A few days ago, Frank Urbina of Hoops Hype released his personal list of the Top 22 small forwards in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 season. Before reading this, I urge you to read that to gain a national perspective on the small forward position in the NBA today.
Spoilers: Michael Porter Jr. ranked 10th, a fair placement based on the strength of the position, Porter’s recent rise, and the expectation of improvement heading into next year. Porter appeared ahead of some impressive names, including DeMar DeRozan (11th), Gordon Hayward (12th), Jerami Grant (13th), and Mikal Bridges (14th).