PG Rankings 3

Starting Point Guards Countdown (18-13)

18.Brandon Jennings 

Brandon Jennings is a shooting guard stuck in a point guard's body. He would much rather attack the basket and shoot jumpers than set his teammates up and run set plays. This has been the underlying problem for Jennings in his young career as he seems to be content with being a turnover machine as well as a volume scorer. He did boost his assists up to a career high 7.6 per game, but he has to reduce his turnovers. Hopefully, Stan Van Gundy can help him continue to develop as a point guard with three big men capable of finishing inside. The additions of DJ Augustin and Jodie Meeks should help his assists total increase and spread the floor. Jennings brings scrappiness on defense as he likes to strip defenders attempting crossovers. On offense, he provides speed and good one on one skills. Jennings will probably never lead the league in assists, but he can learn to make smarter passes. His shooting ability is like night and day, but on a Detroit team with no real go to scorer Jennings can be that guy. If Jennings can take better shots and commit fewer turnovers, he can help Detroit return to the playoffs. 
    

17.Kemba Walker

Kemba Walker was able to produce career highs in rebounds and assists in his third year in the NBA as he and Al Jefferson led Charlotte to the playoffs. He seems to have full control of this team and is showing the same confidence he displayed at Connecticut. Walker plays like the New Yorker he is as he can score, rebound, pass the ball, and play tough defense. He never backs down from a challenge and this characteristic rubs off on his teammates as they imitate his confidence. Walker used to dance as a child growing up, which explains his scintillating crossovers. He is second to no one in that regard. Walker seems to have almost reached his ceiling because at 6'1 scoring 17.7 points per game is as good as it gets at his size. His 6.1 assists might not jump any higher as well because the signing of Lance Stephenson could spell less ball handling duties for Walker. Nevertheless, Walker and Stephenson should form a top three backcourt in the NBA and make Charlotte a conference contender in the East.

16.Jrue Holiday

After missing over 40 games after being traded to New Orleans, Jrue Holiday is probably itching to get back on the court and prove he was worth trading for. Holiday plays with a laid back demeanor and a silky smooth approach. As a result, he never seems to be rattled. At 6'4, he can occasionally go inside and finish amongst post defenders and his jumper continues to improve as he gets further into his career. Good offensive talent on the Pelicans surrounds Holiday, which includes Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, and Ryan Anderson. His 7.9 assists should definitely take a hike provided that he gets out in the open court more often. Also, more pick and rolls with Davis, the newly acquired Omer Asik, and pick and pops with Anderson should help. Holiday seems to be stuck in point guard purgatory as he is in between All-Star and elite caliber status. A healthy season should help truly identify how good Holiday is.

15.Jeff Teague

Jeff Teague almost seemed to will the Atlanta Hawks past the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, but the experience of Indiana showed as the series wore on. Teague showed his worth to the Hawks fan base as he averaged a career high 16.7 points in the absence of Al Horford. Teague seems to be really smart with the ball, as he does not force shots; he knows how to draw fouls and looks comfortable in transition. He has sneaky athleticism as he can rise over defenders and dunk on them. Teague has to improve his jumper and get a better feel for finding his open teammates. The lack of television time for the Hawks makes it hard for fans to know how good he is, but the playoffs helped him gain exposure. In a bad Eastern Conference, Teague could end up being an All-Star. Of course, the Hawks would need a winning record. The Hawks are a team that is under the radar in the East, but if Teague, Horford, and Millsap can play at All-Star levels they can upset a team in the playoffs.  

14.Mike Conley

Mike Conley had a slow start to his career after dealing with injuries coming out of Ohio State. Also, being a top 10 pick in his draft class certainly did not help his case. After averaging a career high 17.2 points along with his 6 assists, Conley has managed to jump into the tier of elite-esque point guards. Many viewed him as an All-Star a year ago, but he might be a victim of playing in a system with two of the best big men in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Conley always seems to play well against some of the best point guards as he takes pride in his defense. In fact, Conley is considered one of the best on ball defenders at point guard. On offense, he can finish with either hand with his signature floaters, shoots the ball well, and runs the Grizzlies offense with efficiency. Conley is certainly the glue that holds Memphis together for 40 minutes, but late in games he seems to fade away and let others take big shots. Tony Allen should not have the ball in his hands late in the game. Gasol and Randolph is what makes the Grizzlies tough, but Conley has to step up and ease their duties late in games.  

13.Ty Lawson

It was a disaster in Denver following a magical 53-win season, but Ty Lawson was the lone bright spot for a team that sorely underachieved. Lawson seemed to be the only player comfortable under new head coach Brian Shaw and it showed in his play on the court. He averaged career bests in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and minutes. However, his team lacked a consistent Robin to his Batman heroics. The Nuggets were without JaVale McGee, Nate Robinson, and Danilo Gallinari. The rest of the players seemed to be lost. It seemed like coach Shaw did not know how to use his players or did not assign them proper roles. This hurt Lawson, as he was another player on the list of All-Star snubs. Lawson excels in the open court, he can finish in traffic despite his size, and he has a reliable jumper. Overall, I must say I never expected him to develop into the player that he is because of his stature. Early in his career I viewed him as a solid backup. Lawson has certainly put himself in a position to receive a large contract as a viable first or second option. If he continues to improve, Lawson can derail one of the next guards on this list and be a part of the second tier of point guards.