In today’s era of basketball, small forwards are no longer only playing at the three. Instead, players will slide up to power forward, giving us Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and the best NBA combo forwards.
Robert Covington and Jabari Parker just missed out on the top five, but who else deserves a nod alongside Green and Barnes? Spoiler alert: There’s a bit of a franchise theme with combo forwards.
Note: Think we’re missing someone? Check out the rankings for top small forwards and power forwards to see if he was included there.
5. Tobias Harris, Orlando Magic
If Orlando is finally able to reach the postseason, Tobias Harris would assuredly be a key to the team’s success. No matter what ultimately happens, though, the 23-year-old will contribute heavily on the offensive end.
Harris tallied 17.1 points per game last season, shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range and 46.6 overall. According to Vorped, he connected on 47.4 percent of triples from the corner, which should Harris should attempt more often if he plays alongside another perimeter threat in rookie Mario Hezonja.
The Magic won’t get much defense from Harris, who is a borderline liability on that end. But as long as Orlando can mask that weakness well enough, Harris will lead an offense that needs a consistent go-to scorer.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
All right, folks, say it with me: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now spell it. All right.
A tender 20 years old, “The Greek Freak” has already spent two full seasons with the Bucks. Most importantly, the 2014-15 season showed Antetokounmpo can be a special player. He netted 12.7 points, grabbed 6.7 rebounds, dished 2.6 assists and blocked 1.0 shot per game while recording a 101 defensive rating.
There is a difference between being a special player and a star, however. Antetokounmpo has limited shooting range, evidenced by his general unwillingness to hoist threes and 15.9 percent mark when he does.
Yet Antetokounmpo has the benefit of time—and plenty of it—to enhance his offensive skills while maintaining a strong defensive presence.
3. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Since Parker will be sidelined while recovering from an ACL injury, the Bucks will rely on Khris Middleton to once again play just about everywhere. According to Basketball-Reference, he spent 15 percent of his 2,378 minutes at shooting guard, 14 percent at small forward, 68 percent at power forward and two percent at center.
Whenever Milwaukee wants to use a small-ball lineup, it can use Greg Monroe at center, Middleton as a stretch 4 and fill out the backcourt with Antetokounmpo as well as a pair of guards.
The 24-year-old Middleton is still growing as a well-rounded offensive player, but with a career 40.3 percent three-point clip, he demands plenty of necessary attention at the perimeter.
2. Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors
Though Harrison Barnes spent most of his rookie campaign as a small forward, Green’s emergence has technically shifted Barnes up to power forward. But at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds, for all intents and purposes, Barnes is a combo forward.
Last season, he recorded a career-best 10.1 points per outing, 116 offensive rating and 104 defensive mark, adding 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Barnes was an adequate defender when not protecting the rim, since his lack of size certainly didn’t help against back-to-the-basket power forwards.
Nevertheless, Barnes is a critical and versatile piece to a championship-winning roster that is a leading candidate for the 2016 crown.
1. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Coming out of Michigan State, Green was a decent player who could score from anywhere but lacked an elite skill set, so he’d seemingly achieved his basketball ceiling. Well, that analysis didn’t hold true forever.
Despite his three-point shooting struggles during the final two rounds of the postseason, the 25-year-old is a well-rounded—while inconsistent—offensive asset. As long as Green knocks down triples at an even-average level, he’ll remain one of the NBA’s biggest weapons.
Because this guy is an elite defender and rebounder.
Though he lost the total vote to another deserving candidate in Kawhi Leonard, Green received the most first-place votes for 2014-15 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He finished the year with a 97.2 defensive rating (fourth-best in the league) as well as Nos. 16, 20 and 22 in the steals, rebounds and blocks categories, respectively.
Green has taken his college scouting report and thrown it through the proverbial shredder. He’s an elite three-and-D player, and the best combo forward in the NBA.