'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In recent years, the point guard position became the most important one on an NBA team's lineup. With the emergence of the three-point shot, the focal point switched from dominating big-men to quick and small guards who can shoot from distance.
There are so many high-quality point guards in today's NBA, that guys like John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard aren't able to go through the first round of the playoffs or even miss out on the postseason altogether, like in Kemba Walker's case.
A team who aspires to be a contender can't just compromise on one, they have to go all in for the best candidate they can get. This is why teams will look to upgrade this spot this summer and will be willing to pay big.
Here are the top 5 free agents right now on the market able to fill the point guard spot.
#5 Elfrid Payton
Some of you may know Elfrid Payton only for his crazy haircut, but the 24-year-old has actually managed to rack up a decent stat line in his four years in the NBA.
Payton is one of only seven players in NBA history to average six assists, three rebounds and a steal in each of their first four seasons in the league. He joins a respectful group of players like Chris Paul, Jason Kidd and Tim Hardaway.
He improved his shooting percentage from the field this past season and stacked ten triple-doubles in his career so far.
Even though he is still a limited shooter, both from the field and from the line, Payton is still a great facilitator and a good ball handler, averaging around 2.6 assists for every turnover. Payton will be a restricted free agent this summer, but some reports say Phoenix are open to renounce him. Teams that need a good point guard at an affordable price will definitely jump on this bargain.
#4 Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet was almost anonymous a year ago. After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft, the Wichita State senior signed a two-year minimum deal with the Toronto Raptors. He didn’t see much NBA action in his rookie season, totalling less than 300 minutes, and spent most of the season with the Raptors D-League (now G-League) team, averaging 16.9 points and 7.6 assists.
This season, however, VanVleet became one of the most important players for Toronto and the leader of their league-best bench squad.
He averaged 8.6 points and 3.2 assists on 20 minutes a night, shooting more than 41 percent from beyond the arc. His performances this season even earned him a Sixth Man of the Year nomination. His free agent stock sharply increased in a year's time and plenty of teams will take a look at him this summer. After having to settle for the minimum the past two years, VanVleet will look for an upgrade, and if the Raptors won't be willing to pay up, he might change places.
#3 Rajon Rondo
Since leaving Boston in 2014, Rajon Rondo's career took a wrong turn. He had a bad breakup with Dallas, a meaningless year in Sacramento and another problematic season with Chicago. This season, however, the former NBA champion found a soft landing spot in New Orleans.
Sharing the Pelicans' backcourt with Jrue Holiday, Rondo averaged 8.3 points and 8.2 assists, helping New Orleans return to the playoffs, despite losing Center DeMarcus Cousins to injury in late January. Rondo proved the importance of his experience in the first round, where he averaged 11.3 points, 13.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds, helping his team sweep the third-seeded Trail Blazers.
Even though he is no longer the defensive stopper and All-Star point guard he used to be, Rondo can still have an important impact on a playoff team. His passing ability and postseason experience are two things not a lot of point guards in this league have.
Rondo might want to stay in New Orleans and play with Holiday and Anthony Davis, but if the Pelicans won't offer him enough, another team could snatch him right out of their hands.
#2 Isaiah Thomas
Nobody could have predicted how this season would pan out for Isaiah Thomas. The third best scorer in the 2016-17 NBA hoped his record season will insure him a big contract in 2018. However, to his dismay, the Celtics traded him to the Cavaliers, while injured, as a part of the package that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston.
After missing the first half of the season due to that injury, he came back only to be traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers, after playing just 15 games for Cleveland. His numbers took a deep decline, dropping from 28.9 points per game the previous year to just 15.2 this season.
A 36.7% three-point shooter for his career until this season, Thomas shot only 29.3% per cent from deep and additionally shot just 37.3% from the field, a six per cent drop compared to his career numbers. Even though he looked to get paid this summer, hard to see any team in the league signing him to a contract worth even half the max. But even with that in mind, Isaiah Thomas still has the potential to contribute to a playoff team.
#1 Chris Paul
Chris Paul could have been the man who ended the reign of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. His Game 5 performance in the Western Conference Finals gave Houston a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately, it was also his last performance in the series, as a hamstring injury late in the game caused him to miss games six and seven, which the Rockets lost.
Paul is one of the best point guards of the 21st century; he led the league in steals six times and in assists four times, he has nine All-Star appearances, nine All-Defensive selections and eight All-NBA selections. He is also the only player in NBA history to average over four assists per turnover with more than 8000 career assists.
His preferred landing spot might be his current team, the Houston Rockets, trying to return to the conference finals and this time go all the way. Nevertheless, he will also want to get paid, as reports say he looks for a max contract. If Houston is not willing to do that, teams with cap space and championship aspirations will.
Guess the Lakers players!
