The 2025-26 regular season starts in a little over a month. All 30 NBA teams will soon prepare for the new campaign. It’s time to look around the Western Conference, as this year will surely be another jam-packed race among several teams.

Over the next few days, Thunder Wire will rank the 15 West starters among the five positions. Let’s look at the 15 best starting point guards in the Western Conference.

The Oklahoma City Thunder saw Jalen Williams have a breakout season. He earned All-Star and All-NBA honors for the first time. After being questioned as the second-best player, a memorable playoff run was highlighted with a 40-point performance in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Here are the rankings for each West starting small forward:

1. Jalen Williams, Thunder

2024-25 stats: 21.6 PPG, 5.1 APG, 5.3 RPG, 48.4% shooting, 36.5% 3-point shooting in 69 games

Let’s start with some spiciness. When you’re the second-best player on one of the greatest NBA champions ever, you deserve this type of praise. Williams’ breakout year leapfrogged him over the trio of multi-time All-Star forwards that have been in the conversation since the 2010s. The future is now, old man. The 24-year-old has shown that he can be an efficient 20-plus point scorer who plays stellar defense. He should continue to get better in his prime. This is a little bit of a projection, but at the same time, he showed in the playoffs that he can be a reliable top scorer when needed.

2. Kevin Durant, Rockets

2024-25 stats: 26.6 PPG, 4.2 APG, 6.0 RPG, 52.7% shooting, 43% 3-point shooting in 62 games

One of the greatest scorers in NBA history. There’s a reason why the 36-year-old has changed the trajectory of the Rockets. Being traded was the biggest move of the offseason. You can question whether he’s still a viable top option for a title contender at this stage of his career, but you’re guaranteed to have a scoring monster in the regular season who drops an efficient 25-plus points. We all know who Durant is. He’s a perennial All-Star and All-NBA member who has already gone down in history as one of the best players of his era. It’ll be exciting to see how he looks in Houston.

3. LeBron James, Lakers

2024-25 stats: 24.4 PPG, 8.2 APG, 7.8 RPG, 51.3% shooting, 37.6% 3-point shooting in 70 games

Even at 40 years old, the greatest of all time remains one of the NBA’s best players. Everybody knows who James is. He’s the face of basketball. You can’t tell the sport’s story without several chapters dedicated to him. He’s broken about every record in the NBA thanks to his legendary longevity. He’ll be an All-Star and All-NBA member again this season. He should average 25 points and stuff the stat sheet elsewhere. Like Durant, he dominated the NBA in the 2010s. With the possibility of it being his last year, it’ll be interesting to see how the Lakers look. There seems to be some offseason tension between both sides.

4. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers

2024-25 stats: 21.5 PPG, 3.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, 49.8% shooting, 41.1% 3-point shooting in 37 games

The all-time names at this position continue to stack up. Leonard is somebody else every NBA fan should know. While not at the fame status of James and Durant, he had his moments in the 2010s with a pair of rings. He can give you an efficient 20-plus points with superb defense on the other end. Plagued with injuries during his LA stint, he enjoyed relative health last year. The Clippers hope he can be healthy by the time the playoffs roll around, but the days of the 34-year-old suiting up most regular-season nights are long gone.

5. Jimmy Butler, Warriors

2024-25 stats: 17.5 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.4 RPG, 50.4% shooting, 30.8% 3-point shooting in 55 games

Another old head that NBA fans should know. Butler has been one of the league’s best players since the 2010s. Two NBA Finals trips with the Heat show that. As the second-biggest trade deadline acquisition, the 35-year-old gave the Warriors an extra jolt of energy. The veteran squad has zero worries about playoff experience. It’s the regular season that could bite them. While Butler can still give you 20-plus points and is a decent second scorer, it’ll be interesting to see how seriously Golden State takes the marathon, as he likely can’t keep up for the entire campaign. Still, you have to like what he brings to the table on both sides. He’s a playoff riser and should help Stephen Curry in the twilight stage of their run.

6. DeMar DeRozan, Kings

2024-25 stats: 22.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.9 RPG, 47.7% shooting, 32.8% 3-point shooting in 77 games

Even though his playing style is antiquated, DeRozan has shown he can still produce. He averaged 22-plus points on solid efficiency. He did so playing his brand of basketball too, mostly mid-range jumpers and self-created looks. The 35-year-old might be stuck in directionless mediocrity, but that speaks more about Sacramento. He’s definitely a unique taste, but has built up a Hall-of-Fame resume as one of the better isolation scorers of the 2010s, who has aged gracefully.

7. Cam Johnson, Nuggets

2024-25 stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.4 APG, 4.3 RPG, 47.5% shooting, 39% 3-point shooting in 57 games

After taking the eventual NBA champions to seven, the Nuggets shook up their roster. The biggest change was acquiring Johnson from the Nets for Michael Porter Jr. The 29-year-old has shown to be a quality role player on a title contender. He can stretch the floor with his outside shot and has good size to play defense. Playing alongside Nikola Jokic should give him plenty of outside looks. Denver has been viewed as a team that could dethrone OKC because of its offseason moves. He was the biggest new name they added.

8. Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers

2024-25 stats: 16.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, 7.3 RPG, 47.6% shooting, 36.5% 3-point shooting in 72 games

In a fresh start, Avdija enjoyed a career season on the Trail Blazers. He became more of a scorer in Portland as the team was filled with young players. An increase in outside volume has raised his stock around the league. He’s also a plus rebounder and can facilitate. This was the first time we’ve seen him in a winning situation. Now, let’s see if he can build off that. Many expect the Trail Blazers to be a surprise contender this season. If that materializes, they’ll need Avdija to be one of their best players.

9. Cooper Flagg, Mavericks

2024-25 stats: N/A

Blessed by the lottery, the Mavericks were given the ultimate escape hatch. Dallas shocked the NBA world when it landed the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA draft. That meant they will add Flagg to their roster and hope he can be the franchise player of a contender. The 18-year-old has been a household name since high school. He was a classic one-and-done prospect at Duke. There is a lot of excitement surrounding Flagg and what he could do for the foreseeable future.

10. Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves

2024-25 stats: 12.2 PPG, 2.0 APG, 5.7 RPG, 47.7% shooting, 33% 3-point shooting in 82 games

We’ve reached the role player portion of these rankings. The Timberwolves have had two straight Western Conference Finals appearances. McDaniels was a starter for both seasons. He’s been one of Minnesota’s better draft success stories in recent years. The 24-year-old can shoot from the outside and is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He can also occasionally explode for a 25-plus point performance. You have to love what he brings to the court if you’re Anthony Edwards.

11. Dillon Brooks, Suns

2024-25 stats: 14.0 PPG, 1.7 APG, 3.7 RPG, 42.9% shooting, 39.7% 3-point shooting in 75 games

Even though Brooks’ Rockets tenure only lasted two seasons, he improved his value across the league. An ugly divorce with the Grizzlies tarnished his public perception. That said, you saw why Houston went out of its way to add him. He helped them go from a rebuild to a contender. He willingly took on the opposition’s best players and had another strong year from the outside. As Phoenix starts over, the 29-year-old is the perfect role player to have around as it tries to grow its culture.

12. Herb Jones, Pelicans

2024-25 stats: 10.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.9 RPG, 43.6% shooting, 30.6% 3-point shooting in 20 games

The Pelicans saw their season ruined by injuries. Jones was one of them. A shoulder injury limited him to a forgettable season. He underwent surgery to repair it. New Orleans hopes he can have a bounce-back season. At his apex, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders. He’s a one-time All-Defense Team member. He’s also slowly come along as an outside shooter. Even though the Pelicans have been a hot mess for years, he’s been one of their better draft success stories.

13. Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies

2024-25 stats: 10.4 PPG, 1.7 APG, 3.4 RPG, 42.5% shooting, 35.2% 3-point shooting in 79 games

One of the reasons why the Grizzlies were comfortable with trading away Desmond Bane is Wells. He had one of the best rookie campaigns last season. He finished third in Rookie of the Year. The rare rookie starter helped Memphis become a playoff team. A wrist injury ruled him out of the playoffs, but that shouldn’t stop the excitement around him. He can be a double-digit scorer who takes a healthy amount of outside shots. The 22-year-old is young enough to continue to make leaps.

14. Devin Vassell, Spurs

2024-25 stats: 16.3 PPG, 2.9 APG, 4.0 RPG, 44.3% shooting, 36.8% 3-point shooting in 64 games

One of the more underrated players in the league, Vassell has adjusted well to a smaller role. As the Spurs stack blue-chip talent, he’s taken a step back. Still, the 25-year-old has been a high-volume outside shooter. He’s a great role player who complements Victor Wembanyama. There will always be a spot for him in the NBA just for his outside shot. That’s a high-demand talent. It’ll be interesting to see where he falls in the hierarchy.

15. Cody Williams, Jazz

2024-25 stats: 4.6 PPG, 1.2 APG, 2.3 RPG, 32.3% shooting, 25.9% 3-point shooting in 50 games

It’s only fitting these rankings start and end with the Williams brothers. Because the Jazz are in a rebuild, some starting spots should always change. Utah is in a situation where player development is the top priority. All that said, Williams should be given most starting nods. Especially over Georges Niang. He might’ve had a down rookie season, but you don’t give up on a second-year lottery prospect. The 20-year-old should be given more time to learn on the job.