Ranking the 10 best available small forwards in NBA free agency

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Herbert Jones (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

8. Herbert Jones

This summer, the New Orleans Pelicans have the option to exercise a team option on Herbert Jones and they would be foolish not to. The former second-round pick has established himself as a great wing defender with the potential to make an all-defensive team sooner rather than later.

Over the 2022-23 season, he averaged 3.4 deflections per game, which ranked 6th among all players who played meaningful minutes behind only Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul George, and Alex Caruso. The Pelicans also used him to guard several All-Stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic.

To top that off, Jones had a solid offensive season. He averaged 9.8 points on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 33.5 percent shooting on threes. These are not mind-blowing numbers, but the youngster had some big games, too, and still has room to grow. Jones’ most impressive game was undoubtedly his 35-point performance in an overtime win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

So, while it is not very likely that the 24-year-old will actually hit free agency, he is one of the small forwards with the most promise. If he was to become available, he would certainly attract much attention from teams looking to acquire a promising, young wing.