Are Tony Parker's Days Among the NBA's Best Point Guards Over?

Tony Parker has been considered one of the NBA's elite point guards for a decade, but the end of that reign may be drawing near. That's not to say, however, that the 2014-15 season is the demise of the San Antonio Spurs' catalyst.

External factors are the key components of Parker's slide down the league's list. Yes, the 14th-year pro is averaging 14.4 points and 4.7 assists per game, the lowest averages since his rookie campaign in 2001-02, but Parker's low numbers are not what's caused him to slip in this conversation.

Consequently, there's an important distinction that needs to be addressed: He's no longer an elite performer in terms of statistics, but Parker remains one of the best players, as Tony Wroten noted (via ProjectSpurs.com's Paul Garcia):

Parker doesn't carry a team like Stephen Curry, Chris Paul or John Wall, showcase highlight-reel explosiveness like Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard or Derrick Rose or possess the combination of range and handles like Kyrie Irving.

Parker isn't a volume distributor like Ty Lawson or an all-around stat-getter like Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry. Long story short, Parker's raw numbers are dwarfed by those 10 players.

What's more, the accompanying table doesn't even list Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings, Brandon Knight, Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker.

Player	TEAM	PER	USG%	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG
Russell Westbrook	OKC	27.2	37.9	24.7	6.0	7.6	2.3
Stephen Curry	GSW	27.0	28.1	22.8	4.7	8.2	2.1
Chris Paul	LAC	24.8	22.5	17.4	4.7	9.8	1.9
Jeff Teague	ATL	22.5	25.3	17.1	2.7	7.5	1.8
Damian Lillard	POR	22.1	26.6	22.0	4.7	6.2	1.4
Kyle Lowry	TOR	22.0	26.4	19.6	4.9	7.4	1.6
John Wall	WAS	21.1	25.3	17.3	4.3	10.2	2.1
Kyrie Irving	CLE	20.3	24.8	21.3	3.1	5.2	1.6
Mike Conley	MEM	20.1	25.1	17.4	3.4	5.6	1.2
Ty Lawson	DEN	19.3	21.8	17.1	3.3	10.0	1.3
Derrick Rose	CHI	16.7	32.0	18.6	3.1	4.9	0.7
Tony Parker	SAS	15.0	24.7	14.4	1.7	4.7	0.6

Altogether, 19 full-time starting point guards rank higher in player efficiency rating (PER) than Parker. But in an era dominated by box-score scouting, Parker's contributions are seen beyond that.

The four-time champion doesn't occupy the leading role he once did—something a majority of the league's other top point guards do. He's simply not going to flood the box score with exorbitant point or assist totals.

That's not intended to slight Curry, Wall, Lawson or any of them, and this isn't either: How many current NBA point guards who once established themselves as an elite scorer in both the regular season and playoffs are now content to be a secondary option?

Subsequent to the emergence and continued progression of Kawhi Leonard, Parker has seen his usage rate dip three percent from 27.7 to 24.7 in just two seasons—also his lowest clip since 2003-04.

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At this stage of his career, Parker's primary offensive responsibility is dissecting the pick-and-roll, often attacking the rim or attempting a pull-up jumper.

He's converted on 50.4 percent of his drives, which ranks eighth behind Curry, Dragic, Wall, Rose, Lowry, Holiday and Lillard, per NBA.com. Parker is still one of the league's most lethal weapons in the paint, and when at his best, unguardable.

Additionally, Parker's buried 42.8 percent of his pull-up jumpers from 10 feet or farther, a mark topped by only three starting point guards—Paul, Curry and Irving—according to NBA.com. So, if defenses attempt to keep him out of the lane, Parker responds by stopping short and burying a 15-footer.

Overall, he's amassed a 51.0 effective field-goal percentage, ninth among full-time starters behind Curry, Paul, Irving, Thomas, Conley, Lillard, Darren Collison and Jeff Teague, per NBA.com.

Considering Parker barely hoists more than half as many three-pointers—and nearly up to six times fewer—per outing than any of the 12 players listed on the table, the EFG% clip is even more impressive.

Player	3PM	3PA	3P%
Stephen Curry	2.9	7.5	39.1
Mike Conley	1.7	4.0	41.9
John Wall	0.7	2.5	30.1
Tony Parker	0.7	1.3	54.8

Though 19 players at the position boast a higher PER, that metric largely depends on the box score being filled. A total of 22 point guards log more minutes per night, so it's not a surprise to see Parker lost in the shuffle.

While he hasn't devolved into a system player, Parker has taken a less glamorous role with the Spurs. In 2014-15, racking up impressive individual statistics in each contest is not his calling card. He can take over when necessary, but San Antonio doesn't rely on Parker to lead the scoring anymore.

Ultimately, it's not the common numbers that define the former NBA Finals MVP; it's the efficiency with which he operates throughout various parts of the game.

Parker is not the premier point guard in the NBA. He's hardly top five in most categories. But does he still rank among the league's best? Absolutely. Remember, Parker was a key element to the Spurs' championship run just last season.

There's little reason to believe he's leaving this discussion in the near future, even if his role decreases further. Five years ago, Parker stole some of Duncan's offensive thunder, but the Big Fundamental rarely, if ever, showed signs of it bothering him, and he's still excelling today.

Leonard is in the process of supplanting Parker as the No. 1 scoring option, yet the veteran point guard hasn't resisted the change. Soon enough, Parker will be playing second fiddle on a nightly basis.

But even then, every opponent must account for and be prepared to provide help defense when he steps onto the court. Until that league-wide respect diminishes—and no matter if flashy box-score numbers suggest otherwise—Parker remains among the NBA's best point guards.

Unless otherwise noted, stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and are accurate as of Jan. 28.

Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.