The Toronto Raptors may have signed Dennis Schroder to the roster after parting ways with former All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet, but he may not have the starting point guard job locked down. The idea of using Scottie Barnes in that role is looking better by the day.
Barnes may not be a prototypical point guard due to his size, but this is the role he played in high school and during his collegiate days with Florida State. Barnes’ passing is already extremely impressive, and the Raptors were clearly smitten with it when they decided to draft him.
The Raptors could keep Gary Trent Jr. in the starting lineup if they move Barnes to point guard, put Schroder on the bench in a Sixth Man role, and allow him to fulfill his dream of becoming a bigger facilitator at the next level. At a time when the point guard position has never been deeper, Scottie will have some tough competition.
NBA point guard tier list: Where would Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes rank?
Tier 7: Replacement Level
30. Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
29. Tre Jones, San Antonio Spurs
28. Tyus Jones, Washington Wizards
27. Derrick White, Boston Celtics
26. Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
Dosunmu, who was being targeted by the Raptors for quite some time, could end up wiggling into the starting lineup after signing a long-term deal. Both Jones brothers will take their low-turnover style of play to the starting lineup, though neither of their teams are expected to compete for the postseason.
White is an unspectacular starter who likely won’t move the needle too much, but the former Spurs guard has a habit of coming through when Joe Mazzulla needs a bucket. Even on a team that features Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs, Fultz continues to get minutes as a starter.
NBA point guard tier list: Scottie Barnes is better than Collin Sexton.
Tier 6: Solid, if uninspiring
25. Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat
24. Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
23. Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz
22. Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
Lowry’s effectiveness may have slowed with age, but he is still effective enough to where the Heat can trust him to play big minutes and effectively orchestrate the offense. The same can be said of Conley, who has become an elder statesman for a young Timberwolves team.
While Sexton may never break out into the star many assumed he would be, he will give Utah a consistent scorer who can fill it up with ease. While Dinwiddie was exposed in the postseason, his size and exceptional passing ability make him someone teams still have to plan around.
Tier 5: Volatile question marks
21. Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers
20. D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
19. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
18. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
17. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Westbrook has regressed, but he has shown to have some effectiveness in LA. Russell can score 35 points or 4 points on any given night, but the Lakers seem to believe in his high-end talent. Cunningham will eventually shoot up these rankings, but one must be cautious when ranking him as he works back from injury.
The Raptors are committed to making the ultra-talented Barnes and his unique skillset work, even though some may not be as enamored with him as a long-term piece. VanVleet was overpaid by Houston, but he can still provide some stability and veteran mentorship on a young Rockets team.
NBA point guard tier list: Scottie Barnes could climb up after 2023-24
Tier 4: High-End scorers
16. CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
15. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
14. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
13. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
McCollum has been perpetually underrated for his entire career, and things are unlikely to change now that he is the No. 3 star in New Orleans. Ball has been torching defenses for bad Hornets teams, but fans need to see how much of his production is simply the byproduct of doing it all offensively for a tomato can.
Garland is everything Cleveland could have hoped for in their top-five pick, as he has quickly become a high-end shooter and passer despite his physical limitations. Brunson was an absolute sensation during a terrific first season with the Knicks, but can he replicate such high-level production?
Tier 3: All-Star studs
12. Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
11. James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
10. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
9. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
Holliday and Harden could not be more different from a stylistic point of view, but both of them put up All-Star numbers. Holiday is a soft-spoken two-way guard while Harden will very noisily put up double-doubles every single night, yet they both remain desirable assets for contenders.
Haliburton has found his new home in Indiana, and his ascension has the Pacers looking to build a winner aggressively. Fox played a considerable part, perhaps a bigger part than anyone, in turning the Kings from a laughingstock into a viable contender with a tremendous home-court advantage.
Tier 2: All-NBA Competitors
8. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
7. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
6. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
5. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Young and Beal are never going to be defenders who are worth a damn in the NBA, but it is hard to find fault in their games with the ball in their hands. While Young tries to get his Hawks back into the contention picture, Beal will try to adapt to a third-star role in Phoenix.
Murray doesn’t have the gaudiest numbers, but last season showed he can be a No. 2 star on a title team who scores on par with Nikola Jokic every single night. Morant needs to get his head on straight off the court, because what he can be on it is a superstar.
NBA point guard tied list: Steph Curry is still a star
Tier 1: Superstars
4. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
1. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
Lillard is showing no signs of slowing down despite his age, and he is still the hottest name on the trade market. Miami would love to swap Lowry out for Dame. Gilgeous-Alexander’s presence was so impressive with Oklahoma City that their timeline to contention has been sped up on the back of him alone.
Doncic is the de facto point guard for Dallas, and he is arguably the most difficult non-big offensive player in the league to guard. However, until he possesses the pedigree of Curry, who is still at the top of his game, he needs to take a back seat to the future Hall of Famer.