Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings

Introducing the Top 10 Best NBA Small Forwards 2023-2024 Rankings as Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, and more show who is the best SF

By admin | April 22, 2024

The Best NBA Small Forwards of 2023-2024 Rankings

The small forward position continues to adapt from season to season with the NBA players playing the position taking the level of play to the next level. Over the years the position has seen an extensive list of talented small forwards come through the ranks including long time All-Star and future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James. James, while not the youngest small forward within the league, continues to rank among the best small forwards in the game while ranking among the top five on the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings list.

James who has built up a storied NBA career has added to his legacy during the current 2023-2024 NBA season while surpassing 40,000 career points while also becoming the first player in NBA history to reach the 40k points mark.

While James continues to rank among the best small forwards in the game, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics has slowly developed into the game’s best all-around small forward while being one of the team’s leaders.

The Celtics All-Star currently leads all small forwards in scoring posting 27.3 points per game. Joining Tatum and James among the best small forwards in the NBA include Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat.

Here is a look at the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Jerami Grant

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Just missing the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings list is the Portland Trail Blazers small forward Jerami Grant. Despite bouncing around the NBA since arriving back during the 2014 NBA Draft, Grant has been a solid player at the small forward position over the past five seasons including in each of his two seasons with the Trail Blazers.

Grant, who is averaging at least 20 points for the third time of his NBA career has been one of the Trail Blazers leaders this season after losing former All-Star Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Grant has posted a state line that includes averaging 21 points per game to go along with 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Overall, Grant has been solid from the floor shooting 40.2 percent from behind the three-point line and 45.1 percent from the field.

Franz Wagner

Team: Orlando Magic

The former Michigan Wolverines star has taken another step forward within his development for the Orlando Magic this season while being one of the team’s key weapons while pushing them into the fifth seed within the Eastern Conference.

Despite seeing this three-point shooting drop to a career low 29 percent this season, Wagner continues to be a solid shooter from the floor while increasing his career high total to 19.8 points per game this season.

The Magic small forward who was selected eighth overall during the 2021 NBA Draft currently ranks within the top 70 in scoring (19.8), rebounds (5.4) and assists (3.9) among all NBA Players. The third year small forward currently ranks 12^th in scoring, 13^th in rebounding, and ninth in assists among all players at the small forward position.

Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings

10. Brandon Ingram

Team: New Orleans Pelicans

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings list is the New Orleans Pelicans small forward Brandon Ingram. Ingram, who was one key part of the Pelicans trade to ship Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers has been as consistent as any small forward in the league since arriving with the team back during the 2019-2020 NBA Season.

Ingram who is averaging 20.9 points per game has averaged at least 20 points per game in all five seasons with the Pelicans while also adding at least five rebounds in four of the five seasons.

During the current 2023-2024 NBA season Ingram has averaged 5.1 rebounds and a career high 5.8 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from behind the three-point line.

9. Michael Porter Jr.

Team: Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are loaded with talented players including the two-time league NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. With the loaded roster one player who is often overlooked is Michael Porter Jr who also does not get enough credit or enough touches to highlight his true talent at the small forward position.

Despite seeing limited touches and opportunities the former Missouri Tigers forward continues to average 16.9 points per game while also averaging seven rebounds per game. Currently the Nuggets small forward ranks seventh among small forwards in rebounding and 13^th in scoring.

8. Miles Bridges

Team: Charlotte Hornets

Since arriving in the NBA during the 2018 NBA Draft out of the Michigan State Spartans, Miles Bridges has improved each season while taking his game to the next level over the last two seasons.

After averaging 20.2 points and topping the 20-point average mark for the first time last season, Bridges has improved his career high in scoring to 21.2 points per game over 60 games this season.

In addition to improving his scoring totals, Bridges has also posted a career high 7.5 rebounds per game this season to go along with a career high 18 double doubles. The Hornets fifth year star has also added one steal per game and 3.3 assists this season.

7. DeMar DeRozan

Team: Chicago Bulls

The 34-year-old veteran continues to grind out strong numbers for the Chicago Bulls during the 2023-2024 NBA schedule. In his third season with the Bulls, DeRozan is currently averaging 23.3 points per game while ranking 19^th in the NBA in scoring.

The 23.3 points per game marks the 11^th straight season averaging at least 20 points including the sixth NBA season averaging at least 23 points. The Bulls veteran does a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor while being an enforcer and aggressive defender while posting 1.1 steals per game. On the glass DeRozan is averaging 4.3 rebounds while also posting 5.3 assists per game.

In his 15^th NBA season, DeRozan has posted a career stat line to include averaging 21.2 points per game, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

6. Kyle Kuzma

Team: Washington Wizards

With potential free agency just around the corner for Kyle Kuzma, the Washington Wizards small forward continues to grind night in and night out despite the struggles of the team.

Kuzma, who landed with the Wizards for the 2021-2022 NBA season, has developed into a strong leader and one of the top small forwards within the league. Kuzma, who is averaging a career high 22.4 points per game, is looking to close out the 2023-2024 NBA season on a strong note.

The Wizards small forward has also averaged a career high 4.2 assists per game over 67 games this season while also adding 6.5 rebounds per game.

5. Jimmy Butler

Team: Miami Heat

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings list is Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat. Butler who is often overshadowed and overlooked among the best small forwards in the NBA.

Nonetheless Butler has not let that slow him down while continuing to push his career scoring average to 18.4 points while posting his fourth straight season averaging at least 21 points per game. Going with his ability to be a strong scorer, Butler has also provided strong defense over his career including averaging 1.4 steals per game this season.

Overall, the Heat All-Star is averaging 21.4 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game over 50 games played this season. With the Heat looking to make a run at the NBA Finals this season their success starts and finishes with Butler.

4. Kawhi Leonard

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Once the premier small forward in the NBA, the long time veteran and current Los Angeles Clippers All-Star continues to rank statistically among the best small forwards in the NBA.

The 12-year NBA veteran who is in his fourth season with the Clippers is looking to lead the Clippers to their first NBA Championship during the 2023-2024 NBA season. Leonard continues to be a staple within the Clippers lineup averaging 23.8 points per game over 65 games this season while also adding six rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

The veteran small forward has also averaged 1.6 steals per game while providing veteran leadership to a roster that includes other All-Stars including Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

3. Scottie Barnes

Team: Toronto Raptors

One of the up-and-coming small forwards within the NBA is the Toronto Raptors small forward Scottie Barnes. Barnes, who will turn 23 in August this summer, is putting together his best season of his three-year career in the NBA while setting career highs in nearly every statistic.

The former Florida State star is averaging a career high 19.9 points per game to go along with a career high 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. To go along with those numbers Barnes has increased his blocked shots from .8 last season to 1.5 over 60 games this season.

Prior to going down with a hand injury that required surgery Barnes had also posted four triple doubles on the season to go along with 25 double doubles.

2. LeBron James

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

The King continues to stuff the stat sheet night in and night out for the Los Angeles Lakers while in pursuit of picking up his fifth NBA Championship. James, who is in his 21^st season in the NBA is averaging 25.4 points per game over 62 games on the season.

The current 25-point average marks the 20th straight season averaging at least 25 points with only his rookie season total of 20.9 points coming below that mark. James, who passed the 40k mark in points scored this season continues to add to those totals each night he takes the floor.

The numbers do not stop there as James does a little bit of everything including leading the Lakers in assists while averaging 8.1 per game while also adding 7.2 rebounds per game.

1. Jayson Tatum

Team: Boston Celtics

In atop the Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings list is the Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum. The 26-year-old small forward who was selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick during the 2017 NBA Draft, currently ranks seventh in the NBA in scoring while posting 27.3 points per game.

Over 67 games this season Tatum has pushed his streak of NBA seasons scoring at least 23 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out four assists to five straight seasons.

In all this season Tatum is currently averaging 8.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists to go along with 23 total double doubles records. Despite appearing in his seventh NBA season, Tatum just turned 26 years old while continuing to rank among the best players in the NBA.

How would you rank the best NBA Small Forwards so far into the 2023-2024 NBA Season? Rank below to be added in the NBA Power Rankings.