NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 best small forwards available

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 20: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends against LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game at Quicken Loans Arena on January 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CA – MAY 20: Trevor Ariza #1 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against the Golden State Warriors during Game Three of the Western Conference Finals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 20, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Trevor Ariza

Trevor Ariza is known for his defense. In the Western Conference Finals, he was tasked with attempting to deal with Kevin Durant. His role with the Rockets is clear, he is a 3-and-D player, and he does it well.

He locks down the other teams best player while hanging around the corner and perimeter on offense. These players are becoming a huge part of NBA offenses. Teams surround a creative point guard with 3-and-D players so they can have spacing all around the floor while being able to shoot the three point shot.

9 years of his career, he has had 2 defensive win shares or more. 3 of the past 5 years, he has had more than 3, demonstrating that he his still one of the better defenders in the NBA.

However, his three point shooting is where he has really improved. He shot 36.8% last year and has begun to shoot it a lot more. Playing for Mike D’Antoni has impacted his shot selection greatly. Last year, 71% of his shots were three pointers, the highest mark of his career. Almost all of his other shots were layups or dunks, so he maintained a solid 41.2% shooting percentage.

Ariza is and will remain a strong contributor in this role for at least one more year.

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