Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Shooting Guards

Again, some players with SG eligibility are on either the PG or SF list. I've mostly ranked them according to their real-life positions, with the exceptions of centers--where every player with any kind of C eligibility is ranked because of the dearth of good fantasy players at that position.

TOP TIER

1. Dwyane Wade

You know it kills me to rank Wade ahead of Kobe, but I think he's just the better player--in fantasy and in real life. It's very, very close--Wade wins in FG%, assists and the defensive categories, Kobe in FGM, FT% and obviously points. I went with Wade at #1 based the fact that I think his three-point shooting is going to improve (from the virtually non-existent in the regular season, Wade started to pick it up in the playoffs and the World Championships). And while I think Kobe will eventually be back to 100% after offseason surgery, it's just enough of a worry to knock him to #2. You know he has killed/will kill himself to get back into game shape, but he's also somewhat injury prone and has a lot of mileage on him for his age.

2. Kobe Bryant

He dropped off in assists, but made up for that by bumping up his FG% to a respectable .450, and cutting his TOs down to 3.1--and, yes, by scoring 35 fucking points a game. I have a feeling that figure might drop a bit--Kobe scored only 28 a game in the playoffs last year (in far higher minutes), when he started figuring out that team basketball gives the Lakers the best chance of winning. Adding Radmanovic gives the Lakers another scoring option.

3. Ray Allen

Ridiculous shooting numbers--3.5 threes per, Allen led the league by a full three per game. He shot .454 from the floor, .412 from 3, and .903 from the line. He also gets about 4 rebounds and assists per game, 1.4 steals, and helps you in points and FGM. An elite fantasy player.

4. Michael Redd

Redd just keeps putting up great numbers year in and year out. Like Ray Allen, he has killer percentages (including .877 FT% on 7.1 attempts per game), gets you 8.5 FGM and 25 PPG, decent rebounds and assists, and tons of threes--but at 2.0 per game, he's a full 1.5 per game below Allen.

5. Vince Carter

Carter is always a candidate for a "coast" year--except this one, since he has an out in his contract after the season (with his contract up either way after next year). Combined with the fact that the Nets are a serious contender in the East, and I think you can count on Vinsanity being about where he was last year--solid in every category except FG%.

SECOND TIER

6. Joe Johnson

I love Joe Johnson. He's just a great all-around basketball player, there's nothing on the court he can't do well. Look for Speedy Claxton to cut into his assist numbers a bit, but I still see Johnson having the ball in his hands on most of the Hawks' possessions. Joe struggled a bit in the early months, but came on strong at the end--after the all-star break, he put up 21/4/7 with 1.9 threes per game and good percentages. The Hawks have a lot of good swing players, but you can absolutely count on Johnson getting his 40 minutes.

7. Josh Smith

Speaking of those other good swing players, look out for Josh Smith, he's getting ready to absolutely explode on the league. After getting a lot of pub last year at this time, he completely fizzled to begin the season. Then the Hawks figured out he has to be out there for 35 minutes a night, and after the all-star break averaged 15/8/4 with 1 steal and 3.1 blocks, and even chipped in 1.1 threes per game. He's going to hurt you in the percentages categories, but there aren't many people who make you instantly competitive in a category the way Smith does in blocks. I mean, there were only two *centers* last year who averaged 3 blocks per game--even with the crappy start, Smith averaged more blocks than Elton fucking Brand. And he's 20.

8. Jason Richardson

As predicted in this space last year (OK, the Victor's board), Richardson had an excellent all-around year, giving his owners strong numbers everywhere but in FT%--including a fantastic 2.4 threes per game on .384 shooting. He's just turned himself from pure athlete into a good, skilled basketball player. I really like this guy for the upcoming season, playing with a healthy (fingers crossed) Baron Davis in a Don Nelson offense. Richardson seems like he's been around forever, but he's only 25, he could actually get better.

THIRD TIER

9. Richard Hamilton

I always disliked Hamilton from a fantasy perspective (in real life, of course, he's a damned fine player). Good FGM, good FT%, decent FG%, *no* threes. But last year he took a nice step forward, increasing his scoring to 20 a game in Flip Saunders' more open system, taking his FG% into the stratosphere, his .491 the best on this list outside of Wade, and even hitting a decent 0.7 threes per game--and on .458 shooting from three. If he can keep those numbers up, and maybe bump his assists back up to where they were in 2004-2005, he remains on the cusp of the second tier.

10. Manu Ginobili

Ginobili's another good example of a player who's much better in real life than in fantasy--mostly because he plays low minutes to keep him fresh for the start of the "real season" in May. Wacky stat (or as ABC would retardedly call it, OuT oF WhAcK sTaT): Manu has still never averaged 30 minutes per game in his NBA career. But he still gives you solid numbers in every single category, including all three percentages.

11. Jason Terry

Has PG eligibility, but I ranked him here because I think Devin Harris is going to log big minutes this year alongside Terry, as he did in last year's playoffs. Terry isn't spectacular, but he helps in points, FGM, all three percentage categories, and especially 3PTM with over 2 per game.

12. Ricky Davis

Underrated because he's an asshole, Davis is a great athlete and a skilled player. With Randy Foye and Mike James coming on board and Rashad McCants due back in January, suddenly Minnesota has some quality perimeter depth, but I still see Davis getting his 35 minutes. His FG% stunk last year once he got to Minnesota, but he's been solid there in the past. He hurts you in TOs, but is good everywhere else. The Foye & James additions will probably cut into his assist numbers more than anything else.

13. Brandon Roy

Roy is a very good player in a perfect fantasy situation--a team with no other good perimeter players. He's going to get minutes, he's going to get shots, and I think he'll produce with them. He's been shooting the ball well in preseason, getting to the line, and getting rebounds and assists. I like Roy a lot, I think he's a good bet for rookie of the year.

FOURTH TIER

14. Raja Bell

Unfortunately, you don't get negative points in fantasy basketball for having a pussy flopper on your team, so I have the loathesome Bell here at #14. He gets 15 points a game, but he's mostly a fantasy specialist--he just kills the three (his 2.5 per game second on this list to only Ray Allen, and at a ridiculous .442 clip).

15. Andre Iguodala

I was praising Iguodala at this time last year, and he didn't really take that step forward that I thought he would. He's good, don't get me wrong--12/6/3, 0.7 threes, 1.7 steals, great percentages, but he's good enough and athletic enough to be better than that. And that team needs him to be better. He's a good upside guy; now that I think about it, maybe I'd take him over Bell if it came down to it in my draft. You can always find 3-pt specialists on the waiver wire--and Bell is *such* a goddamned pussy flopper.

16. Ben Gordon

Another specialist, Gordon gets you points, FGM, and threes (2.1 per game at .435). He hurts you in FG% and doesn't really do much else, but I don't see his scoring numbers going down--for all the talk about the Bulls, they don't have a lot of great perimeter scoring. Deng is a slasher, Hinrich is a system player. Nocioni might be the dark horse on that team, but even if Nocioni breaks out, I still see Gordon getting his minutes--which means Gordon *will* get his shots.

17. Steve Francis

I know, I know. Look, I'm not saying he's a sure thing, but as I said in my PG rankings about Marbury, I think Isiah is going to get these guys on the floor and let 'er rip--if only in an effort to make himself look like less of an idiot. And it's not like Franchise can't play. He was always overrated, but still a good, explosive player. I mean, two years ago he put up 21/6/7. Francis does turn 30 this year, but I think he's got something left in the tank.

18. Corey Maggette

Another tough one--a once very good player who suddenly has playing time issues. Look, Maggette can still play. In the playoffs, he averaged 15 & 7 in just 24 minutes and shot over 90% from the line on 5+ attempts per game. He can shoot, he can get to the line at will, he can rebound, and he can defend. I just don't know if he's going to get huge minutes--they brought in Tim Thomas to start at the SF position. But Maggette might still be able to squeak out 30 minutes behind Thomas & Mobley (also with Thomas spending some time spelling Brand at the 4). Mobley's a good player, but Maggette's better--and if Tim Thomas shoots the ball the way they think he can, Mobley becomes less crucial to the team.

19. Cuttino Mobley

That said, Mobley ain't chopped liver. He's still the only other shooter they have besides Thomas (and who knows what Tim Thomas we're about to see). Mobley's going to get his 15/4/3 with a three and steal per game.

FIFTH TIER

20. Stephen Jackson

Ugh. I want this guy on my fantasy team about as much as I'd want him on my real life team. Sure, he hits the three and scores 16 a game, but that's pretty much it, and he really hurts you with TOs and a terrible FG%. Like several others on this list, he's a PPG, FGM and 3PTM specialist. And he's always in danger of being suspended, incarcerated or murdered.

21. Bonzi Wells

Wells played great with the Kings last year, and is going to a seemingly good fit with Houston. He doesn't shoot the three, but can score, has a great FG%, and rebounds like crazy.

22. Marquis Daniels

One of my favorite players who haven't broken out yet, Daniels was a really underrated part of the Mavs' success last year. He's a silky smooth slasher who handles the ball like a PG, with a solid offensive package and lightning quick hands on D. Last year he averaged a solid 10/4/3 with a steal in just 28 minutes--as like the 11th option on the Mavericks. On a crap-ass team like Indiana, he should have a much better chance of putting up good numbers. He doesn't shoot the three, but he does everything else well.

23. Eddie Jones

Pretty much a specialist at this stage of his career, he averaged 1.8 threes and 1.8 steals--but he still gives you a decent 12/4/3 every night, on a team where there's little danger of him suddenly losing minutes. The Grizz are pretty good, but they don't have a ton of good guards.

24. Kevin Martin

Martin had a fine rookie year for the Kings; in 41 starts, he averaged 14/5/2 with 1.3 threes, and shot .511 from the floor and .423 from three. Very nice. Artest will be there for the entire year this season and they picked up the solid John Salmons from Philly, but they also lost Bonzi Wells, so if he plays well, the minutes will be there.

THE REST

25. Jamal Crawford

If I'm right and Marbury & Francis get a lot of playing time, it might hurt Crawford's specialist-type numbers, as Nate Robinson is in the mix as well. But if Isiah plays a lot of 3-guard, uptempo offense, there might be enough minutes & shots to go around. If Crawford gets minutes, look for him to get threes, assists, a great FT%, and points, and hurt you in FG% and TOs.

26. JR Smith

Smith is an interesting player. He's 6'6, super athletic, and can really shoot the ball--and got ran out of New Orleans. Now he's the starting SG on a playoff team, and the only real deep threat on the entire team. He'll kill you in FG%, but I expect him to get a ton of threes (with a solid %). With starter-type minutes, he might be able to contribute in other categories, but until I see it, I'm looking at him as a specialist.

27. Flip Murray (Pistons are looking to use their bench more, and Murray knows how to put the ball in the hole)

28. DeShawn Stevenson (on the high-flying Wizards, Stevenson might be in line for a nice year)