People don't seem to understand what kind of statistical freak Chris Paul is.
Just his passing/handling stats alone are better than any comparable player (except Stockton who was even more freaky).
| Career Avg | Paul | Magic | Stockton | Nash | Kidd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ast% | 46.6 | 40.9 | 50.2 | 41.5 | 38.5 |
| Ast/100p | 14.5 | 14.5 | 16.8 | 13.8 | 12.6 |
| Ast/TO | 4.13 | 2.89 | 3.72 | 2.97 | 3.02 |
| AAP | 28.93 | 26.85 | 32.79 | 25.63 | 23.52 |
AAP = Adjusted Assists Production per 100 possessions. Basically estimates the amount of points generated from assists per 100 possessions and then is adjusted for the negative impact of turnovers (Formula = (Ast/100 x2.3) - (TO/100 x1.3)).
As we can see, Paul's ability to assist and be relatively turnover free, means that he generates points at a rate superior to Magic and Nash. The only person in history who exceeds him is Stockton. And Stockton had the fortune to play with a player of Malone's caliber, something Paul doesn't yet have claim to.
And this is just measuring passing ability.
Now let's move on to defense.
| Career Avg | Paul | Magic | Stockton | Nash | Kidd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Def Rtg | 104 | 104 | 104 | 111 | 102 |
| DBPM | 0.7 | 1.5 | -0.9 | -2.7 | 1.8 |
| Stl% | 3.4 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 2.8 |
| Def Reb% | 12.0 | 15.8 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 16.0 |
It's safe to say that Kidd was probably the best defensive player of this bunch. Defense is inherently easier for bigger players (ahem, Magic) and Paul naturally suffers from a lack of length. However, notice that despite this disadvantage, Paul is one of the better defensive rebounders on this list and has favorable defensive rating and DBPM numbers.
And finally, scoring/general offensive contribution.
| Career Avg | Paul | Magic | Stockton | Nash | Kidd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pts/100 | 27.3 | 25.4 | 21.0 | 23.3 | 18.3 |
| TS% | 0.578 | 0.610 | 0.608 | 0.605 | 0.507 |
| Off Rtg | 123 | 121 | 121 | 118 | 107 |
| OBPM | 6.8 | 5.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 2.4 |
In terms of scoring rate and offensive contribution, Paul again comes out as one of the top if not the best.
Passing: 1. Stockton; 2. Paul; 3. Magic/Nash
Defense: 1. Kidd; 2. Magic; 3. Paul
General Offense: 1. Paul; 2. Magic; 3. Stockton