We've already seen some unexpected things happen with this year's most coveted free agents among guards, but there hasn't been nearly as much action among frontcourt players. The small forwards hitting the market ahead of the 2022-23 season don't have the same star power. That doesn't mean they can't be valuable assets, though. We've compiled a group of players that Fantasy managers should make sure to track ahead of the league calendar's start on July 1.
Here's how we rank five of the best unrestricted free agents at small forward:
1) T.J. Warren, Indiana Pacers
Listing Warren as the top small forward might be considered a reach, as he didn't play one minute last season and has dealt with a troublesome foot injury over the last two years. However, no other player on the market comes close to matching his upside. The 28-year-old forward averaged 19.5 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from deep through 71 regular-season games with the Pacers. He'll be high up on the wish lists of several contenders as a premier MLE player for 2022-23. Upside alone makes him worth taking a risk on in a limited small forward free agent group.
2) Otto Porter Jr., Golden State Warriors
Porter is flying high after winning his first NBA title with the Dubs. He started in the back half of the championship series and showed that he can be an impactful contributor for a top-notch team despite his injury history. The 29-year-old will likely have a similar reserve role in 2022-23 if he remains with the Warriors, but will surely take on a heavier workload with a new team after playing just over 22 minutes per contest on a one-year, $2.3 million deal in 2021-22. Porter could very well return to being a double-digit scorer in his next campaign and boasts career averages of 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc.
- Top FAs: Point guards | Shooting guards
3) Kyle Anderson, Memphis Grizzlies
Slow Mo's numbers took a hit in 2021-22 after he put together a career year in 2020-21. Anderson's scoring, rebounding, and assist figures dropped while other up-and-coming forwards ascended. He can still do a little bit of everything and will be targeted by teams looking for lanky threes and small-ball fours with versatile skill sets. Anderson could return to a starting role if he lands in the right spot and averaged 9.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in 11 starts last year. His Fantasy value could increase significantly if he fills in for P.J. Tucker, who appears to be eyeing a breakup with the Miami Heat.
4) Nic Batum, Los Angeles Clippers
Batum's reputation took a big hit with the Charlotte Hornets, but he was able to turn things around some during his two-year run with the Clippers. The 33-year-old swing man posted 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists with Los Angeles and sank more than 40 percent of his triples in back-to-back seasons. Batum has definitely peaked, but his skill set will make him a serviceable member of whatever team he joins for 2022-23. I'd bump him down a few spots if he re-signs with a Clippers team that's added Robert Covington and will benefit from Kawhi Leonard's return next year.
5) Joe Ingles, Portland Trail Blazers
Ingles has dropped out of sight since he tore his ACL in early January and several teams are rumored to be interested in the 34-year-old veteran. The crafty lefty was having a down season through 45 games with the Utah Jazz last season, but has been a double-digit scorer while averaging at least 3.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists three times over his previous five campaigns. He rounds out my top five in this watered down group because he's consistently made a difference for winning basketball teams and boasted above-average efficiency until last year.
