Derrick Rose News: Scouting Report Shows Bulls Star Not Best Point Guard in NBA

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First Posted: Jul 29, 2013 02:10 PM EDT

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose raised eyebrows last week after calling himself the best player in the NBA. However, the latest ranking from Bleacher Report and ESPN insider aren't apparently buying his claims, believing the Bulls star is not even good enough to be the alpha-dog at his position.

In the latest mid-summer rankings by Bleacher Report, Rose is ranked second to Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul as the best point guard in the NBA.

Rose, who spent the entire 2012-2013 season rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee, averaged 21.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals with a player efficiency rating of 23.0 during the 2011-2012 season.

Despite the long layoff, Bleacher Report projected Rose to produce almost exactly the same kind of statistical line for his comeback year. Jared Johnson of Bleacher Reports thinks a healthy Rose will always be a special player whenever he steps on the floor.

Yet again, the honor of the league's best floor general still belongs to Paul, who's fresh from signing a max deal with the Clippers.

Paul, who averaged 16.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 0.1 blocks and 2.4 steals last season, is projected to raise these numbers, especially in the assist department, because of a bevy of shooters (Jared Dudley, J.J Reddick, Matt Barnes, Jamal Crawford, and Reggie Bullock) surrounding him next season.

Johnson expects Paul to produce 17.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 0.1 blocks, and 2.2 steals next season, which would make it the point guard's fourth double-double season in his career and first since joining the Clippers in 2011.

Moreover in the latest insider scouting report by ESPN, Paul still topped the position with a Wins Above Replacement Player line of 15.9 percent. On the other hand, Rose's WARP plunged dramatically due to last season's absence, putting him at no.7 behind San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, OKC Thunder's Russell Westbrook and three other point guards.

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