Predicting the 5 assists leaders for the 2021-22 NBA season

#3 Chris Paul

Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns talks with head coach Monty Williams during the first half in Game Five of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center on July 17, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix Suns playmaking genius Chris Paul has spent 16 seasons in the NBA since he was selected by the New Orleans Hornets as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. He has been named the assists champion four times (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015), twice each with the Hornets and the LA Clippers.

CP3 finished the previous season placing the second-best assists leader behind Westbrook with 622 assists completed in 70 regular-season appearances. Paul is the fifth all-time assists leader in NBA history with a total of of 10,275 assists made in his career. He is expected to continue his magnificent playmaking run but loses a step in the rankings.

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#2 Russell Westbrook

General manager Rob Pelinka, Russell Westbrook #0 and head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers pose for a picture during a press conference at Staples Center on August 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Newly signed Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook will be looking to make a splendid debut with the Lakers in the coming season. He has already shown his playmaking prowess and great link-up play with his teammates in the 2021-22 NBA preseason. While he will be a great addition to the Lakers this season, his assists record will take a dip, with LeBron being the focus player for the Lakers.

Westbrook will relinquish his assists leader status for the 2021-22 NBA season but will finish the season as the second-best. Russ has led the league in assists three times in his 13 season-long career thus far, his last two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2018, 2019) and his previous season campaign with the Washington Wizards (2021).

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#1 Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena on October 8, 2021 in Denver, Colorado.

The Denver Nuggets diamond in the rough, Nikola Jokic was the 2021 NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year after putting up a stellar performance the previous season, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. He finished the season as the third best assists leader with 599 total assists.

It's still a thing of shock, recalling that the Joker was a No. 41 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft as selected by the Nuggets. Jokic has since revolutionized the role of a center and shown the league the various possibilities that exist with a good center. The three-time All-Star should have a great season and with the incredible form he is in, it is expected to lead the league in assists in the coming season.