Tier 6: Capable Starters
27. Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
Somehow Mike Conley is still playing at a high level entering his 18th year in the league, starting for a team that made the Western Conference Finals last season, including shooting 44.2 percent from deep and boasting a nearly 5-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio. He should continue to slide as he ages toward 40, but he has been an excellent option for the Timberwolves at the point.
26. Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder
Cason Wallace was a difficult player to rank given his role as a low-minute backup behind an MVP candidate, and this was an aggressive place to put him. Last year as a rookie he was an immediate defensive difference-maker and knockdown shooter, and he profiles as a player with a lot of on-ball verve when given the chance. This is a bet on a step forward in his second year to become even more of an impact player on one of the best teams in the league.
25. Terry Rozier, Miami Heat
The Miami Heat invested a precious first-round pick to trade for Rozier last season, rescuing him from purgatory in Charlotte only for the Heat to fall flat in the playoffs with Jimmy Butler and Rozier both injured. This season he gets the chance to prove himself starting for the Heat and try to translate his tough shot-making to a winning team. He has more mobility than the rest of the players in this tier to move up or down.
24. Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies
Fact No. 1: the Memphis Grizzlies absolutely lost the trade that sent out two first-round picks and Tyus Jones for Marcus Smart last summer. Fact No. 2: Smart is still an excellent defender and rebounder who will help the Grizzlies this season as they look to bounce back into the top of the Western Conference. He will need to find his place offensively to maximize his impact, but it's too early to write him off after one injury-plagued year.
23. Tyus Jones, Phoenix Suns
One of the features of the NBA landscape is how many of these point guards have followed one another onto the same teams. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart both came from the Boston Celtics, with Smart landing in Memphis to replace Tyus Jones, who in turn is now in Phoenix to replace Chris Paul, the next player on this list.
Jones is an extremely capable ball-handler and playmaker, he can score from all three levels if he can find space to get his shot off, and he competes on defense and swipes a lot of steals. He is also not going to create advantages driving offense by himself and is small enough to be taken advantage of defensively in the playoffs. That makes him a below-average starting point guard but a really useful player, and a steal for the Suns on the minimum this year.
22. Chris Paul, San Antonio Spurs
Chris Paul is hanging onto this ranking in part because of his track record; his savvy and passing ability remain top-tier, and he'll be able to get off his midrange shot forever. He is much slower now at age 39 and is going to be smoked on defense, and he'll likely continue to march down the rankings next year, but he still has something to offer and was a positive infuence on a competitive Warriors team last season. He was an excellent addition for the Spurs to help Victor Wembanyama take another step forward this year.