The top 25 forwards in the NBA

Is listing Carmelo Anthony among the best forwards in the NBA today a career achievement honor? Perhaps. Anthony signed with the Houston Rockets in the summer, presumably in a last attempt to win a ring and cement his legacy before he retires. A postseason loss to the Golden State Warriors could shut his championship window for good. 

The biggest worry regarding Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes as of early October is that he could miss some time because of an injured hamstring. The good news is that the addition of DeAndre Jordan should allow him to feature more on the wing and as a small forward when he is healthy. Leaving the Golden State Warriors following the 2015-16 season resulted in Barnes averaging over 19 points per game during his two campaigns with Dallas. 

Derrick Favors has shown he can feature at center with the Utah Jazz. Alongside Rudy Gobert, though, he is one-half of one of the top defensive tandems in the Association. As Ryan Aston of The J Notes explained, Favors told reporters he slimmed down a bit, partially in an effort to keep up with smaller forwards. 

“We would have won the series in five if Iggy played.” This is what Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had to say about Andre Iguodala after his team defeated the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The 34-year-old often shows his age, particularly on offense, but Iguodala remains the heart of the team's defensive efforts when he is on the court and playing his best. 

Nobody likes getting punched in the face, but taking such a blow last fall probably had a role in Nikola Mirotic  exiting the sinking ship that was the Chicago Bulls and joining the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline. He evolved into a better all-around player following that transaction, averaging a career-high 8.2 rebounds with his new club. The 27-year-old will rise up such lists a year from now as long as he remains a consistent force for the entire season. 

Because of noteworthy stars in the lineup, Philadelphia 76ers forward Dario Saric goes somewhat unnoticed and unappreciated. The 6-foot-10 forward who already established himself as a good defender upped his three-point shooting from 31 percent during his rookie year to 39.3 percent. As Tyler Monahan of Liberty Ballers wrote, Saric merely needs to stay the course and not regress to be all the Sixers need him to be in 2018-19. 

As Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com wrote, Brandon Ingram made significant strides during his second season in the league. The forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan should see even better opportunities on the offensive end now that he'll have LeBron James as a teammate. If Ingram can average 40 percent beyond the arc and stay healthy for more than 59 games, he could help the Lakers compete with the Warriors in a seven-game series. 

Assuming you list Anthony Davis as a center (the case as it pertains to this piece), Robert Covington finished last season as the leader in real plus-minus among forwards. Along with making 37 percent of his three-pointers and averaging over 12 points per game, the 27-year-old was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the first time. The Sixers will look for him to continue his stellar defensive play while also ideally bolstering his offensive statistics. 

Somewhat quietly, Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr. shot over 44 percent from three-point range last season. That was better than Klay Thompson, Kyle Korver and, yes, Stephen Curry, among others. The numbers indicate Porter is only going to get better as a shooter and a rebounder. Don't think the 25-year-old has hit his peak yet. 

In late September, Clay Skipper of GQ referred to Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum as "the NBA's next mamba." That's high praise, and the 20-year-old earned it. Granted, Tatum wasn't as impressive as Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell as a rookie, but he did average 14 points per game, and he converted over 43 percent of his three-point shots. That highlight of Tatum posterizing LeBron James will be replayed time and time again as long as he is with the Celts. 

After the Los Angeles Lakers essentially replaced Julius Randle with LeBron James — and who could blame them? — the 23-year-old put pen to paper on a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. Randle has proved he can average a double-double for an entire season, but he'll have to up his game if he is to fill the void left by the departure of DeMarcus Cousins. Randle improved his scoring numbers in each of his first four seasons in the NBA, and he played in all 82 contests last year. 

We're still not sure how good of a fit forward Paul Millsap will be with the Denver Nuggets, since he only played in 38 games last season because of a wrist injury. Millsap's personal statistics dipped, but he remains one of the better defensive big men in the Association. Maybe the biggest concern is that he turns 34 years old in February. As Nick Kosmider of The Athletic recently wrote, one of Millsap's top jobs moving forward is to help Nikola Jokic continue to progress. 

Everybody should just agree that the New York Knicks have no reason to rush Kristaps Porzingis back from the torn ACL he suffered in February. The 23-year-old unicorn improved as a scorer and a defender throughout his three pro seasons, and he is undoubtedly a top-ten player when fully healthy and at his best. The Knicks aren't winning the title with or without Lordzingis next spring, though, so he should be rested until October 2019. We'll see how the Knicks handle his situation. 

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is an easy guy to root for entering the 2018-19 campaign. The 28-year-old joined the Celtics coming off the best year of his pro career, but his season ended after only five minutes following the gruesome and horrific injury he suffered in front of a national television audience. One should want to believe he can be the same player, but we'll only know if that's the case once we see him facing real competition on a nightly basis. 

Lingering hamstring issues sidelined Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton for all but 29 games in 2016-17. He rebounded in a big way last season. The 27-year-old notched career highs in points (20.1) and rebounds (5.2), and he buried 36 percent of the three-pointers he attempted. Often overshadowed by teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo, Middleton is also an accomplished defender who shouldn't have to wait long for his first trip to an All-Star Game. 

What's humorous about Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin is that he is overrated and underrated in the eyes of observers. Maybe, just maybe, Griffin is good? His physical attributes are unquestionable, and he is an elite passer of the ball who averaged a career-high 6.2 assists after he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Pistons. If only he could manage to stay healthy for an entire season. 

Don't look now, but Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon is no longer only known for highlight-reel dunks that go viral on Twitter and Instagram. The 23-year-old who averaged 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists (all career bests) is a better all-around playmaker than he was even a few years back. Gordon can also average 34 percent from three-point range. 

Will the Kevin Love from his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves re-emerge? That seems to be the big question hovering over the Cleveland Cavaliers now that LeBron James has taken his talents out west. Fans probably shouldn't hold their breaths waiting for Love to average 26 points and 13 rebounds per game, but the 30-year-old will be more than a catch-and-shoot figure in a new-look Cleveland offense. 

One has to be conservative when ranking Kawhi Leonard. Questions about his health and commitment to the cause exist as of early October. He's with a new team: the Toronto Raptors. It feels like it was a long time ago and not 2014 when he won NBA Finals MVP. The 27-year-old has a lot to prove. 

One of the biggest surprises of the offseason involved Paul George remaining with the Oklahoma City Thunder rather than attempting to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Along with averaging nearly 22 points and also 5.7 rebounds per game, the 28-year-old drained 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. The best could be to come from George, who may already be a top-10 overall player, starting alongside Russell Westbrook.  

LaMarcus Aldridge seemed to enjoy life as the new face of the San Antonio Spurs. He improved from 17.3 to 23.1 points per game, and he added 8.5 rebounds per contest to his stat sheet. The six-time All-Star turns 34 in July, and there is already plenty of tread on the tires. For the time being, however, the Spurs have to be happy he remained with the franchise. 

We'd refer to Giannis Antetokounmpo as the "next big thing," except we aren't so sure the Greek Freak isn't the current big thing and the league's next MVP. The 23-year-old averaged nearly 27 points and also 10 rebounds per contest last season, and those numbers barely describe his dominance on the court when at his best. Amazingly, Antetokounmpo can play literally any position; yes, even point guard. Just imagine what he would be if he developed a jump shot. 

Those who actively root against the Golden State Warriors may not love the antics they see from Draymond Green, but they would be lying to themselves if they said they wouldn't want him on their favorite teams come the playoffs. The 28-year-old has a history of finding a different gear for his game come springtime, and he was massive throughout Golden State's three championship runs. Maybe Green shooting 39 percent from three-point range in 2015-16 was a one-off. That takes nothing away from his excellence when it matters most. 

Unless you accidentally stumbled upon this piece while looking for television spoilers, you shouldn't need stats or figures to understand why Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant is high on the list. The two-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP would be the greatest player of the past five years, at least, if not for the man last on this list. Durant could become teammates with that individual next summer if he signs with the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2019. 

Let's all be honest and just admit that LeBron James has probably been the real MVP for every season since at least 2010. It's the way it is. Perhaps this will change if rumors of the King taking a "basketball vacation" while with the Los Angeles Lakers are accurate. For now, though, it's LeBron's world, and the rest of us are fortunate to be living in it.