Diontae Johnson expects Kenny Pickett to win starting job
Flacco has 191 career starts and Pickett 30.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who signed with the Browns as a free agent, has a favorite for the job.
'I think they are going to roll with Kenny for right now,' Johnson said during an appearance on the Sports and Suits podcast.
Pickett made 24 starts in Pittsburgh his first two seasons before a trade to Philadelphia, where he sat behind Jalen Hurts for all but one game last season. He's still only 27.
'I've been seeing Kenny going like right now with the ones. Then, Joe will come in,' Johnson said. 'I think they are probably going to roll with him just to see like he's coming off a season with Philly and having a Super Bowl. So, I think they are going to stick with him through the preseason. Then, you know they can live with Joe and what he brings to the table.'
While the Browns have talked about keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster, it's unlikely. Most teams keep only two on the 53-player roster with another on the practice squad.
Even if the Browns keep three quarterbacks on the active roster, one will have to go. That's likely either Flacco or Pickett, with the other starting the season under center.
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Penny Hardaway Player Stats: 15.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG Career Accolades: 4x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection Standing 6'7", Penny Hardaway was the rare unicorn who could orchestrate, score, and guard at an elite level. Early in his career, he averaged 20/6/5 and, alongside Shaquille O'Neal, took Orlando to the 1995 Finals, posting 24.5 PPG and 8 APG against Houston. Four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, Hardaway was on track to redefine point guard size and skill. Aging and injuries eroded his trajectory, but his early-career nous, versatility, and pedigree earned him a spot here at 24. 23. Chauncey Billups Player Stats: 15.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG Career Accolades: 2003-04 NBA Champion, 2003-04 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Fame Chauncey Billups earned his moniker by hitting the clutch shot that sealed a historic 2004 Finals upset over the Lakers. 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Nate Archibald Players Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Career Accolades: 1980-81 NBA Champion, 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team Selection, 1972-73 Scoring Champion, 1972-73 Assist Champion, Hall of Fame Tiny Archibald led the league in both scoring and assists (1972-73), a feat unreplicated since. With 18.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, he was lightning quick and battle-hardened. A six-time All-Star and a champion in 1981, Archibald was a perimeter heater who commanded every facet of offense. His championships with the Boston Celtics showed versatility across eras because he was 32 years old at the time. Essentially, Archibald left a blueprint for do-it-all guards, getting buckets, setting teammates, and smiling through it all. 17. Damian Lillard Players Stats: 25.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 9x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team Selection, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year Not just the deep-shot king, Damian Lillard's rangy frame and fearless demeanor produced jaw-dropping shots across seven All-NBA selections. A true multi-season 25/4/7 performer, Lillard is the ultimate modern mid-size point guard: sniper and motivational force tied to his city. He anchored Portland's identity, expecting greatness from teammates and delivering it himself. While championship glory has eluded him, his late-game heroics and loyalty made him the face of an entire franchise, and we hope he can one day win a title. 16. Dennis Johnson Player Stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG Career Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 1978-79 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Fame 'D.J.' was the archetype of clutch. A three-time champion ('79 Finals MVP included), five All-Star, a nine-time All-Defense, and a constant defensive nightmare for opposing guards. From Seattle to Phoenix and Boston, Johnson embodied grit and defensive brilliance. His mid-career trade to the Celtics unlocked a new role: deadly clutch scoring, lockdown defense, and chemistry with Larry Bird, earning him legendary status. His number's in the rafters, but his redemptive arc from misunderstood to cornerstone is what lives forever. 15. Derrick Rose Players Stats: 17.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 2010-11 MVP, 3x All-Star, 2010-11 All-NBA Team Selection, 2008-09 Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose's ascension was breathtaking: at 22, he became the youngest MVP ever (2011), averaging 25 PPG, nearly 8 APG, and 4 RPG. His explosive drives and 40' vertical jump made him a highlight trap. But injuries struck, ACL tears that derailed a sky-high trajectory. What followed was nothing short of legendary resilience. He reinvented himself, weathering injuries to remain productive and respected, earning a jersey retirement by the Bulls. Rose's MVP season remains a true stamp of rare athletic primacy, even if that season was brief. 14. Tony Parker Players Stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG Career Accolades: 4x NBA Champion, 2006-07 Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection, Hall of Fame Tony Parker wasn't the most explosive athlete, but his speed, blinding and surgical, regularly disassembled defenses. A four-time champ and the Finals MVP in 2007, Parker's Euro-step took over an era. With solid averages (15.5 PPG, 5.6 APG) and six All-Star selections, he brought European finesse into the Spurs' championship DNA. Parker's legacy is quiet efficiency: precision playmaking, high shooting accuracy, and the ability to thrive in clutch moments. His leadership and adaptability in Gregg Popovich's system helped San Antonio become the league's constant contender. If this were a list of purely championships won alone, Parker would probably rank a lot higher 13. Walt Frazier Players Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG Career Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 7x All-Star, 6x All-NBA Team Selection, 7x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Famer Walt 'Clyde' Frazier combined breath‑stealing defense with silky offense. His 1.9 SPG, 5.9 RPG, and 6.1 APG reflect his two-way dominance. A seven-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA guard, he anchored the Knicks' first-ever NBA titles (1970, 1973) with two-way consistency and swing-man scoring. More than numbers, Frazier brought swagger: on-court swagger and flair off it, becoming a cultural icon in New York. He blended defense with grace, reputation with results, defining what a point guard could be in reputation and reality. 12. Russell Westbrook Players Stats: 21.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 2016-17 MVP, 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x Scoring Champion, 3x Assist Champion Among everything else, Russell Westbrook continues to redefine hustle. He owns the NBA record for career triple-doubles, finished a 2017 MVP season with 31 triple-doubles, and has accounted for 9x All-Star and 9x All-NBA honors. Everywhere he goes, Thunder, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, his intense motor and fearless driving energize teammates and arenas alike. Westbrook's inefficiency and defensive lapses occasionally weigh on his efficiency, but his sheer force of will and statistical dominance make him impossible to ignore. He may not redefine efficiency and control like his peers, but no one embodies determination like Russ, one of the most criticized players in NBA history. 11. Kyrie Irving Players Stats: 23.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG Career Accolades: 2015-16 NBA Champion, 9x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 2011-12 Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving's game is a highlight reel, exquisite handles, mid‑range craft, and a game-winning mindset that peaked with his iconic three‑pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Averaging 23.7 PPG, 5.6 APG, and 1.3 SPG, he punched above his weight despite sharing the court with LeBron. His offensive arsenal is tremendous: Euro-step finishes, pull-up triples, and dizzying crossovers that consistently break defenders' ankles. Yet Irving's career is a mosaic of brilliance and "what-ifs." While he earned a ring early, six All-Star nods, and three All-NBA selections, moments of personal controversy and lack of playoff stability with Cleveland and Brooklyn have clouded his peak. Still, at his best, he's a generational talent, perhaps the purest offensive assassin the 3-point era has produced. 10. Bob Cousy Players Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG Career Accolades: 6x NBA Champion, 1956-1957 MVP, 13x All-Star, 12x All-NBA Team Selection, 8x Assist Champion, Hall of Fame Before modern flash, there was Bob Cousy, the man who introduced behind-the-back passes in the 1950s. Career stats of 18.4 PPG, 7.5 APG may seem modest today, but in his era, he was revolutionary. He won six titles and the first-ever MVP award alongside Bill Russell in '57, becoming the NBA's first true megastar. Cousy's vision and ballhandling popularized the point guard position, the first real floor general whose flair on the court translated into cultural influence. Without him, the guard evolution wouldn't have snapped into place. Yes, it was long ago, and some of the video clips of him dribbling seem forgettable, but Cousy was the OG of point guards. 9. Gary Payton Players Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG Career Accolades: 2005-06 NBA Champion, 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA Team Selection, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 Steals Champion, 1990-91 Rookie of the Year, Hall of Fame Gary "The Glove" Payton was a winning player, make no mistake about that. Averaging 16.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 1.8 SPG, he was a menace on the perimeter and one of the fiercest defenders the league has seen. In 1996, he became the only point guard in NBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year, and the only one to share that honor with Marcus Smart until this day. That same season, he led the league in steals and locked down opponents with relentlessness and attitude. A champion in 2006, a nine-time All-Star, and a nine-time All-Defense selection, Payton defined defensive dominance at the point guard position. 8. Chris Paul Players Stats: 18.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.4 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Career Accolades: 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, 5x Assist Champion, 6x Steals Champion, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year When Chris Paul arrived in 2005, he brought ice-water composure. Averaging 18.3 PPG, 9.4 APG, and 2.1 SPG, his statistical imprint demanded respect. He led the league in assists five times and steals six times. He wasn't just a general; he was also the game's defensive pest on both the stat sheet and on the court. His leadership has lifted almost every team, Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, Suns, to higher ceilings. His basketball IQ is elite, his midrange scoring spot-on, and his tenacious defense made him a perfect point guard. Not winning the NBA title in 2021 is probably the only reason he isn't in the top five. 7. Steve Nash Players Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG Career Accolades: 2x MVP, 8x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team Selection, 5x Assist Champion, Hall of Fame Steve Nash didn't overwhelm with jaw-dropping career stats, 14.3 PPG and 8.5 APG, but he manipulated defenses like a grandmaster and was the original version of James Harden when it came to owning an offensive system. His back-to-back MVPs in '05 and '06 validated his elite impact. Nash's Suns didn't just score, they created a movement: 'Seven Seconds or Less' basketball that inspired today's pace. A perennial All-Star coach favorite, Nash prioritized ball movement and shot-making, and he is also one of the 10 greatest pure shooters in NBA history. 6. John Stockon Players Stats: 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG Career Accolades: 10x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 5x All-Defensive Team Selection, 9x Assist Champion, 2x Steals Champion, Hall of Fame John Stockton not having an NBA championship with a 0-2 Finals record is the only reason he isn't in the top five. Regardless, Stockton is the rock-solid rock upon which Utah's success was built. With career averages of 10.5 APG and 2.2 SPG, he redefined floor management. His assist dominance earned him nine seasons as the league's top passer. Stockton and Malone propelled the Jazz to back-to-back Finals, a vintage pick‑and‑roll show run nearly unmatched. Stockton was the embodiment of consistency and durability; he never missed a playoff game. A 10-time All-Star, a defensive stalwart, and the all-time leader in both assists and steals, he belongs firmly atop any elite point guard conversation. 5. Jason Kidd Players Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 2010-11 NBA Champion, 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA Team Selection, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, 5x Assist Champion, 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, Hall of Fame Jason Kidd was a triple-double artist before it became trendy. He compiled 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, and was a supreme floor leader and defensive maestro. How many point guards are responsible for leading their team to back-to-back Finals without All-Star help? We will wait. His legendary court vision and rebounding from the point guard spot allowed his teams to flow at an elite level, and in 2011, he finally capped his career with an emotional championship for the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd's passing, defense, and late-career scoring tweaks prove he evolved continually. As a nine-time All-Defensive selection and Hall of Famer, his placement at five is no accident. 4. Isiah Thomas Players Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 1989-90 Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team Selection, 1984-85 Assist Champion, Hall of Fame Ask anyone who lived through the 1980s, and they will admit that Isiah Thomas was the heart and soul of the Bad Boys Pistons, a fearless leader built for clutch moments. His career stats (19.2 PPG, 9.3 APG) disguise a ferocity and competitive will that made him one of the greatest clutch performers ever. Two championships and a Finals MVP in 1990 underscore his playoff heroics. But his legacy is about pure swagger as well. Thomas' cold-blooded knockout punch to Bird in '84, the unselfishness of his leadership, and rivaling legends in that era define a player who delivered in the toughest of battles. A five-time All-NBA guard and Hall of Famer, Thomas was built for war, and he delivered year after year. You can argue against Isiah not being this high, but we aren't going to listen. 3. Stephen Curry Players Stats: 24.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG Career Accolades: 4x NBA Champion, 2021-22 Finals MVP, 2x MVP, 7x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x Scoring Champion, 2015-16 Steals Champion Stephen Curry is the revolution of today's game. He changed defense with shooting, kicking off a three-point revolution that's reshaped modern offenses. Averaging 24.5 PPG and 6.0 APG, while posting elite shooting splits (including two scoring titles), he towers as the greatest shooter ever. Yet let's be honest: his game isn't without limitations. His lack of size and length remains a defensive Achilles heel, and that's why he misses the top two. Critically, we must resist recency bias: yes, Curry crafts offenses like Picasso, but regarding all-around impact when his shots aren't falling, he doesn't match Magic or Oscar as an all-around athlete or impact player. Still, for shooting alone, Curry is unmatched, and his four championships and two MVPs confirm his superstar status. We see that Curry's greatness arrives primarily through offense in an elite Golden State Warriors system, while the legends ahead of him impacted the game in every facet. 2. Oscar Robertson Players Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Career Accolades: 1970-71 NBA Champion, 1963-1964 MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 6x Assist Champion, 1960-1961 Rookie of the Year, Hall of Fame Oscar Robertson was basketball's first complete guard, an athletic marvel who averaged a triple-double (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists) during the 1961-62 season. His 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 9.5 APG career averages speak to a dominant all-around prowess. But beyond the numbers, he used his stature and skill to pioneer guard-centric scoring and rebounding. He shattered positional norms, combining size, vision, and physicality to lead the league in both points and assists. His role in pushing through the NBA free agency lawsuit laid the groundwork for players to control their careers. Robertson's championship pedigree and being the 1964 MVP cements him as the true blueprint for modern, multidimensional point guards. 1. Magic Johnson Players Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG Career Accolades: 5x NBA Champion, 3x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA Team Selection, 4x Assist Champion, 2x Steals Champion, Hall of Fame Earvin "Magic" Johnson built masterpieces on the hardwood, and he is without a doubt the GOAT of point guards. With career averages of 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a still-unmatched 11.2 APG, he owns the all-time highest assists-per-game mark. His passing was poetic, revolutionizing fastbreak execution, creating the 'Showtime' identity of the 1980s Lakers. As a rookie, Magic famously played center in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals, posting 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and earning Finals MVP, becoming the only rookie in NBA history to do so. Beyond five rings and three MVPs, Magic's impact transcended statistics. He ushered in a new era of positional versatility. At 6'9", he redefined what a point guard could be. His triple-doubles in Finals clinchers and league-leading assist titles underscore that he wasn't just a showman; he was the standard-bearer at his story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
