NBA Fantasy: Ranking Guard tiers for the 2024-25 season

As we look ahead to the 2024-25 season, the depth of talent among NBA guards is truly impressive. Here is a breakdown of the top 35 guards in the league, categorized into tiers based on their skill level.

Tier 1

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks: Doncic is coming off the best season of his already impressive career, as he averaged a career-high and league-high 33.9 points per game while leading the Mavericks to his first NBA Finals appearance in 2023-24. Doncic is primed to continue competing at the highest level and heads into the season as one of the most feared players on the court.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander ranked third in the league with 30.1 points per game and tied for second with a career-best 2.0 steals per game last season. He also set a new career-high with 6.2 assists per game. Gilgeous-Alexander does a great job pushing the pace for the high-energy Thunder squad and helped the team average the league’s third-most points per game last season.

Tier 2

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers: Haliburton helped lead the Pacers to their first playoff series win in a decade by feeding the offense with a career-high and league-best 10.9 assists per game. He also averaged 20.1 points and 1.2 steals per game. Haliburton has the benefit of running it back with mostly the same core, plus a full offseason to build even more chemistry with Pascal Siakam.

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: Edwards is emerging as one of the most exciting and dominant players in the league, and he’s increased his scoring averages in each of his four seasons. He had one of his most complete seasons of his career during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging a career-high 25.9 points and 5.1 assists to go with 5.4 rebounds per game, showing that he’s capable of producing outside of the scoring column for the league’s highest-producing offenses.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors: Curry is coming off his fourth consecutive season averaging at least 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He will have a new scene to get used to in the backcourt without Klay Thompson, but Curry remains the best scorer on the roster and will have to continue to lead the charge on the offensive end.

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings: Fox played the second-most games of his career last season and averaged career-high marks of 26.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He will have the benefit of playing alongside prolific scorer DeMar DeRozan in 2024-25, which should help open up the floor and allow Fox to further thrive in his role.

Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: Booker is coming off his sixth consecutive season averaging more than 25.5 points per game, and his second straight season averaging more than 27.0. With an elite scorer like Kevin Durant at his side, Booker has the opportunity to benefit from less defensive focus and to continue to find his shots. He also does a good job contributing across the stat sheet and racking up stats on both ends of the floor.

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey took another major leap forward last season, averaging career-high marks of 37.5 minutes, 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. He heads into the fifth year of his career ready to continue to emerge as one of the best point guards in the league. He also has the additional benefit of now playing alongside another All-Star after the 76ers acquired Paul George during the offseason.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks: Young has averaged at least 25.3 points and 9.3 assists per game in each of the last five seasons. He was limited to a career-low 54 games played last season, mostly due to missing about six weeks of action late in the season with a finger injury, but he was able to average 30.8 minutes per game over his final four appearances of the campaign. After two years playing next to Dejounte Murray, he will have to return to a definitive lead role in the backcourt and handle a major load offensively.

Tier 3

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks: Brunson is coming off a brilliant season, as he averaged career highs of 28.7 points and 6.7 assists. He did a fantastic job of carrying the squad when Julius Randle went down for the season and managed to lead the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs. However, with Randle back and the addition of Mikal Bridges to the roster, it is likely that Brunson’s scoring could decrease during the 2024-25 campaign.

Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks: Lillard is set to enter his second season with the Bucks. His scoring average dipped by nearly eight points per game in his debut season with the squad compared to the previous year, but he is likely to have a better rhythm entering the new campaign thanks to a full offseason of preparation and building continuity. This is also the squad’s first offseason under coach Doc Rivers, who took over the job in January 2024.

Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers: After averaging career highs of 28.3 points and 48.4 percent shooting from the field in 2022-23, Mitchell took a step back by averaging 26.6 points on 46.2 percent shooting last season. However, he also set new career highs with 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in 2023-24. Mitchell remains one of the smoothest scorers in the league and should continue to thrive as the Cavaliers’ top offensive option heading into his third season with the squad.

James Harden, LA Clippers: In comparison to the previous season, Harden’s numbers decreased significantly almost across the board in 2023-24. However, with the departure of Paul George, Harden will have to step back into a role more in line with what he has done throughout his career as one of the best scorers in NBA history. He should also see an uptick in his assist numbers with the ball in his hands more often.   

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons: Despite a tough season for the Pistons in 2023-24, Cunningham kept his head up and delivered high-level play on a consistent basis, posting double-digit scoring totals in 57 of his 62 appearances while averaging a career-high 22.7 points per game. He also set a new career-high mark with 7.5 assists per game and logged 14 double-doubles. Cunningham remains on an upward trajectory and could help carry the Pistons’ young core to a better result in 2024-25.

LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets: Ball had his last two seasons cut short by injury but continued to show his potential as a high-level scorer and distributor when healthy. He remains in position to grow and prosper alongside notable offensive contributors such as Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, and he will have the green light to let his shot fly as a career 37.4 percent three-point shooter.

Tier 4

Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks: Irving thrived in his first full season with the Mavericks, averaging 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He has hit a minimum of 49.0 percent of his attempts from the field in three of the last four seasons and is able to pick his spots as a calculated and experienced contributor. 

Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers: George is set to debut for his fourth NBA franchise in what will be his 15th season in the league after signing with the 76ers over the summer. He averaged 23.1 points per game over his five seasons with the Clippers and will likely find himself in a similar role in Philadelphia while playing alongside a pair of All-Star teammates, allowing him to not have to force his game.

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies: After being limited to just nine games last season, Morant remains one of the most anticipated players coming into the new campaign. He’s shown incredible leaps in his play over the last few seasons and earned a reputation as one of the most dominant point guards in the league. He could easily be ranked higher in his top form, but due to having been sidelined for so long, it could take him some time to get back to push for new highs.

Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans: After two seasons with the Hawks, Murray joins a well-rounded and dynamic Pelicans core, where he should be able to flourish in a distribute-first role. theless, he averaged at least 20.5 points per game in each of the last three seasons and is likely to maintain his scoring touch as part of one of the most efficient offenses from last season.

Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors: The sky’s the limit for Quickley, who enters his first full season as the definitive starting point guard for the Raptors. He showed flashes of brilliance down the stretch last season and is on a trajectory to stuff the stat sheet in his new role.

Tier 5

Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets: VanVleet put together a solid season in his first year with the Rockets and has all the tools around him to continue to shine as a consistent distributor and occasional breakout scorer.

Derrick White, Boston Celtics: White proved himself as one of the most versatile and clutch guards in the league last season.

Coby White, Chicago Bulls: White took a major leap last year and is a strong candidate to take another step forward during his sixth NBA season after the Bulls moved on from DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso during the offseason.

Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers: Garland saw some of his averages take a dip last season but remains a reliable contributor in his role.

Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies: Bane is coming off a season interrupted by injury trouble for himself and the whole Grizzlies squad, but he has proven capable of being a solid contributor with 41.5 percent three-point shooting over his first four professional seasons.

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets: Murray averaged 21.2 points and 6.5 assists per game last season and should continue to thrive with help from great chemistry among the Nuggets’ core.

CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans: McCollum took care of most of the ball handling last season but will be able to focus more as a scorer now that he will be playing alongside Dejounte Murray.

Tier 6 – Honorable Mentions