Ranking the Second Scoring Option on Every NBA Team

Before you read these rankings, please note that they aren't based on the overall player. It's not about how they lead an offense, rebound or play defense, it's strictly about how efficient said player is at being a second scoring option on their team.

Now that we got that out of the way, we can get on with these rankings dealing with the NBA's No. 2 scorers. With the glory of being an NBA player mostly going to the elites that do the majority of the scoring on their team, we're here to honor the role players, and sometimes the elite players, that support their team with efficient scoring from someone other than the first option.

This is dedicated to the players that provide that little extra boost to their team and enable them to victories. The first scoring option can't do it all and these 30 players are the ones that help their team more than anyone else.

So without further interruption, let's get this started.

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30. Charlotte Bobcats: Kemba Walker

When you make plays like this, you deserve to be taken within the Top 10 of any draft.

Taken out of the University of Connecticut, Kemba Walker will soon become the team's No. 1 scoring option once he begins his adjustment and transition to the NBA. He's joining an inept Charlotte Bobcats club that is in desperate need of an offensive threat now that (gulp) Corey Maggette is the team's main scoring threat.

Walker averaged 24 points per game in his final season with the Huskies and showed off an offensive prowess that was nearly unmatched by just about every player at the NCAA level. He's agile enough to drive and finish, but his jump shot is his specialty by far as he has range as far out as the perimeter.

It might take a year or two before Walker can adjust to the NBA, but there's no doubt that the Bobcats are going to do whatever it takes to make sure he becomes the player that they wanted when they selected him.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Baron Davis

Two All-Star games and $117 million later, Baron Davis now finds himself second to last on the top second-scoring options list on a Cleveland Cavaliers squad in desperate need of an identity.

In the 15 games he spent with Cleveland, Davis averaged 13 points per on 42 percent shooting while connecting on 34 percent from beyond the arc. This coming after two and a half uneventful seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers where he basically tarnished his career by taking wayward shots and disrupting any bit of rhythm the offense actually had.

With Antawn Jamison taking up the role of primary scorer and no one else on the team really capable of scoring, Davis currently resides as the team's second scoring option until further notice. He's still capable of hitting shots from anywhere on the court, but he limits himself to just that which is a disappointment considering that he can still drive.

But that would require work and we know how Davis feels about that.

28. Indiana Pacers: Roy Hibbert

An All-Star in the making as well as being well on his way to be considered one of the league's top big men, Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert has the footwork and size to turn his team from pretenders to contenders.

At 7'2", Hibbert is a rare commodity in the league today as he also possesses an offensive skill set to go along with a solid defensive game. His footwork isn't exactly on par with Hakeem Olajuwon, but it is enough to net the center 13 points per game this past season as he also possesses a solid jump shot that has range up to 15 feet.

Hibbert's offensive production has increased significantly over the past three seasons and he could very well be a 20-10 type of center if he can continue to limit his fouls, develop an offensive rhythm and continue improving his post game.

27. Phoenix Suns: Grant Hill

Grant Hill just turned 39 years old, but I bet you would have never guessed that if I didn't tell you in the first place.

After succumbing to so many injuries during the prime of his career, Hill has remained healthy over the past five seasons and has now become a significant member of the Phoenix Suns, playing alongside point guard Steve Nash.

Being the veteran that he is, Hill has gained a lot of experience and has adjusted greatly to an offense that should have caused him to break his hip a long time ago. Despite his age and the wear and tear that has limited him over his career, Hill is still a solid offensive threat that can shoot from the mid-range and drive when given some breathing room.

He's coming off of a stellar season where he averaged 13 points per on 48 percent from the field.

26. Detroit Pistons: Richard Hamilton

Hidden in the train wreck that is currently the Detroit Pistons franchise, Richard Hamilton is still producing at the same steady rate that he has been since 2000.

Much like Ray Allen, Hamilton is the type of shooting guard that creates his own shot with the help of his teammates. He's constantly on the move, weaving in and out of teammates as a means to lose his defender and find the open shot that he has been running around for.

It can tire most players out, but when you're as conditioned as Hamilton you can make a livelihood out of it.

Hamilton had been averaging between 17 and 20 points per game for 10 consecutive seasons up until last year when he was actually moved to the bench for the first time since 2000 and was more involved with staging boycotts against his own coach rather than being the reliable teammate that he become known for.

He averaged only 14 points per game last year, the lowest since his rookie season, and dealt with injuries for most of the way which limited him to playing in only 55 games.

25. Sacramento Kings: Marcus Thornton

It's about the time we get to know Marcus Thornton because he's just about become a household name.

On a young team with the likes of Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette and DeMarcus Cousins as its stars, Thornton might be getting overshadowed by the plethora of youthful talent, but not for much longer as he shows how much of an elite scorer he can be.

In the 27 games he spent with the Kings, Thornton was an absolute force in the absence of Evans as he averaged 21 points per game while also dropping 42 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. He converted on 45 percent of his shots overall and made 36 percent of the five three-pointers he was attempting per game.

Thornton doesn't restrict himself to the perimeter either as he possesses the athleticism and speed to drive at will.

It will only be his third season whenever the NBA starts back up and it would be wise to find someway to incorporate him as a significant part of this team.

24. Orlando Magic: Jason Richardson

He won't be winning anymore dunk contests any time soon, but it doesn't mean that Jason Richardson still can't serve as a viable second scoring option on an Orlando Magic team stacked with offensive threats.

It was difficult deciding between Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson, so I had to go with the better all around and consistent threat in J-Rich.

Richardson joined the Magic last season and made the usual impact that he's been making on the majority of the teams he has been on by proving to be a solid three-point shooter. He would connect on 38 percent of the six three-pointers he attempted while struggling with his overall game by only averaging 13 points per on 43 percent shooting.

He doesn't have as much lift as he used to, but he's still a threat from the perimeter and can still slash at will.

23. Denver Nuggets: Danillo Gallinari

An international product out of Italy with potential off the roof, Danilo Gallinari might have his breakout season with the added production he'll receive in his new setting with the Denver Nuggets.

Gallinari only played in 14 games with his new club last year and averaged 15 points per while converting on 37 percent of his four average three-point attempts.

What makes "Gallo" such a special player is that he's 6'10", has a jump shot that has range from 30 feet out, and has a quick first step off the dribble that not many power forwards in the league can keep up with unless they also rely on finesse. He's agile enough to beat most opposing forwards off the dribble and is still strong enough to finish it before any member of the front court can react in time. That's what could separate "Gallo" from the rest of the pack.

He will need to improve his jumper though. He converted on 44 percent of his three-pointers in his rookie season and hasn't shot better than 38 percent since.

22. Utah Jazz: Paul Millsap

I will never forget the name Paul Millsap. For someone to score 46 points and drop three consecutive three-pointers to lead his team back from the brink to an improbable victory is a feat that I will never forget since it happened against my team.

You can't do anything but respect the guy. He may not be a three-point shooter, but he is a terrific post presence and mid-range shooter and he proved that this year by proving to be a viable replacement to Carlos Boozer.

Millsap was given consistent starts for the first time in his career and he took full advantage by averaging 17 points per on 53 percent shooting from the field. He's just another powerful all-around threat that helps complete an exceptional front court where he's joined by Al Jefferson and Andrei Kirilenko.

He'll be entering his sixth season next year and could average as much as 20 points per next season. This is especially since he might receive a larger role in the offense after impressing in his first season as a member of the starting lineup.

21. Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan

Until Andrea Bargnani decides to become a second scoring option, the Toronto Raptors aren't going too far.

They have an exceptional athlete just waiting to break out in DeMar DeRozan who could be the one to actually bring Toronto back to the postseason and actually stay there rather than jet when the going gets tough.

In only his second season, DeRozan took advantage of the extended playing time by averaging 17 points per on 47 percent shooting while putting his athleticism on full display with no player knowing better than Tyrus Thomas.

The only problem is that DeRozan has athleticism and not much else. His range is greatly limited and his mid-range game is not at all that consistent, so he's going to need to improve on many aspects of his game if he wants to eventually take over this Raptors squad.

20. New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez

Formerly the No. 1 scoring option until Deron Williams made his needed arrival, Brook Lopez makes up  in dismal rebounding and defense with plenty of scoring.

Alright it still doesn't make up for it, but Lopez is still a solid scorer for a player of his size.

Lopez is one of the league's most underrated scoring centers as he has range from as far out as 18 feet to go along with a wide array of post moves and a great understanding of how to play with his back to the basket. He has improved his point production yearly over the past three seasons and recently topped off at 20 points per on 49 percent shooting from the field.

With a point guard like Williams now on his squad, we can only look to Lopez improving his overall game.

19. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

Sorry Brandon, but until you hit 40 percent of your shots you're no longer the first scoring option for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Especially when the Bucks just picked up proven scorer Stephen Jackson to assist the inept offensive game that the team plays.

After scoring 55 points nine games into his rookie year, Brandon Jennings has failed to impress us at all when it comes to his scoring capabilities. Don't get me wrong now, Jennings has the potential to be a terrific scorer and could top out at 25 points per game soon, but he's extremely erratic with his jump shot and his selection is questionable for the most part.

For a player as fast and athletic as he is, Jennings shouldn't be restricting himself to nearly five three-pointers a night. He's coming off of a disappointing sophomore campaign where he only shot 32 percent from deep after converting on 37 percent in his rookie season.

He did at least manage to raise his overall shooting percentage from a dismal 37 percent to a below average 39 percent.

18. Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala

With Elton Brand now appearing to be back in form and ready to take the NBA by storm (not really), Andre Iguodala can now take a backseat on offense as the team's second scoring option.

This is actually a good thing considering Iguodala isn't exactly the best scorer in the world. He's extremely athletic and could be considered one of the league's top slashers, but sometimes becomes too dependent on an erratic jump shot that never seems to fall at the right time.

Considering just how powerful and strong he is, it's a disappointment that Iguodala does not drive as frequently as LeBron James does since their body types share similarities.

After averaging between 17 and 20 points per game for four consecutive seasons, Iguodala is coming off of a season where he averaged only 14 points per. There is an excuse to the decline in offensive production though as Brand, Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks and Louis Williams among others have all stepped up to give the Sixers a more balanced effort.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Jason Terry

One of the quiet reasons as to why the Dallas Mavericks are the reigning champions, Jason Terry played just as much a part in the franchises first title win as Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki did win a deserved Finals MVP award, but it could have been very well been a co-Finals MVP with the way Terry handled himself through the duration of the series by averaging a stellar 18 points per while also nailing 39 percent of his three-pointers.

Terry has always been one of the team's most reliable players from deep and always seems to come up big during pressure moments. He might restrict himself to shooting from deep way too often. He's extremely fast and has a solid crossover, but he makes up for it by appearing in the moments that decide games and is one of the reasons as to why the Mavs have been so successful since acquiring him in 2004.

16. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

A member of one of the league's top back courts, Stephen Curry has quietly shrugged off any chance that he could be labeled as a bust after arriving from little known Davidson University and being the NCAA's top scorer and three-point shooter.

With Monta Ellis taking the lead of slasher and mid-range shooter, Curry handles the majority of his work from beyond the perimeter while also using his craftiness to enter the paint from time to time. When you stand at only 6'3" and 185 pounds soaking wet, you need to find ways to score against players that have as much as a foot and 100 pounds on you, and Curry has found ways by incorporating Hakeem Olajuwon's dream shake while also using his natural quickness to get the shot off before defenders can react.

Curry can be crafty, but he's a stellar three-point shooter above all. In his first two seasons, he has shot 44 percent from deep while attempting nearly five three-pointers per in each season. He is coming off of a quality sophomore season where he averaged 19 points per as we can only see Curry's game improve from here on out.

15. Washington Wizards: Nick Young

The best kept secret currently in the NBA, Nick Young has yet to receive the attention that he should be receiving from the media. With all the hype surrounding point guard John Wall and high-flying center JaVale McGee, the shooting guard is constantly overlooked despite being one of the game's best pure scorers.

Given his first chance to improve himself by being placed in the starting lineup, Young lived up to expectations and then some by averaging 17 points per on 44 percent shooting from the field overall while also converting on 39 percent of the four three-pointers he averaged per game as well. He's an exceptional athlete with acrobatic abilities while also possessing an impressive and fluent jump shot that would give any defense fits.

He scored a career high 39 points against the Miami Heat last season in a game where he converted on five of his six three-point attempts.

Young will need to improve on everything else, but he's an excellent scorer above all and it would only help his career if he attempts to drive more frequently.

14. Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith

Another case of athletic players that should drive but instead shoots too much, Josh Smith is a clear example of athleticism going to waste because of his tendencies to take too many jump shots.

It got so bad that even his hometown crowd would boo him whenever he did take a jump shot during the Hawks' recent postseason run. That should be motivation enough to make him stop, but we'll see whenever the next season starts up.

When he's not taking jump shots, Smith is using his athleticism to drive into the paint and finish with authority. He's athletic for a player of his size at 6'9" and knows how to use it when he's ready to slash, by using his strength to create some distance and then his absurd vertical leap and hang time to finish over just about any defender in the league.

The 25-year-old is coming off of an impressive season where he averaged nearly 17 points per on 48 percent from the field while sharing scoring responsibilities with Joe Johnson and Al Horford.

13. Chicago Bulls: Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer as the team's second scoring option is exactly the reason why the Chicago Bulls found themselves getting ousted in the Conference Finals in only five games.

With Boozer not producing at his usual rate in the postseason and averaging only 13 points per on 43percent shooting from the field, the Bulls were forced to heavily rely on Derrick Rose for the majority of their offense and it cost them against a Miami Heat team that has too many defensive weapons to match up with.

Nevertheless, Boozer is still an excellent scorer as far as power forwards go as he possesses a solid mid-range game to go along with solid foot work when working in the post. After spending the majority of his career playing alongside Deron Williams on the Utah Jazz, Boozer was able to transition his game to Chicago and made the adjustment to play with a shoot-first point guard in Rose.

Boozer dealt with injuries early in the season, but recovered and assisted the Bulls in their 62-20 record and the top spot in the Eastern Conference by averaging nearly 18 points per on 51 percent shooting from the field.

12. Houston Rockets: Luis Scola

Still underrated after all these years, Luis Scola continues to fly under the radar despite being one of the league's craftiest players as well as one its best post threats.

Scola's footwork is impeccable and exceeds that of just about every other big man, which allows him to work against defenses that don't have a great understanding of how to defend a post game as superior as his.

Aside from an elite post game, Scola is also a solid mid-range threat and it has resulted in the Houston Rockets being amongst the league's best in points per game. Already playing alongside pure scorer Kevin Martin, Scola receives plenty of easy scoring opportunities thanks to the attention that Martin takes from opposing defenses.

Scola is coming off of a career season where he averaged a career high of 18 points per game.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Gerald Wallace

One of the league's best all-around players on offense and defense, Gerald Wallace has given the Portland Trail Blazers the spark that they needed to become an eventual contender.

Just imagine if Brandon Roy actually had knees.

Wallace is another exceptional athlete with the capability to drive at will, but instead chooses to shoot way too often. He has consistently taken between two and three three-pointers over the past few seasons and has yet to hit any better than 37 percent from beyond the arc.

In fact, he was taking three three-pointers per with Portland and only converting on 33 percent of them.

Nevertheless, Wallace is still a threat on offense thanks to his out-of-this-world athleticism which allows him to finish around the rim at a consistent rate. In the 23 games he played with Portland last year, he averaged 16 points per on nearly 50 percent shooting from the field.

10. New Orleans Hornets: David West

That 2003 draft class was absolutely stacked and not many people know that David West was actually a member of it when he was taken 18th by the New Orleans Hornets.

The reason being that West didn't exactly get his first chance to produce until his third year when he was given the start at power forward and responded by averaging 17 points per.

West has become a perfect complement to point guard Chris Paul with Paul driving in and drawing attention and then kicking out to the open power forward who is absolutely automatic when it comes to hitting from the mid-range. West has a decent post game and can drive from time to time, but his calling card is his mid-range game and it has helped the Hornets achieve heights that they had never seen before.

He's coming off of another solid season averaging 19 points per and has proven that he can lead a team even without Paul, when he averaged 19 points per during the season where his point guard only played in 45 injury plagued games.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love

Despite leading his team in scoring, it was obvious that the Minnesota Timberwolves' No. 1 scorer was Michael Beasley. He's a stellar multi-dimensional player that can score from just about anywhere on the court whether he's slashing or shooting and could be key to the Wolves making a complete turnaround.

Or that could be left up to Kevin Love, who is a few months removed from leading the league in rebounding and leading the Wolves in scoring at 20 points per.

Much like Grizzlies' power forward Zach Randolph, Love isn't the most athletic player on the court but he's wise when it comes to using timing and awareness to grab rebounds and it allows him to beat out the taller or more athletic opposition for those offensive boards that he seems to snatch at an unheralded rate.

Averaging 4.5 offensive rebounds per, Love was able to find the majority of his points from the inside where he uses his wide frame and awareness in the post to score against players that usually hold athletic accolades over him.

Surprisingly, Love is also a terrific three-point shooter and is coming off of an impressive year from beyond the arc as he managed to shoot 42 percent from deep after only shooting 33 percent the year before.

8. Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph

He might have been the leading scorer on the Memphis Grizzlies, but the man in the suit that is making $80 million is actually the first option.

That's saying a lot about an upstart squad that relied on their second scoring option Zach Randolph to get to their first semifinals in franchise history after Rudy Gay went down with an injury that would keep him out for the duration of the playoffs.

In only his third postseason, his first since 2003, Randolph was an absolute beast under the rim as he dominated the post against the likes of Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair to lead the Grizzlies to a stunning upset over the No. 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs. He would then help lead the Grizz to Game 7 in the semifinals before bowing out.

Randolph has a stellar mid-range game, but his bread and butter is his down-low play where he uses his wide frame to body and outmuscle opposing front courts. He finds the majority of his points coming off of put backs from offensive rebounds (he has averaged four over the past two seasons), while also averaging over 20 points per over the past three years.

7. Boston Celtics: Ray Allen

With Paul Pierce representing the team's top multi-dimensional player as a slasher and shooter and Kevin Garnett's all-around play declining with age and health, it's been up to Ray Allen to take over the reins as the teams No. 2 scoring option.

He doesn't do too bad a job at it either. Despite recently turning 36 years old, Allen is still one of the league's most volatile and clutch shooters and is still regarded as one of the NBA's top scoring threats from beyond the arc.

Like a fine wine, Allen's age and experience has only helped his game as he is recently coming off of a career season where he converted on a career high of 44 percent from deep while still averaging nearly five three-pointers per game.

6. Los Angeles Lakers: Pau Gasol

It took the Los Angeles Lakers an ordeal with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown to find out that they weren't the answer to what Kobe Bryant was asking from the team since Shaquille O'Neal departed for Miami.

Look no further than the savior of the franchise in Pau Gasol who has helped the Lakers to two titles while also keeping Bryant happy in Los Angeles.

After being criticized his entire career for being a "soft" player, Gasol has completely changed the mindset of his critics by suddenly becoming a tough post player and rebounder. He still relies heavily on his finesse, but now looks to using his 7'0" frame to back down opponents and get closer for the high percentage shots.

Gasol has averaged a double-double for the past two seasons and has been a perfect complement to Bryant, who has now found the next best thing to Shaq.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook

Yes, Russell. You're the No. 2 scoring option on the Oklahoma City Thunder and you need to come to terms with that before it gets worse.

Kevin Durant was and always will be the No. 1 option on the Thunder no matter how quality of a scorer Westbrook currently is.

On more than 75 percent of the teams in the league today, Westbrook would easily be a No. 1 option as he is currently coming off of an impressive season where he averaged a career high 22 points per while also nailing 44 percent overall from the field as well. The shooting percentage might not appear that impressive to some, but it is considering that he was shooting less than 40 percent in his rookie season.

Westbrook is an extremely volatile athlete with the capability to explode whenever given some breathing room, while also possessing a solid mid-range game.

The team can only hope that he and Durant can co-exist because this is a duo that could cause a lot of noise come postseason time.

4. San Antonio Spurs: Manu Ginobili

With Tim Duncan on the decline and in the twilight of his career, it's now up to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to take over the scoring duties for the San Antonio Spurs.

Ginobili may be the better all-around scorer, but Parker's awareness in the post and mid-range game reigns supreme on this Spurs team.

It's not a bad thing either as Ginobili is an exceptional slasher, one of the league's craftiest players and a solid three-point shooter as well. He's got a quick release and a consistent jumper which allows him to always draw attention from the perimeter and also has the quickness, agility and strength to drive in and finish against opposing front courts.

Just turning 34 years old and recovering from a wrist injury however, we wonder just how much the Argentinean has left in him before his overall decline actually begins.

3. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

Tough to distinguish who the first scoring option was between Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin, but I had to list Gordon as the top scoring option because of his ability to drive and shoot compared to Griffin who is limited.

Limited to what you say? Dunking on defenders as soon as he gets some breathing room and is within 10 feet of the rim is just how limited Griffin was in his rookie season.

Blake was an absolute athletic freak in his rookie season even though he had to sit out his original rookie year due to a knee injury he suffered in the last game of the preseason. Even with the devastating injury, Griffin was fearless and spent more time putting wear and tear on his knees than any other player in the league as he finished with 214 dunks.

Of course, Griffin is still going to have to learn to do more than just throw the ball down. He has a solid post game and a deadly spin move, but he's going to need to drastically improve his jump shot as he's deemed useless on offense when outside of 15 feet.

2. New York Knicks: Amar'e Stoudemire

It's going to take more than scoring to put the New York Knicks over the top, but for now we'll just praise Amare Stoudemire as one of the game's top second scoring options.

Now paired up with Carmelo Anthony, Stoudemire is going to have his hands full adjusting to his new offensive minded teammate by actually having to allow someone else to take over the scoring responsibilities once in awhile.

Stoudemire not only brought the Knicks to their first postseason in over a decade, but also proved to us that he could survive without having a point guard like Steve Nash constantly looking for him and feeding him passes off of the pick and roll. Whether it was Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas or Chauncey Billups, "Stat" was a stellar scorer no matter what and was able to prove that he could score on his own accord.

Under Mike D'Antoni's leadership and direction once again, Stoudemire was able to average 25 points per on 50 percent shooting from the field while impressing us with his improved mid-range game to go along with an already volatile around-the-basket game.

1. Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade

It doesn't get much better than this. Your No.1scoring option goes down and who's there to pick up the pieces? Dwyane Wade of course, the same guy that averaged a league-leading 30 points per game only three years ago.

And if worse comes to worse, the Miami Heat still have Chris Bosh as a third option.

That's the beauty of this Miami Heat team. They have so many weapons and so many superstars that they could rely on for scoring that it makes it extremely tough for defenses to figure out who to put the majority of their attention on. It's near impossible to keep all three in check and you can't put two defenders on one player since another member of the Big Three will be left open.

Wade finished second in scoring behind LeBron James last season and still carried just as much an impact as he did in previous years when it was just him and Udonis Haslem. He's still one of the league's best finishers around the rim, unbelievably quick on or off the dribble and can create his own shot better than anyone else playing the game of basketball.

If there are any negatives to Wade's offensive game, it's his jump shot or the dangerous style of play that he possesses which always gives Heat fans the fear that he's one injury away from being right where he was at the end of the 2007 season, when he had to undergo a number of surgeries in order to get back into playing form.