Ranking the top 5 small forwards of the 2023-24 season

Ranking the top 5 small forwards for the 2023-24 season: 1. LeBron James

The NBA has been around for a really long time and we have not seen a player enter their 21st season and expect them to still be a top-five player in the NBA. Yet, here we are expecting LeBron James to lead the Lakers to their 18th title in franchise history.

Last season, LeBron James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists, while shooting 50 percent from the field, 32 percent on 3-pointers, and 76.8 percent from the free throw line. These are MVP-type numbers in his 20th season.

James did seem to fade once he got to the playoffs. He suffered a foot injury that kept him sidelined for a month and it lingered him throughout the rest of the season and postseason. 

In the playoffs, he averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 49.8 percent from the field, 26.4 percent from 3, and 76.1 percent from the free throw line.

James can do everything at the highest level. He is the all time leading scorer and has averaged 25 points per game for the last 19 seasons. He is arguably the best playmaker in all of basketball he is fourth in all-time assists and won an assist title in 2020. He had the second-highest Box Plus-Minus of all small forwards last season. 

With this new, young and energetic Lakers team, James' production will be limited as he'll let Anthony Davis run the ship and will want to get the most out of Austin Reaves in hopes of him becoming the third star. 

Even as James enters his 21st season, turning 39 years old in December, and plays a smaller role he's used to having, he will still be the best small forward in all of basketball. With the revamped Lakers, James is still going to have to be the leader of this team.

It is going to be a very exciting NBA season to see who will win what and see how James plays in his 21st season. He is going to have by far the best season out of a player who has played 21 seasons and will still be considered the best small forward in the NBA.