2013 NBA Free Agency: Free-Agent Power Rankings (1-5)
2. Chris Paul
May 3, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) listens to fans heckle in the final minutes of their 115-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at FedEx Forum. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 118-105. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league. That is saying a lot when we are in seemingly the “Golden Age” of point guards. Paul is without a doubt a future Hall of Famer, and his play and court presence displays nothing to the contrary.
Offensively, Paul has one of the greatest basketball IQs in the game. He led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio with a ratio of 4.26. The Wake Forest product averaged 9.7 assists in 2013 and has the eighth highest assists of all active NBA players. The offense runs through the Napoleon-like Paul, and his presence as a floor general is certainly something any team would like.
To demonstrate his offensive abilities further, he holds the highest offensive rating (122.2) of any NBA player to have ever played the game. Meaning, for every 100 possessions, his team scores that many points. His incredible passing ability on the Los Angeles Clippers created the moniker “Lob City” for the city.
Defensively, Paul is one the best, if not the best, defensive point guards in the game currently. He holds the record for steals per game for any active NBA player and is third overall of all NBA players. Paul is a five-time All-Defensive team selection and a player who truly knows how to steal a ball. Unlike a lot of aging point guards, he is not a liability on defense and would certainly benefit any team’s defensive efforts.
Paul’s role as a floor general on and off the court comes with benefits and disadvantages. While he is known for his tremendous work ethic and determination, he is often considered to be too hard on his teammates and create rifts in the locker room. Well-intentioned or not, Paul’s inability to properly mesh with his teammates could be an issue with a team selecting him, though it would obviously not be a “deal breaker.”