NBA Today: 5 Best playmakers in the league heading into the 2019-20 season
A playmaker, in the NBA, is the heart and soul of any roster. He is like a general, guiding the other players on the court towards the common goal of winning the game. Usually, the point guard in any NBA team is the playmaker, advancing the ball into the opposition court, making the right moves and translating the coach's ideas on the court.
Yet, the modern NBA has now become a position-less game, where even the big men can play like point guards on the offensive end, throwing the opposition out of gear and wreaking havoc. So, with this in mind, here are the 5 best playmakers heading into the 2019-20 NBA season.
#5 Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks): 8.1 APG in 2018-19
Trae Young was drafted #3 by the Atlanta Hawks in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks and came into the league as a small guard that could shoot from anywhere on the court, in the same mould as the Warriors guard Steph Curry.
Yet, his best trait has got to be his passing vision and the ability to find a pass in traffic. Young had a superb rookie season and was a contender for the 2019 Rookie of the Year award, averaging 19.1 points, 8.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game and was the driving force behind many wins for the Atlanta Hawks.
He was known for his 3 point shooting, but he was not efficient at it, shooting just 32% from the field. Scoring is what made him famous, but playmaking is the foundation and the base of his game. Young is adept at passing with both hands, which makes it difficult to stop them from reaching the intended player.
Young also attacks the lane a lot, which pulls the defenders inside, making space for his teammates and simple pass back out to the open man creates an offensive opportunity for his team. Young is only 20, and he can only get better as he gets older.