Banner Town Offseason Shooting Guard Rankings (2020-2021)
The writers at Banner Town have decided to come together and rank the best players in the NBA going into next season. With not much else going on in the world of basketball, this is the perfect time to go over last season and think about who the best players will be next year.
For this survey, we asked seven writers at Banner Town to submit their top 15 shooting guards going into next year. Injured players who are set to make a comeback were to be included (I.E. Klay Thompson, Jeremy Lamb, etc.). Those rankings were then added up and divided by seven to get each player’s average rank, creating a fairly decided top ten list. A player who was not on one writer’s list would be denoted a score of 20 to be averaged with each other writer’s rank. Here are the results:
Honorable Mentions: Fred VanVleet (12.71), Buddy Hield (12.86), Zach LaVine (13), Marcus Smart (13.29), Caris LeVert (13.29), Evan Fournier (17.14), Lou Williams (18.43), Bogdan Bogdanovic (18.86), Duncan Robinson (19.29)
10. Victor Oladipo (Average Rank: 12.14)
Oladipo is coming off of a fairly underwhelming season with the Pacers. After getting injured and missing the majority of the season, hist return was seen as disappointing. The Pacers were unable to make much noise in the bubble, especially due to the absence of All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis, but regardless it was TJ Warren, not Oladipo, who was the true star in Orlando. With the offseason upon us, Oladipo has expressed (and retracted) his desire to leave Indiana, so his future is pretty up in the air. Without the injury history, he might be higher on this list, but for now he sits at 10.
9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Average Rank: 9.57)
This was the young guard’s second season in the league, but it was also a breakout year. After being traded to Oklahoma City in the trade for Paul George, he flourished under the guidance of veteran point guard Chris Paul. While he was unable to make the All-Star team, he did help lead the Thunder to a playoff appearance, something not many thought they would accomplish this season. SGA’s mix of shooting, ball-handling, and defense make him a threat at all times. The young star has a very bright future in this league.
8. Jrue Holiday (Average Rank: 9)
Holiday has always been one of those guys who most people look past. He’s one of the best defenders in the league, and although it may not seem like it, a constant threat to pour in buckets. He’s spent the large majority of his career playing second fiddle to Anthony Davis, and this season he did so to Brandon Ingram. Despite that, he has shown that if given the chance to be the first option on a team, he can make the All-Star team. Don’t sleep on Holiday going into next season. There have been some trade rumors, but no matter where he goes, he’ll be one of the best two-way players in the game.
7. CJ McCollum (Average Rank: 8)
Similar to the role Holiday played with Davis in New Orleans, McCollum has constantly been the second option behind Damian Lillard in Portland. Despite that, he has averaged over 20 points a game for the past five seasons. Although he has never made an All-Star team, he’s always been one of those guys right on the cusp, in a similar fashion to Mike Conley. McCollum’s innate ability to score the ball makes him an absolute killer in clutch situations, too. When Lillard needs a break, the Blazers can count on McCollum to step right in and carry the load.
6. Donovan Mitchell (Average Rank: 5.29)
Mitchell was an absolute torch in the bubble. His battle with Jamal Murray in the first round of the playoffs was one of the best moments of the entire season. He put up multiple 50 point games, essentially willing the Jazz back into the series single-handedly. His mix of elite offensive fire power and defensive prowess have propelled him to stardom in his young career. He’s never missed the playoffs, and has consistently been the leading scorer for the Jazz in the last three seasons (which are also his first three seasons). Spida just made his first All-Star appearance this season, but it most certainly won’t be his last.
5. Jaylen Brown (Average Rank: 5.14)
Jayson Tatum may get most of the love when it comes to Bean Town, but Brown was the most consistent player on the roster this past season. If you account for the entirety of the season, pre and post All-Star break, then you could even say he was the best overall player on the team. He average over 20 points a night, while getting only the third most shot attempts on the team. His offensive game evolved so much over the past season and people need to start taking notice. Combine that with his elite defense, and Brown is one of the best shooting guards in the game.
4. Devin Booker (Average Rank: 4.43)
Booker not only made his first All-Star game this season, but was also able to lead the Suns to an 8-0 record in the bubble. In those eight games he averaged more than 30 points a night and willed the Suns to their first playoff berth since 2010. This bubble play solidified him as one of the league’s best scorers, and coach Monty Williams has the Suns on the right track to a playoff spot in the near future. Although the Western Conference is stacked, the Suns have shown loyalty to Booker, and I have full confidence that he will be able to lead the Suns to the playoffs very soon.
3. Bradley Beal (Average Rank: 3.86)
Beal not making the All-Star game this season is one of the biggest snubs in NBA history. The guy averaged above 30 points per game and was unable to secure a spot on the roster - that’s just ludicrous. Although the Wizards weren’t exactly a great team this season, with Wall coming back off of an injury next year, they are poised to make a legitimate run at the playoffs for the first time in a few seasons. Wall has said that he does not intend to cut into Beal’s touches or scoring, so expect the shooting guard to lead the way next season. I highly doubt Beal will take the All-Star game snub lightly, so expect another big year from him next season.
2. Klay Thompson (Average Rank: 2.71)
Although Thompson is coming off of a big-time ACL injury, there’s obvious little concern that his play will be affected. He’s had more than enough time to recover and should be ready to make another run at a title with Steph Curry and Draymond Green once the season starts up. Thompson is one of the best shooter’s in league history, and if we’re talking catch and shoot, he just might be the best. As for his defense, he made an All-Defensive team back in the 2018-2019 season, but the fact that he’s only made one is criminal. He’s been one of, if not the league’s best two-way player for years. Thompson should be primed and ready for an amazing 2020-2021 campaign.
1. James Harden (Average Rank: 1)
The consensus choice for number one on this list, Harden is one of the league’s best overall players. He’s averaged over 25 points a game for the last eight years, and over 30 for the past three. Add his MVP trophy to that resumé and you have one of the best scorers in league history. Although he’s never been able to make the Finals, in large part thanks to the dominance of the Warriors, his spectacular play should not be understated. Since joining the Rockets back in 2012, they are the only NBA franchise to not miss the playoffs. That’s the affect Harden has on a team. Pure dominance.
