Banner Town Offseason Small Forward Rankings (2020-2021)
The writers at Banner Town have decided to come together and rank the best players in the NBA going into next season. With not much else going on in the world of basketball, this is the perfect time to go over last season and think about who the best players will be next year.
For this survey, we asked seven writers at Banner Town to submit their top 15 small forwards going into next year. Injured players were to be included (I.E. Jonathan Isaac, Kelly Oubre Jr., etc.). Those rankings were then added up and divided by seven to get each player’s average rank, creating a fairly decided top ten list. A player who was not on one writer’s list would be denoted a score of 20 to be averaged with each other writer’s rank. Here are the results:
Others Receiving Votes: Bogdan Bogdanovic (12.71), TJ Warren (13.57), Jonathan Isaac (13.71), Michael Porter Jr. (16.43), Kelly Oubre Jr. (16.57), Andrew Wiggins (16.43), OG Anunoby (16.71), Josh Richardson (17.71), Eric Gordon (18.14), Otto Porter (19), Robert Covington (19.29), Will Barton (19.29)
10. DeMar DeRozan
Ironically enough, DeRozan went from being regarded as one of the league’s most overrated players in Toronto, to know horribly underrated. He’s never been a great three-point shooter, and it’s very possible that his All-Star days are behind him, but he’s still a very solid NBA player. His mid-range shot is one of the best in the game, and when attacking the rim there’s few who are as creative as he can be. His talents may be wasted in San Antonio to some degree as they struggle to stay in playoff contention. Don’t be surprised if we see his name pop up in trade rumors throughout this offseason, as he can be a very valuable piece on a contending team.
9. Gordon Hayward
Speaking of underrated players, just because someone may be overpaid a bit does not make them a bad player. Hayward has had a very unlucky past three years, and the fans in Boston have not exactly been super supportive as of late. Hayward’s a 6’7” wing that can shoot the ball efficiently, drive with a purpose, and play-make extremely well - it’s not his fault that he keeps getting hurt. Hayward has a player option coming up and there’s some doubt that he’ll end up staying in Boston. I hope he does, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
8. Brandon Ingram
Ingram took home this past season’s Most Improved Player award and for good reason. He was never getting the right opportunities in LA, but with the Pelicans his true talent was finally able to shine through. He made his first All-Star game and was nearly able to help lead the Pelicans to the playoffs. Despite his wiry figure, this guy is as elite a scorer as they come, drawing some early comparisons to Kevin Durant for both these reasons. The only question mark surrounding him is whether or not he will be able to play alongside Zion Williamson effectively. I expect New Orleans to test it out next year and if things don’t work out, Ingram trade rumors could start up around the trade deadline. A great young star in the making for a team to trade for.
7. Khris Middleton
As a Celtics fan it pains me to think about Middleton. I mean, he wasn’t very good in the playoffs this year, but every time he plays Boston the guy just seems to elevate to a whole other level. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s wingman in Milwaukee has been an All-Star the past two seasons, and is a consistent threat to shoot 50-40-90 from the field. He’s as efficient as they come and, aside from this past year’s series against the Heat, a very dependable threat from deep. His quiet nature and the fact that he plays second fiddle to Antetokounmpo mean that he’s often underappreciated, but real NBA fans understand just how good Middleton really is.
6. Paul George
If you had told me before the season that Paul George would drop all the way to sixth on the list of small forwards, I would have thought you were crazy. Personally, I had him in my top ten players in the league going into this past season. However, something must have happened to George because he was not the same player he was in OKC. Just look at the series against the Nuggets. So-called “Playoff P” was apparently benched for “Pandemic P” because he just looked terrible out there. Regardless, George is still one of the best two-way players in the game and can’t fall too far down the list because of some bad playoff performances. He’ll be sitting nicely at six until he returns back to his MVP form.
5. Jimmy Butler
Any questions about whether or not Butler is worth having on your team were answered this past season when he led the underdog Miami Heat team to a Finals appearance. Butler and his squad of young players and veterans were able to make their way to the Finals whilst only losing three total games to Eastern Conference opponents. He just has this amazing mentality about him that no matter the cost he is going to win the game. He’s not the best shooter in the world, but everything else about him makes up for that. However, the single most impressive quality of Butler just may be his clutch gene. When his team needs him to step up and do his thing, he will not hesitate for a second.
4. Jayson Tatum
One of the league’s many young stars, Tatum emerged as a top player in the game this year. He made his first All-Star team and was even voted onto the All-NBA Third Team. Tatum’s ability to score the ball was taken to the next level, as he averages more than 23 points a game. However, what’s even more impressive is the fact that he can also play elite defense. Being a two-way player is everything in this league, so having the defensive IQ and movement gives Tatum a huge leg up on the other young stars. He even was able to develop his playmaking ability as the playoffs went on. The Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years, with Tatum being the leader on two of them.
3. Kawhi Leonard
Leonard is debatably a top five player in the entire league, so it feels a bit odd having him at three when talking about just small forwards. Leonard is the best perimeter defender in the entire league, and the argument could be easily made that he’s the best defender in the league in general. Despite his unusually quiet personality, there’s no doubt about his skill on the court. He thrives in the mid-range, with the fadeaway being his go to move. He’s shown us that he can lead a team to the Finals, and has been able to capture the Finals MVP award twice now in his career. All that’s left to do now is bring a championship to the Clippers organization.
2. Kevin Durant
Durant is one of the best players in the history of basketball. He may have ruptured his achilles two years ago, but there is very little doubt that Durant will be able to return and play an an MVP level. He’s set to make his debut in a Nets uniform this upcoming season with point guard Kyrie Irving by his side. The former MVP is ready to make strides in the Eastern Conference in his quest to win a third NBA championship. The seven footer can hit threes, create his own shot, and defend at an All-NBA level. I think we’re all excited to see Durant back in action this upcoming season.
1. LeBron James
King James just captured his fourth ring along with his third Finals MVP trophy. He is the only player in NBA history to win Finals MVP with three different franchises, and there has never been a better case than now to crown him as the Greatest of All-Time. Now that debate is not the point of this article, but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that James is one of the greatest to ever do it. His continuous dominance in the game of basketball has been one of the greatest stories in sports. The fact that he is still one of the best players in the NBA as he ages into his late 30s is insane. I look forward to witnessing more greatness next year.
