The future of the NBA is in great hands as plenty of young teams and stars are carrying the torch to dominate the league. The Phoenix Suns are a prime example. The young team came second place in the 2021 NBA finals led by point guard Chris Paul and shooting guard Devin Booker. Booker is off to a hot start this season as he is averaging 25.5 points per game and five rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent and 37 percent from three. Booker is one of the youngest shooting guards in the league behind the Chicago Bulls’ Zach Lavine.

Lavine is leading his Bulls team to a third seed in the Eastern Conference. He is having an all-star season, scoring 24 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and an elite 40 percent from three. Booker and Lavine both have the potential to be the best shooting guards the NBA has ever seen. Out of the two, Lavine has the most upside and the potential to be the best shooting guard ever. 

Although Booker’s team record is better and he is younger than Lavine by a year, Booker can be very inefficient and is a streaky shooter. In October, Booker shot 26 percent from three on eight attempts per game while having a plus/negative of negative three. Booker’s effort on defense is questionable, especially off the ball, and at times can be a liability. Overall, Booker has no other trait that is at a great or elite level other than his scoring. Lavine has much better shooting splits than Booker while creating his own shot such as stepbacks, post moves, and mid-range as he is shooting 41 percent from mid-range this season.

Lavine’s game is much more dynamic as he is a certified three-level scorer while slashing off the ball. Lavine has also improved as a playmaker this year averaging four assists per game, making great reads out of the pick and roll. His defense improved as he is a more than average on-ball defender and has gotten better at his off-ball defense. Lavine and Booker are very similar players with similar playstyle and you can go either way with who is better. They are both having all-star seasons and will lead their teams deep into the playoffs this April.