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Usage rate or usage percentage gives you an estimation of the percentage of team plays used or running through a particular player while he's on the court. It may not be a perfect statistic but gives you a very good picture of how the team operates with their starter on the floor.
It determines a player's ability to score buckets, grab a rebound or dish out an assist to a teammate. Players like LeBron James and Zach LaVine are used heavily by their teams largely due to the fact that there isn't any other player on the roster with their capabilities. There are also players like Chris Paul who isn't used as heavily as LeBron because players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander take the responsibility off him and will run point for the franchise.
That being said, we look at the five players who have the highest usage rate in the NBA this season.
#5 Bradley Beal - 33.5%
Bradley Beal has played like an All-Star this campaign and has been carrying the Washington Wizards all season long. He is averaging 30.1 points, 6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from the range. The guard is having his best season to date and is leading the way for the Wizards.
With John Wall out for a considerable period of time, the onus was on Beal to carry the mantle for the franchise. Beal dropped 50 plus points on back to back games against the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks.
The guard should have been an All-Star this season despite the fact that Wizards are having a decent this year and still in the playoffs hunt.
#4 Trae Young - 34 minutes per game
Second-year in the league, Trae Young has been performing like a perennial All-Star this campaign. Averaging over 30 points per game while dishing out over 9 assists, Young is having a truly great season. He is shooting nearly 37% from the perimeter while pulling up from the logo for the Atlanta Hawks.
Compared to Steph Curry, the Hawks have not yet done a good job putting a competitive team around the guard which is one of the reasons why he is having such heavy workload. That being said, if they can soon surround him with quality players, they could make the playoffs very soon.
Young was selected for the NBA All-Star Game as a starter for Team Giannis and this is a testament to the fact that he has been having an outstanding campaign.
#3 James Harden - 36 minutes per game
After a remarkable start to the campaign, James Harden suffered a slump for the Houston Rockets. He is averaging 35.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 36.3% from beyond the arc and has continued his trend of setting ridiculous scoring records over the last few years.
Leading the way for the Rockets along with Russell Westbrook, Harden is still having to share a huge workload despite having someone of Westbrook's caliber. He is averaging 36 minutes per game and is having to do a lot of work for the franchise.
The Rockets should be looking to reduce the amount of time on the court for the guard mainly because they'll need him at his absolute best when the playoffs come around, especially after going small ball.
#2 Luka Doncic - 36.1 minutes per game
After winning the Rookie of the Year last season, few expected Luka Doncic to have a better campaign in his second year. However, that hasn't been the case as Luka is having his best career to date playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
The guard is averaging 28.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.7 assists despite shooting at a meager 32.3% from the range largely because of the sheer number of attempts he's had. Averaging nearly a triple-double for the season, Luka is leading the way for the Mavericks as they hope to go deep in the playoffs.
Having such a great season, the Mavericks run their offense through the guard which is why he has a 36.1% usage rate which is the third-highest in the league.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo - 36.3%
The reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again the frontrunner to pick up the prestigious award this season. Leading the way for the Milwaukee Bucks, the Greek Freak is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists this term while shooting over 31% from the range which is a considerable improvement from last year.
The Bucks are running their entire offense through Giannis and are one of the reasons why he is clocking the highest usage rate in the league with 36.3%. He is just as present on the defense as he is on the offensive side of the floor. With the franchise being by far the best team in the league, it's a testament to how good Giannis has been this season.
The Bucks will be hoping to take some workload off him with the postseason fast approaching and their desire to win the NBA championship this term.
Guess the Lakers players!
