NBA Tier 3: Above-average starting power forwards
15) Jerami Grant-Portland Trail Blazers
14) Victor Wembanyama-San Antonio Spurs
13) Paolo Banchero-Orlando Magic
12) Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
11) Aaron Gordon-Denver Nuggets
10) Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Tier 3 has perhaps the widest range of players of any of the tiers. On one end, we have the 2022 and 2023 number-one overall picks, Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyama. Banchero lived up to the hype with an impressive rookie season with the Orlando Magic.
At 6’10, he has terrific handles for a player his size and he used those skills to consistently attack the paint and his strength and length to knock defenders back and shoot over them. He can even score in the post, giving him all the makings of a big-time offensive player going forward.
Wembanyama has yet to play a regular-season game, but it seems crazy not to list him. Despite being 7’4 in shoes, he’ll start at power forward for the Spurs. Playing alongside center Zach Collins, he won’t have to worry about getting pushed around in the post.
That frees him up to focus on other things like scoring on the block, off pin-downs, spot-ups, and catching lops on offense, as well as being a terror on defense. There is also Evan Mobley, who is seen as one of the best young players at power forward, though his shooting and defensive ability could eventually result in him becoming a stretch five.
On the other end, we have Draymond Green, who isn’t nearly the player he once was, but he still proved impactful for the Warriors. His defense and passing still make him a top-10 player at the position. Aaron Gordon also ranks highly among fours, especially after playing a crucial role for the champion Denver Nuggets.
His passing, defense, and efficient scoring made him the perfect complimentary player and championship piece. There is also Jerami Grant, who signed a massive contract this summer with the Blazers. With Portland rebuilding, he could be a valuable trade asset as an efficient scorer who shot 40% from three and averaged more than 20 points per game last season. Next up are perennial All-Stars.