Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 12. Tobias Harris, Sixers
Last season, fans were lobbying for Tobias Harris to make the All-Star team. Now, fans are lobbying for him to get traded alongside Ben Simmons. Not the best change of circumstances for 29-year-old, who unfortunately (for his reputation, if not for his bank account) is saddled with one of the NBA’s most egregious contracts.
Harris has struggled through COVID and shoulder pain this season, which makes it difficult to lay blanket criticism at his feet. Some of it is understandable rust and discomfort. That said, Harris has long been a flawed player, and his most characteristic shortcomings (hesitant shooting, slow processing speed, lack of defensive awareness) have been more prominent than ever with Ben Simmons sitting at home and half the Sixers on the bench due to injury seemingly every night. Even so, he’s still averaging 18.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists (a career high) on .461/.316/.844 splits.
Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 11. Bojan Bogdanovic, Jazz
It has been something of a theme with these lists: Utah players who aren’t named Donovan Mitchell tend to get shafted in the sphere of public opinion, if only due to lack of exposure. Bojan Bogdanovic is a tremendously talented player and an important cog of the league’s most consistently dominant offense. He deserves his flowers.
Utah has been an absolute buzzsaw for two years now, in no small part due to Bogdanovic’s contributions in the frontcourt. He’s the perfect complement to the Robert-Mitchell tandem — a dynamic deep-range shooter with some secondary playmaking skills and a nice competitive streak. For the season, he’s averaging 18.1 points and 4.1 rebounds on .469/.393/.858 splits.
Ranking NBA starting power forwards — 10. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Evan Mobley is the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year as he helps elevate Cleveland back toward relevancy in the Eastern Conference. What a rookie season it has been for the reigning No. 3 pick, who from day one established his presence not only a capable and versatile offensive big, but one of the best all-around defenders on planet earth. Mobley should probably make the All-Defense team as a rookie, which is exceedingly rare.
One of three 7-footers in the Cleveland starting five, Mobley has spent much of this season guarding the perimeter. He can roam around space and generate turnovers, flat-out check guards off the dribble, or protect the rim in a more traditional sense. He is an incredible defender to watch. On offense, he’s not half bad either, averaging 15.0 points and 7.8 rebounds on .511/.296/.706 splits.