Ranking the Top 10 Small Forwards entering the 2019/20 NBA Season
The modern NBA is spearheaded by small forwards, some of whom are the best players in the league due to their size, length, athleticism and elite skill on both ends of the floor. The end result is that they are often the best player and the leader of the team.
Historically, Larry Bird and Julius Erving are players who come to mind when you think about the greatest small forwards ever. However, LeBron James has surpassed both of those legends with his incredible never-before-seen all-round ability, athleticism, leadership, and longevity.
He's still amongst the best players in the league at an age of 34, so without further ado, let's scroll down to find out if "The King" still reigns as the best SF in today's NBA.
Honorable mentions (injured players in bold)
Kevin Durant (BKN)
Rudy Gay (SAS)
TJ Warren (IND)
Gordon Hayward (BOS)
Joe Ingles (UTA)
#10 Danilo Gallinari
Gallo is a very skilled and experienced offensive player as he can really shoot the ball well, post-up and create for his teammates. Plus, he can be aggressive at the rim when needed and is very successful at that due to his 6'10 height.
As part of the Paul George trade, Gallinari finds himself on the Oklahoma City Thunder where he could be a go-to option on offense. However, sooner or later, due to OKC entering a rebuild, I believe the Italian forward will be traded again. The fact that he has an expiring contract could be enticing for franchises looking to clear some cap space.
#9 Otto Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. is one of the best 3 and D role players in the whole league because he is so efficient at shooting the ball from downtown and is a very effective defensive player. He has also shown that he can create his own shot and get 20+ points per game if given the opportunity.
On the Bulls, he can continue to be the starting SF that helps the younger players on the team such as White, Carter Jr. and Gafford get used to the level of NBA basketball.