With a new NBA season approaching, it’s time to rank the league’s 30 starting small forwards for the upcoming 2017-18 campaign.
In the NBA’s modern era of small-ball, where 3-point shots reign supreme, traditional positions have drastically changed. Point guards are still relatively the same other than getting taller and more athletic, but “wings” can now define positions 2-4, while 4s and 5s are expected to play both inside and out — on both ends of the floor.
Because of this, the small forward spot is often played by 3s and traditional 2s, with shooting guards of old moving up a position to better suit small-ball lineups built around versatility, perimeter shooting and speed.
However, for the sake of classification within a starting lineup, small forwards are a little easier to identify. The question is, how does each team’s starting main wing stack up to the rest of the NBA? In an attempt to answer that question, it’s time to rank all 30 starting small forwards for the upcoming 2017-18 NBA season.
Starting lineups often change, particularly once teams start to tan — or, “strategically rest” their players. For these rankings, however, we’re going to make the executive decision based on which players will likely spend most of the season — or at least start the season — with the starting group.
To clarify, these rankings are based on projections for the upcoming season, not past accomplishments or their current standing entering the 2017-18 campaign. They are also not projections for fantasy basketball, or based on any one specific stat.
Instead, these rankings take a number of factors under consideration, including expected statistical output, potential team success, opportunity, health, contract, experience, two-way impact, likelihood of keeping their starting job and to a minimal degree, potential playoff success.
With all of this in mind, here are our rankings for the NBA’s top 30 starting small forwards in 2017-18.
30. Paul Zipser, Chicago Bulls
If you’re starting to notice the trend, the starters for the 2017-18 Chicago Bulls tend to rank somewhere in this region on every list. Thank goodness for Luke Doncic and Marvin Bagley III, eh?
This 2016 second round pick only appeared in 44 games as a rookie, compiling an unimpressive 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game. He shot 39.8 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from downtown and finished with a Player Efficiency Rating of 6.9.
So yeah, Paul Zipser is not exactly a name to get excited about. It’s not even a name the G League would get excited about. But as an unglorified role player who will take direction from Fred Hoiberg as he finally gets to implement Hoi-ball, perhaps the Bulls will benefit from that kind of selflessness and team play. After all, it’s working so far in preseason and that always lasts!
29. Dante Cunningham, New Orleans Pelicans
With Solomon Hill sidelined for 6-8 months by a torn hamstring, he’s still got at least four and a half months of recovery time to go. This is a crippling blow to an already weak supporting cast for the New Orleans Pelicans, particularly on the wing.
However, even after snagging Tony Allen in free agency, it appears as though Alvin Gentry is going to go with the 30-year-old Dante Cunningham in the starting spot, keeping the Grindfather in a bench role similar to the one he had with the Memphis Grizzlies the last few years.
In 2016-17, Cunningham put up a pedestrian 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, but he was at least efficient, shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range. Cunningham will fill his role well enough, but for a Pellies team that desperately needs to make the playoffs this year, it’s less than optimal to be starting Dante Cunningham at small forward.
28. Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons
Kentavious Caldewell-Pope and Marcus Morris are gone, and with Avery Bradley filling the hole at shooting guard, the opportunity is there for Stanley Johnson to start making good on all his bold pre-draft talk at the 3-spot.
Though he’s still only 21 years old, Johnson’s first two years in the league haven’t gone according to plan with the Detroit Pistons. He got good run his first year, but wasn’t able to earn Stan Van Gundy’s trust. His minutes dropped from 23.1 per game as a rookie to 17.8 per game last season.
It’s no wonder why, since Stan the Man averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, shooting a putrid 35.3 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from deep and 67.9 percent from the line while posting a PER of 7.1. Hopefully with a clear path to the starting job, he’ll finally be able to jumpstart his NBA career.
27. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings
As a first round pick by the Phoenix Suns back in 2014, Bogdan Bogdanovic‘s NBA debut has been a long-awaited one. Finally, in 2017, the Sacramento Kings will get to enjoy the arrival of one of Serbia’s brightest stars.
Though he’s already 25 years old, this rookie is going to be a joy to watch for the Kings from day one. He put up 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on .500/.430/.855 shooting splits for Fenerbahce Ulker this year, leading his team to the Turkish Super League championship and Finals MVP honors.
The Kings could also go with Garrett Temple, Vince Carter or Justin Jackson here, but Temple is best suited coming off the bench at the 2, Vinsanity is 40 and Jackson isn’t ready yet as a rookie. Plus, Double Bogdan has too much game to ignore, so let’s put him next to Buddy Hield as the starting wing tandem, okay Dave Joerger?
26. Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies
If Chandler Parsons can stay healthy, he can probably climb a few spots up this list. Unfortunately, since he only played 34 games last year, and considering how truly awful those 34 games were, this is as high as we can justify placing him.
In his limited time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Parsons was less “star acquisition that pushes the team over the top” and more “drastically overpaid third-stringer.” He averaged 6.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in just 19.9 minutes per game, shooting an atrocious 33.8 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from downtown.
The Grizz were hoping he’d be able to stay healthy despite missing 21 and 16 games in his last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, but clearly that wasn’t the case. At age 28, we’re getting pretty close to do-or-die time, especially for a Memphis team that could really use some help on the wing.
25. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Brandon Ingram largely underwhelmed as a rookie, averaging 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on .402/.294/.621 shooting splits. So it’s a little concerning that this potential breakout star has put up 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 31 percent shooting from the field and 11.1 percent 3-point shooting in four preseason games.
Four preseason games is not cause for alarm, especially since he’s only 20 years old. But if you watch Ingram play for this young Los Angeles Lakers team, it looks like he’s forcing the issue a little too much as he tries to live up to Magic Johnson‘s lofty expectations.
At 6’9″, Ingram will have the length and size advantage over most small forwards. He just needs to fill out and start delivering on all the pre-draft talk about shooting efficiency, ball-handling and Kevin Durant-like potential first.
24. Bojan Bogdanovic, Indiana Pacers
Don’t get me wrong, Bojan Bogdanovic is going to put up solid numbers with the Indiana Pacers. In fact, he might even be their leading scorer. After all, before he got traded to the Washington Wizards, Bogdanovic was putting up 14.2 points per game with the Brooklyn Nets.
On a rebuilding Pacers team, Bogdanovic will be expected to score and, ideally, shoot the lights out like he did in D.C., when he canned 39.1 percent of his triples over 26 games.
However, at 28 years old, Bogdanovic’s defense and athleticism is already bad enough. It’s not going to get any better as he continues to age, especially under Nate McMillan‘s watch. Even if he has a career year in the scoring column, he’s going to give up more points than he puts on the table on most nights.
23. Taurean Prince, Atlanta Hawks
Perhaps this is a little high for a rookie who averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game on .400/.324/.787 shooting splits last year, but those numbers — and his 9.8 PER — don’t tell the whole story.
Prince may only be entering his second year in the league, but he’s already 23 years old and showed real signs of life down the stretch last season for the Atlanta Hawks. He even took over the starting job for 10 games, posting 11.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
In six playoff games, Prince put up 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 55.8 percent shooting from the field. Even though 3-point accuracy will be a point of emphasis moving forward, this kid has the two-way potential to put up improved numbers in 2017-18, especially with a clear path to minutes on a tanking team.
22. Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic
Terrence Ross isn’t a shabby two-way player by any means, but it’s worth mentioning that his shooting dipped to 43.1 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from downtown in his 24 games with the Orlando Magic last year.
Jonathon Simmons is viewed as a valuable bench piece, but there will be pressure on T-Ross to perform lest his minutes get soaked up by Simmons and/or the positionally versatile; Jonathan Isaac.
Last year with the Magic, Ross posted 12.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 31.2 minutes per game. As a career 37.4 percent long range shooter, this 26-year-old wing could really do with a breakout season.
21. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was pegged as the draft prospect who was a serviceable jump shot away from being a truly solid player, and entering the third year of his career, that still holds true. His 22.4 percent efficiency from 3-point range last year doesn’t suggest much progress has been made in that area of his game.
However, the name of the game is patience and development for the Brooklyn Nets, which is why Kenny Atkinson will keep RHJ as the team’s starting 3 and utilize a small-ball lineup with DeMarre Carroll at the 4.
Hopefully, Hollis-Jefferson will be able to build on the 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 rebounds per game he posted last year, and maybe even add a jumper to his game, because his defense is too tantalizing to just amount to the next Tony Allen/Andre Roberson.
20. Al-Farouq Aminu, Portland Trail Blazers
Full disclosure: Al-Farouq Aminu had a truly disappointing 2016-17 campaign. He put up 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, but shot just 39.2 percent from the field, 32.9 percent from 3-point range, missed 21 games and finished the year with a well below-average PER of 11.3.
However, part of the blame lies with Terry Stotts and the Portland Trail Blazers, who played Aminu out of position at the 4 more than he was capable of. Heading into 2017-18, it seems the focus will be playing Aminu less at the 4, where Mo Harkless will take up the mantle.
The season before, Aminu enjoyed a career year in Rip City, shooting the 3-ball at a respectable clip and providing multi-positional versatility on the defensive end. With the Blazers’ Big Three all healthy, hopefully Aminu can contribute in his auxiliary role.
19. Josh Richardson, Miami Heat
With Rodney McGruder out injured for 3-6 months, the Miami Heat lost their preseason starter at the 3. Now the competition comes down to Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow, with Richardson most likely to secure the starting job given Winslow’s rawness on the offensive end and his sophomore development being stunted by injury problems.
Richardson didn’t have a complete bill of health either, missing 29 games due to injury himself. Though he increased his raw numbers to 10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in his second season, his shooting percentages dipped from .452/.461/.667 as a rookie to a concerning .394/.330/.779 last year.
However, Richardson has shown the ability to knock down looks from long range, throw down some wicked dunks in transition and defend at a high level on the other end. That gives him the edge over Winslow on a team that will utilize its depth anyway, although Richardson’s ceiling might not be as high.
18. Tim Hardaway Jr., New York Knicks
I don’t think even Jeff Hornacek knows what his opening night starting lineup will look like, with the New York Knicks head coach trotting out a different lineup every night preseason to see what will be less awful than the new levels of ineptitude this team keeps discovering.
To that end, Michael Beasley or even Doug McDermott could end up in this spot, but Tim Hardaway Jr. has put up points in the preseason and played as a 3 alongside Courtney Lee a few times already, so we’re just going to stick with THJ playing up a spot.
Last year, Hardaway put up 14.4 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting from the floor and 35.7 percent from downtown. Say what you want about his contract, but he’s a much better player than he was in his last Knicks stint and will get the chance to put up numbers on a rebuilding team.
17. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Hornets
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is an elite defender, but heading into his sixth NBA season, most were hoping he’d be much further ahead on the offensive end than he currently is. After all those teases about an improved shooting stroke, injuries seem to have put that progress on the back-burner.
Last year, MKG put up 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Unfortunately, he’s still a liability on the offensive end because he can’t even spread the floor to the mid-range, let alone the 3-point arc.
In a league that’s veering into 3-point heavy attacks, Kidd-Gilchrist only attempted nine shots from downtown on the season. The Charlotte Hornets love his defense, but this former No. 2 overall pick really needs to be useful on the other end before he climbs higher on this list.
16. T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns
This is a bit high for a starter on a bottom-feeder like the Phoenix Suns, but there’s no denying T.J. Warren has got game. In fact, he was on pace for a career year in 2016-17 before a mysterious head injury completely threw off his groove.
Even so, Tony Buckets put up a career-high 14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 49.5 percent shooting from the field. His 3-point shot still needs some work (26.5 percent last year), but unlike most players in the league who don’t spread the floor, Warren is still fully capable of filling up the scoring column.
Josh Jackson looks like the future of the 3-spot for the Suns, but in his rookie year, he might not be ready to bypass Warren for the starting job. That won’t be the case once the team starts tanking down the stretch, but for now, Warren will be riding his post-All-Star hot streak into 2017-18.
15. Trevor Ariza, Houston Rockets
Trevor Ariza didn’t have a great year shooting the ball in 2016-17, but his impact on the defensive end went under the radar. The Houston Rockets may have ranked 18th in defensive rating, but they were only 0.1 points per 100 possessions away from being 15th, or “league average.”
Ariza was a big part of that, and even with able defenders like P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute joining the party, he represents the best two-way option on the wing — provided he can be a little more efficient than 40.9 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point range.
Though he’s 32 years old, Ariza’s impact extends beyond his 11.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. On a legitimate title contender like the Rockets, that gives him a slight edge over some of the league’s more individually talented players.
14. Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
We’re projecting quite a statistical leap for Joe Ingles to justify putting him this high on the list, but to be honest, his impact doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet. It’s no secret that his 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game from last season didn’t exactly jump off the page.
However, with Gordon Hayward spurning the Utah Jazz for the Eastern Conference, someone will need to pick up the slack as a scorer, 3-point shooter, lockdown wing defender and secondary playmaker.
Rodney Hood will soak up most of the scoring, but Ingles nailed 44.1 percent of his 3-pointers last year and was an underrated playmaker as well. For his two-way impact on a potential playoff team, this 30-year-old needs to step up in a big way in 2017-18, but is fully capable of doing so.
13. Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors
Dwane Casey could go with either Norman Powell or C.J. Miles here, but the early preseason edge seems to favor Powell. Given his youth and the way he’s impressed during the Toronto Raptors‘ last two playoff outings, it makes sense to leave Miles in a more suitable sixth man role and not hinder Powell’s development.
On paper, starting Powell seems like a bit of a stretch after he only averaged 8.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last year, shooting 44.9 percent from the floor and an underwhelming 32.4 percent from 3-point range.
However, Powell becomes a vital defender in the playoffs when DeMar DeRozan flirts with being unplayable, and in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, he drastically improved his long range accuracy by knocking down 44.1 percent of his 3-point looks. At 24 years old, the future seems exceedingly bright for this recently extended wing.
12. Robert Covington, Philadelphia 76ers
Poor Robert Covington. After being booed by the Philadelphia 76ers home crowd for his poor 3-point shooting, he managed to find his groove from deep again and prove to the fanbase that they really had a solid two-way player on their hands all along.
Averaging 12.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, the biggest problem with RoCo’s game in 2016-17 was his shot. He converted just 33.3 percent of his 3-pointers and 39.9 percent of his attempts from the field overall.
With that being said, Dario Saric seems like a better leader for the second unit at this point, while the starting unit could use Covington’s stifling perimeter and wing defense. He may never become a star as The Process takes shape, but he’ll do the dirty work as the kind of unglamorous player every on-the-rise contender needs.
11. Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets
At 30 years old, Wilson Chandler‘s prime years are well behind him. But with Danilo Gallinari gone and Paul Millsap set to solidify last year’s 29th-ranked defense, Ill Will will be a natural replacement in the starting lineup, particularly for what he can do on the defensive end.
Averaging 15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last year, Chandler put up fairly impressive numbers for a player whose role fluctuated back and forth between the bench and the starting lineup.
Ill Will could do with some improvement from 3-point territory after making only 33.7 percent of his looks in 2017-18, but he still shot 46.1 percent from the field and will provide veteran leadership to the other youngsters in the starting lineup, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Nikola Jokic. That blend of young talent and experience could be key in getting the Denver Nuggets back to the playoffs.
10. Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks
So far in preseason, the Dallas Mavericks have been starting Wesley Matthews at the 3 and Harrison Barnes at the 4 in small-ball lineups with Dirk Nowitzki at the 5, but since it’s only a matter of time before that lineup is bleeding points, we’re assuming Nerlens Noel will eventually work his way back into the starting five.
Once we reach that point and this bizarre bad blood over Noel’s contract drains away, Barnes will move back to his more natural position at the 3. As the butt of so many jokes with the Golden State Warriors, Harry B at least got to show he’s a much better player than people ever gave him credit for last season.
In his first season as “the man” in Big D, Barnes put up a career-high 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from deep. His long range efficiency dropped a bit, but that’s because the Mavs’ offense relied on him to create while still holding his own on the defensive end. Barnes will never lead a team to playoff glory, but he’s a much better two-way player than he gets credit for.
9. Danilo Gallinari, Los Angeles Clippers
The biggest issue with the 29-year-old Danilo Gallinari is his body holding up. Since his ACL tear in 2013, Gallo has missed 82, 23, 29 and 19 games due to injury over the next four seasons — and that’s without even including the 11 games he missed before the ACL tear.
However, there’s no question this Italian wing can put the ball in the hole. A lot of his production comes from the free throw line, but Gallinari is a true mismatch for his strength, build, deceptive quickness, shooting ability and basketball intellect that goads defenders into fouling him time and time again.
Last year, Gallo led the Nuggets in scoring with 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from deep. He won’t put up such gaudy numbers on a Los Angeles Clippers team that has Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams, but if he can stay healthy, don’t forget about the Italian Stallion.
8. Otto Porter Jr., Washington Wizards
His massive offseason contract all but confirmed Otto Porter Jr. as the third member of the Washington Wizards‘ Big Three — for better or worse.
While Porter undoubtedly had a career year in 2016-17, averaging 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on .516/.434/.832 shooting splits, none of that — save the exceptional 43.4 percent shooting from downtown — screams “future superstar,” which is exactly what the Wizards are paying him like now.
However, Porter is still only 24, so rather than focus on his contract situation, perhaps we should stay positive: Though he’s not a future stud in the making, he’s a terrific complementary piece who will spread the floor, defend, pull down rebounds and not step on the toes of John Wall or Bradley Beal. Here’s hoping he can take another leap in 2017-18 though, because that’s not enough to contend for the Eastern belt, let alone a title one day.
7. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Khris Middleton only played 29 games last year due to injury, but even as he struggled to shake off rust, his return was still a boon for a Milwaukee Bucks team that was almost sent reeling by Jabari Parker‘s devastating ACL tear.
In his limited time on the court, Middleton saw his scoring output shrink from 18.2 points per game in 2015-16 to 14.7 points per game, but he was still very efficient in a lesser role, shooting 45 percent from the floor and a career-high 43.3 percent from downtown on 3.6 attempts per game.
Now that he’s had a whole summer to shake the cobwebs off, Middleton figures to be a vital two-way piece for a team that has its sights set on a top-four seed in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the man in Milwaukee, but Middleton should play a more prominent role as a scorer, knockdown 3-point shooter and essential wing defender in 2017-18.
6. Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics
Finally, we arrive at the real talent headlining the small forward position! The Boston Celtics pulled off one of the most impressive free agency signings of the summer by landing Gordon Hayward, even if they had to trade Avery Bradley and dump quite a few contracts to make room for him.
Coming off a career year in which he averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game on 47.1 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent from 3-point range, Hayward is a marquee addition to a team that fancies itself an Eastern contender both in the present and the extended future.
With the 27-year-old wing teaming up with Kyrie Irving, the Celtics have two star pieces to build around. Hayward’s two-way talents will be a central piece in Boston’s postseason aspirations this year, especially as he reunites with former Butler coach Brad Stevens for the first time at the NBA level.
5. Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder
Paul George joining the Oklahoma City Thunder made them a legitimate force out West before they went out and got Carmelo Anthony as well. While playing with Russell Westbrook may limit his individual numbers, it’s one of the best situations he could’ve asked for.
Russ was an absolute force last year without shooters to open up driving lanes; now he’s going to be downright unstoppable with PG-13, Melo, Patrick Patterson and Alex Abrines to spread the floor. George and Andre Roberson will be a terrifying defensive tandem on the wing, giving OKC two defenders who can guard positions 2-4.
At age 27, George is just entering his prime. Last year, he put up 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game on .461/.393/.898 shooting splits, so the Thunder will clearly enjoy this floor-spacer, underrated rebounder and passer, scorer and quality defender. The big question is whether he’ll put up the numbers to compete with our top four on a Westbrook-led team.
4. Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves
It won’t be long before the Minnesota Timberwolves are Karl-Anthony Towns‘ team, and that may be apparent from the opening tip of 2017-18 since the big man is poised for a breakout season. However, Jimmy Butler is the established talent, giving him the slight edge over someone like Paul George, who will be playing on the reigning MVP’s team.
Last season, Butler put up 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He shot a tidy 45.5 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from 3-point range, which will be important for a Wolves team that struggled with the 3-ball. His wing defense will also be vital for the league’s 26th-ranked defense last year.
This may be the year KAT steps up and definitively cements his place among the game’s elite superstars. But since Jimmy Buckets is already there and has a better chance of being Minnesota’s alpha dog in 2017-18 than George does in OKC, his opportunities to hoist more shots under Tom Thibodeau sneaks him ahead of PG-13 on the list.
3. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
For spots 1-3, you could really argue for any order that suits you. We’re dealing with three truly elite wings, future Hall-of-Famers, NBA champions and MVP candidates who dominate on both ends of the floor. So why does Kawhi Leonard get the short end of the stick?
Simply put, it’ll be hard to expect the San Antonio Spurs to win 60 games again like they did last year, when the Claw’s 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game on .485/.380/.880 shooting splits made up for a lackluster supporting cast.
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There’s also the issue of Kawhi’s raw numbers not quite stacking up to the next two guys on the list, since Gregg Popovich wisely limits his regular season minutes. Getting Leonard an MVP Award won’t be as big of a concern for Pop as making sure his superstar is 100 percent for the postseason this time around.
Numbers aren’t everything of course, and Kawhi’s status as the best wing defender the league has seen since Scottie Pippen needs to have appropriate weight in this conversation. However, until he improves his rebounding and assist numbers, or completely proves us wrong about not being able to carry this aging Spurs team back to elite status in the improved Western Conference, he lands at No. 3.
2. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
On the one hand, LeBron James relatively coasts through regular seasons now, which makes sense. He’s 32 years old and is asked to complete Herculean tasks for his Cleveland Cavaliers every summer. Preserving his strength for that postseason run matters more than anything, which is why his Cavs aren’t a sure bet to secure the No. 1 seed out East.
However, taking a simple look at how he elevates his game once the playoffs roll around should tell you all you need to know about the King’s place in the league, even as he enters the latter years of his prime:
- 2016-17 regular season: 26.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, 8.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG, .548/.363/.674 shooting, 27.11 PER
- 2017 NBA Playoffs: 32.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, 1.3 BPG, .565/.411/.698 shooting, 30.1 PER
- 2017 NBA Finals: 33.6 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 10.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.0 BPG, .564/.387/.649 shooting
This season is going to be filled with distractions for the Cavs, from the aftereffects of the Kyrie Irving trade to Dwyane Wade‘s arrival to whatever dumb things Derrick Rose says to the biggest storyline of all, LeBron’s impending free agency decision. The King’s defense is not what it once was, and his 3-point stroke seems to be in an ebb and flow pattern these days.
However, Cleveland is still the heavy favorite to represent the East in the Finals, and when it matters most, King James is better than just about anybody on planet earth. That matters, even if he’s going to play most of the season at about 90 percent.
1. Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
When Kevin Durant hit that dagger 3-pointer over LeBron James in the waning seconds of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, it signaled a changing of the guard. After years of finishing second, KD locked up his first championship and Finals MVP honors, outdueling LeBron in their head-to-head matchup and exorcising demons left and right.
Yes, if you switched KD and LeBron, the Golden State Warriors still easily win the 2017 title, but that’s not the point. The context that matters here is Durant plays for this super-team, and there is no more terrifying and empowering situation for him — or anyone — in the league than that.
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Sure, his numbers — 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game on .537/.375/.875 shooting splits — didn’t quite hold a candle to his MVP season in 2013-14, but those numbers might be even better in 2017-18 with a year of getting acclimated under his belt.
The Warriors could win 70 games this season without breaking a sweat, and though Stephen Curry is the critical piece that makes that offense as deadly as it is, KD is the one who capitalizes on it.
Durant certainly didn’t need his superstar teammates to make that marquee shot over LeBron that effectively ended the series, and he certainly didn’t need them to outplay the King head-to-head, averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals per game on unholy .556/.474/.927 shooting splits for the series.
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If he rides that momentum and that breakthrough over his greatest rival into 2017-18, we could very easily be looking at another MVP season, but more importantly, the moment Kevin Durant became the league’s new alpha dog. The only thing that might stop him is the Warriors’ dominance sitting him out of fourth quarters, but brace yourselves for something special.