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Power ranking the NBA’s top 10 shooting guards for 2019-20

By Austin Carroll

PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 24: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns look on during the game on January 24, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 24: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns look on during the game on January 24, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA - Portland Trail Blazers
NBA – Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

player. 41. Pick Analysis. 57.1 TS%. Scouting Report. 21.5 PTS, 3.8 REB. klay thompson. 3

Normally, Klay Thompson would be a shoe-in for the second spot on this list. However, a torn ACL in Game 6 of last year’s NBA Finals have him facing the reality of spending at least half the season recuperating from injury. When it comes to deciding who the best players of the 2019-20 season will be, we must take availability and overall health into consideration.

If anything, the fact that Thompson is set to miss over the half the season and I’d still take him over all but two shooting guards in the NBA speaks volumes about his ability to instantly take over any given game.

The Warriors did Klay a solid by rewarding his sacrifices with an enormous five-year, $190 million extension. Who would have thought being an integral part of the team that won three titles and appeared in five consecutive NBA Finals would get you paid the big bucks?

Despite the injury, Klay should still be worth every penny. This contract is as much of a “thank you” as it is properly paying for talent. Thompson has averaged over 20 points per game for five years straight now and has never once in his career shot below 40 percent from deep.

Fighting through screens on defense and rolling around his own to get open on offense will likely be a tad bit more difficult at first, but his shooting shouldn’t be too affected by the injury and is a tool that doesn’t decline with age. Golden State can expect many more quality years out of Thompson to come.