NBA Rookie Rankings: Who is the best playmaker?

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 13: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks shakes hands with head coach Lloyd Pierce during their game against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on November 13, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 19: Los Angeles Clippers Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket during a NBA game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers on October 19, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted to be the Clippers’ point guard of the future, but he isn’t operating on the ball much for Doc Rivers at the moment. Instead, his excellent shooting has allowed him to play next to Lou Williams, a more dominant point guard, through 13 games.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown chops as a playmaker though. He already has 42 assists on the young season. That isn’t a ton considering the minutes he’s playing, but it’s a solid return for a player who is mostly operating as a two-guard at this point.

The natural progression for the former Kentucky star will be to start to take more of an active role in initiating offense for the Clippers’ second unit. He isn’t going to be a more efficient operator than Williams anytime soon, so he’s not going to play point guard alongside the starters.

His size and vision give him a real opportunity to play that role really well. When you watch him on film you see his ability to slither into really good positions with the ball in his hands. As such, he doesn’t need to be a great passer to create for others. The more he keeps things simple the more efficient he’s going to be.

Gilgeous-Alexander might be the steal of the draft to date. He may not have the highest ceiling in the class, but he absolutely has a chance to develop into an above average starter at a position of real value.

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