ESPN, Top 30 NBA Shooting Guards

[CTWarrior]

http://espn.go.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/14059646/houston-rockets-james-harden-golden-state-warriors-klay-thompson-top-shooting-guard-rankings-nba

Former Marquette players come in at 3, 5 and 7.

3. Jimmy Butler

Team: Chicago Bulls
RPM rank: T-2
WARP rank: No. 2
#NBArank: No. 17

Few have made the kind of leap Butler made from established role player to bona fide offensive creator. Hell-bent on self-improvement, Butler seems to have added more playmaking to his arsenal. Look out.

Hidden talent: The more he's on the move, the better Butler is on offense. Yet he's also a sneakily fantastic post-up option. Butler has rated in the top 10 of all players in points per play on post-ups in both of the last two seasons, per Synergy.

Taking it to the next level: Butler still flails wildly when shooting off the dribble. He's ranked in the bottom 15 percent in those situations each of the last three seasons, per Synergy.

5. Dwyane Wade

Team: Miami Heat
RPM rank: No. 22
WARP rank: No. 5
#NBArank: No. 46

Wade gets nicked for durability as he has missed around 20 games per season in recent years. At the same time, there are only a couple of 2-guards who are primary creators. Wade is one of them. Wade can produce enough in 65 to 70 games to be elite at his position.

Hidden talent: While Wade's defensive RPM is shrinking, per-play metrics suggest he's still a factor on the ball. Last season, Synergy rated him in the 93rd percentile per play and SportVu had him in the 91st percentile in impacting opponent shooting percentage.

Taking it to the next level: At 34, how much gas is left in the tank?

7. Wesley Matthews

Team: Dallas Mavericks
RPM rank: No. 15
WARP rank: No. 10
#NBArank: No. 108

Matthews' ranking is a vote of confidence in his Achilles tendon, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle and Dallas' vaunted training staff. If they can all stay on the court, Matthews is an ideal complement for Dallas' big three of Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Chandler Parsons.

Hidden talent: Matthews is known for his floor-spacing ability, but in a small sample last season, Synergy had him with an average of 1.15 points per play as a roll man. That's the highest number of any 2-guard over the last three seasons.

Taking it to the next level: Matthews is as unselfish as they come, but his passes were only marginally productive in Portland. Maybe the change in teams will help.