Cavs: Ranking starters at every position in Central Division

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Cavs: Ranking starters at every position in Central Division – Small Forwards

5. Isaac Okoro

The theory of Isaac Okoro, a lockdown wing stopper with secondary creation abilities and natural athleticism, is an excellent fit with the rest of the Cavaliers’ core. The problem is that Okoro is forced to guard 3s when he is best as a backcourt defender, limiting his defensive impact; more so his poor shooting skills make it hard to be a successful offense with him on the court. He has plenty of upside, but a rocky rookie season leaves plenty of mystery as to what the final product will be.

4. DeMar DeRozan

Chicago’s most surprising, and largely panned, move this offseason was to trade for DeMar DeRozan. The former All-NBA player is plenty talented and deserves credit for reinventing himself as a point forward instead of a high-volume attacking guard. That being said, he is even more of a defensive hole than he was as a younger player, and his lack of shooting causes problems in most lineups. We don’t even have to consider his insanely lucrative contract here, but it is indicative that the Bulls clearly value him higher than most.

3. T.J. Warren

The Indiana Pacers watched T.J. Warren take over the NBA Bubble and prove himself to be an efficient scorer, only for him to effectively miss last season with an injury. He should be back sometime early in the season and the Pacers hope he can pick up where he left off. Once the king of the 2-foot shot, Warren has sharpened his perimeter skills and improved as a defender.

2. Cade Cunningham

It’s likely that the Cade Cunningham who steps onto the court for Game 1 should be behind Warren and DeRozan, but his combination of modern skills and the opportunity he will receive in Detroit should help him eat up that gap quickly. Cunningham is a great shooter, good playmaker and willing defender, all as a big wing. He should put things together very early in the season and is a favorite to be Rookie of the Year.

1. Khris Middleton

The wingman for the reigning NBA Champions is one of the league’s best tough shot-makers, hitting difficult shots again and again throughout his career and during the Bucks’ title run. Khris Middleton is an underrated passer, averaging 5.4 assists per game this past season, and his shooting is elite. Defensively he isn’t a stopper but he absolutely holds his own. He’s an All-Star talent and an NBA Champion.