2023 NBA Free Agent Position Series: Small Forwards

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertApril 08, 2023
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© USA TODAY Sports

Spotrac’s Free Agent by Position Series

Point Guards   |   Shooting Guards   |   Small Forwards   |   Power Forwards   |   Centers

2023 NBA free agency is right around the corner. This isn’t considered to be a blockbuster free agent class, but there are several impact players available. In these rankings, we took a similar approach to the one many teams use when it comes to ranking available players. Each position was broken down into tiers. The tiers are:

  • All-Star: These aren’t all necessarily All-Stars, but they have the ability to be an All-Star
  • Starters: These players are either starters or they produce at a starter-level of impact
  • Rotation: These are solid players that should be in a team’s regular season rotation
  • Fringe: These are players at the end of the bench or Two-Way players largely in the G League

Players were then ranked within their tiers. All potential free agents have been ranked, including those with pending options.

ALL-STAR TIER

  1. Khris Middleton – Milwaukee Bucks    PLAYER

    Even though he'll be 32 years old before next season, Middleton is one of the best free agents in this class. He can shoot, score, pass and defend. One potential worry is that he's had knee issues two seasons in a row.

STARTER TIER

  1. Kyle Kuzma – Washington Wizards    PLAYER

    Kuzma is coming off a career-year. He signed a team-friendly deal last time, but there will be no such discount this time around. Kuzma will be looking to cash in. The question: Will it be with Washington or elsewhere?

  2. Cameron Johnson – Brooklyn Nets    RFA

    Johnson had a weird season. He got hurt early on, then got traded shortly after getting healthy. But when available, Johnson showed he can do more than be a standstill shooter. He's a big part of the future in Brooklyn.

  3. Dillon Brooks – Memphis Grizzlies    UFA

    Brooks is on of those guys who probably has more value to the Grizzlies than he has around the league as a whole. He's an irrational confidence irritant of the highest order. But he's also a 41% career shooter. That's pretty limiting.

  4. Herbert Jones – New Orleans Pelicans    CLUB

    Jones is already one of the best defenders in the NBA. It's likely the Pelicans will pick up this team option and then let Jones be a restricted free agent in 2024. Whenever he's a free agent, Jones is getting a nice payday.

  5. Jae Crowder – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Crowder sat out until February when the Suns traded him to the Bucks. With Milwaukee, he's been what he is: a 3&D forward. If you believe the shooting will hold up, Crowder is an MLE guy, even though he's 33 years old.

  6. Kelly Oubre Jr. – Charlotte Hornets    UFA

    At this point, as he hits his late-20s, Oubre is an inefficient scorer. There's still room for him as a bench player on a good team, but Oubre's probably a part--of-the-MLE guy vs a whole MLE guy now.

ROTATION TIER

  1. Torrey Craig – Indiana Pacers    UFA

    Craig is coming off his best shooting season, by a pretty good margin. If that's real, he's one of the better 3&D wings available. If you don't believe in the shooting, he's a defense-rotation guy. That's good, but a different scale.

  2. Joe Ingles – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Ingles has had a nice bounce-back season with the Bucks after missing the end of last year with a torn ACL. He can still shoot and pass, but the defense isn't what it once was. Also: Does Ingles want to play an age-36 season?

  3. Lamar Stevens – Cleveland Cavaliers    CLUB

    Stevens has improved in his third year, but he was unable to keep a starting role. Most of that is because Stevens doesn't shoot well enough. If he shot better, he'd be higher on this list. As it is, he's a flyer as a free agent.

  4. Naji Marshall – New Orleans Pelicans    CLUB

    Marshall is a combo forward, and that has value. If he shot better, Marshall would have even more value. As it is, the Pelicans might just pick up their option and then deal with unrestricted free agency for Marshall in 2024.

  5. Yuta Watanabe – Brooklyn Nets    UFA

    Watanabe is thought of as all energy, but there's more there. As Watanabe has upped his three-point volume to two attempts per game, he's hit 40.6%. That shooting and the ability to play both forward spots is huge.

  6. T.J. Warren – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Warren was putting together a nice comeback season for the Nets, but hasn't played as much for the Suns. The outside shot has been shaky for Warren, but he's only 30. He'll get another shot to prove himself as a bench piece.

  7. Otto Porter Jr. – Toronto Raptors    PLAYER

    It was a completely lost season for Porter, as he played in only eight games due to a foot injury. He'll likely pick up his player option and try to find a place in a crowded Raptors forward group next season. 
    Updated 4/24/23: Porter Jr. exercised Player Option. He will no longer be a 2023 free agent.

  8. Cam Reddish – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    Reddish was unable to take advantage when given starting opportunities with both the Knicks and Blazers. His career has been a series of fits and starts. Reddish is probably a flyer on a one-year deal to see if you make it work.

  9. Ishmail Wainright – Phoenix Suns    CLUB

    Wainright is a fun success story. He's made himself into an NBA player because he defends 2-4 and he's not afraid to shoot. The challenge is that he's also 28 years old. That probably has him in the minimum deal territory.

  10. Isaiah Livers – Detroit Pistons    CLUB

    Livers has shown enough potential throughout two injury-plagued seasons that Detroit will like pick up their option and see where he fits in on a retooled roster next season.

  11. Kessler Edwards – Sacramento Kings    CLUB

    Edwards has had a weird first two years in the NBA. He played a lot as a rookie, didn't play much with the Nets this year and then became a rotation guy for the Kings. There's a good chance Sacramento brings him back next year.

  12. Terrence Ross – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Ross can still shoot. But that's about all he does as he starts the early-30s portion of his career. But he shoots it well enough that a contender will bring him in on a minimum deal next season.

  13. Juan Toscano-Anderson – Utah Jazz    UFA

    Toscano-Anderson looked like he was going to be a rotation forward on a good team when he was with the Warriors. Unfortunately, JTA is also turning 30. There's not much potential left there, but he's better than he showed this year.

  14. Anthony Lamb – Golden State Warriors    RFA

    Lamb shot it well enough this season, along with some good defense that he got converted to a standard contract. With a big playoff run, Lamb could become an interesting restricted free agent.

FRINGE TIER (UNRANKED AND PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

  1. Kendall Brown – Indiana Pacers    RFA

    Unfortunately, Brown had a serious leg injury early in his rookie season. He'll probably get another shot on a Two-Way deal somewhere next season.

  2. Jamal Cain – Miami Heat    RFA

    Cain flashed some 3&D combo forward potential in the G League. He's a good bet to return to the Heat as a developmental prospect for next season.

  3. Julian Champagnie – San Antonio Spurs    RFA

    Champagnie showed he can score at the G League level, and he can probably defend enough to stick around the NBA level. It's likely Champagnie is competing for a roster spot, likely via a Two-Way deal, over the summer.

  4. Darius Days – Houston Rockets    RFA

    Days didn't get much of an opportunity in the NBA, but he shined in the G League. 22 points per game on decent shooting splits and nine rebounds shows he can play. Days will get an NBA look this summer.

  5. Keon Ellis – Sacramento Kings    RFA

    In the G League, Ellis showed he can be a 3&D player. The question is if he can do that on the NBA level. Look for Ellis to get another opportunity this summer and into training camp to stick on the NBA.

  6. Danny Green – Cleveland Cavaliers    UFA

    Green made an admirable comeback off a torn ACL suffered late last season. However, he's had very little impact with either the Grizzlies or Cavaliers. It might be the end of the road for one of the original 3&D wings.

  7. Danuel House Jr. – Philadelphia 76ers    PLAYER

    House has been in and out of the rotation with the 76ers this season. Given he has a $4.3 million player option, House will probably pick that up. Then it's up to the Sixers if he's back in Philadelphia or not next season.

  8. Louis King – Philadelphia 76ers    RFA

    King looks a 4A player: too good for the minors, but not good enough for the majors. He can do a little bit of everything, but hasn't put it all together at the NBA level. King will probably hit camp to fight for a spot next season.

  9. Kevin Knox – Portland Trail Blazers    CLUB

    Knox never really built on a promising rookie season. He's had his best shooting year this season, so maybe Knox is a late-bloomer. Portland will likely decline their option, but Knox will get another shot somewhere.

  10. Justin Lewis – Chicago Bulls    RFA

    Lewis missed his rookie season after tearing his ACL over the summer. The Bulls brought him in to get a firsthand look at his recovery. Lewis will probably be on a Two-Way deal next season, likely with Chicago.

  11. Eugene Omoruyi – Detroit Pistons    CLUB

    Omoruyi got caught in a numbers game on the Thunder roster, but he can play. The Pistons have given him an opportunity to play a lot and Omoruyi has done well. Look for him to be back after Detroit uses their cap space in July.

  12. Matt Ryan – Minnesota Timberwolves    RFA

    Ryan can really shoot it, but he doesn't do a lot else. The shooting will probably get him another Two-Way opportunity somewhere, but there's not much upside here.

  13. Admiral Schofield – Orlando Magic    CLUB

    Schofield is a rugged defender, but he hasn't shown enough else at the NBA level. If he shot it better, and he has taken some steps forward this season, Schofield could develop into a 3&D forward.

  14. Terry Taylor – Chicago Bulls    RFA

    Taylor is a unique player, as he plays far bigger than his actual size. He loves to mix it up inside. Unfortunately, the lack of a reliable jumper limits his upside as an NBA player.

  15. Lindy Waters III – Oklahoma City Thunder    CLUB

    Waters has shown some shooting ability, but he'll probably get caught up in a roster crunch in Oklahoma City. Someone will give him a shot to fill an end-of-the-bench role, or possibly another Two-Way deal.

  16. Jack White – Denver Nuggets    RFA

    White looked good in the G League. He showed inside-outside scoring ability and did a nice job on the boards. He'll be 26 years old heading into next season, so the potential is limited, but White can play.

  17. Dylan Windler – Cleveland Cavaliers    RFA

    Windler has suffered through four injury-plagued seasons in the NBA. In limited G League games, Windler has shown he can still shoot. But he'll be 27 years old going into next season. It's make-or-break time for Windler.

 

2023 NBA Free Agent Trackers

All Positions |  Point Guards |  Shooting Guard  |  Small Forward  |  Power Forward  |  Center 


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