[AderitoParticipant]

I’m not talking about Kobe, Wade or any other shooting guard that’s played for the last 8-10+ seasons. Right now the top shooting guards of the future are Harden, Klay Thompson, Bradley Beal, Demar DeRozan, Lance Stephenson.

These guys are good but anyone else feel that this position is in decline?

[TiosecoParticipant]

 It’s been a pretty well-known and acknowledged fact around basketball circles – with analysts, in forums like this, and even video game makers (just look at 2k ratings for the positions lol) – that the shooting guard position is the weakest position in the league for the past few years, right now, and for the future. Some may argue the center position, but when you look into the overall releance to teams and the Impact they make in games, i think it’s pretty clear that it’s the 2-spot. 

Looking at the young shooting guards today, none of them really have the potential to be "the next Jordan" or "the next Kobe" or even "the next Vince Carter/Ray Allen/Dwyane Wade." Right now obviously Harden is the closest, but how much better can he really get? I don’t think Klay Thompson is more than a 2nd or 3rd option on a good team (best sg in the league? smh). Beal and Derozan both have good potential but, like Klay, I don’t think they can carry good-great teams very far. Lance Stephenson has too much off-court baggage and on-court antics for anyone to seriously consider him as potentially the best 2-guard in the NBA. And really he’s only had 1 good season in the league, so he still has much to prove.

Does anyone know of any young prospect now who has the potential to be a "great shooting guard"? And by "great" I mean more than any of the guys mentioned in this post.

Maybe if the Wolves actually stick Wiggins as a 2, he has the potential to "revive" or at least add some more relevance to the position. He still has so much to develop though for that to happen.

 

 

 

[TiosecoParticipant]

 It’s been a pretty well-known and acknowledged fact around basketball circles – with analysts, in forums like this, and even video game makers (just look at 2k ratings for the positions lol) – that the shooting guard position is the weakest position in the league for the past few years, right now, and for the future. Some may argue the center position, but when you look into the overall releance to teams and the Impact they make in games, i think it’s pretty clear that it’s the 2-spot. 

Looking at the young shooting guards today, none of them really have the potential to be "the next Jordan" or "the next Kobe" or even "the next Vince Carter/Ray Allen/Dwyane Wade." Right now obviously Harden is the closest, but how much better can he really get? I don’t think Klay Thompson is more than a 2nd or 3rd option on a good team (best sg in the league? smh). Beal and Derozan both have good potential but, like Klay, I don’t think they can carry good-great teams very far. Lance Stephenson has too much off-court baggage and on-court antics for anyone to seriously consider him as potentially the best 2-guard in the NBA. And really he’s only had 1 good season in the league, so he still has much to prove.

Does anyone know of any young prospect now who has the potential to be a "great shooting guard"? And by "great" I mean more than any of the guys mentioned in this post.

Maybe if the Wolves actually stick Wiggins as a 2, he has the potential to "revive" or at least add some more relevance to the position. He still has so much to develop though for that to happen.

 

 

 

[trueone313detroitParticipant]

You are right there aren’t many stand out greats like before. But with so many teams having great pgs and some with 2 guard size, teams do a lot of two pg line ups now any to keep the game up tempo. This is the reason real center aren’t needed. It is more of a college brand as far as positions go. Lots of 3 guard 2 pf teams out here.

[trueone313detroitParticipant]

You are right there aren’t many stand out greats like before. But with so many teams having great pgs and some with 2 guard size, teams do a lot of two pg line ups now any to keep the game up tempo. This is the reason real center aren’t needed. It is more of a college brand as far as positions go. Lots of 3 guard 2 pf teams out here.

[khaled_a_dParticipant]

It has been the NBA weakest position for years ,may be even b4 some of the names mentioned drafted
Right now as trueone313detroit many teams is using 2 PGs
I think a part of the problem is that most players who are shorter than 6’5 are trying to force themselves being PGs rather than playing the 2 ,while 6’6 & taller players are SF by default .few players are trying to play the 2 position ,tbh it is a bit tough one as they have to be shooters/slasher/passer w/o being the primary ball handler
With that said people don’t count many true SGs as one just b/c of their size
Jason Terry has been one of the top SGs for some time when he was with the Mavs ,people always counted him as a Combo Guard or even a PG
Monta Ellis has been doing really well with the Mavs as a SG but some people won’t put him as a top 10 SG ,he is stuck with the combo Guard label

[khaled_a_dParticipant]

It has been the NBA weakest position for years ,may be even b4 some of the names mentioned drafted
Right now as trueone313detroit many teams is using 2 PGs
I think a part of the problem is that most players who are shorter than 6’5 are trying to force themselves being PGs rather than playing the 2 ,while 6’6 & taller players are SF by default .few players are trying to play the 2 position ,tbh it is a bit tough one as they have to be shooters/slasher/passer w/o being the primary ball handler
With that said people don’t count many true SGs as one just b/c of their size
Jason Terry has been one of the top SGs for some time when he was with the Mavs ,people always counted him as a Combo Guard or even a PG
Monta Ellis has been doing really well with the Mavs as a SG but some people won’t put him as a top 10 SG ,he is stuck with the combo Guard label

[MadDogParticipant]

 It’s because nowadays any ball handling guard is instantly shifted into a PG regardless of their playmaking. Look at guys like LaVine and Smart in this year’s draft, these are guys with more stereotypical 2-guard skill sets but because the league’s a ‘point guard league’ now they are made to become PGs, so that now the 2 is reserved for off ball shooters / cutters or people who have very little playmaking ability at all (Harden and Ellis are the only real exceptions to this). There hasn’t been any change in talent, just in perception of position so that today a guy like Wade would be made a PG and in 2003 a guy like Westbrook would have been a SG.

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 I don’t care about listed positions… Harden is the primary ball handler in Houston, so offensively, he is pretty much a PG.

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 I don’t care about listed positions… Harden is the primary ball handler in Houston, so offensively, he is pretty much a PG.

[MadDogParticipant]

 It’s because nowadays any ball handling guard is instantly shifted into a PG regardless of their playmaking. Look at guys like LaVine and Smart in this year’s draft, these are guys with more stereotypical 2-guard skill sets but because the league’s a ‘point guard league’ now they are made to become PGs, so that now the 2 is reserved for off ball shooters / cutters or people who have very little playmaking ability at all (Harden and Ellis are the only real exceptions to this). There hasn’t been any change in talent, just in perception of position so that today a guy like Wade would be made a PG and in 2003 a guy like Westbrook would have been a SG.

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

Zach Lavine is up next.. As far as prospects, maybe Theo Pinson, Zeke Whitehead or Malik Newman

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

Zach Lavine is up next.. As far as prospects, maybe Theo Pinson, Zeke Whitehead or Malik Newman

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 In the "good old days" how deep was it?  Jordan, Drexler, Dumars, and then younger guys like Richmond, Drazen, and Reggie Lewis.  Reggie Miller.

Was it DEEP then or just top heavy?

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 In the "good old days" how deep was it?  Jordan, Drexler, Dumars, and then younger guys like Richmond, Drazen, and Reggie Lewis.  Reggie Miller.

Was it DEEP then or just top heavy?

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

Agreed that it is a weak position. Also I think a lot of guys are trying to play it like MJ, Kobe and Wade play it without the skills to handle it. The SGs like Bradely Beal or Dion Waiters think they are better than they actually are. They take too many shots and they fail to find scrappy ways to contribute to the team’s win. Then we have a few shooters like Klay Thompson and Joe Johnson who are pretty one dimensional. The full time SGs sometimes see themselves as not having to do anything but score. And some teams let those guys get away with in a way that even the SFs are not. You yell at your SF if he is getting out-rebounded, but I’m not sure if you do the same to your SG.  

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

Agreed that it is a weak position. Also I think a lot of guys are trying to play it like MJ, Kobe and Wade play it without the skills to handle it. The SGs like Bradely Beal or Dion Waiters think they are better than they actually are. They take too many shots and they fail to find scrappy ways to contribute to the team’s win. Then we have a few shooters like Klay Thompson and Joe Johnson who are pretty one dimensional. The full time SGs sometimes see themselves as not having to do anything but score. And some teams let those guys get away with in a way that even the SFs are not. You yell at your SF if he is getting out-rebounded, but I’m not sure if you do the same to your SG.  

[JoeWolf1]

 It’s kind of always been a position that teams aren’t really prepared to invest in, yet it’s inronic that the best player every ( IMO ) was a shooting guard.

Just take a look at past drafts. 

The last time a true Shooting Guard was drafted #1 was David Thompson in 1975. There have been guys like Iverson who have switched from point guard to shooting guard later in his career, but he was drafted as a point guard.

I think when a position goes through a 39 year dry spell for the top selection, then it’s either a position that teams are willing to placer lower in value than others, or one that doesn’t produce a lot of top level talent.

[JoeWolf1]

 It’s kind of always been a position that teams aren’t really prepared to invest in, yet it’s inronic that the best player every ( IMO ) was a shooting guard.

Just take a look at past drafts. 

The last time a true Shooting Guard was drafted #1 was David Thompson in 1975. There have been guys like Iverson who have switched from point guard to shooting guard later in his career, but he was drafted as a point guard.

I think when a position goes through a 39 year dry spell for the top selection, then it’s either a position that teams are willing to placer lower in value than others, or one that doesn’t produce a lot of top level talent.

[ballislyfe25Participant]

The game simply seems to go through cycles where some positions are stronger than others for prolonged periods of time. The mid-to-late 90s was very strong at the center position; many would agree that Hakeem, Shaq, Robinson, and Ewing were better than just about every current NBA center (counting Duncan/Garnett as power forwards). The late 90s and first half of the 2000s seemed to be dominanted by "shooting guards" in the Michael Jordan mold; Kobe, Vince, T-mac, and D-Wade. They are essentially lead guards without being prototypical offensive point guards (as opposed to Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, who were off-ball guards at their cores). 

Currently, the league is dominanted by the small forward, power forward, and point guard positions. However, many of these players have the ability to play either forward positions (LeBron, Carmelo, hopefully Durant one day) or slide over to center for larger players like Aldridge, Davis, and Kevin Love. The point guards are less like "traditional" point guards. The argument could be made that a player such as Kenny Smith had more qualities of a "traditional" point man than a Russell Westbrook due to his game managing/IQ, ballhandling, and shooting. However, Westbrook is a much more dominant and effective individual player. 

If it wasn’t for so many injuries, this league might still be dominated by the center position. Imagine what the overall outlook on the center position would be if not for career altering injuries to Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum, and Yao Ming? This is not even counting current centers with injury issues, such as Brook Lopez (dominant offensive player), Joel Embiid, and even Dwight Howard (he hasn’t been the same since back surgery).

In regards to shooting guards, I believe many are being molded as complimentary pieces because the point guard position is so strong (Bradley Beal in Washington, Jimmy Butler in Chicago). It is really not the position that matters but what the guard brings to the table in terms of their skill set. If I were a GM/coach, I operate under the theory that I will identify my best players, ignoring the "traditional" 1-5 position labels and construct the team from there. If Russell Westbrook is my best player, I want to pair him with other guards or backcourt players who can shoot and play off ball, yet slow down and manage a game if need be (kind of like Jose Calderon and Monta Ellis on Dallas last season). 

 

 

[ballislyfe25Participant]

The game simply seems to go through cycles where some positions are stronger than others for prolonged periods of time. The mid-to-late 90s was very strong at the center position; many would agree that Hakeem, Shaq, Robinson, and Ewing were better than just about every current NBA center (counting Duncan/Garnett as power forwards). The late 90s and first half of the 2000s seemed to be dominanted by "shooting guards" in the Michael Jordan mold; Kobe, Vince, T-mac, and D-Wade. They are essentially lead guards without being prototypical offensive point guards (as opposed to Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, who were off-ball guards at their cores). 

Currently, the league is dominanted by the small forward, power forward, and point guard positions. However, many of these players have the ability to play either forward positions (LeBron, Carmelo, hopefully Durant one day) or slide over to center for larger players like Aldridge, Davis, and Kevin Love. The point guards are less like "traditional" point guards. The argument could be made that a player such as Kenny Smith had more qualities of a "traditional" point man than a Russell Westbrook due to his game managing/IQ, ballhandling, and shooting. However, Westbrook is a much more dominant and effective individual player. 

If it wasn’t for so many injuries, this league might still be dominated by the center position. Imagine what the overall outlook on the center position would be if not for career altering injuries to Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum, and Yao Ming? This is not even counting current centers with injury issues, such as Brook Lopez (dominant offensive player), Joel Embiid, and even Dwight Howard (he hasn’t been the same since back surgery).

In regards to shooting guards, I believe many are being molded as complimentary pieces because the point guard position is so strong (Bradley Beal in Washington, Jimmy Butler in Chicago). It is really not the position that matters but what the guard brings to the table in terms of their skill set. If I were a GM/coach, I operate under the theory that I will identify my best players, ignoring the "traditional" 1-5 position labels and construct the team from there. If Russell Westbrook is my best player, I want to pair him with other guards or backcourt players who can shoot and play off ball, yet slow down and manage a game if need be (kind of like Jose Calderon and Monta Ellis on Dallas last season). 

 

 

[llperez]

 i would say mid 2000’s the sg position was elite. Kobe, iverson, tmac, wade, carter, allen. Kobe, iverson and tmac each had stretches where they were in discussion for best offensive player in the league and most dynamic game changer

[ballislyfe25Participant]

 I agree absolutely. Kobe, AI, and T-Mac really were the main ballhandlers of their respective teams at the time. Aside from physically bringing the ball upcourt, they were the focus of their teams’ offenses as primary ballhandlers; that is, their coaches designed the offense to revolve around them with the ball in their hands.

Today’s shooting guards, aside from maybe 3 or 4 players, are not in this mold. They are off-ball shooting guards, 3-point/shooting specialists, defensively gifted, and so forth.

[ballislyfe25Participant]

 I agree absolutely. Kobe, AI, and T-Mac really were the main ballhandlers of their respective teams at the time. Aside from physically bringing the ball upcourt, they were the focus of their teams’ offenses as primary ballhandlers; that is, their coaches designed the offense to revolve around them with the ball in their hands.

Today’s shooting guards, aside from maybe 3 or 4 players, are not in this mold. They are off-ball shooting guards, 3-point/shooting specialists, defensively gifted, and so forth.

[llperez]

 i would say mid 2000’s the sg position was elite. Kobe, iverson, tmac, wade, carter, allen. Kobe, iverson and tmac each had stretches where they were in discussion for best offensive player in the league and most dynamic game changer

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

 IMO

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

 IMO

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I think its quite the opposite. Other than having Kobe , Brandon Roy, JJ in Atl in years past the position had been weaker. Right now we are getting alot of high end SG prospects emerging and some who have already made a nsme for themselves.

Harden, Derozan, Thompson, and Wade are all top tier SG’s with completely different qaulities. There are also many young guys with huge upside that have allstar potential like Oladipo, Beal, KCP, Lamb, Hardaway, Burks, Ross, and Mclemore. Even rookies like Stauskas, Harris, and Young have been few and far apart.

So yes I agree SG is likely the position with the least depth Id say that the depth is not on decline its getting deeper as more talent emerges.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I think its quite the opposite. Other than having Kobe , Brandon Roy, JJ in Atl in years past the position had been weaker. Right now we are getting alot of high end SG prospects emerging and some who have already made a nsme for themselves.

Harden, Derozan, Thompson, and Wade are all top tier SG’s with completely different qaulities. There are also many young guys with huge upside that have allstar potential like Oladipo, Beal, KCP, Lamb, Hardaway, Burks, Ross, and Mclemore. Even rookies like Stauskas, Harris, and Young have been few and far apart.

So yes I agree SG is likely the position with the least depth Id say that the depth is not on decline its getting deeper as more talent emerges.

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

For all you guys talkin about older SG’s, don’t forget about Paul Pierce!

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

For all you guys talkin about older SG’s, don’t forget about Paul Pierce!

[[email protected]Participant]

and the real PGs(pass 1st) are all on the bench or over seas.

Deron Willims, Kyrie, Curry, Rose, Westbrook, Wall, Damien Lillard are all SGs.

[[email protected]Participant]

and the real PGs(pass 1st) are all on the bench or over seas.

Deron Willims, Kyrie, Curry, Rose, Westbrook, Wall, Damien Lillard are all SGs.

[Author]

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