Sixers: Ranking Seth Curry and every starting shooting guard in the NBA

Ranking NBA starting shooting guards — 18. Terry Rozier III, Hornets

Terry Rozier continues to score prodigiously as LaMelo Ball’s backcourt mate in Charlotte. He has made the leap from sparky sixth man to bona fide starting guard — a player the Hornets can rely upon late in games, and who more often than not offers sustained positive impact on winning.

Not many guards are more creative than Rozier with the ball in hand. He’s not the best facilitator, but he doesn’t need to be in Charlotte. He’s there to hit spot-up 3s (check), beat close outs (check) and help bolster the late-game offense (check). Rozier’s ability to dribble serpentine patterns around the defense and find his spots as a pull-up shooters make him imminently watchable, and he’s not as bad defensively as he used to be. He’s supplying 18.3 points and 3.5 assists on .434/.379/.808 splits.

Ranking NBA starting shooting guards — 17. Seth Curry, Sixers

Seth Curry continues to showcase telepathic chemistry with Joel Embiid, forming half of one of the NBA’s most potent two-man games. Curry’s off-ball gravity has long been foundational to Philadelphia’s offense, but this season he has unveiled something new — an increased presence on the ball, creating out of DHOs, putting pressure on the rim, and creating for others.

The Sixers’ lack of point guard depth is a concern even still, but Curry’s ability to provide stopgap ball-handling was greatly underestimated in seasons prior. He’s a legitimate lead ball-handler, if only because Embiid is essential the axis upon which the Sixers’ offense rotates. Curry is one of the NBA’s best shooters, and now, his skill set is stretching even further, to the tune of 16.2 points and 3.9 assists on .513/.419/.877 splits.

Ranking NBA starting shooting guards — 16. Caris LeVert, Pacers

Caris LeVert has been handed more ball-handling duties this season, in part due to extended absences from Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren, and other key Pacers. While Indiana has been thoroughly underwhelming, LeVert deserves credit. Barring a (very possible) trade deadline maneuver, he’s at the center of what Indiana is building right now.

For the season, LeVert is averaging 17.8 points and 4.2 assists on .435/.318/.790 splits. He’s not the most efficient scorer, and the point guard skills are still amateur, but with quick-twitch athleticism and a killer in-between game, LeVert is someone the Pacers can rely on to create his own offense.