In today’s NBA era, the role of the small forward has taken on a newfound significance. Traditionally, small forwards were seen as versatile players who bridged the gap between guards and big men.
Small forwards are no longer confined to a single role. They are expected to be good at scoring, playmaking, and defending, aka becoming proficient two-way players. Their ability to stretch the floor with three-point shooting and create mismatches on offense has become crucial in today’s game.
In this list, we will rank all 30 NBA starting small forwards for the 2023-2024 season from worst to best.
30. Matisse Thybulle – Portland Trail Blazers
It’s quite hard to put the two-time member of the All-NBA Defensive Second Team member in the worst spot, but Thybulle is a one-dimensional player whose offensive repertoire is severely limited.
29. Isaac Okoro – Cleveland Cavaliers
Okoro is slowly finding his niche in this up-and-coming Cavaliers team. At just 22 years old, he’ll undoubtedly take another leap this season and will be a defensive menace for the streaking Cavs.
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28. Andrew Nembhard – Indiana Pacers
Indiana will have a ton of players who will vie for this position but Nembhard takes the cake due to his improvement last season. He has a nice-looking three-point shot and a decent defender despite being undersized.
27. Jaden McDaniels – Minnesota Timberwolves
McDaniels has the tools to become a good two-way player in this league. He’s long and athletic and could switch from 1 to 5 on defense.
26. Deni Avdija – Washington Wizards
Avdija quite struggled early in his career but has started to find his stride last season. He’s shown that he could score and rebound on a nightly basis. With the Wizards finally entering the rebuilding phase, expect a huge bump on his numbers next season.
25. Tim Hardaway Jr. – Dallas Mavericks
Hardaway Jr. Is a streaky shooter and continues to be an integral part of Dallas for a few years now. While his potential has already peaked, he’s still a deadly threat from downtown if he gets it going.
24. Miles Bridges – Charlotte Hornets
Bridges will finally suit up this year after sitting out last season due to off-the-court issues. Just over a year ago, he was one of the top small forwards in the game. We don’t know if he’s going to be the same player or not and that’s why he’s ranked this low in this list.
23. Luguentz Dort – Oklahoma City Thunder
Dort has been amazing for this young OKC team in recent years. He’s built like a bull on defense and has a decent three-point shot in his game. The only knock on his game is his inability to create his own offense.
22. DeAndre Hunter – Atlanta Hawks
Hunter’s emerging game as a legitimate two-way player has been a revelation for the Hawks. If he could improve his scoring, then it’s plausible that Atlanta could make some noise in the East next season.
21. Trey Murphy III – New Orleans Pelicans
Murphy can defend all positions on the floor and that is a valuable asset in today’s game. He’s long, athletic and fast. Murphy played some power forward last season due to Zion’s absence but should be able to slide in his natural position this year.
20. Tobias Harris – Philadelphia 76ers
If James Harden gets traded next season, expect a little bump to Harris’ numbers this year. He’s been a consistent contributor and a good third or fourth option throughout his career in the league.
19. Keegan Murray – Sacramento Kings
Murray came into the league ready to ball out right out of the gate. He was instrumental in Sacramento’s sudden rise last year and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
18. Keldon Johnson – San Antonio Spurs
Johnson has been San Antonio’s best player for a few years now. He’s a solid wing who could score and defend against anybody on the floor. Johnson is your typical Spurs player who does what it takes to win games.
17. Cam Johnson – Brooklyn Nets
Johnson finally broke out of his shell after being traded to Brooklyn in the middle of last season. While his FIBA World Cup stint has left a lot to be desired, expect him to take another step on his game now that he’s entering his prime.
16. Dillon Brooks – Houston Rockets
Brooks is such a polarizing figure in the league. When engaged, he is one of the best two-way players today. He has a wide body that he uses to annoy the opposing team’s best player. Now with Houston, Brooks will definitely create a tenacious mindset with the team as he did with Memphis before.
15. Bojan Bogdanovic – Detroit Pistons
Bogdanovic is a solid veteran who could seamlessly fit any contender who’s looking for a boost in the playoffs. Expect that he’ll be traded sometime next season.
14. Michael Porter Jr. – Denver Nuggets
MPJ is a reliable third option who can score in bunches when he gets hot. Porter is also expanding his game, crashing the boards more to provide additional possessions on the floor for Denver.
13. Andrew Wiggins – Golden State Warriors
During their championship run in 2022, Wiggins was GSW’s second-best player. He regressed a bit last season due to injuries, but there’s no doubt he’ll assuredly bounce back this year if he stays healthy.
12. RJ Barrett – New York Knicks
Barrett has all the right tools to become a very good player in this league but he still needs to improve his shot selection and free throw percentage. The good thing is that he’s still 22 years old and basically has a ton of time to improve in the league.
11. Desmond Bane – Memphis Grizzlies
With Marcus Smart’s arrival, Bane will slide on to the small forward spot this season. That won’t be an issue for Bane, who has emerged as a great second option for Memphis in recent years.
10. Scottie Barnes – Toronto Raptors
Barnes’ upside is quite insane when you look at him closely. He can play the shooting guard position up to the center spot effortlessly. He’s long and super athletic. There’s a real chance he’ll become Toronto’s franchise player in the future.
9. DeMar DeRozan – Chicago Bulls
Despite DeRozan’s advancing age, he still remains one of the best scorers in the NBA. He’s currently 39th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and has a chance to climb a few more spots next year.
8. Khris Middleton – Milwaukee Bucks
When healthy, Middleton is one of the most dependable scorers in the league. However, injuries have limited his production over the last couple of years. He’s primed to have a bounce-back season with Milwaukee.
7. Franz Wagner – Orlando Magic
Wagner is a nightmare matchup for any team in the league. At 6 ’10”, he has the handles and vision of a point guard. He can shoot, drive and get to the foul line consistently. His upside is insanely high and the Magic are lucky to have him.
6. Lauri Markkanen – Utah Jazz
Markkanen truly found his game with the Jazz. He won the Most Improved Player award last season due to his unprecedented ascension as the team’s franchise player. A 7-foot small forward, Markkanen is going to be a problem for years to come.
5. Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers
If healthy, Kawhi is a top-five player in the league. The problem is, he only played 52 games within the past couple of years. He’s looking good in his offseason workouts so far and there’s hope that he’s finally healthy this time around.
4. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron is arguably one of the top two players in the history of the game. It’s mind-blowing that at 38 years old, he’s still averaging nearly 30 PPG for an entire season. However, injuries have bothered him in recent years and he hasn’t played more than 56 games within the last three seasons.
3. Jimmy Butler – Miami Heat
Butler’s game is severely underrated as his numbers often don’t pop up, unlike his peers on this list. But make no mistake as he’s always done the right thing to put his team in a position to win despite being the underdogs.
2. Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns
Despite suffering devastating injuries over the last few years, KD still remains a lethal scoring threat on a nightly basis. He’s one of the best pure scorers the league has ever seen and will try to steer the Suns towards their first title this season.
1. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
It’s quite remarkable that even though there are legends and future Hall of Famers in this list, a 25-year-old kid from the Celtics takes the throne in this list. Tatum’s game has no weakness. The Celtics are primed to win a ring or two within this decade if Tatum continues his development as a player.
