Sixers: Ranking Danny Green and every starting small forward in the NBA
142. . SF. Washington Wizards. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. 24. player
Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 24. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Wizards
The Wizards’ decision to trade Russell Westbrook yielded improved depth across the roster, but few have been more impactful than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Stepping into a starting five that has never had issues scoring the ball, Caldwell-Pope’s versatile shooting and solid wing defense have made him a natural fit.
Washington is built around two ball-dominant guards (more or less) in Bradley Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie. It then falls to Caldwell-Pope to space the floor, make strong cuts, and pick his spots wisely as the No. 3 or 4 scorer. He still has some real juice off the dribble too when called upon. For the season, KCP is averaging 11.6 points on .414/.382/.873 splits.
. SF. Utah Jazz. Royce O'Neale. 23. player. 118
Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 23. Royce O’Neale
Royce O’Neale is the forgotten cog in Utah’s machine. He doesn’t get much shine for any number of reasons, but he continues to provide excellent two-way production for one of the NBA’s most consistent two-way teams. He’s the best perimeter defender on the team at 6-foot-7, and he hits 41.2 percent of his 3s.
With season averages of 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds, it’s not hard to recognize why there’s not much chatter about O’Neale around the league. But he gets the job done every night. He’s extremely efficient in his role, and he does the little things — sharp cuts, quick passing reads, confident 3-point trigger — that make a role player great.
Dorian Finney-Smith. 22. player. 79. . SF. Dallas Mavericks
Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 22. Dorian Finney-Smith, Mavericks
Dorian Finney-Smith has carved out a significant role in Dallas, where he’s the linchpin of the team’s surprisingly successful perimeter defense, as well as a productive complement to Luka Doncic offensively. At 6-foot-7, Finney-Smith’s versatility is key to what Dallas accomplishes on a nightly basis.
For the season, the 28-year-old is averaging 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds on .450/.377/.660 splits. He’s an excellent spot-up shooter, but also a fruitful slasher with the skill and touch to beat closeouts and take his defender to the cup.