the 10 Best Shooting Guards In The NBA Today
The 10 Best Shooting Guards In The NBA Today. The NBA is a world-renowned basketball league. It can be hard for any player to break into the NBA, because the competition is so tough and intense. Some players are thrust into the spotlight by making their schools or colleges famous, while others get their chance based on pure skill. 3-point shooters are the new trend in the NBA. A team needs strong shooters to be successful.
Shooting Guards
All ten shooting guards in the NBA are both talented and capable of scoring points. Oftentimes, they can also create shots for their teammates who are near the net. They all have different strengths, which makes them very versatile players. Here are the ten best shooting guards in the NBA right now:
1. Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine has recently turned into one of the NBA’s most efficient high scoring threats. Because LaVine is a team player and willing to do what it takes to help his team win, he will have a better chance of landing with a new team should he decide to leave Chicago.
LaVine is one of three players this season to have over 18.5 field goal attempts per game and a true shooting percentage over 60%, but he doesn’t care that he hasn’t been playing as much as DeMar DeRozan has lately.
LaVine has the ability to score a lot of points, but he is willing to do what the team needs him to, so either way he ends up in the NBA he will be making an impact.
2. Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal’s scoring will likely take a tumble this season. Before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery, Beal was posting his lowest scoring average since 2017 and has the lowest three-point percentage of his career.
Beal’s ailing wrist affected his shooting, which in turn hurt some of his stats. If he had more time to play, he would have been able to rehabilitate some of his numbers. This might be concerning enough that the Wizards are paying attention to him this offseason.
If Beal declines his $37.3 million player option, he is eligible to sign a five-year, $242 million extension with the Wizards. The team may have issue with their roster flexibility if they decide to offer this deal due to how long it will last.
Washington will be in a bad place if they let Beal go. He is vital to their success with his shooting skills and efficiency. It would not be easy to replace what he would leave behind.
3. Collin Sexton
It was only when Collin Sexton injured himself that Darius Garland rose to prominence, as well as the Cavs. He wasn’t taken too seriously before, but there’s something enticing about his scoring ability.
Sexton averaged 24.3 points, which is the 25th highest average for a player when they were age-22. We should mention that he also averaged 4.4 assists and this helped him to rank 11th in the record books. Addressing his low effective field goal percentage and Cleveland still being worse when he was on the floor, these can be flipped or at least mitigated if Sexton has the right role.
So far in his career, Sexton has been cast as a lead ball-handler. But his talent for creating scoring opportunities for himself makes him more suitable for playing off the bench and taking hot shots. He could feast against second units, and would be less targeted on defense against them as well. As he gets older, he could become a worthy starting combo guard.
4. Gary Payton II
Gary Payton II shoots considerably less effectively after 2022. He shot 42.1% before the change and 30.2% afterwards, while his long-term effectiveness and most likely location falls between 42.1%-30.2%.
Payton defends multiple positions and does so with a tenacity that few can match. He knows when to attack passing lanes and deflects passes with his height and reach. This has led to the Warriors’ defense being 2.2 points per 100 possessions less of a threat when Payton is on the floor compared to when he is not.
5. Malik Monk
Monk has been a consistently productive scorer. In the last two seasons, he has an 18.4 point average per game, 3.7 assists and 3.1 threes per 75 possessions with in addition to shooting 39.4% from three point range.
The numbers show that Monk is improving his playmaking skills, which in turn make his shooting more valuable on the court. His shot has improved to 13.9% of assists after years of struggling to pass with only 9.6%. His newfound skill has made him a more valuable commodity as free agency begins to come up in summer.
6. Gary Harris
Gary Harris had a slow start but became a key contributor to the Denver Nuggets as the season progressed, over his last 47 games averaging 12.8 points and 2.3 threes while shooting 40.6% from three. He is projected to be an above-average defender next season, thus making him a valuable asset for any team that could use a three-and-D wing.
7. Patty Mills
Patty Mills is one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA. Patty Mills’s shooting percentage dropped since All-Star Break, but he is still one of the top off-ball movers and catch-and-shoot threats in the NBA. He made 184 three pointers on catch and shoot shots and only had a 33% decrease in his effective field goal percentage on those shots.
8. Luguentz Dort
An undrafted player leapt to the major leagues with his strong offensive game and peaked at 17.2 points per game by his 3rd season. He has yet to have a good year, but still demands attention because of how unusual it is for him to perform this well so quickly.
When looking at the player he was guarding this season, he was guarding players like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, and Luka Doncic. These players have different sizes and skills. He is a versatile defender.
9. Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo has missed an average of 24 games per season in his last four. He’s turning 30 in May, and the players who have dealt with similar amounts of injuries rarely stay healthy as they are turning 30 themselves. But a recent game saw Victor give a glimpse of what he’s still able to provide. Granted, it was against a lottery-bound team, but he had 40 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
10. Hamidou Diallo
Hamidou Diallo has a problem of not making three-point shots. He never really developed as a creator, but excels at scoring close to the basket. This past season, he averaged 11.7 points per 75 possessions in the paint, which is tied for 51st place in the league.
As we enter the NBA playoffs, it’s important to take a look at the best shooting guards in the league. Whether you’re a fan of one team or another, these ten players are worth your attention. Each player on this list boasts impressive stats and is capable of putting points on the board for his team. So let’s take a closer look at who makes the cut and why you should keep an eye on them during this postseason.