Small Forward
If you take a snapshot of the entire league, one of the differences between good teams and truly elite teams is the presence of a dominant small forward. Though the 3-and-D small forward has gained steam in recent years, the three position is truly where specialists thrive. This is to say, if you can’t do both, you better do one thing extremely well. For example, Tony Allen struggles with his shooting but makes up for it with his defensive prowess. Vice versa, with shooters like Steve Novak.
In a league once dominated by shooting guards, the NBA has been overrun with point guards, and now small forwards thirsty for the throne. From Jimmy Butler to Kawhi Leonard, if you don’t have a small forward who can compete on a nightly basis, good luck.
Interestingly enough, despite housing some of the best talent ever to play the game of basketball, the Lakers have been surprisingly thin at the small forward position, in relation to their dominance at other positions. Aside from Jamaal Wilkes, Elgin Baylor and James Worthy, historically the Lakers’ superstars bloom elsewhere.
The Lakers let one get away with Trevor Ariza, opting instead to go with the veteran presence, Ron Artest, a precedence which should make their current front office decisions that much more predictable. That said, the Lakers will have their fill of options to choose from this trade deadline and offseason with players like Nicolas Batum, Kevin Durant and Brandon Ingram all fitting the mold.
While Anthony Brown’s size, athleticism and shooting ability give him the potential to be the Lakers starting small forward of the future, just like the three headed beast of Russell-Clarkson-Randle he needs time to grow.
Next: Filling the Shaq Sized Center Hole