Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 3. LeBron James, Lakers
There isn’t a 37-year-old on the planet who can claim to be able to do what LeBron James is currently doing. Arguably the greatest player in NBA history (and at worst the second-best player in NBA history), it feels strange to slot LeBron outside the top-1. That said, the NBA is full of talent right now, and James has gotten older (if not much slower).
The Lakers are struggled, but not because of James. He’s averaging 28.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists on .517/.362/.758, which stacks up on-paper with just about any other LeBron season. He’s doing it all for a team not exactly tailored to his admittedly malleable skill set, and he will probably drag LA to the brink of contention even if his co-stars aren’t willing to help.
Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo practically lives in the MVP race at this point. He won the championship last season, and looks plenty prepared to defend that crown in 2022. Despite injuries all around the roster, Antetokounmpo has kept the Bucks’ ship steady. It hasn’t been a dominant season for Milwaukee, but taking the long view, very few teams look better on paper.
For the season, Giannis is averaging 28.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.5 blocks on .531/.282/.714 splits. He’s still not much of a shooter, but Giannis does everything else, defenders can’t really keep him from getting to the rim, and he’s possibly the best defender on the planet, to top things off.
Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 1. Kevin Durant, Nets
Kevin Durant continues to transcend simple explanation. He’s just so — freakin — good. The Nets have been something of a mess in 2022, but no player has eclipsed a healthy Durant. He has had to drag Brooklyn to victory on multiple occasions this season, and there’s still no real answer for him defensively. His jumper touches the stars, his speed is uncommon at 6-foot-9 (he’s really a 7-footer), and Durant’s now a better passer than ever. He processes the game at every level, and is an absolute genius-level scorer with a deep bag of tricks to complement his outright unguardable jump shot.
For the season, Durant is supplying 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on .520/.372/.894 splits. The man is one of the greatest shooters ever (again, as a 7-footer) and will go down ultimately as one of the best players ever. He can do no wrong right now, and the Nets are title favorites — pretty much because they have Durant.