2024-25 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Shooting guard draft tiers

The 2024-25 NBA season is fast approaching, so in conjunction with my latest points and category rankings dropping, let’s dig into my position-by-position tiers. I’ve covered the point guards, so today is about the shooting guards.

NOTE: Only some players will have analysis when listed in the tiers below. Players with multi-position eligibility will only appear in the positional tier where they played the most minutes last season or are projected to play this season.

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The shooting guard position is diverse, with elite players like Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Edwards leading the pack. Tiers 3-8 feature a mix of risk-reward players, sleepers, veterans and fringe starters, each with unique strengths and potential fantasy value. While it’s not a position you have to commit to in the early rounds (especially for points leagues), just be mindful that the deeper you go into the drafts, there are sizable dropoffs in efficiency and usage.

Tier 1: The elite SGs

1. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

3. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

4. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

• Donovan Mitchell provided first-round value in points and category formats last year. The biggest driver in his rise up the ranks was due to averaging 1.8 steals per game. Hopefully, the injuries that caused him to miss 27 games are behind him.

• Few players are equipped to become the face of the league like Anthony Edwards. I made the case for him being a first-round pick and while it may not come to fruition this season, he’s indeed worth an early-to-mid second-round pick when he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet.

• I threw Devin Booker (and Bradley Beal a bit later) into the SG tiers because they’ll fluidly play a mix of PG, SG and SF this season. Either way, the Suns bringing in Tyus Jones to run point will suppress Devin Booker’s potential assists. However, he’ll still produce strong efficiency numbers and is among the top scorers in the league. We could also see an uptick in his three-point shooting, playing more off-ball in Mike Budenholzer’s offensive scheme.

• Kyrie Irving’s ADP is falling into the mid-to-late second round because of concerns over his hand injury, which required surgery in the offseason. He will reportedly be 100% by training camp, so I have no reservations about drafting him anywhere throughout the second round.

Tier 2: Early-round value SGs

1. Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies

2. Derrick White, Boston Celtics

• The Grizzlies dealt with a ton of injuries last year, but Desmond Bane put up a career-high in points, assists and 3s per game across 42 games. Memphis will have a helluva bounce-back campaign, and Bane is going almost 20 picks beyond his last year’s ADP.

• Okay, Derrick White is hardly a buy low, but he’s going a couple of picks after Bane in most Yahoo drafts, so he fits within this tier. He doesn’t offer the scoring output like the others in this group, but his defense belongs in a tier of its own. If his 3-point shooting and efficiency hold with the stocks, he’ll be a top-30 player.

Tier 3: Risk-and-reward SGs

1. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns

2. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

3. Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

4. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

• Bradley Beal’s injury profile is baked into his ADP, so I’m good with picking him around the seventh round based on what I saw when he was healthy last year. Eighteen-five-five with 51/43/81 shooting splits is a more than solid mid-round pick.

• The Bulls have Zach LaVine in a tough spot. While he’s the top-scoring option with DeMar DeRozan gone, his contract and injury history sour his trade value. Still, I’m confident we’ll see a rejuvenated and extra-motivated version of him in the upcoming season. Assuming he’s back to 100%, his sixth-round ADP isn’t bad at all.

• Surprise to no one, Devin Vassell performs better with Victor Wembanyama on the floor. The 24-year-old has the highest ceiling of this tier and, after shooting 39.5% on catch-and-shoot 3s, Chris Paul is about to make Vassell’s life even better.

Tier 4: Punt FG percentage SGs

1. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

2. Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

3. CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans

4. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks

5. Jalen Green, Houston Rockets

6. Jordan Poole, Washington Wizards

• Cam Thomas is one of my breakout stars this season. He’ll be the focal point of the Nets’ offense and is an underrated playmaker and walking bucket.

• Bogdanović’s ADP is the lowest of this tier and I don’t get it. He finished 34th in totals and 63rd in per-game ranks last season and he’ll replace Dejounte Murray in the starting lineup. Bogdanović is a steal being drafted in the 100s.

• Jalen Green was a league-winner in the final two months without Alperen Şengün on the court. The question is, can he play that way for the entirety of the season? Or is Green always going to be a post-All-Star break heat check? He’s worth it for points leagues, but I’d tread lightly in category formats.

• Poole was awful last season, but going 90th in Yahoo drafts is an affordable price to pay to buy back some shares.

Tier 5: Sleeper SGs at ADP

1. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

2. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

3. Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz

4. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder

5. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

6. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers

7. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons

8. Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings

• The new-look Warriors are giving their young boys a chance to shine. Podziemski played on the USA Select team this summer and, by all accounts, is set up nicely for the starting SG spot sans Klay Thompson. He’s one of the better rebounding guards in the league, so with some improvement from the line and three-point range, he could easily beat his ADP in the 120s.

• The Thunder’s defense will be crazy, and adding stock specialist Alex Caruso to the mix will only make it better. I’d expect him to continue his menacing ways, plus Caruso is also a good source of 3s for fantasy managers.

• The Houston Rockets have the wonderful problem of having too much depth. Thompson’s athleticism is off the charts and he proved that, even in a bench role, he could make an impact in fantasy. Thompson averaged 29 fantasy points per game in just 22 minutes per night. He is an outstanding rebounder and steal specialist; if he figures out his shot, he’ll be a problem.

• You can save Andrew Nembhard for the last couple of rounds of drafts as he emerged as the best Tyrese Haliburton insurance policy in the 2024 NBA playoffs. The efficient guard secured a three-year extension and he’ll be on the cusp of top-100 status if he can generate more counting stats.

• Keon Ellis posted an Alex Caruso-light line of 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 threes and 2.6 stocks with 48/45/85 shooting splits across the final 23 games last season. He’s emerging as a candidate to start at SG, which boosts his fantasy appeal if you’re looking for a stocks and 3s guy deep in the draft.

Tier 6: Vets who can still produce

1. Norman Powell

2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

3. Caris LeVert

4. Kelly Oubre Jr.

5. Malik Monk

6. Terance Mann

7. Jordan Clarkson

8. Donte DiVincenzo

9. Gary Trent Jr.

• Norman Powell will be the primary scoring option off the bench for the Clippers, but any injury to the starters could thrust him into a 30-minute-per-night role. He’s a reliable 3-point threat and shoots a high percentage from the field. I’d prefer him to other sixth-man types in this group.

• Caris LeVert reunites with former head coach Kenny Atkinson and, given the injuries to the Cavs’ backcourt over the years, LeVert is more than likely going to be fantasy-relevant again this season.

• After a solid first campaign, Kelly Oubre Jr. returned to the Sixers on a new deal. He averaged 15 points with five boards, 1.5 3s and almost two stocks per contest in 30 minutes per night. He’s a last-round flier if you need points and stocks and are punting FG%.

• The chances of Donte DiVincenzo returning sixth-round value again are pretty slim, considering all the moves the Knicks made to improve their depth, but should there be an injury, we know what the Big Ragú is capable of from a fantasy perspective.

Tier 7: Fringe starters and bench depth

1. Gradey Dick

2. Josh Green

3. Luguentz Dort

4. Buddy Hield

5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

6. Dalano Banton

7. Christian Braun

8. Josh Richardson

9. Cason Wallace

10. Luke Kennard

11. Kevin Huerter

12. Duncan Robinson

13. Dalton Knecht

14. Malik Beasley

15. Spencer Dinwiddie

• Gradey Dick averaged 13 points with two 3s per contest in 30 minutes per night during the final 22 games of the ’23-24 season. They were not eye-popping numbers by any means, but the rookie played meaningful minutes and improved a lot by the end of the season. His defense needs work, but he’s shown he can be a decent 3-point threat on the wing. He is likely an eventual waiver pickup, but still someone to monitor (assuming he starts).

• Josh Green looks to be the starting two guard on a much improved Hornets roster. He didn’t get a chance to showcase much with the Mavs and I don’t think that changes as the fourth option on offense.

• Dalano Banton could be the Blazers’ sixth man after making waves off the waiver wire to close out last season. I’d give it some time, but if Scoot Henderson or Anfernee Simons goes down, keep Banton on your watchlist.

• Christian Braun’s fantasy outlook got murkier when the Nuggets signed Russell Westbrook III this offseason. Braun will be in the rotation, but it became increasingly difficult to see him as a fantasy option.

Tier 8: Limited burn SGs

1. Tim Hardaway Jr.

2. Jaden Hardy

3. Julian Strawther

4. Bruce Brown Jr.

5. Eric Gordon

6. Pat Connaughton

7. Aaron Wiggins

8. Tre Mann

9. Alec Burks

10. Seth Curry