Summary
- Nets need help scoring, with room for a starting role.
- Bulls require depth at small forward, potential for trade.
- Warriors offer a clear path to starting, Wiggins not solid.
The small forward is a position that is often not talked about enough in the NBA, and this applies to its place in NBA 2K25 as well. While everyone can discuss the point guards and fawn over the centers effectively, it’s probably going to take some time to find a person who can aptly name the small forwards of the league. However, this doesn’t mean that the small forward is any less important to a team’s chemistry in a game. Much like the power forward, the small forward is a nice compromise between the center and the guards, offering greater strength than a guard with quicker speed than a center.
This blending of the two means that a small forward can often be a great option for players looking to break into the MyCareer mode of the game with their built character. It takes off the pressure of having to run the offense as a point guard and push your way through the paint as a big man. Plus, being able to excel at any location on the court cannot be understated. Now, not every team is going to be looking for a small forward when a player enters the league, which means there are only a few that are going to be your best bet.
Updated January 18, 2025 by Shane Black: As the NBA season enters its halfway mark, more teams have emerged in need of help at the small forward position. Because of this, this list was updated to provide further context to the teams already on the list but also add teams who have shown to be in need. It also received more in-text links to other guides to help players even more and give them the best possible chance to dominate the league.
1
Brooklyn Nets
Needing All The Help They Can Get
- The Nets need a lot of help in their scoring
- Clear path for a starting role
- A young team that is rebuilding
The Brooklyn Nets are not a good team, to be blunt. As such, they need a lot of help and have a ton of openings for players to become starters. Though they have Bojan Bogdanovic, he is not lighting the score sheet up by any means, and a new player who can score with efficiency can easily overtake him in the line-up.
While there won’t be immediate success with the Nets, they do have a future through their current rebuild. Getting in on the ground floor can be a great benefit for the player.
2
Chicago Bulls
Small Forwards Very Much Needed
- Lavine is constantly in trade talks
- In desperate need of depth at the position
- Could see some success coming their way
The Bulls is a weird team to recommend, but there is logic to it: their starting small forward, Zach Lavine, has been the face of the team for a long time, but his name has been tossed around in trade talks for quite some time as well. When a player’s name appears so often when discussing trades, it usually signifies some real possibility of that trade happening.
But even if that trade doesn’t happen, being a bench player on this team wouldn’t be a bad thing as there would still be a ton of playing time. The team has some flaws, but they have enough talent to make something happen with the right moves. Getting a new small forward who can back Lavine, or take over for him once he’s traded, could be just what they need to have some relevance come back to the storied franchise.
3
Golden State Warriors
A Clear Path To Starting
- Andrew Wiggins can easily be overcome on the depth chart
- Curry’s presence means easier defenses to go against
- A good mix of young and experienced vets to make a playoff run
Despite his prominent role in the Warriors’ 2022 championship run, Andrew Wiggins has returned to earth. While far from a true detriment on the court, Wiggins has certainly opened the door for another player to come to the team and take that starting role from him. With the team struggling overall to score and keep a lead, a new small forward that can be productive would do a lot for them.
It won’t be an immediate starting position, but with the right play, it won’t last very long at all. If players can fulfill their roles effectively, providing the defense and shooting abilities that Wiggins showed flashes of, then they will see their roles elevated in no time.
4
Houston Rockets
A Good Fit For Starters Or Bench
- Even bench players can contribute significantly
- A rising team that could emerge as playoff perennials
- Dillon Brooks is fallible and can be benched
The Houston Rockets are in a different kind of situation because Dillon Brooks is their starting small forward, and he has shown to be a solid option at that position. His calling card is his defense and ability to get into the head of his opponent, while he can also provide some offense sporadically.
However, his offensive production is not nearly enough to solidify him as a permanent fixture in that starting line. If a player can come in and match his defense while also providing more consistent offense than him, then a starting role will open up. Plus, the Rockets are on an upward trajectory and a player can get in on the ground floor here to see success for the future.
5
Los Angeles Lakers
Play With The King
- Lebron can always generate playmaking
- Besides AD, the Lakers need consistent scoring
- A fringe playoff team
The Lakers have once again found themselves in a weird situation: they are not awful, but they are also not great. Because of this, the team is sitting in a place where they will be in the Play-In games come the NBA playoffs. To get themselves out of that spot, they could use a small forward to elevate their scoring.
Lebron is technically the small forward, but he really doesn’t belong to one position. So having him on the court, along with AD and a new small forward, could be a potent combination to bring the team to a more consistent place.
6
Minnesota Timberwolves
A Rising Contender With Plenty Of Playing Time
- A guaranteed second-string role
- Wolves are rising as a top team in the league
- A starting role isn’t too far away
The Timberwolves are showing that they are here to stay in the NBA after their run to the Western Conference Finals last season. When it comes to small forwards, as well, there is certainly a need for depth. While Jayden McDaniels is their starter and will stay that way for the foreseeable future, their second-string small forward is Joe Ingles. Ingles has been a staple of the league for a while and is getting older. McDaniels has not been quite as effective as fans were hoping for, meaning that should a younger, quicker player come to the team, he could see his role moved to the second string and Ingle made irrelevant.
McDaniels is going to be the starter for a while, but not forever. If a player can have patience and give it a season or two, they could see a starting spot open up sooner rather than later.
7
Orlando Magic
A Good Spot To Contribute Early
- Franz Wagner hasn’t taken the starting role for himself
- Lots of young talent on the team
- A bench spot is guaranteed
The Orlando Magic have been knocking at the door of success for a couple of years now, and they just haven’t been able to break through. This could easily change with the addition of a strong small forward that can elevate the team around them. Right now, Franz Wagner has the starting spot for this role and has not done a ton to cement his status there. While he has had flashes of excellence, he just hasn’t been consistent enough to make fans say he is the unanimous choice to have there. And with his injury causing him to miss extended time, the door is open for another player.
This means a new small forward has a real shot of taking that starting spot from Wagner, provided they can do what he does and even more. This isn’t too difficult and could see the Magic becoming a solid team that can make some noise come playoff time.
8
Toronto Raptors
A Solid Bench Role
- Scottie Barnes has the starting spot, but the team needs depth
- Bruce Brown hasn’t reached his Nuggets level
- A young team that can develop
The Toronto Raptors have their starting small forward, which may turn some players off. However, the bench spot is certainly up for grabs and will bring solid minutes. Bruce Brown is currently on the bench as a small forward, but he has yet to reach the levels he did when he helped the Nuggets win a championship two years ago.
Being a consistent bench player is nothing to scoff at, and with the young talent on the roster, the players could quickly see the team become far more potent in the East.
- Released
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September 6, 2024