Which team has the best starting power forward, and which one has the worst? The Sporting News is ranking every team's starter at each position for the 2024-25 NBA season.
There's little argument about who the best power forward in the league is — Giannis Antetokounmpo's two MVPs put him in a class above everyone else. Still, power forward is a deep and highly skilled position. There are a lot of young candidates to take Antetokounmpo's place one day.
Here are all 30 projected starters at power forward for the 2024-25 season, ranked 1 to 30.
POSITIONAL RANKINGS: PG | SG | SF | C
NBA power forward rankings 2024-25
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Antetokounmpo has finished no worse than fourth in MVP voting over the past six seasons. Entering his age 30 season, he's still near the peak of his career. He shot a career-high 61.1 percent from the field last season and averaged 30.4 points per game by being a total force on his drives to the rim. Nobody is stopping him in transition with a full head of steam.
Antetokounmpo has gotten better as a passer, averaging a career-high 6.5 assists per game in 2023-24. He's much harder to double-team now, making him an even more dangerous offensive player. And he's still one of the best defenders in the league thanks to the incredible distance he can cover as a help defender.
2. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Tatum is the most-criticized player to make First Team All-NBA last season. It was a well-deserved honor, though. His consistency helped lead the Celtics to the best record in the league and a championship. He did a little bit of everything at a high level, playing quality defense, scoring 26.9 points per game, rebounding the ball well and recording 4.9 assists per game.
The one problem for Tatum is at the end of games, where he tends to rely too heavily on pull-up jumpers. But he's also hit some big shots and is one of the toughest covers in the league.
3. Kevin Durant, Suns
Entering his age-36 season, Durant is still one of the best scorers in the league. His 27.1 points per game last season came on a sterling 52.3 percent shooting from the field, 41.3 percent from 3 and 85.6 percent from the 3-point line. He's a true three-level scorer who can destroy perfect defensive coverages. And after some injury-riddled seasons, Durant managed to play in 75 games last year.
4. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
Injuries are always the big question mark for Leonard. He did play in 68 regular season games last year, but for the second consecutive season, he managed to log only two playoff games.
When he's on the floor, Leonard is still a top 10 player in the league. He's become an unbelievable shooter from all over the floor, hitting 41.7 percent of his 3s and 50.0 percent of his midrange looks last season. He's not quite at his Defensive Player of the Year levels on the other end of the court, but he is still very good and capable of ripping the ball away at any time.
5. Zion Williamson, Pelicans
Williamson has top-10 potential when he's healthy. He posted 40 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Pelicans' loss to the Lakers in last year's Play-In game. He unfortunately exited that game with an injury, which has been the story with him so far in his career.
Williamson did manage to play in 70 regular season games in 2023-24. He got to the rim at will and was one of the best scoring threats in the Western Conference. He's also improved his defensive intensity, which was an issue for him earlier in his career.
MORE: The unique details in Zion Williamson's contract
6. Pascal Siakam, Pacers
Siakam is one of the better transition players in the league. That has made him an ideal pairing with Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana, where he averaged 21.6 points per game after being traded in February. He's also taken some of the scoring load off Haliburton with his ability to create quality offense for himself.
Siakam is a big midrange threat, which is where he does much of his damage. He can shoot 3s, too — after starting the year terribly from deep, he recovered to shoot 38.6 percent from the perimeter while in a Pacers uniform. He's a strong defender who has a great 7-3 wingspan and is in the All-Star conversation yearly due to his two-way play.
MORE: Pascal Siakam is the Raptors' greatest development story
7. Paolo Banchero, Magic
Banchero is one of the rising young stars of the game due to his great passing and scoring instincts. He has been tasked with creating an enormous portion of Orlando's offense and has done a good job, averaging 22.6 points and 5.4 assists last season en route to his first All-Star selection. He made gains on his 3-pointer, hitting 33.9 percent of them thanks to a torrid start to the year. He still needs more consistency with that shot.
8. Scottie Barnes, Raptors
Barnes put together his first All-Star season last year with averages of 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He's a great distributor whose game has gone to another level after improving to 34.1 percent shooting from deep. Teams now have to honor that shot, opening up driving lanes for him. He's also a terrific defender who is an excellent weak-side rim defender and has a knack for getting steals.
9. Aaron Gordon, Nuggets
Gordon is Denver's overqualified role player who will do anything the team needs to win. He's a vicious dunker who will get up for a lob every time teams send extra help at Nikola Jokic. He guards the best player on defense every night. And he's a plus passer and rebounder for his position.
10. Chet Holmgren, Thunder
Holmgren is one of the league's premier shot blockers and a reliable 3-point shooter. He can also put the ball down on the floor to create a little bit.
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11. Julius Randle, Timberwolves
12. Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
13. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
14. Keegan Murray, Kings
15. Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors
- Randle isn't the most efficient scorer in the league, but he can get an OK shot up whenever he wants and will draw two defenders to open up looks for teammates.
- While Jackson Jr.'s rebounding and fouling issues came into hyperfocus two summers ago, the former Defensive Player of the Year is a feared rim protector and an effective yet streaky 3-point shooter.
- Mobley has DPOY potential thanks to his versatility. He looked like he was taking a leap toward the end of last season but still needs to improve his passing.
- Murray became Sacramento's best wing defender last season. He has a great offensive feel, finding soft spots in defenses to score from anywhere on the floor.
- Kuminga broke out in the second half of last season, showing how unstoppable he can be when he puts his head down and drives to the basket. He's got defensive tools and versatility but needs to stay more locked in on that end of the floor.
16. Josh Hart, Knicks
17. Jalen Johnson, Hawks
18. P.J. Washington, Mavericks
19. Rui Hachimura, Lakers
20. Miles Bridges, Hornets
- Hart is a do-everything guard whose versatility allows him to play up positions. The Knicks will rotate him on opposing teams' forwards along with O.G. Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. Hart is a dominant offensive rebounder, a menace in transition and will take some reluctant 3s.
- Johnson is a terrific skilled athlete who can pass, dribble and shoot. He will have a big role on the Hawks this season.
- Washington is a good scorer who has taken on the challenge of improving his defense in Dallas.
- Hachimura is a solid athlete who can get to the rim. He loves his pull-up midrange shots and has become a much better 3-point shooter in Los Angeles.
- Bridges averaged 21.0 points per game last season on decent efficiency, but he has had issues with shot selection and defensive intensity.
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21. Jerami Grant, Blazers
22. Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets
23. Dorian Finney-Smith, Nets
24. Patrick Williams, Bulls
25. Tobias Harris, Pistons
- Grant is a good secondary scorer, averaging 21.0 points per game last season. He can shoot it well from 3 and create his own looks. He's a decent defender who has good tools.
- Smith made big improvements in his second season, averaging 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. His 3-pointer jumped to 36.3 percent, and he started to fulfill those expectations of a stretch-shooting defensive big man that led to him being drafted third overall in 2022.
- Finney-Smith is one of the better 3-and-D wings out there. He's not going to shoot or score a ton, but he will open up the floor for other players.
- Williams is a toolsy forward who is a capable one-on-one defender and has the strength to guard up in position. He is a good shooter but will frustratingly pass up open looks and look invisible at times on the floor.
- Harris disappeared during the playoffs last year and was one of the league's most overpaid players. He's a decent defender and shooter who is solid as a No. 4 option on a team.
26. Caleb Martin, 76ers
27. Nikola Jovic, Heat
28. Jeremy Sochan, Spurs
29. Alex Sarr, Wizards
30. Taylor Hendricks, Jazz
- Martin is a good defender and shot-creator who showed that he could go off for big scoring binges in the playoffs two seasons ago. His shooting has regressed a bit since then, but he's still a good offensive weapon.
- Jovic earned a starting role at the end of his sophomore year, hitting 39.9 percent of his 3s and improving his defensive fundamentals.
- Sochan was miscast as a point forward last season. He's better as a true forward, using his strength and athleticism to score. He's a good defender with a shaky outside shot.
- Sarr was taken second overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. He projects as a good defender with a 7-1 height and 7-4 wingspan but looked rough in Summer League where he struggled to hit shots.
- Hendricks was the No. 9 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. He started the last 23 games of the year for the Jazz after spending much of his rookie year in the G League. He's a good shot blocker and shooter but struggles to create shots for himself.
