Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 6. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans
With Zion Williamson continuing to miss time, the Pelicans have needed Brandon Ingram as much as ever, and he continues to deliver. With season averages of 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, Ingram is once again squarely in the All-Star conversation, even if New Orleans’ team-wide struggles will probably prevent him from earning the second nod of his career.
Ingram continues to do just about everything for the Pelicans’ offense. He leads the team in scoring and in assists, which is rare for a player with his size (6-foot-8) and length (7-foot-3). Ingram sees the floor extremely well, which makes for a pretty dominant player when combined with an unguardable jump shot. He’s also a disruptive and often underrated defender.
Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 5. DeMar DeRozan, Bulls
DeMar DeRozan has exploded into the MVP conversation as the main catalyst behind Chicago’s rise to the top of the Eastern Conference. He’s ultimately not the best player in the NBA, but even so, it’s hard to knock DeRozan’s prolific production across the board. He had a long list of doubters in the summer, and every single one has been proven wrong.
For the season, the 32-year-old is averaging 25.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on .489/.347/.850 splits. Not only is DeRozan building on the playmaking acumen he developed in San Antonio — he’s doing it while posting career-best numbers behind the 3-point line and meshing seamlessly with two capable (if vastly different) playmakers in Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball.
Ranking NBA starting small forwards — 4. Khris Middleton, Bucks
Khris Middleton has long been the unsung hero for a consistently dominant Bucks team. Now he has a championship ring to show for it. Injuries have slowed Middleton down this season, but it’s only a matter of time until he’s back in the swing of things. With averages of 19.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists, there is still plenty to look favorably upon.
There aren’t many better mid-range scorers in the NBA. Middleton has truly mastered the in-between game, and he’s quietly one of the most consistent 3-point shooters in the league too. The main drawback with Middleton has always been a lack of designed plays within the offense, not really anything on his part. He does just about everything well, and he’s a plus defender too.