NBA point guard tier list: Where does Darius Garland rank?

The Elite: Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Darius Garland, Bradley Beal, LaMelo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Ja Morant, and Kyrie Irving

We're ranking Darius Garland as the 10th-best point guard in the NBA. Seven point guards are in the next tier, and we've got Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson ahead of him. Haliburton was fourth in the league in total assists last season and also averaged 20.71 points per game. He has the makings of a star.

Jalen Brunson outplayed Darius Garland in their first-round playoff match-up last season and that, plus Brunson's previous playoff success with the Dallas Mavericks, lifts him ahead of Garland. Garland has plenty of time left in his career to find playoff success, but he hasn't yet.

The remaining players are all behind Garland for various reasons. Bradley Beal hasn't made the playoffs since 2021 and has failed to put up any super impressive regular season numbers. LaMelo Ball has flashed star talent early in his NBA career but never sustained it. Jrue Holiday is a notorious playoff decliner. He has consistently failed on the offensive end for the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs.

Ja Morant and Kyrie Irving are arguably the two most talented players in this tier, and on their day, they are certified stars. Unfortunately, both have struggled to stay on the court over the past couple of seasons due to off-court dramatics that impact both them and their team. That stuff matters and gives Garland and others the nod ahead of them.

Garland could be at the top of this tier and perhaps even move into the star tier with another great season and playoff success. Even winning one playoff series would be a notable improvement for him and the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. That should be their goal.