Ranking the available NBA free agent point guards in 2024

There aren't many teams looking for starting point guards in NBA Free Agency this offseason, which is a good thing, because there are precious few options. However, there are plenty of guys who can help a team in a variety of ways — with veteran experience, as a defensive stopper, microwave scorer, or the kind of reliable backup you want running a second-unit offense.

Here are the top free agent point guard options for this offseason, organized into tiers but how much they have to offer a competitive team.

NBA free agent point guard rankings:

Fully washed

11. Spencer Dinwiddie, unrestricted free agent

Dinwiddie may draw some attention because of his reputation but his effectiveness his dwindled dramatically. He shot under 40 percent from the field last season, he's a negative defender and an unreliable 3-point shooter. Dinwiddie still generated assists last season but it's not clear that any of them really benefited his team's offense to any meaningful degree.

Specialists

10. Patrick Beverley

Beverley can still be a difference-maker at the point of attack but even when he's making 3-pointers, his zero gravity and the doesn't really affect a defense at all. In addition, you have to deal with everything else that comes with his hyper-aggressive mindset which, at this point, seems like a net negative.

9. Dennis Smith Jr., unrestricted free agent

Smith Jr. has struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons but he's also carved out a niche for himself as a strong point-of-attack defender and reasonably proficient back-up creator. He still can't shoot 3s and might not be available for more than 60 games but he might be worth a flier as a fourth-guard, especially for a team with defensively shaky starters.

8. Delon Wright, unrestricted free agent

Wright was buried behind Trae Young in Atlanta and then cast into a chaotic Washington situation for the 2022-23 season. He barely played after getting traded to the Heat but was a differencemaker in the Heat's lone playoff win. You probably don't want him running a second-unit offense on his own, but he's big (6-foot-5), a good defender and can work off the ball as a cutter and transition finisher.

7. D'Angelo Russell, player option

To be fair, Russell's offensive contributions are slightly more diverse than a "one-trick pony" but most of that shouldn't be appealing to a competitive team. He has his moments as a pick-and-roll creator but he's not someone you want to be relying on to consistently score efficiently or make decisions as the head-of-the-snake for your offense. Paired with his enormous defensive deficiencies, a reasonable team should probably see Russell as not much more than a solid floor-spacer.

Backup options

6. Russell Westbrook, player option

Westbrook finally adjusted to a backup role but still plays that role his way — dominating the ball less than he used to but far more than most backup point guards, lots of questionable shots and very little gravity exerted on the defense. To his credit, Westbrook did exert much more effort on defense last year but signing him means being willing to compromise your system to some degree, bending things toward what works for him.

5. Monte Morris, unrestricted free agent

There was a time when Morris was considered one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. He struggled to find a foothold in the rotations of Detroit and Minnesota last season but he's still just 28 and one season removed from a two-year run in Denver and Washington where he averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game, shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc.

4. Kyle Lowry, unrestricted free agent

At 38, Lowry may not have much left in the tank but he's still effective in spurts and could be a key piece for a contending team. He can run an offense, ramp up the defensive intensity when called upon and hit 39.2 percent of his 3s last season. You probably don't want to count on him as an 82-game backup but he can help a team with enough primary talent win big games by doing the little things at the margins.

3. Markelle Fultz, unrestricted free agent

Fultz still doesn't shoot 3-pointers and won't ever live up to his billing as a former No. 1 pick, but he's found his niche, plays to his strengths and could be a solid third guard on a contending team. He has great size, is a strong defender and excels in the open court, especially turning turnovers and long rebounds into fastbreak opportunities. Defenses still dare him to shoot in the halfcourt but he's incredibly shift and crafty with the ball and can still get into the paint, finding teammates or finishing around the rim. Over the past two seasons, he's averaged 15.7 points, 6.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per 36 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field. He can definitely help someone.

2. Tyus Jones

Jones has been underrated for years and getting his first opportunity as a full-time starter for the lowly Wizards certainly didn't earn him any extra attention. But he's still unbelievably steady — 12.0 points, 7.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, 41.4 percent from beyond the arc. And of course, his hallmark — a ridiculous 7.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. He's undersized but competes at the defensive end and while he may be more effective as a backup, he's probably the lowest-risk, highest-reward option on the free agent point guard market.

Starters

1. James Harden

In a vacuum, Harden is the best player on this list by a mile but I'm not sure what his value is to anyone besides the Clippers in a practical sense. He deferred a lot to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George last season and worked reasonably well as a third-fiddle. But he's going to be asked to be paid like a top-tier star and I'm not sure anyone but the Clippers will both have a reason to pay that much and be willing to bend their offense to his style of play. He could help a team like the Magic or Heat, but would they want to organize their roster that way?