The NBA Season is only a few months away, so it’s time for some preseason rankings. Here are some predictions for who will be the top 5 point guards in the league this season:

5. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving (22.5 ppg and 5.9 apg) had a breakout season last year and is poised to take the next step this fall. Irving has shown the ability to score at will. He is sneakily quick and can weave his way through a defense to either score or kick it to a teammate. The next step for Irving will be taking his team to playoffs. The Cavs have some decent pieces and could contend for a seventh or eighth seed in the east. The addition of veteran guard Jarret Jack should only help Irving improve. He still has to get better defensively. However, if he can make the adjustments on the defensive end, he could be in the conversation for best point guard in the league.

4a. Steph Curry

Stephen Curry (22.9 ppg and 6.9 apg) put on one of the greatest—and most-fun-to-watch—postseason shooting performances the NBA has seen this past spring. There’s no question that in the 2013-2014 season, the Golden State Warriors will be Curry’s team. He may be forced to act more as a true point guard this season as opposed to last season where he had Jarrett Jack. Jack allowed him to move to the shooting guard position where he could roam around do what he does best—knock down jumpers. Curry will get help facilitating since newly acquired guard Andre Iguodala is a great passer. Nevertheless it will be Curry’s job to run the offense. He will undoubtedly have to make a sligt adjustment this season— a little more passing and a little less shooting.

4b. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose (21.8 ppg and 7.9 apg in 2011-2012) recently called himself the best player in the NBA. Although—when healthy—he is a deadly finisher at the rim and has an improved jump shot, the Chicago Bulls point guard is no LeBron James. It will be interesting to see how post ACL-tear Rose will play this season. Prior to the ACL tear, the University of Memphis product exploded of both knees and was able to contort his body in the air to get around a defender. Hopefully, for the Bulls sake, Rose will be both physically and mentally comfortable with jumping off both knees. If his confidence—the same confidence that allowed him to call himself the best player in the league—translates to Rose playing like the 2011 MVP, the Bulls will be in good shape and competing for a top spot in the East.

3. Russell Westbrook

Things will change this season as far as Russell Westbrook (23.2 ppg, 7.4 apg, 5.2 rpg) is concerned. People will stop questioning how much he means to the team. People will complain a lot less when he takes questionable shots. People will recognize just how important he is to the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the loss of Westbrook last season the Thunder went from the favorite to win the West to a second round loss to the Memphis Grizzlies—proving the team needs him just as much as they need Durant. The Thunder PG recently said he's now off his crutches. If Westbrook can return from his meniscus tear with anything resembling the quickness and athleticism he had before the injury, he will still be in the top tier of NBA point guards.

2. Chris Paul

If there’s one thing to be said about Chris Paul (16.9 ppg and 9.7 apg), its that he’s a competitor. It is to be expected he will come back fiercer than ever this season after a first round exit in last year’s playoffs courtesy of the Memphis Grizzlies. Also, Paul has a few new pieces this season that be a huge help on offense. The addition of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley will give him players who can knock down open shots. Also, with the departures of Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, Paul will most likely be in situations that will call for him to predominantly handle the Paul. (Bledsoe and Butler are more one-on-one guards.)  Finally, Doc Rivers is more than capable of bring the style of coaching that helped make Rondo a great point guard, over to the Clippers to help Paul who is already one of the top guards in the league. With the new pieces around him and his all-star caliber ability, Paul is poised to have a season for the ages.

1.  Deron Williams.

Deron Williams (18.9 ppg and 7.7 apg.) has no excuse not to be the best point guard in the league this season. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov and GM Billy King have literally handed him all he needs to succeed. Williams has a knack for passing and with an all-star caliber player at every position (C Brook Lopez, PF Kevin Garnett, SF Paul Pierce, SG Joe Johnson [if healthy]) he will have guys cutting for easy baskets and spotting up for open three’s all night. While he may not score as much points this season he should have much more than the 7.7 apg he had last season. If Williams, acts as the floor general, finds open teammates and knocks down the big shots like he’s capable off hitting, he could be in the MVP conversation for the 2013-2014 season.