Top 30 small forward rankings for 2022-23 fantasy basketball season

Having a star on the perimeter is almost mandatory to be competitive in today’s NBA, and that responsibility typically falls on the small forward. This is a fairly deep position when it comes to fantasy basketball rankings, although it’s also quite top heavy with three top-10 players according to our rankings. Here are five small forwards to pay closer attention to this season, along with our projected top 30 at the position for fantasy basketball.

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

Durant rocked the NBA world this summer with his trade request, seemingly ending what was once a promising era in Brooklyn. The Nets did not deal him and Durant is back to play out at least another year of his four-year contract. The star forward says everything is cool but there’s plenty of combustible elements in this locker room. Will the offseason drama impact Durant’s production on the court?

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers were a disaster last year even with James in the conversation for the scoring title. The King should have been able to recover a bit more this offseason but he’s no longer immune to long-term injuries like he was for most of his career. Will another ailment sideline him this season or can he stay healthy enough to lead the Lakers back to the playoffs?

Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

Leonard missed all of last season recovering from an ACL injury and the Clippers still managed to compete for a playoff spot. The star is back and healthy, although he’ll likely maintain his usual load management schedule. Leonard has shown he can take games over at times, so he’s still a major threat even if he takes more games off than most stars.

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Brown was in a trade rumor regarding Durant this summer, and he reportedly took it personally after his play helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals. Teammate Jayson Tatum is the primary small forward on this team but Brown has carved his own niche as a scorer and defender. Will he use the trade talks as motivation to put together his best season ever?

Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets

Injuries have put Porter Jr.’s career in a bit of a rut for now but he is still on a big long-term deal with the Nuggets. The team is invested in him clicking and Porter Jr. has been cleared to start this season after some back issues late last season. The forward can be a dynamic wing scorer when healthy and is likely one of the biggest sleepers in fantasy basketball this year.