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Brooklyn Nets: Where Is Jarrett Jack On ESPN Point Guard Rankings?

By Kenneth Teape

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The Brooklyn Nets decided to move on from Deron Williams this past offseason, giving the keys to their team to veteran point guard Jarrett Jack. Was that a good move based off ESPN’s Point Guard Rankings?

Over at ESPN, they like to release power rankings for just about everything. You can find weekly ones for each sports league, and even some about different jerseys that teams wear. The most recent power ranking that ESPN has released comes from Bradford Doolittle, who breaks down the starting point guards in the NBA 1-30.

The formula that he uses combines their on-court performance with advanced metrics. The ones he mentions using are wins above replacement player and real plus-minus. Combining all of that, and looking at their season long projections, the list is formulated for every starting point guard in the NBA.

For the Brooklyn Nets, there is a new player taking over the reigns this season. Deron Williams was looked at as a flop as the face of the franchise. He was brought over from the Utah Jazz to be the face of the franchise with the move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, but was never able to live up to expectations. Injuries really derailed him, as they caused him to be very ineffective by the end of his tenure.

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In his place will be veteran journeyman Jarrett Jack. While Jack played well in spot starts for Williams last season, and is capable of a scoring outburst from time to time. It is a cost saving move for the Nets, who saved a ton of money on their luxury tax agreeing to a buyout with Williams and moving Jack into the starting lineup. While the franchise’s money situation may be improved, it’s on court product may not have the same results.

According to Doolittle’s rankings, the Nets are looking at a downgrade at point guard this season. Despite his struggles and injury concerns, Williams is the 20th ranked point guard, while Jack comes in at 26. That means the only point guards worse than Jack, according to Doolittle, are two rookies in D’Angelo Russell and Raul Neto, a player who has already been benched in Isaiah Canaan, and the crosstown rival New York Knicks’ Jose Calderon; not exactly the group you want to be a part of.

It is hard to argue against that ranking for Jack though. He has been a full time starter only twice in his career; the 2006-07 season with the Portland Trail Blazers, his second in the NBA, and 2011-12 with the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran does not possess the skill set though that you would expect from a starting point guard.

While he is capable of scoring the ball, he has done it inefficiently the past three seasons. That has not stopped him from calling his own number offensively, as 22.7 percent of the plays he was on the court for last season resulted in him ending it. That is a number too much too high for a player as inefficient as Jack that is supposed to be running the offense. He does not distrubute enough, and the offense is worse when he is on the court. According to NBA.com/stats, the Nets averaged 4.9 points less per 100 possessions with him running the show over Williams.

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Jack has the size to play both guard spots, but unlike last season, the Nets do not have another point guard they will be pushing to give minutes to. That will expose Jack on some nights, as the 32-year old has lost a step or two; in today’s NBA, that spells disaster for point guards as there are so many athletes playing the position nowadays.

Things are not looking up at the point guard position for the Nets. Unlike the teams that have a point guard ranked below them, the Nets do not have a younger player with upside to turn to, or in a position that tanking is accepted. It will equal a long season for the Nets with Jack at the helm.

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