exerted control on the court, is magnificent to watch. He never gets flustered or rattled. He doesn’t get sped up, or fall prey to simple mistakes. He is peerless, the conductor of possibly the NBA’s best orchestra.

For the season, Paul is averaging 14.0 points and 10.1 assists on .474/.328/.835 splits. It is hard to describe what Paul is accomplishing, and it is supremely rare for a player of Paul’s caliber to sustain his dominance for so long. He is also a 6-foot point guard with a long history of lower-body injuries, the kind of player who most commonly falls prey to athletic decline.